Машина времени

           ‘Beneathmyfeet,then,theearthmustbetunnelledenormously,andthesetunnellingswerethehabitatofthenewrace. Thepresenceofventilatingshaftsandwellsalongthehillslopes—everywhere,infactexceptalongtherivervalley—showedhowuniversalwereitsramifications. Whatsonatural,then,astoassumethatitwasinthisartificialUnderworldthatsuchworkaswasnecessarytothecomfortofthedaylightracewasdone? ThenotionwassoplausiblethatIatonceacceptedit,andwentontoassumethehowofthissplittingofthehumanspecies. Idaresayyouwillanticipatetheshapeofmytheory;though,formyself,Iverysoonfeltthatitfellfarshortofthetruth. 

           ‘Atfirst,proceedingfromtheproblemsofourownage,itseemedclearasdaylighttomethatthegradualwideningofthepresentmerelytemporaryandsocialdifferencebetweentheCapitalistandtheLabourer,wasthekeytothewholeposition. Nodoubtitwillseemgrotesqueenoughtoyou—andwildlyincredible!—andyetevennowthereareexistingcircumstancestopointthatway. Thereisatendencytoutilizeundergroundspaceforthelessornamentalpurposesofcivilization; thereistheMetropolitanRailwayinLondon,forinstance,therearenewelectricrailways,therearesubways,thereareundergroundworkroomsandrestaurants,andtheyincreaseandmultiply. Evidently,Ithought,thistendencyhadincreasedtillIndustryhadgraduallylostitsbirthrightinthesky. Imeanthatithadgonedeeperanddeeperintolargerandeverlargerundergroundfactories,spendingastill-increasingamountofitstimetherein,till,intheend— Evennow,doesnotanEast-endworkerliveinsuchartificialconditionsaspracticallytobecutofffromthenaturalsurfaceoftheearth? 

           ‘Again,theexclusivetendencyofricherpeople—due,nodoubt,totheincreasingrefinementoftheireducation,andthewideninggulfbetweenthemandtherudeviolenceofthepoor—isalreadyleadingtotheclosing,intheirinterest,ofconsiderableportionsofthesurfaceoftheland.