Машина времени
Chapter 5
Sittingbythesideofthesewells,andpeeringdownintotheshafteddarkness,Icouldseenogleamofwater,norcouldIstartanyreflectionwithalightedmatch. ButinallofthemIheardacertainsound: athud-thud-thud,likethebeatingofsomebigengine; andIdiscovered,fromtheflaringofmymatches,thatasteadycurrentofairsetdowntheshafts. Further,Ithrewascrapofpaperintothethroatofone,and,insteadofflutteringslowlydown,itwasatoncesuckedswiftlyoutofsight.
‘Afteratime,too,Icametoconnectthesewellswithtalltowersstandinghereandthereupontheslopes; forabovethemtherewasoftenjustsuchaflickerintheairasoneseesonahotdayaboveasun-scorchedbeach. Puttingthingstogether,Ireachedastrongsuggestionofanextensivesystemofsubterraneanventilation,whosetrueimportitwasdifficulttoimagine. Iwasatfirstinclinedtoassociateitwiththesanitaryapparatusofthesepeople. Itwasanobviousconclusion,butitwasabsolutelywrong.
‘AndhereImustadmitthatIlearnedverylittleofdrainsandbellsandmodesofconveyance,andthelikeconveniences,duringmytimeinthisrealfuture. InsomeofthesevisionsofUtopiasandcomingtimeswhichIhaveread,thereisavastamountofdetailaboutbuilding,andsocialarrangements,andsoforth. Butwhilesuchdetailsareeasyenoughtoobtainwhenthewholeworldiscontainedinone’simagination,theyarealtogetherinaccessibletoarealtravelleramidsuchrealitiesasIfoundhere. ConceivethetaleofLondonwhichanegro,freshfromCentralAfrica,wouldtakebacktohistribe! Whatwouldheknowofrailwaycompanies,ofsocialmovements,oftelephoneandtelegraphwires,oftheParcelsDeliveryCompany,andpostalordersandthelike? Yetwe,atleast,shouldbewillingenoughtoexplainthesethingstohim! Andevenofwhatheknew,howmuchcouldhemakehisuntravelledfriendeitherapprehendorbelieve?
