In the Golden Age

“In another moment we were standing face to face, I and this fragile thing out of futurity. He came straight up to me and laughed into my eyes. The absence from his bearing of any sign of fear struck me at once. Then he turned to the two others who were following him and spoke to them in a strange and very sweet and liquid tongue.

“A moment later, we stood face to face, I and this fragile creature from the future. He came straight up to me and laughed as he looked into my eyes. I noticed at once that he showed no sign of fear. Then he turned to the two others following him. He spoke to them in a strange language with a very sweet, flowing sound.

“There were others coming, and presently a little group of perhaps eight or ten of these exquisite creatures were about me. One of them addressed me. It came into my head, oddly enough, that my voice was too harsh and deep for them. So I shook my head, and, pointing to my ears, shook it again. He came a step forward, hesitated, and then touched my hand. Then I felt other soft little tentacles upon my back and shoulders. They wanted to make sure I was real. There was nothing in this at all alarming. Indeed, there was something in these pretty little people that inspired confidence—a graceful gentleness, a certain childlike ease. And besides, they looked so frail that I could fancy myself flinging the whole dozen of them about like ninepins. But I made a sudden motion to warn them when I saw their little pink hands feeling at the Time Machine. Happily then, when it was not too late, I thought of a danger I had hitherto forgotten, and reaching over the bars of the machine I unscrewed the little levers that would set it in motion, and put these in my pocket. Then I turned again to see what I could do in the way of communication.

“Others were coming, and soon perhaps eight or ten of these beautiful creatures had gathered around me. One of them spoke to me. Oddly enough, I thought my voice was too harsh and deep for them. So I shook my head, pointed to my ears, and shook my head again. He stepped forward, hesitated, and then touched my hand. Then I felt other soft little feelers on my back and shoulders. They wanted to make sure I was real. There was nothing alarming about any of this. In fact, something about these pretty little people made me trust them. They had a graceful gentleness and a certain childlike ease. Besides, they looked so fragile that I could imagine tossing the whole dozen of them around like bowling pins. But when I saw their little pink hands exploring the Time Machine, I made a sudden movement to warn them. Fortunately, before it was too late, I remembered a danger I had forgotten until then. I reached over the machine’s bars and unscrewed the little levers that would set the machine in motion. I put the levers in my pocket. Then I turned back to see how I might communicate with them.”

“And then, looking more nearly into their features, I saw some further peculiarities in their Dresden china type of prettiness. Their hair, which was uniformly curly, came to a sharp end at the neck and cheek; there was not the faintest suggestion of it on the face, and their ears were singularly minute. The mouths were small, with bright red, rather thin lips, and the little chins ran to a point. The eyes were large and mild; and—this may seem egotism on my part—I fancied even that there was a certain lack of the interest I might have expected in them.

“And then, looking more closely at their faces, I noticed some further unusual details in their Dresden china prettiness. Their hair was all curly and ended sharply at the neck and cheeks. There was not the slightest trace of hair on their faces, and their ears were unusually tiny. Their mouths were small, with bright red, rather thin lips, and their little chins came to a point. Their eyes were large and gentle. What I am about to say may sound self-centered. But I even thought their eyes showed a certain lack of the interest I might have expected.

“As they made no effort to communicate with me, but simply stood round me smiling and speaking in soft cooing notes to each other, I began the conversation. I pointed to the Time Machine and to myself. Then, hesitating for a moment how to express Time, I pointed to the sun. At once a quaintly pretty little figure in chequered purple and white followed my gesture, and then astonished me by imitating the sound of thunder.

“They made no effort to communicate with me, but just stood around me, smiling and making soft cooing sounds to each other. So I started the conversation. I pointed to the Time Machine and then to myself. Then I hesitated for a moment, unsure how to express Time, and pointed to the sun. At once, a charmingly pretty little figure dressed in purple and white checks followed my gesture. Then the little figure astonished me by imitating the sound of thunder.

“For a moment I was staggered, though the import of his gesture was plain enough. The question had come into my mind abruptly: were these creatures fools? You may hardly understand how it took me. You see, I had always anticipated that the people of the year Eight Hundred and Two Thousand odd would be incredibly in front of us in knowledge, art, everything. Then one of them suddenly asked me a question that showed him to be on the intellectual level of one of our five-year-old children—asked me, in fact, if I had come from the sun in a thunderstorm! It let loose the judgment I had suspended upon their clothes, their frail light limbs, and fragile features. A flow of disappointment rushed across my mind. For a moment I felt that I had built the Time Machine in vain.

“For a moment I was stunned, though the meaning of his gesture was clear enough. A question had suddenly struck me: were these creatures fools? You can hardly understand how much the thought shook me. You see, I had always expected the people of the year Eight Hundred and Two Thousand or so to be incredibly advanced. They would be far ahead of us in knowledge, art, everything. Then one of them suddenly asked a question that put his intelligence on the level of a five-year-old child today. In fact, he asked if I had come from the sun in a thunderstorm! His question brought out the judgments I had held back about their clothes, their thin, delicate limbs, and fragile features. A wave of disappointment swept through my mind. For a moment I felt that I had built the Time Machine for nothing.”

“I nodded, pointed to the sun, and gave them such a vivid rendering of a thunderclap as startled them. They all withdrew a pace or so and bowed. Then came one laughing towards me, carrying a chain of beautiful flowers altogether new to me, and put it about my neck. The idea was received with melodious applause; and presently they were all running to and fro for flowers, and laughingly flinging them upon me until I was almost smothered with blossom. You who have never seen the like can scarcely imagine what delicate and wonderful flowers countless years of culture had created. Then someone suggested that their plaything should be exhibited in the nearest building, and so I was led past the sphinx of white marble, which had seemed to watch me all the while with a smile at my astonishment, towards a vast grey edifice of fretted stone. As I went with them the memory of my confident anticipations of a profoundly grave and intellectual posterity came, with irresistible merriment, to my mind.

“I nodded, pointed to the sun, and imitated a thunderclap so vividly that I startled them. They all stepped back a pace or so and bowed. Then one came towards me, laughing and carrying a chain of beautiful flowers unlike any I had ever seen. This person put the chain around my neck. The others greeted the idea with musical applause. Soon they were all running back and forth for flowers, laughing as they threw them over me. They kept going until I was almost smothered in blossoms. Those of you who have never seen anything like these flowers can scarcely imagine their delicate beauty. Countless years of cultivation had created them. Then someone suggested showing off their plaything in the nearest building. So they led me past the white marble sphinx towards a vast grey building of intricately carved stone. The sphinx had seemed to watch me the whole time, smiling at my astonishment. As I went with them, I remembered how confidently I had expected future generations to be deeply serious and intellectual. The memory filled me with irresistible amusement.”

“The building had a huge entry, and was altogether of colossal dimensions. I was naturally most occupied with the growing crowd of little people, and with the big open portals that yawned before me shadowy and mysterious. My general impression of the world I saw over their heads was a tangled waste of beautiful bushes and flowers, a long neglected and yet weedless garden. I saw a number of tall spikes of strange white flowers, measuring a foot perhaps across the spread of the waxen petals. They grew scattered, as if wild, among the variegated shrubs, but, as I say, I did not examine them closely at this time. The Time Machine was left deserted on the turf among the rhododendrons.

“The building had a huge entrance, and the whole structure was enormous. Naturally, my attention was mostly on the growing crowd of little people and the great open doorways before me. The doorways gaped wide, shadowy and mysterious. Above the little people’s heads, the world looked like a beautiful tangle of bushes and flowers. It seemed like a garden long neglected but still free of weeds. I saw several tall spikes of strange white flowers. Their waxy petals spread perhaps a foot across. The flowers grew scattered among shrubs of many colors, as if growing wild. But, as I said, I did not examine the flowers closely at the time. The Time Machine stood abandoned on the grass among the rhododendrons.”

“The arch of the doorway was richly carved, but naturally I did not observe the carving very narrowly, though I fancied I saw suggestions of old Phœnician decorations as I passed through, and it struck me that they were very badly broken and weather-worn. Several more brightly clad people met me in the doorway, and so we entered, I, dressed in dingy nineteenth-century garments, looking grotesque enough, garlanded with flowers, and surrounded by an eddying mass of bright, soft-coloured robes and shining white limbs, in a melodious whirl of laughter and laughing speech.

“The doorway’s arch was richly carved, but naturally I did not examine the carvings closely. Still, as I passed through, I thought I saw hints of old Phœnician decoration. The carvings struck me as badly broken and worn by the weather. Several more brightly dressed people met me in the doorway, and so we went inside. I looked quite ridiculous in my drab nineteenth-century clothes, draped with flowers. Around me swirled a crowd in bright, softly colored robes, with gleaming white arms and legs. We entered amid a musical whirl of laughter and laughing voices.

“The big doorway opened into a proportionately great hall hung with brown. The roof was in shadow, and the windows, partially glazed with coloured glass and partially unglazed, admitted a tempered light. The floor was made up of huge blocks of some very hard white metal, not plates nor slabs—blocks, and it was so much worn, as I judged by the going to and fro of past generations, as to be deeply channelled along the more frequented ways. Transverse to the length were innumerable tables made of slabs of polished stone, raised, perhaps, a foot from the floor, and upon these were heaps of fruits. Some I recognised as a kind of hypertrophied raspberry and orange, but for the most part they were strange.

“The large doorway opened into an equally grand hall hung with brown fabric. The roof was in shadow. The windows had coloured glass in some sections and no glass in others, letting in a softened light. The floor was made of huge blocks of some very hard white metal. These were not plates or slabs, but blocks. The floor was so worn that deep grooves ran along the busiest paths. I judged that generations of people walking back and forth had caused this wear. Countless tables stood across the width of the hall. They were made of polished stone slabs, raised perhaps a foot above the floor, and held heaps of fruit. I recognised some as a kind of oversized raspberry and orange, but most of the fruit was unfamiliar.”

“Between the tables was scattered a great number of cushions. Upon these my conductors seated themselves, signing for me to do likewise. With a pretty absence of ceremony they began to eat the fruit with their hands, flinging peel and stalks, and so forth, into the round openings in the sides of the tables. I was not loath to follow their example, for I felt thirsty and hungry. As I did so I surveyed the hall at my leisure.

“Many cushions were scattered between the tables. My guides sat on them and gestured for me to do the same. With a charming lack of formality, they began eating the fruit with their hands. They tossed peels, stalks, and other scraps into the round openings in the sides of the tables. I gladly followed their example, for I was thirsty and hungry. As I ate, I took my time looking around the hall.

“And perhaps the thing that struck me most was its dilapidated look. The stained-glass windows, which displayed only a geometrical pattern, were broken in many places, and the curtains that hung across the lower end were thick with dust. And it caught my eye that the corner of the marble table near me was fractured. Nevertheless, the general effect was extremely rich and picturesque. There were, perhaps, a couple of hundred people dining in the hall, and most of them, seated as near to me as they could come, were watching me with interest, their little eyes shining over the fruit they were eating. All were clad in the same soft, and yet strong, silky material.

“And perhaps what struck me most was how run-down it looked. The stained-glass windows showed only a geometric pattern and were broken in many places. The curtains hanging across the lower end were thick with dust. I also noticed that the corner of the marble table near me was cracked. Even so, the overall effect was extremely rich and picturesque. Perhaps two hundred people were dining in the hall. Most had sat as close to me as they could and were watching me with interest. Their little eyes shone above the fruit they were eating. All wore the same soft yet strong, silky material.

“Fruit, by the bye, was all their diet. These people of the remote future were strict vegetarians, and while I was with them, in spite of some carnal cravings, I had to be frugivorous also. Indeed, I found afterwards that horses, cattle, sheep, dogs, had followed the Ichthyosaurus into extinction. But the fruits were very delightful; one, in particular, that seemed to be in season all the time I was there—a floury thing in a three-sided husk—was especially good, and I made it my staple. At first I was puzzled by all these strange fruits, and by the strange flowers I saw, but later I began to perceive their import.

“Fruit, by the way, was their entire diet. These people of the distant future were strict vegetarians. While I was with them, I too had to eat only fruit, despite some cravings for meat. In fact, I later found that horses, cattle, sheep, and dogs had followed the Ichthyosaurus into extinction. But the fruits were delicious. One in particular seemed to be in season the whole time I was there. This fruit had a floury texture and a three-sided husk. It was especially good, and I made it my main food. At first, all these strange fruits and the strange flowers I saw puzzled me. But later I began to understand their significance.

“However, I am telling you of my fruit dinner in the distant future now. So soon as my appetite was a little checked, I determined to make a resolute attempt to learn the speech of these new men of mine. Clearly that was the next thing to do. The fruits seemed a convenient thing to begin upon, and holding one of these up I began a series of interrogative sounds and gestures. I had some considerable difficulty in conveying my meaning. At first my efforts met with a stare of surprise or inextinguishable laughter, but presently a fair-haired little creature seemed to grasp my intention and repeated a name. They had to chatter and explain the business at great length to each other, and my first attempts to make the exquisite little sounds of their language caused an immense amount of genuine, if uncivil, amusement. However, I felt like a schoolmaster amidst children, and persisted, and presently I had a score of noun substantives at least at my command; and then I got to demonstrative pronouns, and even the verb ‘to eat.’ But it was slow work, and the little people soon tired and wanted to get away from my interrogations, so I determined, rather of necessity, to let them give their lessons in little doses when they felt inclined. And very little doses I found they were before long, for I never met people more indolent or more easily fatigued.

“However, I am telling you now about my fruit dinner in the distant future. Once my hunger had eased a little, I decided to make a determined effort to learn these new people’s language. Clearly, learning their language was the next thing to do. The fruits seemed a convenient place to start. I held up a fruit and began making questioning sounds and gestures. I had considerable difficulty making myself understood. At first, my efforts were met with surprised stares or unstoppable laughter. But soon a little fair-haired creature seemed to understand my intention and repeated a name. The little people had to chatter and explain the whole business to one another at great length. My first attempts to make their language’s delicate little sounds caused an enormous amount of genuine, though rude, amusement. However, I felt like a teacher among children, and I kept trying. Soon I knew at least twenty nouns. Then I moved on to words like ‘this’ and ‘that,’ and even the verb ‘to eat.’ But progress was slow, and the little people soon grew tired and wanted to escape my questions. So, largely out of necessity, I decided to let them teach me in small doses whenever they felt willing. Before long, I found how very small those doses were. I had never met people who were lazier or more easily tired.