English
'IfoundthePalaceofGreenPorcelain,whenweapproacheditaboutnoon,desertedandfallingintoruin.
Onlyraggedvestigesofglassremainedinitswindows,andgreatsheetsofthegreenfacinghadfallenawayfromthecorrodedmetallicframework.
Itlayveryhighuponaturfydown,andlookingnorth–eastwardbeforeIenteredit,Iwassurprisedtoseealargeestuary,orevencreek,whereIjudgedWandsworthandBatterseamustoncehavebeen.
Ithoughtthen—thoughIneverfollowedupthethought—ofwhatmighthavehappened,ormightbehappening,tothelivingthingsinthesea.
'ThematerialofthePalaceprovedonexaminationtobeindeedporcelain,andalongthefaceofitIsawaninscriptioninsomeunknowncharacter.
Ithought,ratherfoolishly,thatWeenamighthelpmetointerpretthis,butIonlylearnedthatthebareideaofwritinghadneverenteredherhead.
Shealwaysseemedtome,Ifancy,morehumanthanshewas,perhapsbecauseheraffectionwassohuman.
'Withinthebigvalvesofthedoor—whichwereopenandbroken—wefound,insteadofthecustomaryhall,alonggallerylitbymanysidewindows.
AtthefirstglanceIwasremindedofamuseum.
Thetiledfloorwasthickwithdust,andaremarkablearrayofmiscellaneousobjectswasshroudedinthesamegreycovering.
ThenIperceived,standingstrangeandgauntinthecentreofthehall,whatwasclearlythelowerpartofahugeskeleton.
IrecognizedbytheobliquefeetthatitwassomeextinctcreatureafterthefashionoftheMegatherium.
Theskullandtheupperboneslaybesideitinthethickdust,andinoneplace,whererain–waterhaddroppedthroughaleakintheroof,thethingitselfhadbeenwornaway.
FurtherinthegallerywasthehugeskeletonbarrelofaBrontosaurus.Mymuseumhypothesiswasconfirmed.
GoingtowardsthesideIfoundwhatappearedtobeslopingshelves,andclearingawaythethickdust,Ifoundtheoldfamiliarglasscasesofourowntime.
Buttheymusthavebeenair–tighttojudgefromthefairpreservationofsomeoftheircontents.
'Clearlywestoodamongtheruinsofsomelatter–daySouthKensington!
Here,apparently,wasthePalaeontologicalSection,andaverysplendidarrayoffossilsitmusthavebeen,thoughtheinevitableprocessofdecaythathadbeenstavedoffforatime,andhad,throughtheextinctionofbacteriaandfungi,lostninety–ninehundredthsofitsforce,wasnevertheless,withextremesurenessifwithextremeslownessatworkagainuponallitstreasures.
HereandthereIfoundtracesofthelittlepeopleintheshapeofrarefossilsbrokentopiecesorthreadedinstringsuponreeds.
Andthecaseshadinsomeinstancesbeenbodilyremoved—bytheMorlocksasIjudged.Theplacewasverysilent.Thethickdustdeadenedourfootsteps.
Weena,whohadbeenrollingaseaurchindowntheslopingglassofacase,presentlycame,asIstaredaboutme,andveryquietlytookmyhandandstoodbesideme.
'AndatfirstIwassomuchsurprisedbythisancientmonumentofanintellectualage,thatIgavenothoughttothepossibilitiesitpresented.
EvenmypreoccupationabouttheTimeMachinerecededalittlefrommymind.
'Tojudgefromthesizeoftheplace,thisPalaceofGreenPorcelainhadagreatdealmoreinitthanaGalleryofPalaeontology;possiblyhistoricalgalleries;itmightbe,evenalibrary!
Tome,atleastinmypresentcircumstances,thesewouldbevastlymoreinterestingthanthisspectacleofoldtimegeologyindecay.
Exploring,Ifoundanothershortgalleryrunningtransverselytothefirst.
Thisappearedtobedevotedtominerals,andthesightofablockofsulphursetmymindrunningongunpowder.
ButIcouldfindnosaltpeter;indeed,nonitratesofanykind.
Doubtlesstheyhaddeliquescedagesago.
Yetthesulphurhunginmymind,andsetupatrainofthinking.
Asfortherestofthecontentsofthatgallery,thoughonthewholetheywerethebestpreservedofallIsaw,Ihadlittleinterest.
Iamnospecialistinmineralogy,andIwentondownaveryruinousaislerunningparalleltothefirsthallIhadentered.
Apparentlythissectionhadbeendevotedtonaturalhistory,buteverythinghadlongsincepassedoutofrecognition.
Afewshrivelledandblackenedvestigesofwhathadoncebeenstuffedanimals,desiccatedmummiesinjarsthathadonceheldspirit,abrowndustofdepartedplants:thatwasall!
Iwassorryforthat,becauseIshouldhavebeengladtotracethepatentreadjustmentsbywhichtheconquestofanimatednaturehadbeenattained.
Thenwecametoagalleryofsimplycolossalproportions,butsingularlyill–lit,thefloorofitrunningdownwardataslightanglefromtheendatwhichIentered.
Atintervalswhiteglobeshungfromtheceiling—manyofthemcrackedandsmashed—whichsuggestedthatoriginallytheplacehadbeenartificiallylit.
HereIwasmoreinmyelement,forrisingoneithersideofmewerethehugebulksofbigmachines,allgreatlycorrodedandmanybrokendown,butsomestillfairlycomplete.
YouknowIhaveacertainweaknessformechanism,andIwasinclinedtolingeramongthese;themoresoasforthemostparttheyhadtheinterestofpuzzles,andIcouldmakeonlythevaguestguessesatwhattheywerefor.
IfanciedthatifIcouldsolvetheirpuzzlesIshouldfindmyselfinpossessionofpowersthatmightbeofuseagainsttheMorlocks.
'SuddenlyWeenacameveryclosetomyside.Sosuddenlythatshestartledme.
HaditnotbeenforherIdonotthinkIshouldhavenoticedthatthefloorofthegalleryslopedatall.
[Footnote:Itmaybe,ofcourse,thatthefloordidnotslope,butthatthemuseumwasbuiltintothesideofahill.—ED.]
TheendIhadcomeinatwasquiteaboveground,andwaslitbyrareslit–likewindows.
Asyouwentdownthelength,thegroundcameupagainstthesewindows,untilatlasttherewasapitlikethe"area"ofaLondonhousebeforeeach,andonlyanarrowlineofdaylightatthetop.
Iwentslowlyalong,puzzlingaboutthemachines,andhadbeentoointentuponthemtonoticethegradualdiminutionofthelight,untilWeena'sincreasingapprehensionsdrewmyattention.
ThenIsawthatthegalleryrandownatlastintoathickdarkness.
Ihesitated,andthen,asIlookedroundme,Isawthatthedustwaslessabundantanditssurfacelesseven.
Furtherawaytowardsthedimness,itappearedtobebrokenbyanumberofsmallnarrowfootprints.
MysenseoftheimmediatepresenceoftheMorlocksrevivedatthat.
IfeltthatIwaswastingmytimeintheacademicexaminationofmachinery.
Icalledtomindthatitwasalreadyfaradvancedintheafternoon,andthatIhadstillnoweapon,norefuge,andnomeansofmakingafire.
AndthendownintheremoteblacknessofthegalleryIheardapeculiarpattering,andthesameoddnoisesIhadhearddownthewell.
'ItookWeena'shand.Then,struckwithasuddenidea,Ileftherandturnedtoamachinefromwhichprojectedalevernotunlikethoseinasignal–box.
Clamberinguponthestand,andgraspingthisleverinmyhands,Iputallmyweightuponitsideways.
SuddenlyWeena,desertedinthecentralaisle,begantowhimper.
Ihadjudgedthestrengthoftheleverprettycorrectly,foritsnappedafteraminute'sstrain,andIrejoinedherwithamaceinmyhandmorethansufficient,Ijudged,foranyMorlockskullImightencounter.
AndIlongedverymuchtokillaMorlockorso.
Veryinhuman,youmaythink,towanttogokillingone'sowndescendants!
Butitwasimpossible,somehow,tofeelanyhumanityinthethings.
OnlymydisinclinationtoleaveWeena,andapersuasionthatifIbegantoslakemythirstformurdermyTimeMachinemightsuffer,restrainedmefromgoingstraightdownthegalleryandkillingthebrutesIheard.
'Well,maceinonehandandWeenaintheother,Iwentoutofthatgalleryandintoanotherandstilllargerone,whichatthefirstglanceremindedmeofamilitarychapelhungwithtatteredflags.
Thebrownandcharredragsthathungfromthesidesofit,Ipresentlyrecognizedasthedecayingvestigesofbooks.
Theyhadlongsincedroppedtopieces,andeverysemblanceofprinthadleftthem.
Buthereandtherewerewarpedboardsandcrackedmetallicclaspsthattoldthetalewellenough.
HadIbeenaliterarymanImight,perhaps,havemoralizeduponthefutilityofallambition.
Butasitwas,thethingthatstruckmewithkeenestforcewastheenormouswasteoflabourtowhichthissombrewildernessofrottingpapertestified.
AtthetimeIwillconfessthatIthoughtchieflyofthePhilosophicalTransactionsandmyownseventeenpapersuponphysicaloptics.
'Then,goingupabroadstaircase,wecametowhatmayoncehavebeenagalleryoftechnicalchemistry.
AndhereIhadnotalittlehopeofusefuldiscoveries.
Exceptatoneendwheretheroofhadcollapsed,thisgallerywaswellpreserved.Iwenteagerlytoeveryunbrokencase.
Andatlast,inoneofthereallyair–tightcases,Ifoundaboxofmatches.VeryeagerlyItriedthem.Theywereperfectlygood.Theywerenotevendamp.IturnedtoWeena.
"Dance,"Icriedtoherinherowntongue.
FornowIhadaweaponindeedagainstthehorriblecreatureswefeared.
Andso,inthatderelictmuseum,uponthethicksoftcarpetingofdust,toWeena'shugedelight,Isolemnlyperformedakindofcompositedance,whistlingTheLandoftheLealascheerfullyasIcould.
Inpartitwasamodestcancan,inpartastepdance,inpartaskirt–dance(sofarasmytail–coatpermitted),andinpartoriginal.
ForIamnaturallyinventive,asyouknow.
'Now,Istillthinkthatforthisboxofmatchestohaveescapedthewearoftimeforimmemorialyearswasamoststrange,asformeitwasamostfortunatething.
Yet,oddlyenough,Ifoundafarunlikeliersubstance,andthatwascamphor.
Ifounditinasealedjar,thatbychance,Isuppose,hadbeenreallyhermeticallysealed.
Ifanciedatfirstthatitwasparaffinwax,andsmashedtheglassaccordingly.
Buttheodourofcamphorwasunmistakable.
Intheuniversaldecaythisvolatilesubstancehadchancedtosurvive,perhapsthroughmanythousandsofcenturies.
ItremindedmeofasepiapaintingIhadonceseendonefromtheinkofafossilBelemnitethatmusthaveperishedandbecomefossilizedmillionsofyearsago.
Iwasabouttothrowitaway,butIrememberedthatitwasinflammableandburnedwithagoodbrightflame—was,infact,anexcellentcandle—andIputitinmypocket.
Ifoundnoexplosives,however,noranymeansofbreakingdownthebronzedoors.
AsyetmyironcrowbarwasthemosthelpfulthingIhadchancedupon.
NeverthelessIleftthatgallerygreatlyelated.
'Icannottellyouallthestoryofthatlongafternoon.
Itwouldrequireagreateffortofmemorytorecallmyexplorationsinatalltheproperorder.
Irememberalonggalleryofrustingstandsofarms,andhowIhesitatedbetweenmycrowbarandahatchetorasword.
Icouldnotcarryboth,however,andmybarofironpromisedbestagainstthebronzegates.
Therewerenumbersofguns,pistols,andrifles.
Themostweremassesofrust,butmanywereofsomenewmetal,andstillfairlysound.
Butanycartridgesorpowdertheremayoncehavebeenhadrottedintodust.
OnecornerIsawwascharredandshattered;perhaps,Ithought,byanexplosionamongthespecimens.
Inanotherplacewasavastarrayofidols—Polynesian,Mexican,Grecian,Phoenician,everycountryonearthIshouldthink.
Andhere,yieldingtoanirresistibleimpulse,IwrotemynameuponthenoseofasteatitemonsterfromSouthAmericathatparticularlytookmyfancy.
'Astheeveningdrewon,myinterestwaned.
Iwentthroughgalleryaftergallery,dusty,silent,oftenruinous,theexhibitssometimesmereheapsofrustandlignite,sometimesfresher.
InoneplaceIsuddenlyfoundmyselfnearthemodelofatin–mine,andthenbythemerestaccidentIdiscovered,inanair–tightcase,twodynamitecartridges!Ishouted"Eureka!"andsmashedthecasewithjoy.Thencameadoubt.Ihesitated.
Then,selectingalittlesidegallery,Imademyessay.
IneverfeltsuchadisappointmentasIdidinwaitingfive,ten,fifteenminutesforanexplosionthatnevercame.
Ofcoursethethingsweredummies,asImighthaveguessedfromtheirpresence.
Ireallybelievethathadtheynotbeenso,IshouldhaverushedoffincontinentlyandblownSphinx,bronzedoors,and(asitproved)mychancesoffindingtheTimeMachine,alltogetherintonon–existence.
'Itwasafterthat,Ithink,thatwecametoalittleopencourtwithinthepalace.
Itwasturfed,andhadthreefruit–trees.Sowerestedandrefreshedourselves.
TowardssunsetIbegantoconsiderourposition.
Nightwascreepinguponus,andmyinaccessiblehiding–placehadstilltobefound.Butthattroubledmeverylittlenow.
Ihadinmypossessionathingthatwas,perhaps,thebestofalldefencesagainsttheMorlocks—Ihadmatches!
Ihadthecamphorinmypocket,too,ifablazewereneeded.
Itseemedtomethatthebestthingwecoulddowouldbetopassthenightintheopen,protectedbyafire.
InthemorningtherewasthegettingoftheTimeMachine.
Towardsthat,asyet,Ihadonlymyironmace.
Butnow,withmygrowingknowledge,Ifeltverydifferentlytowardsthosebronzedoors.
Uptothis,Ihadrefrainedfromforcingthem,largelybecauseofthemysteryontheotherside.
Theyhadneverimpressedmeasbeingverystrong,andIhopedtofindmybarofironnotaltogetherinadequateforthework.
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