'AbouteightornineinthemorningIcametothesameseatofyellowmetalfromwhichIhadviewedtheworldupontheeveningofmyarrival. Ithoughtofmyhastyconclusionsuponthateveningandcouldnotrefrainfromlaughingbitterlyatmyconfidence. Herewasthesamebeautifulscene,thesameabundantfoliage,thesamesplendidpalacesandmagnificentruins,thesamesilverriverrunningbetweenitsfertilebanks. Thegayrobesofthebeautifulpeoplemovedhitherandthitheramongthetrees. SomewerebathinginexactlytheplacewhereIhadsavedWeena,andthatsuddenlygavemeakeenstabofpain. AndlikeblotsuponthelandscaperosethecupolasabovethewaystotheUnder–world. IunderstoodnowwhatallthebeautyoftheOver–worldpeoplecovered. Verypleasantwastheirday,aspleasantasthedayofthecattleinthefield. Likethecattle,theyknewofnoenemiesandprovidedagainstnoneeds.Andtheirendwasthesame. 'Igrievedtothinkhowbriefthedreamofthehumanintellecthadbeen.Ithadcommittedsuicide. Ithadsetitselfsteadfastlytowardscomfortandease,abalancedsocietywithsecurityandpermanencyasitswatchword,ithadattaineditshopes—tocometothisatlast. Once,lifeandpropertymusthavereachedalmostabsolutesafety. Therichhadbeenassuredofhiswealthandcomfort,thetoilerassuredofhislifeandwork. Nodoubtinthatperfectworldtherehadbeennounemployedproblem,nosocialquestionleftunsolved.Andagreatquiethadfollowed. 'Itisalawofnatureweoverlook,thatintellectualversatilityisthecompensationforchange,danger,andtrouble. Ananimalperfectlyinharmonywithitsenvironmentisaperfectmechanism. Natureneverappealstointelligenceuntilhabitandinstinctareuseless. Thereisnointelligencewherethereisnochangeandnoneedofchange. Onlythoseanimalspartakeofintelligencethathavetomeetahugevarietyofneedsanddangers. 'So,asIseeit,theUpper–worldmanhaddriftedtowardshisfeebleprettiness,andtheUnder–worldtomeremechanicalindustry. Butthatperfectstatehadlackedonethingevenformechanicalperfection—absolutepermanency. Apparentlyastimewenton,thefeedingoftheUnder–world,howeveritwaseffected,hadbecomedisjointed. MotherNecessity,whohadbeenstavedoffforafewthousandyears,camebackagain,andshebeganbelow. TheUnder–worldbeingincontactwithmachinery,which,howeverperfect,stillneedssomelittlethoughtoutsidehabit,hadprobablyretainedperforcerathermoreinitiative,iflessofeveryotherhumancharacter,thantheUpper. Andwhenothermeatfailedthem,theyturnedtowhatoldhabithadhithertoforbidden. SoIsayIsawitinmylastviewoftheworldofEightHundredandTwoThousandSevenHundredandOne. Itmaybeaswronganexplanationasmortalwitcouldinvent. Itishowthethingshapeditselftome,andasthatIgiveittoyou. 'Afterthefatigues,excitements,andterrorsofthepastdays,andinspiteofmygrief,thisseatandthetranquilviewandthewarmsunlightwereverypleasant. Iwasverytiredandsleepy,andsoonmytheorizingpassedintodozing. Catchingmyselfatthat,Itookmyownhint,andspreadingmyselfoutupontheturfIhadalongandrefreshingsleep. 'Iawokealittlebeforesunsetting.InowfeltsafeagainstbeingcaughtnappingbytheMorlocks,and,stretchingmyself,IcameondownthehilltowardstheWhiteSphinx. Ihadmycrowbarinonehand,andtheotherhandplayedwiththematchesinmypocket. 'Andnowcameamostunexpectedthing.AsIapproachedthepedestalofthesphinxIfoundthebronzevalveswereopen.Theyhadsliddownintogrooves. 'AtthatIstoppedshortbeforethem,hesitatingtoenter. 'Withinwasasmallapartment,andonaraisedplaceinthecornerofthiswastheTimeMachine.Ihadthesmallleversinmypocket. Sohere,afterallmyelaboratepreparationsforthesiegeoftheWhiteSphinx,wasameeksurrender. Ithrewmyironbaraway,almostsorrynottouseit. 'AsuddenthoughtcameintomyheadasIstoopedtowardstheportal. Foronce,atleast,IgraspedthementaloperationsoftheMorlocks. Suppressingastronginclinationtolaugh,IsteppedthroughthebronzeframeanduptotheTimeMachine. Iwassurprisedtofindithadbeencarefullyoiledandcleaned. IhavesuspectedsincethattheMorlockshadevenpartiallytakenittopieceswhiletryingintheirdimwaytograspitspurpose. 'NowasIstoodandexaminedit,findingapleasureinthemeretouchofthecontrivance,thethingIhadexpectedhappened. Thebronzepanelssuddenlyslidupandstrucktheframewithaclang.Iwasinthedark—trapped.SotheMorlocksthought.AtthatIchuckledgleefully. 'Icouldalreadyheartheirmurmuringlaughterastheycametowardsme. VerycalmlyItriedtostrikethematch. Ihadonlytofixontheleversanddepartthenlikeaghost.ButIhadoverlookedonelittlething. Thematcheswereofthatabominablekindthatlightonlyonthebox. 'Youmayimaginehowallmycalmvanished.Thelittlebruteswerecloseuponme.Onetouchedme. Imadeasweepingblowinthedarkatthemwiththelevers,andbegantoscrambleintothesaddleofthemachine. Thencameonehanduponmeandthenanother. ThenIhadsimplytofightagainsttheirpersistentfingersformylevers,andatthesametimefeelforthestudsoverwhichthesefitted. One,indeed,theyalmostgotawayfromme. Asitslippedfrommyhand,Ihadtobuttinthedarkwithmyhead—IcouldheartheMorlock'sskullring—torecoverit. Itwasanearerthingthanthefightintheforest,Ithink,thislastscramble. 'Butatlasttheleverwasfittedandpulledover.Theclinginghandsslippedfromme. Thedarknesspresentlyfellfrommyeyes. IfoundmyselfinthesamegreylightandtumultIhavealreadydescribed. 
