Henry Kuttner

Name: World’s End
Author: Henry Kuttner

World’s End (1938)

Summary

“World’s End”, published in 1938, is a work by Henry Kuttner. It explores elements such as Blake, the Time Machine and Norwood.

Quotes from World’s End (Henry Kuttner)

Henry Kuttner, World’s End (1938)

“ A little spot of light began to glow in the air near the platform. Blake stopped to snatch up a revolver, and for a moment his eyes were turned away. When he looked again, a man was standing where the light had been.
A strange man, indeed. Blake's eyes went wide as he stared at the stocky, dwarfed body, the slender hands, with fingers that seemed almost like tentacles–and the astounding head of the being. At first Blake thought the man was a hunchback, and then he realized that the sack-like object that hung down and rested on the dwarf's back was actually a part of his skull. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Kuttner, World’s End (1938)

“ They can't be set aside, Ken. And you can see that the machine doesn't work—in the past or the future."
"I can't understand it," Blake heard himself saying. "It should work. Jep. But—it doesn't."
"I think I understand why you can't go into the past," Norwood said. "The past can't be changed, and you can't do an impossibility. You can't go back before you existed—or even back a few years or a few minutes, because if you could, you'd remember seeing yourself spring out of empty air on the Time Machine. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Kuttner, World’s End (1938)

“ Blake asked.
The other nodded. "Yes. Now that it is too late, we have discovered how to destroy it. Through atomic destruction we disintegrate it–shatter the atoms of which it is composed. But we have so little power. For a hundred years now we have been losing ground. Our fuel is rapidly becoming exhausted. Soon the Doom will sweep onward unchecked, and man will go for ever. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Kuttner, World’s End (1938)

“ Blake flicked another stud. After a moment he hastily pushed it back to its original position. His face, seen through the transparent helmet, was glistening with perspiration.
"Too hot for comfort."
"You may need it, though. Ken. We can't tell what you'll find–even if the machine works."
"If it works! Of course it'll work." Blake's voice was a little uncertain. Norwood had expressed the fear that had been haunting him for years. He turned away to hide his face from Norwood's searching, faded eyes. If he were to fail now! ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Kuttner, World’s End (1938)

“ Blake had remembered the plunge into the other dimension, where physical laws were so strangely altered or suspended. He was not sure, now, that he could find his way back to his own time. He explained the problem to Nak.
The dwarf chuckled. "Can you open this platform–show me the machinery?" he asked.
Blake nodded. He lifted a panel in the metal flooring, and Nak peered down. After a moment he nodded, thrust an arm through the gap, and made a hasty adjustment.
"That will do it," he said. "Simply move the lever. Your machine is remarkably simple in its construction and theory. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Kuttner, World’s End (1938)

“ Blake said slowly. His face changed. "But I'm going to find out. Get back, Jep!"
His hand closed on the bakelite lever, swung it to the left. Nothing happened.
For a heartbeat there was utter silence. Then Norwood said slowly, "You see. Ken? Something's wrong. According to our calculations you should be in the past now. But you're not. I tell you, man can't transgress against the——"
As he spoke Blake moved the lever, pushing it in the opposite direction. With the abruptness of a thunderclap blackness enveloped him. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Kuttner, World’s End (1938)

“ Norwood said gruffly.
Weird Tales Feb 1938, page 79 image
"In the cosmic scheme of things, time was meant to be unchangeable."
But Blake did not touch the bakelite lever. He turned to face the old man.
"Think of it, Jep," he said softly. "When I touch that lever I'll go on the greatest adventure man has ever known. I'll be projected into another dimension, while the years and centuries flow past–and then I'll come back into the three-dimensional world in another time! It's as though I could free myself from gravitation and let the earth spin around beneath me. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Kuttner, World’s End (1938)

“ It is alive, but it is matter of an entirely different atomic type from matter that we know. It is not crystalline, nor mineral, nor organic at all–yet it is alive. And it eats. It ingests all matter–stone and sand and water, and even air, are all alike to it. ”

Henry Kuttner

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