Машина времени
Chapter 5
AboutLondon,forinstance,perhapshalftheprettiercountryisshutinagainstintrusion. Andthissamewideninggulf—whichisduetothelengthandexpenseofthehighereducationalprocessandtheincreasedfacilitiesforandtemptationstowardsrefinedhabitsonthepartoftherich—willmakethatexchangebetweenclassandclass, thatpromotionbyintermarriagewhichatpresentretardsthesplittingofourspeciesalonglinesofsocialstratification,lessandlessfrequent. So,intheend,abovegroundyoumusthavetheHaves,pursuingpleasureandcomfortandbeauty,andbelowgroundtheHave-nots,theWorkersgettingcontinuallyadaptedtotheconditionsoftheirlabour. Oncetheywerethere,theywouldnodoubthavetopayrent,andnotalittleofit,fortheventilationoftheircaverns; andiftheyrefused,theywouldstarveorbesuffocatedforarrears. Suchofthemasweresoconstitutedastobemiserableandrebelliouswoulddie; and,intheend,thebalancebeingpermanent,thesurvivorswouldbecomeaswelladaptedtotheconditionsofundergroundlife,andashappyintheirway,astheUpper-worldpeopleweretotheirs. Asitseemedtome,therefinedbeautyandtheetiolatedpallorfollowednaturallyenough.
‘ThegreattriumphofHumanityIhaddreamedoftookadifferentshapeinmymind. Ithadbeennosuchtriumphofmoraleducationandgeneralco-operationasIhadimagined. Instead,Isawarealaristocracy,armedwithaperfectedscienceandworkingtoalogicalconclusiontheindustrialsystemofto-day. ItstriumphhadnotbeensimplyatriumphoverNature,butatriumphoverNatureandthefellow-man. This,Imustwarnyou,wasmytheoryatthetime. IhadnoconvenientciceroneinthepatternoftheUtopianbooks. Myexplanationmaybeabsolutelywrong. Istillthinkitisthemostplausibleone.
