Машина времени
Chapter 5
Butevenonthissuppositionthebalancedcivilizationthatwasatlastattainedmusthavelongsincepasseditszenith,andwasnowfarfallenintodecay. Thetoo-perfectsecurityoftheUpper-worldershadledthemtoaslowmovementofdegeneration,toageneraldwindlinginsize,strength,andintelligence. ThatIcouldseeclearlyenoughalready. WhathadhappenedtotheUnder-groundersIdidnotyetsuspect; butfromwhatIhadseenoftheMorlocks—that,bytheby,wasthenamebywhichthesecreatureswerecalled—Icouldimaginethatthemodificationofthehumantypewasevenfarmoreprofoundthanamongthe"Eloi,"thebeautifulracethatIalreadyknew.
‘Thencametroublesomedoubts. WhyhadtheMorlockstakenmyTimeMachine? ForIfeltsureitwastheywhohadtakenit. Why,too,iftheEloiweremasters,couldtheynotrestorethemachinetome? Andwhyweretheysoterriblyafraidofthedark? Iproceeded,asIhavesaid,toquestionWeenaaboutthisUnder-world,buthereagainIwasdisappointed. Atfirstshewouldnotunderstandmyquestions,andpresentlysherefusedtoanswerthem. Sheshiveredasthoughthetopicwasunendurable. AndwhenIpressedher,perhapsalittleharshly,sheburstintotears. Theyweretheonlytears,exceptmyown,IeversawinthatGoldenAge. WhenIsawthemIceasedabruptlytotroubleabouttheMorlocks,andwasonlyconcernedinbanishingthesesignsofthehumaninheritancefromWeena’seyes. Andverysoonshewassmilingandclappingherhands,whileIsolemnlyburnedamatch.
