English
'Now,indeed,Iseemedinaworsecasethanbefore.
Hitherto,exceptduringmynight'sanguishatthelossoftheTimeMachine,Ihadfeltasustaininghopeofultimateescape,butthathopewasstaggeredbythesenewdiscoveries.
HithertoIhadmerelythoughtmyselfimpededbythechildishsimplicityofthelittlepeople,andbysomeunknownforceswhichIhadonlytounderstandtoovercome;buttherewasanaltogethernewelementinthesickeningqualityoftheMorlocks—asomethinginhumanandmalign.InstinctivelyIloathedthem.
Before,Ihadfeltasamanmightfeelwhohadfallenintoapit:myconcernwaswiththepitandhowtogetoutofit.
NowIfeltlikeabeastinatrap,whoseenemywouldcomeuponhimsoon.
'TheenemyIdreadedmaysurpriseyou.Itwasthedarknessofthenewmoon.
WeenahadputthisintomyheadbysomeatfirstincomprehensibleremarksabouttheDarkNights.
ItwasnotnowsuchaverydifficultproblemtoguesswhatthecomingDarkNightsmightmean.
Themoonwasonthewane:eachnighttherewasalongerintervalofdarkness.
AndInowunderstoodtosomeslightdegreeatleastthereasonofthefearofthelittleUpper–worldpeopleforthedark.
IwonderedvaguelywhatfoulvillainyitmightbethattheMorlocksdidunderthenewmoon.
Ifeltprettysurenowthatmysecondhypothesiswasallwrong.
TheUpper–worldpeoplemightoncehavebeenthefavouredaristocracy,andtheMorlockstheirmechanicalservants:butthathadlongsincepassedaway.
Thetwospeciesthathadresultedfromtheevolutionofmanwereslidingdowntowards,orhadalreadyarrivedat,analtogethernewrelationship.
TheEloi,liketheCarolingiankings,haddecayedtoamerebeautifulfutility.
Theystillpossessedtheearthonsufferance:sincetheMorlocks,subterraneanforinnumerablegenerations,hadcomeatlasttofindthedaylitsurfaceintolerable.
AndtheMorlocksmadetheirgarments,Iinferred,andmaintainedthemintheirhabitualneeds,perhapsthroughthesurvivalofanoldhabitofservice.
Theydiditasastandinghorsepawswithhisfoot,orasamanenjoyskillinganimalsinsport:becauseancientanddepartednecessitieshadimpresseditontheorganism.
But,clearly,theoldorderwasalreadyinpartreversed.
TheNemesisofthedelicateoneswascreepingonapace.
Agesago,thousandsofgenerationsago,manhadthrusthisbrothermanoutoftheeaseandthesunshine.
Andnowthatbrotherwascomingbackchanged!
AlreadytheEloihadbeguntolearnoneoldlessonanew.
TheywerebecomingreacquaintedwithFear.
AndsuddenlytherecameintomyheadthememoryofthemeatIhadseenintheUnder–world.
Itseemedoddhowitfloatedintomymind:notstirredupasitwerebythecurrentofmymeditations,butcominginalmostlikeaquestionfromoutside.Itriedtorecalltheformofit.
Ihadavaguesenseofsomethingfamiliar,butIcouldnottellwhatitwasatthetime.
'Still,howeverhelplessthelittlepeopleinthepresenceoftheirmysteriousFear,Iwasdifferentlyconstituted.
Icameoutofthisageofours,thisripeprimeofthehumanrace,whenFeardoesnotparalyseandmysteryhaslostitsterrors.Iatleastwoulddefendmyself.
WithoutfurtherdelayIdeterminedtomakemyselfarmsandafastnesswhereImightsleep.
Withthatrefugeasabase,IcouldfacethisstrangeworldwithsomeofthatconfidenceIhadlostinrealizingtowhatcreaturesnightbynightIlayexposed.
IfeltIcouldneversleepagainuntilmybedwassecurefromthem.
Ishudderedwithhorrortothinkhowtheymustalreadyhaveexaminedme.
'IwanderedduringtheafternoonalongthevalleyoftheThames,butfoundnothingthatcommendeditselftomymindasinaccessible.
AllthebuildingsandtreesseemedeasilypracticabletosuchdexterousclimbersastheMorlocks,tojudgebytheirwells,mustbe.
ThenthetallpinnaclesofthePalaceofGreenPorcelainandthepolishedgleamofitswallscamebacktomymemory;andintheevening,takingWeenalikeachilduponmyshoulder,Iwentupthehillstowardsthesouth–west.
Thedistance,Ihadreckoned,wassevenoreightmiles,butitmusthavebeennearereighteen.
Ihadfirstseentheplaceonamoistafternoonwhendistancesaredeceptivelydiminished.
Inaddition,theheelofoneofmyshoeswasloose,andanailwasworkingthroughthesole—theywerecomfortableoldshoesIworeaboutindoors—sothatIwaslame.
AnditwasalreadylongpastsunsetwhenIcameinsightofthepalace,silhouettedblackagainstthepaleyellowofthesky.
'WeenahadbeenhugelydelightedwhenIbegantocarryher,butafterawhileshedesiredmetoletherdown,andranalongbythesideofme,occasionallydartingoffoneitherhandtopickflowerstostickinmypockets.
MypocketshadalwayspuzzledWeena,butatthelastshehadconcludedthattheywereaneccentrickindofvaseforfloraldecoration.
Atleastsheutilizedthemforthatpurpose.Andthatremindsme!InchangingmyjacketIfound...'
TheTimeTravellerpaused,puthishandintohispocket,andsilentlyplacedtwowitheredflowers,notunlikeverylargewhitemallows,uponthelittletable.Thenheresumedhisnarrative.
'AsthehushofeveningcreptovertheworldandweproceededoverthehillcresttowardsWimbledon,Weenagrewtiredandwantedtoreturntothehouseofgreystone.
ButIpointedoutthedistantpinnaclesofthePalaceofGreenPorcelaintoher,andcontrivedtomakeherunderstandthatwewereseekingarefugetherefromherFear.
Youknowthatgreatpausethatcomesuponthingsbeforethedusk?Eventhebreezestopsinthetrees.
Tomethereisalwaysanairofexpectationaboutthateveningstillness.
Theskywasclear,remote,andemptysaveforafewhorizontalbarsfardowninthesunset.
Well,thatnighttheexpectationtookthecolourofmyfears.
Inthatdarklingcalmmysensesseemedpreternaturallysharpened.
IfanciedIcouldevenfeelthehollownessofthegroundbeneathmyfeet:could,indeed,almostseethroughittheMorlocksontheirant–hillgoinghitherandthitherandwaitingforthedark.
InmyexcitementIfanciedthattheywouldreceivemyinvasionoftheirburrowsasadeclarationofwar.AndwhyhadtheytakenmyTimeMachine?
'Sowewentoninthequiet,andthetwilightdeepenedintonight.
Theclearblueofthedistancefaded,andonestarafteranothercameout.
Thegroundgrewdimandthetreesblack.
Weena'sfearsandherfatiguegrewuponher.
Itookherinmyarmsandtalkedtoherandcaressedher.
Then,asthedarknessgrewdeeper,sheputherarmsroundmyneck,and,closinghereyes,tightlypressedherfaceagainstmyshoulder.
Sowewentdownalongslopeintoavalley,andthereinthedimnessIalmostwalkedintoalittleriver.
ThisIwaded,andwentuptheoppositesideofthevalley,pastanumberofsleepinghouses,andbyastatue—aFaun,orsomesuchfigure,minusthehead.Heretoowereacacias.
SofarIhadseennothingoftheMorlocks,butitwasyetearlyinthenight,andthedarkerhoursbeforetheoldmoonrosewerestilltocome.
'FromthebrowofthenexthillIsawathickwoodspreadingwideandblackbeforeme.Ihesitatedatthis.
Icouldseenoendtoit,eithertotherightortheleft.
Feelingtired—myfeet,inparticular,wereverysore—IcarefullyloweredWeenafrommyshoulderasIhalted,andsatdownupontheturf.
IcouldnolongerseethePalaceofGreenPorcelain,andIwasindoubtofmydirection.
Ilookedintothethicknessofthewoodandthoughtofwhatitmighthide.
Underthatdensetangleofbranchesonewouldbeoutofsightofthestars.
Evenweretherenootherlurkingdanger—adangerIdidnotcaretoletmyimaginationlooseupon—therewouldstillbealltherootstostumbleoverandthetree–bolestostrikeagainst.
'Iwasverytired,too,aftertheexcitementsoftheday;soIdecidedthatIwouldnotfaceit,butwouldpassthenightupontheopenhill.
'Weena,Iwasgladtofind,wasfastasleep.
Icarefullywrappedherinmyjacket,andsatdownbesidehertowaitforthemoonrise.
Thehill–sidewasquietanddeserted,butfromtheblackofthewoodtherecamenowandthenastiroflivingthings.
Abovemeshonethestars,forthenightwasveryclear.
Ifeltacertainsenseoffriendlycomfortintheirtwinkling.
Alltheoldconstellationshadgonefromthesky,however:thatslowmovementwhichisimperceptibleinahundredhumanlifetimes,hadlongsincerearrangedtheminunfamiliargroupings.
ButtheMilkyWay,itseemedtome,wasstillthesametatteredstreamerofstar–dustasofyore.
Southward(asIjudgedit)wasaverybrightredstarthatwasnewtome;itwasevenmoresplendidthanourowngreenSirius.
Andamidallthesescintillatingpointsoflightonebrightplanetshonekindlyandsteadilylikethefaceofanoldfriend.
'Lookingatthesestarssuddenlydwarfedmyowntroublesandallthegravitiesofterrestriallife.
Ithoughtoftheirunfathomabledistance,andtheslowinevitabledriftoftheirmovementsoutoftheunknownpastintotheunknownfuture.
Ithoughtofthegreatprecessionalcyclethatthepoleoftheearthdescribes.
OnlyfortytimeshadthatsilentrevolutionoccurredduringalltheyearsthatIhadtraversed.
Andduringthesefewrevolutionsalltheactivity,allthetraditions,thecomplexorganizations,thenations,languages,literatures,aspirations,eventhemerememoryofManasIknewhim,hadbeensweptoutofexistence.
Insteadwerethesefrailcreatureswhohadforgottentheirhighancestry,andthewhiteThingsofwhichIwentinterror.
ThenIthoughtoftheGreatFearthatwasbetweenthetwospecies,andforthefirsttime,withasuddenshiver,cametheclearknowledgeofwhatthemeatIhadseenmightbe.Yetitwastoohorrible!
IlookedatlittleWeenasleepingbesideme,herfacewhiteandstarlikeunderthestars,andforthwithdismissedthethought.
'ThroughthatlongnightIheldmymindofftheMorlocksaswellasIcould,andwhiledawaythetimebytryingtofancyIcouldfindsignsoftheoldconstellationsinthenewconfusion.
Theskykeptveryclear,exceptforahazycloudorso.NodoubtIdozedattimes.
Then,asmyvigilworeon,cameafaintnessintheeastwardsky,likethereflectionofsomecolourlessfire,andtheoldmoonrose,thinandpeakedandwhite.
Andclosebehind,andovertakingit,andoverflowingit,thedawncame,paleatfirst,andthengrowingpinkandwarm.NoMorlockshadapproachedus.
Indeed,Ihadseennoneuponthehillthatnight.
Andintheconfidenceofreneweddayitalmostseemedtomethatmyfearhadbeenunreasonable.
Istoodupandfoundmyfootwiththelooseheelswollenattheankleandpainfulundertheheel;soIsatdownagain,tookoffmyshoes,andflungthemaway.
'IawakenedWeena,andwewentdownintothewood,nowgreenandpleasantinsteadofblackandforbidding.
Wefoundsomefruitwherewithtobreakourfast.
Wesoonmetothersofthedaintyones,laughinganddancinginthesunlightasthoughtherewasnosuchthinginnatureasthenight.
AndthenIthoughtoncemoreofthemeatthatIhadseen.
Ifeltassurednowofwhatitwas,andfromthebottomofmyheartIpitiedthislastfeeblerillfromthegreatfloodofhumanity.
Clearly,atsometimeintheLong–AgoofhumandecaytheMorlocks'foodhadrunshort.
Possiblytheyhadlivedonratsandsuch–likevermin.
Evennowmanisfarlessdiscriminatingandexclusiveinhisfoodthanhewas—farlessthananymonkey.
Hisprejudiceagainsthumanfleshisnodeep–seatedinstinct.Andsotheseinhumansonsofmen——!
Itriedtolookatthethinginascientificspirit.
Afterall,theywerelesshumanandmoreremotethanourcannibalancestorsofthreeorfourthousandyearsago.
Andtheintelligencethatwouldhavemadethisstateofthingsatormenthadgone.WhyshouldItroublemyself?
TheseEloiweremerefattedcattle,whichtheant–likeMorlockspreservedandpreyedupon—probablysawtothebreedingof.AndtherewasWeenadancingatmyside!
'ThenItriedtopreservemyselffromthehorrorthatwascominguponme,byregardingitasarigorouspunishmentofhumanselfishness.
Manhadbeencontenttoliveineaseanddelightuponthelaboursofhisfellow–man,hadtakenNecessityashiswatchwordandexcuse,andinthefullnessoftimeNecessityhadcomehometohim.
IeventriedaCarlyle–likescornofthiswretchedaristocracyindecay.
Butthisattitudeofmindwasimpossible.
Howevergreattheirintellectualdegradation,theEloihadkepttoomuchofthehumanformnottoclaimmysympathy,andtomakemeperforceasharerintheirdegradationandtheirFear.
'IhadatthattimeveryvagueideasastothecourseIshouldpursue.
Myfirstwastosecuresomesafeplaceofrefuge,andtomakemyselfsucharmsofmetalorstoneasIcouldcontrive.Thatnecessitywasimmediate.
Inthenextplace,Ihopedtoprocuresomemeansoffire,sothatIshouldhavetheweaponofatorchathand,fornothing,Iknew,wouldbemoreefficientagainsttheseMorlocks.
ThenIwantedtoarrangesomecontrivancetobreakopenthedoorsofbronzeundertheWhiteSphinx.Ihadinmindabatteringram.
IhadapersuasionthatifIcouldenterthosedoorsandcarryablazeoflightbeforemeIshoulddiscovertheTimeMachineandescape.
IcouldnotimaginetheMorlockswerestrongenoughtomoveitfaraway.
WeenaIhadresolvedtobringwithmetoourowntime.
AndturningsuchschemesoverinmymindIpursuedourwaytowardsthebuildingwhichmyfancyhadchosenasourdwelling.
Share this article to
FINISH