Reading Help The Time Machine by H. G. Wells
associate it with the sanitary apparatus of these people. It was an `
` obvious conclusion, but it was absolutely wrong. `
` `
` 'And here I must admit that I learned very little of drains and `
` bells and modes of conveyance, and the like conveniences, during my `
` time in this real future. In some of these visions of Utopias and `
` coming times which I have read, there is a vast amount of detail `
` about building, and social arrangements, and so forth. But while `
` such details are easy enough to obtain when the whole world is `
` contained in one's imagination, they are altogether inaccessible to `
` a real traveller amid such realities as I found here. Conceive the `
` tale of London which a negro, fresh from Central Africa, would take `
` back to his tribe! What would he know of railway companies, of `
` social movements, of telephone and telegraph wires, of the Parcels `
` Delivery Company, and postal orders and the like? Yet we, at least, `
` should be willing enough to explain these things to him! And even of `
` what he knew, how much could he make his untravelled friend either `
` apprehend or believe? Then, think how narrow the gap between a negro `
` and a white man of our own times, and how wide the interval between `
` myself and these of the Golden Age! I was sensible of much which was `
` unseen, and which contributed to my comfort; but save for a general `
` impression of automatic organization, I fear I can convey very `
` little of the difference to your mind. `
` `
` 'In the matter of sepulture, for instance, I could see no signs of `
` crematoria nor anything suggestive of tombs. But it occurred to me `
` that, possibly, there might be cemeteries (or crematoria) somewhere `
` beyond the range of my explorings. This, again, was a question I `
` deliberately put to myself, and my curiosity was at first entirely `
` defeated upon the point. The thing puzzled me, and I was led to make `
` a further remark, which puzzled me still more: that aged and infirm `
` among this people there were none. `
` `
` 'I must confess that my satisfaction with my first theories of an `
` automatic civilization and a decadent humanity did not long endure. `
` Yet I could think of no other. Let me put my difficulties. The `
` several big palaces I had explored were mere living places, great `
` dining-halls and sleeping apartments. I could find no machinery, no `
` appliances of any kind. Yet these people were clothed in pleasant `
` fabrics that must at times need renewal, and their sandals, though `
` undecorated, were fairly complex specimens of metalwork. Somehow `
` such things must be made. And the little people displayed no vestige `
` of a creative tendency. There were no shops, no workshops, no sign `
` of importations among them. They spent all their time in playing `
` gently, in bathing in the river, in making love in a half-playful `
` fashion, in eating fruit and sleeping. I could not see how things `
` were kept going. `
` `
` 'Then, again, about the Time Machine: something, I knew not what, `
` had taken it into the hollow pedestal of the White Sphinx. Why? For `
` the life of me I could not imagine. Those waterless wells, too, `
` those flickering pillars. I felt I lacked a clue. I felt--how shall `
` I put it? Suppose you found an inscription, with sentences here and `
` there in excellent plain English, and interpolated therewith, others `
` made up of words, of letters even, absolutely unknown to you? Well, `
` on the third day of my visit, that was how the world of Eight `
` Hundred and Two Thousand Seven Hundred and One presented itself to `
` me! `
` `
` 'That day, too, I made a friend--of a sort. It happened that, as I `
` was watching some of the little people bathing in a shallow, one of `
` them was seized with cramp and began drifting downstream. The main `
` current ran rather swiftly, but not too strongly for even a moderate `
` swimmer. It will give you an idea, therefore, of the strange `
` deficiency in these creatures, when I tell you that none made the `
` slightest attempt to rescue the weakly crying little thing which `
` was drowning before their eyes. When I realized this, I hurriedly `
` slipped off my clothes, and, wading in at a point lower down, I `
` caught the poor mite and drew her safe to land. A little rubbing of `
` the limbs soon brought her round, and I had the satisfaction of `
` seeing she was all right before I left her. I had got to such a low `
` estimate of her kind that I did not expect any gratitude from her. `
` In that, however, I was wrong. `
` `
` 'This happened in the morning. In the afternoon I met my little `
` woman, as I believe it was, as I was returning towards my centre `
` from an exploration, and she received me with cries of delight and `
` presented me with a big garland of flowers--evidently made for me `
` and me alone. The thing took my imagination. Very possibly I had `
` been feeling desolate. At any rate I did my best to display my `
` appreciation of the gift. We were soon seated together in a little `
` stone arbour, engaged in conversation, chiefly of smiles. The `
` creature's friendliness affected me exactly as a child's might have `
` done. We passed each other flowers, and she kissed my hands. I did `
` the same to hers. Then I tried talk, and found that her name was `
` Weena, which, though I don't know what it meant, somehow seemed `
` appropriate enough. That was the beginning of a queer friendship `
` which lasted a week, and ended--as I will tell you! `
` `
` 'She was exactly like a child. She wanted to be with me always. She `
` tried to follow me everywhere, and on my next journey out and about `
` it went to my heart to tire her down, and leave her at last, `
` exhausted and calling after me rather plaintively. But the problems `
` of the world had to be mastered. I had not, I said to myself, come `
` into the future to carry on a miniature flirtation. Yet her distress `
` when I left her was very great, her expostulations at the parting `
` were sometimes frantic, and I think, altogether, I had as much `
` trouble as comfort from her devotion. Nevertheless she was, somehow, `
` a very great comfort. I thought it was mere childish affection that `
` made her cling to me. Until it was too late, I did not clearly know `
` what I had inflicted upon her when I left her. Nor until it was too `
` late did I clearly understand what she was to me. For, by merely `
` seeming fond of me, and showing in her weak, futile way that she `
` cared for me, the little doll of a creature presently gave my return `
` to the neighbourhood of the White Sphinx almost the feeling of `
` coming home; and I would watch for her tiny figure of white and gold `
` so soon as I came over the hill. `
` `
` 'It was from her, too, that I learned that fear had not yet left the `
` world. She was fearless enough in the daylight, and she had the `
` oddest confidence in me; for once, in a foolish moment, I made `
` threatening grimaces at her, and she simply laughed at them. But she `
` dreaded the dark, dreaded shadows, dreaded black things. Darkness `
` to her was the one thing dreadful. It was a singularly passionate `
` emotion, and it set me thinking and observing. I discovered then, `
` among other things, that these little people gathered into the great `
` houses after dark, and slept in droves. To enter upon them without a `
` light was to put them into a tumult of apprehension. I never found `
` one out of doors, or one sleeping alone within doors, after dark. `
` Yet I was still such a blockhead that I missed the lesson of that `
` fear, and in spite of Weena's distress I insisted upon sleeping away `
` from these slumbering multitudes. `
` `
` 'It troubled her greatly, but in the end her odd affection for me `
` triumphed, and for five of the nights of our acquaintance, including `
` the last night of all, she slept with her head pillowed on my arm. `
` But my story slips away from me as I speak of her. It must have been `
` the night before her rescue that I was awakened about dawn. I had `
` been restless, dreaming most disagreeably that I was drowned, and `
` that sea anemones were feeling over my face with their soft palps. `
` I woke with a start, and with an odd fancy that some greyish animal `
` had just rushed out of the chamber. I tried to get to sleep again, `
` but I felt restless and uncomfortable. It was that dim grey hour `
` when things are just creeping out of darkness, when everything is `
` colourless and clear cut, and yet unreal. I got up, and went down `
` into the great hall, and so out upon the flagstones in front of the `
` palace. I thought I would make a virtue of necessity, and see the `
` sunrise. `
` `
` 'The moon was setting, and the dying moonlight and the first pallor `
` of dawn were mingled in a ghastly half-light. The bushes were inky `
` black, the ground a sombre grey, the sky colourless and cheerless. `
` And up the hill I thought I could see ghosts. There several times, `
` as I scanned the slope, I saw white figures. Twice I fancied I saw `
` a solitary white, ape-like creature running rather quickly up the `
` hill, and once near the ruins I saw a leash of them carrying some `
` dark body. They moved hastily. I did not see what became of them. `
` It seemed that they vanished among the bushes. The dawn was still `
` indistinct, you must understand. I was feeling that chill, `
` uncertain, early-morning feeling you may have known. I doubted `
` my eyes. `
` `
` 'As the eastern sky grew brighter, and the light of the day came on `
` and its vivid colouring returned upon the world once more, I scanned `
` the view keenly. But I saw no vestige of my white figures. They were `
` mere creatures of the half light. "They must have been ghosts," I `
` said; "I wonder whence they dated." For a queer notion of Grant `
` Allen's came into my head, and amused me. If each generation die and `
` leave ghosts, he argued, the world at last will get overcrowded with `
` them. On that theory they would have grown innumerable some Eight `
` Hundred Thousand Years hence, and it was no great wonder to see four `
` at once. But the jest was unsatisfying, and I was thinking of these `
` figures all the morning, until Weena's rescue drove them out of my `
` head. I associated them in some indefinite way with the white animal `
` I had startled in my first passionate search for the Time Machine. `
` But Weena was a pleasant substitute. Yet all the same, they were `
` soon destined to take far deadlier possession of my mind. `
` `
` 'I think I have said how much hotter than our own was the weather `
` of this Golden Age. I cannot account for it. It may be that the sun `
` was hotter, or the earth nearer the sun. It is usual to assume that `
` the sun will go on cooling steadily in the future. But people, `
` unfamiliar with such speculations as those of the younger Darwin, `
` forget that the planets must ultimately fall back one by one into `
` the parent body. As these catastrophes occur, the sun will blaze `
` with renewed energy; and it may be that some inner planet had `
` suffered this fate. Whatever the reason, the fact remains that the `
` sun was very much hotter than we know it. `
` `
` 'Well, one very hot morning--my fourth, I think--as I was seeking `
` shelter from the heat and glare in a colossal ruin near the great `
` house where I slept and fed, there happened this strange thing: `
` Clambering among these heaps of masonry, I found a narrow gallery, `
` whose end and side windows were blocked by fallen masses of stone. `
` By contrast with the brilliancy outside, it seemed at first `
` impenetrably dark to me. I entered it groping, for the change from `
` light to blackness made spots of colour swim before me. Suddenly I `
` halted spellbound. A pair of eyes, luminous by reflection against `
` the daylight without, was watching me out of the darkness. `
` `
` 'The old instinctive dread of wild beasts came upon me. I clenched `
` my hands and steadfastly looked into the glaring eyeballs. I was `
` afraid to turn. Then the thought of the absolute security in which `
` humanity appeared to be living came to my mind. And then I `
` remembered that strange terror of the dark. Overcoming my fear to `
` some extent, I advanced a step and spoke. I will admit that my `
` voice was harsh and ill-controlled. I put out my hand and touched `
` something soft. At once the eyes darted sideways, and something `
` white ran past me. I turned with my heart in my mouth, and saw a `
` queer little ape-like figure, its head held down in a peculiar `
` manner, running across the sunlit space behind me. It blundered `
`
` obvious conclusion, but it was absolutely wrong. `
` `
` 'And here I must admit that I learned very little of drains and `
` bells and modes of conveyance, and the like conveniences, during my `
` time in this real future. In some of these visions of Utopias and `
` coming times which I have read, there is a vast amount of detail `
` about building, and social arrangements, and so forth. But while `
` such details are easy enough to obtain when the whole world is `
` contained in one's imagination, they are altogether inaccessible to `
` a real traveller amid such realities as I found here. Conceive the `
` tale of London which a negro, fresh from Central Africa, would take `
` back to his tribe! What would he know of railway companies, of `
` social movements, of telephone and telegraph wires, of the Parcels `
` Delivery Company, and postal orders and the like? Yet we, at least, `
` should be willing enough to explain these things to him! And even of `
` what he knew, how much could he make his untravelled friend either `
` apprehend or believe? Then, think how narrow the gap between a negro `
` and a white man of our own times, and how wide the interval between `
` myself and these of the Golden Age! I was sensible of much which was `
` unseen, and which contributed to my comfort; but save for a general `
` impression of automatic organization, I fear I can convey very `
` little of the difference to your mind. `
` `
` 'In the matter of sepulture, for instance, I could see no signs of `
` crematoria nor anything suggestive of tombs. But it occurred to me `
` that, possibly, there might be cemeteries (or crematoria) somewhere `
` beyond the range of my explorings. This, again, was a question I `
` deliberately put to myself, and my curiosity was at first entirely `
` defeated upon the point. The thing puzzled me, and I was led to make `
` a further remark, which puzzled me still more: that aged and infirm `
` among this people there were none. `
` `
` 'I must confess that my satisfaction with my first theories of an `
` automatic civilization and a decadent humanity did not long endure. `
` Yet I could think of no other. Let me put my difficulties. The `
` several big palaces I had explored were mere living places, great `
` dining-halls and sleeping apartments. I could find no machinery, no `
` appliances of any kind. Yet these people were clothed in pleasant `
` fabrics that must at times need renewal, and their sandals, though `
` undecorated, were fairly complex specimens of metalwork. Somehow `
` such things must be made. And the little people displayed no vestige `
` of a creative tendency. There were no shops, no workshops, no sign `
` of importations among them. They spent all their time in playing `
` gently, in bathing in the river, in making love in a half-playful `
` fashion, in eating fruit and sleeping. I could not see how things `
` were kept going. `
` `
` 'Then, again, about the Time Machine: something, I knew not what, `
` had taken it into the hollow pedestal of the White Sphinx. Why? For `
` the life of me I could not imagine. Those waterless wells, too, `
` those flickering pillars. I felt I lacked a clue. I felt--how shall `
` I put it? Suppose you found an inscription, with sentences here and `
` there in excellent plain English, and interpolated therewith, others `
` made up of words, of letters even, absolutely unknown to you? Well, `
` on the third day of my visit, that was how the world of Eight `
` Hundred and Two Thousand Seven Hundred and One presented itself to `
` me! `
` `
` 'That day, too, I made a friend--of a sort. It happened that, as I `
` was watching some of the little people bathing in a shallow, one of `
` them was seized with cramp and began drifting downstream. The main `
` current ran rather swiftly, but not too strongly for even a moderate `
` swimmer. It will give you an idea, therefore, of the strange `
` deficiency in these creatures, when I tell you that none made the `
` slightest attempt to rescue the weakly crying little thing which `
` was drowning before their eyes. When I realized this, I hurriedly `
` slipped off my clothes, and, wading in at a point lower down, I `
` caught the poor mite and drew her safe to land. A little rubbing of `
` the limbs soon brought her round, and I had the satisfaction of `
` seeing she was all right before I left her. I had got to such a low `
` estimate of her kind that I did not expect any gratitude from her. `
` In that, however, I was wrong. `
` `
` 'This happened in the morning. In the afternoon I met my little `
` woman, as I believe it was, as I was returning towards my centre `
` from an exploration, and she received me with cries of delight and `
` presented me with a big garland of flowers--evidently made for me `
` and me alone. The thing took my imagination. Very possibly I had `
` been feeling desolate. At any rate I did my best to display my `
` appreciation of the gift. We were soon seated together in a little `
` stone arbour, engaged in conversation, chiefly of smiles. The `
` creature's friendliness affected me exactly as a child's might have `
` done. We passed each other flowers, and she kissed my hands. I did `
` the same to hers. Then I tried talk, and found that her name was `
` Weena, which, though I don't know what it meant, somehow seemed `
` appropriate enough. That was the beginning of a queer friendship `
` which lasted a week, and ended--as I will tell you! `
` `
` 'She was exactly like a child. She wanted to be with me always. She `
` tried to follow me everywhere, and on my next journey out and about `
` it went to my heart to tire her down, and leave her at last, `
` exhausted and calling after me rather plaintively. But the problems `
` of the world had to be mastered. I had not, I said to myself, come `
` into the future to carry on a miniature flirtation. Yet her distress `
` when I left her was very great, her expostulations at the parting `
` were sometimes frantic, and I think, altogether, I had as much `
` trouble as comfort from her devotion. Nevertheless she was, somehow, `
` a very great comfort. I thought it was mere childish affection that `
` made her cling to me. Until it was too late, I did not clearly know `
` what I had inflicted upon her when I left her. Nor until it was too `
` late did I clearly understand what she was to me. For, by merely `
` seeming fond of me, and showing in her weak, futile way that she `
` cared for me, the little doll of a creature presently gave my return `
` to the neighbourhood of the White Sphinx almost the feeling of `
` coming home; and I would watch for her tiny figure of white and gold `
` so soon as I came over the hill. `
` `
` 'It was from her, too, that I learned that fear had not yet left the `
` world. She was fearless enough in the daylight, and she had the `
` oddest confidence in me; for once, in a foolish moment, I made `
` threatening grimaces at her, and she simply laughed at them. But she `
` dreaded the dark, dreaded shadows, dreaded black things. Darkness `
` to her was the one thing dreadful. It was a singularly passionate `
` emotion, and it set me thinking and observing. I discovered then, `
` among other things, that these little people gathered into the great `
` houses after dark, and slept in droves. To enter upon them without a `
` light was to put them into a tumult of apprehension. I never found `
` one out of doors, or one sleeping alone within doors, after dark. `
` Yet I was still such a blockhead that I missed the lesson of that `
` fear, and in spite of Weena's distress I insisted upon sleeping away `
` from these slumbering multitudes. `
` `
` 'It troubled her greatly, but in the end her odd affection for me `
` triumphed, and for five of the nights of our acquaintance, including `
` the last night of all, she slept with her head pillowed on my arm. `
` But my story slips away from me as I speak of her. It must have been `
` the night before her rescue that I was awakened about dawn. I had `
` been restless, dreaming most disagreeably that I was drowned, and `
` that sea anemones were feeling over my face with their soft palps. `
` I woke with a start, and with an odd fancy that some greyish animal `
` had just rushed out of the chamber. I tried to get to sleep again, `
` but I felt restless and uncomfortable. It was that dim grey hour `
` when things are just creeping out of darkness, when everything is `
` colourless and clear cut, and yet unreal. I got up, and went down `
` into the great hall, and so out upon the flagstones in front of the `
` palace. I thought I would make a virtue of necessity, and see the `
` sunrise. `
` `
` 'The moon was setting, and the dying moonlight and the first pallor `
` of dawn were mingled in a ghastly half-light. The bushes were inky `
` black, the ground a sombre grey, the sky colourless and cheerless. `
` And up the hill I thought I could see ghosts. There several times, `
` as I scanned the slope, I saw white figures. Twice I fancied I saw `
` a solitary white, ape-like creature running rather quickly up the `
` hill, and once near the ruins I saw a leash of them carrying some `
` dark body. They moved hastily. I did not see what became of them. `
` It seemed that they vanished among the bushes. The dawn was still `
` indistinct, you must understand. I was feeling that chill, `
` uncertain, early-morning feeling you may have known. I doubted `
` my eyes. `
` `
` 'As the eastern sky grew brighter, and the light of the day came on `
` and its vivid colouring returned upon the world once more, I scanned `
` the view keenly. But I saw no vestige of my white figures. They were `
` mere creatures of the half light. "They must have been ghosts," I `
` said; "I wonder whence they dated." For a queer notion of Grant `
` Allen's came into my head, and amused me. If each generation die and `
` leave ghosts, he argued, the world at last will get overcrowded with `
` them. On that theory they would have grown innumerable some Eight `
` Hundred Thousand Years hence, and it was no great wonder to see four `
` at once. But the jest was unsatisfying, and I was thinking of these `
` figures all the morning, until Weena's rescue drove them out of my `
` head. I associated them in some indefinite way with the white animal `
` I had startled in my first passionate search for the Time Machine. `
` But Weena was a pleasant substitute. Yet all the same, they were `
` soon destined to take far deadlier possession of my mind. `
` `
` 'I think I have said how much hotter than our own was the weather `
` of this Golden Age. I cannot account for it. It may be that the sun `
` was hotter, or the earth nearer the sun. It is usual to assume that `
` the sun will go on cooling steadily in the future. But people, `
` unfamiliar with such speculations as those of the younger Darwin, `
` forget that the planets must ultimately fall back one by one into `
` the parent body. As these catastrophes occur, the sun will blaze `
` with renewed energy; and it may be that some inner planet had `
` suffered this fate. Whatever the reason, the fact remains that the `
` sun was very much hotter than we know it. `
` `
` 'Well, one very hot morning--my fourth, I think--as I was seeking `
` shelter from the heat and glare in a colossal ruin near the great `
` house where I slept and fed, there happened this strange thing: `
` Clambering among these heaps of masonry, I found a narrow gallery, `
` whose end and side windows were blocked by fallen masses of stone. `
` By contrast with the brilliancy outside, it seemed at first `
` impenetrably dark to me. I entered it groping, for the change from `
` light to blackness made spots of colour swim before me. Suddenly I `
` halted spellbound. A pair of eyes, luminous by reflection against `
` the daylight without, was watching me out of the darkness. `
` `
` 'The old instinctive dread of wild beasts came upon me. I clenched `
` my hands and steadfastly looked into the glaring eyeballs. I was `
` afraid to turn. Then the thought of the absolute security in which `
` humanity appeared to be living came to my mind. And then I `
` remembered that strange terror of the dark. Overcoming my fear to `
` some extent, I advanced a step and spoke. I will admit that my `
` voice was harsh and ill-controlled. I put out my hand and touched `
` something soft. At once the eyes darted sideways, and something `
` white ran past me. I turned with my heart in my mouth, and saw a `
` queer little ape-like figure, its head held down in a peculiar `
` manner, running across the sunlit space behind me. It blundered `
`