THE MACHINE STOPS

by E.M. Forster (1909)

I THE AIR-SHIP

Imagine, if you can, a small room, hexagonal in shape, like the cell of a bee It is lighte! neither by "in!o" nor by lamp, yet it is fille! "ith a soft ra!iance There are no apertures for #entilation, yet the air is fresh There are no musical instruments, an! yet, at the moment that my me!itation opens, this room is throbbing "ith melo!ious soun!s An armchair is in the centre, by its si!e a rea!ing-!esk - that is all the furniture An! in the armchair there sits a s"a!!le! lump of flesh - a "oman, about fi#e feet high, "ith a face as "hite as a fungus It is to her that the little room belongs An electric bell rang The "oman touche! a s"itch an! the music "as silent $I suppose I must see "ho it is$, she thought, an! set her chair in motion The chair, like the music, "as "orke! by machinery an! it rolle! her to the other si!e of the room "here the bell still rang importunately $%ho is it&$ she calle! Her #oice "as irritable, for she ha! been interrupte! often since the music began She kne" se#eral thousan! people, in certain !irections human intercourse ha! a!#ance! enormously 'ut "hen she listene! into the recei#er, her "hite face "rinkle! into smiles, an! she sai!( $)ery "ell *et us talk, I "ill isolate myself I !o not expect anything important "ill happen for the next fi#e minutes - for I can gi#e you fully fi#e minutes, +uno Then I must !eli#er my lecture on ,-usic !uring the Australian Perio!, $ She touche! the isolation knob, so that no one else coul! speak to her Then she touche! the lighting apparatus, an! the little room "as plunge! into !arkness $'e .uick/$ she calle!, her irritation returning $'e .uick, +uno0 here I am in the !ark "asting my time $ 'ut it "as fully fifteen secon!s before the roun! plate that she hel! in her han!s began to glo" A faint blue light shot across it, !arkening to purple, an! presently she coul! see the image of her son, "ho li#e! on the other si!e of the earth, an! he coul! see her $+uno, ho" slo" you are $ He smile! gra#ely $I really belie#e you en1oy !a"!ling $ $I ha#e calle! you before, mother, but you "ere al"ays busy or isolate! I ha#e something particular to say $ $%hat is it, !earest boy& 'e .uick %hy coul! you not sen! it by pneumatic post&$ $'ecause I prefer saying such a thing I "ant----$

$%ell&$ $I "ant you to come an! see me $ )ashti "atche! his face in the blue plate $'ut I can see you/$ she exclaime! $%hat more !o you "ant&$ $I "ant to see you not through the -achine,$ sai! +uno $I "ant to speak to you not through the "earisome -achine $ $2h, hush/$ sai! his mother, #aguely shocke! $3ou mustn$t say anything against the -achine $ $%hy not&$ $2ne mustn$t $ $3ou talk as if a go! ha! ma!e the -achine,$ crie! the other $I belie#e that you pray to it "hen you are unhappy -en ma!e it, !o not forget that 4reat men, but men The -achine is much, but it is not e#erything I see something like you in this plate, but I !o not see you I hear something like you through this telephone, but I !o not hear you That is "hy I "ant you to come Pay me a #isit, so that "e can meet face to face, an! talk about the hopes that are in my min! $ She replie! that she coul! scarcely spare the time for a #isit $The air-ship barely takes t"o !ays to fly bet"een me an! you $ $I !islike air-ships $ $%hy&$ $I !islike seeing the horrible bro"n earth, an! the sea, an! the stars "hen it is !ark I get no i!eas in an air- ship $ $I !o not get them any"here else $ $%hat kin! of i!eas can the air gi#e you&$ He pause! for an instant $5o you not kno" four big stars that form an oblong, an! three stars close together in the mi!!le of the oblong, an! hanging from these stars, three other stars&$ $6o, I !o not I !islike the stars 'ut !i! they gi#e you an i!ea& Ho" interesting0 tell me $ $I ha! an i!ea that they "ere like a man $ $I !o not un!erstan! $ $The four big stars are the man$s shoul!ers an! his knees The three stars in the mi!!le are like the belts that men "ore once, an! the three stars hanging are like a s"or! $ $A s"or!&$ $-en carrie! s"or!s about "ith them, to kill animals an! other men $ $It !oes not strike me as a #ery goo! i!ea, but it is certainly original %hen !i! it come to you first&$ $In the air-ship-----$ He broke off, an! she fancie! that he looke! sa! She coul! not be sure, for the -achine !i! not transmit nuances of expression It only ga#e a general i!ea of people - an i!ea that "as goo! enough for all practical purposes, )ashti thought The impon!erable bloom, !eclare! by a !iscre!ite! philosophy to be the actual essence of intercourse, "as rightly ignore! by the -achine, 1ust as the impon!erable bloom of the grape "as ignore! by the manufacturers of artificial fruit Something $goo! enough$ ha! long since been accepte! by our race $The truth is,$ he continue!, $that I "ant to see these stars again They are curious stars I "ant to see them not from the air-ship, but from the surface of the earth, as our ancestors !i!, thousan!s of years ago I "ant to #isit the surface of the earth $ She "as shocke! again $-other, you must come, if only to explain to me "hat is the harm of #isiting the surface of the earth $ $6o harm,$ she replie!, controlling herself $'ut no a!#antage The surface of the earth is only !ust an! mu!, no a!#antage The surface of the earth is only !ust an! mu!, no life remains on it, an! you "oul! nee! a respirator, or the col! of the outer air "oul! kill you 2ne !ies imme!iately in the outer air $

$I kno"0 of course I shall take all precautions $ $An! besi!es----$ $%ell&$ She consi!ere!, an! chose her "or!s "ith care Her son ha! a .ueer temper, an! she "ishe! to !issua!e him from the expe!ition $It is contrary to the spirit of the age,$ she asserte! $5o you mean by that, contrary to the -achine&$ $In a sense, but----$ His image is the blue plate fa!e! $+uno/$ He ha! isolate! himself 7or a moment )ashti felt lonely Then she generate! the light, an! the sight of her room, floo!e! "ith ra!iance an! stu!!e! "ith electric buttons, re#i#e! her There "ere buttons an! s"itches e#ery"here - buttons to call for foo! for music, for clothing There "as the hot-bath button, by pressure of "hich a basin of 8imitation9 marble rose out of the floor, fille! to the brim "ith a "arm !eo!ori:e! li.ui! There "as the col!-bath button There "as the button that pro!uce! literature An! there "ere of course the buttons by "hich she communicate! "ith her frien!s The room, though it containe! nothing, "as in touch "ith all that she care! for in the "orl! )ashanti$s next mo#e "as to turn off the isolation s"itch, an! all the accumulations of the last three minutes burst upon her The room "as fille! "ith the noise of bells, an! speaking-tubes %hat "as the ne" foo! like& ;oul! she recommen! it& Has she ha! any i!eas lately& -ight one tell her one$s o"n i!eas& %oul! she make an engagement to #isit the public nurseries at an early !ate& - say this !ay month To most of these .uestions she replie! "ith irritation - a gro"ing .uality in that accelerate! age She sai! that the ne" foo! "as horrible That she coul! not #isit the public nurseries through press of engagements That she ha! no i!eas of her o"n but ha! 1ust been tol! one-that four stars an! three in the mi!!le "ere like a man( she !oubte! there "as much in it Then she s"itche! off her correspon!ents, for it "as time to !eli#er her lecture on Australian music The clumsy system of public gatherings ha! been long since aban!one!0 neither )ashti nor her au!ience stirre! from their rooms Seate! in her armchair she spoke, "hile they in their armchairs hear! her, fairly "ell, an! sa" her, fairly "ell She opene! "ith a humorous account of music in the pre -ongolian epoch, an! "ent on to !escribe the great outburst of song that follo"e! the ;hinese con.uest Remote an! prim#al as "ere the metho!s of I-San-So an! the 'risbane school, she yet felt 8she sai!9 that stu!y of them might repay the musicians of to!ay( they ha! freshness0 they ha!, abo#e all, i!eas Her lecture, "hich laste! ten minutes, "as "ell recei#e!, an! at its conclusion she an! many of her au!ience listene! to a lecture on the sea0 there "ere i!eas to be got from the sea0 the speaker ha! !onne! a respirator an! #isite! it lately Then she fe!, talke! to many frien!s, ha! a bath, talke! again, an! summone! her be! The be! "as not to her liking It "as too large, an! she ha! a feeling for a small be! ;omplaint "as useless, for be!s "ere of the same !imension all o#er the "orl!, an! to ha#e ha! an alternati#e si:e "oul! ha#e in#ol#e! #ast alterations in the -achine )ashti isolate! herself-it "as necessary, for neither !ay nor night existe! un!er the groun!-an! re#ie"e! all that ha! happene! since she ha! summone! the be! last I!eas& Scarcely any E#ents - "as +uno$s in#itation an e#ent& 'y her si!e, on the little rea!ing-!esk, "as a sur#i#al from the ages of litter - one book This "as the 'ook of the -achine In it "ere instructions against e#ery possible contingency If she "as hot or col! or !yspeptic or at a loss for a "or!, she "ent to the book, an! it tol! her "hich button to press The ;entral ;ommittee publishe! it In accor!ance "ith a gro"ing habit, it "as richly boun!

Sitting up in the be!, she took it re#erently in her han!s She glance! roun! the glo"ing room as if some one might be "atching her Then, half ashame!, half 1oyful, she murmure! $2 -achine/ 2 -achine/$ an! raise! the #olume to her lips Thrice she kisse! it, thrice incline! her hea!, thrice she felt the !elirium of ac.uiescence Her ritual performe!, she turne! to page <=>?, "hich ga#e the times of the !eparture of the air-ships from the islan! in the southern hemisphere, un!er "hose soil she li#e!, to the islan! in the northern hemisphere, "hereun!er li#e! her son She thought, $I ha#e not the time $ She ma!e the room !ark an! slept0 she a"oke an! ma!e the room light0 she ate an! exchange! i!eas "ith her frien!s, an! listene! to music an! atten!e! lectures0 she make the room !ark an! slept Abo#e her, beneath her, an! aroun! her, the -achine humme! eternally0 she !i! not notice the noise, for she ha! been born "ith it in her ears The earth, carrying her, humme! as it spe! through silence, turning her no" to the in#isible sun, no" to the in#isible stars She a"oke an! ma!e the room light $+uno/$ $I "ill not talk to you $ he ans"ere!, $until you come $ $Ha#e you been on the surface of the earth since "e spoke last&$ His image fa!e! Again she consulte! the book She became #ery ner#ous an! lay back in her chair palpitating Think of her as "ithout teeth or hair Presently she !irecte! the chair to the "all, an! presse! an unfamiliar button The "all s"ung apart slo"ly Through the opening she sa" a tunnel that cur#e! slightly, so that its goal "as not #isible Shoul! she go to see her son, here "as the beginning of the 1ourney 2f course she kne" all about the communication-system There "as nothing mysterious in it She "oul! summon a car an! it "oul! fly "ith her !o"n the tunnel until it reache! the lift that communicate! "ith the air-ship station( the system ha! been in use for many, many years, long before the uni#ersal establishment of the -achine An! of course she ha! stu!ie! the ci#ili:ation that ha! imme!iately prece!e! her o"n - the ci#ili:ation that ha! mistaken the functions of the system, an! ha! use! it for bringing people to things, instea! of for bringing things to people Those funny ol! !ays, "hen men "ent for change of air instea! of changing the air in their rooms/ An! yet-she "as frightene! of the tunnel( she ha! not seen it since her last chil! "as born It cur#e!-but not .uite as she remembere!0 it "as brilliant-but not .uite as brilliant as a lecturer ha! suggeste! )ashti "as sei:e! "ith the terrors of !irect experience She shrank back into the room, an! the "all close! up again $+uno,$ she sai!, $I cannot come to see you I am not "ell $ Imme!iately an enormous apparatus fell on to her out of the ceiling, a thermometer "as automatically lai! upon her heart She lay po"erless ;ool pa!s soothe! her forehea! +uno ha! telegraphe! to her !octor So the human passions still blun!ere! up an! !o"n in the -achine )ashti !rank the me!icine that the !octor pro1ecte! into her mouth, an! the machinery retire! into the ceiling The #oice of +uno "as hear! asking ho" she felt $'etter $ Then "ith irritation( $'ut "hy !o you not come to me instea!&$ $'ecause I cannot lea#e this place $ $%hy&$ $'ecause, any moment, something tremen!ous many happen $ $Ha#e you been on the surface of the earth yet&$ $6ot yet $ $Then "hat is it&$ $I "ill not tell you through the -achine $ She resume! her life 'ut she thought of +uno as a baby, his birth, his remo#al to the public nurseries, her o"n #isit to him there, his #isits to her-#isits "hich stoppe! "hen the -achine ha! assigne! him a room on the other si!e of the earth $Parents, !uties of,$ sai! the book of the -achine,$ cease at the moment of birth P @AA=A?@B= $ True, but there "as something special about +uno - in!ee! there ha! been something special about all her chil!ren - an!, after all, she must bra#e the 1ourney if he !esire! it An! $something tremen!ous might happen$ %hat !i! that mean& The nonsense of a youthful man, no !oubt, but she must go Again she presse! the unfamiliar button, again the "all s"ung back, an! she sa" the tunnel that cur#es out of sight ;lasping the 'ook, she rose, tottere! on to the platform, an! summone! the car Her room close! behin! her( the 1ourney to the northern hemisphere ha! begun 2f course it "as perfectly easy The car approache! an! in it she foun! armchairs exactly like her o"n %hen she

signalle!, it stoppe!, an! she tottere! into the lift 2ne other passenger "as in the lift, the first fello" creature she ha! seen face to face for months 7e" tra#elle! in these !ays, for, thanks to the a!#ance of science, the earth "as exactly alike all o#er Rapi! intercourse, from "hich the pre#ious ci#ili:ation ha! hope! so much, ha! en!e! by !efeating itself %hat "as the goo! of going to Peking "hen it "as 1ust like Shre"sbury& %hy return to Shre"sbury "hen it "oul! all be like Peking& -en sel!om mo#e! their bo!ies0 all unrest "as concentrate! in the soul The air-ship ser#ice "as a relic from the former age It "as kept up, because it "as easier to keep it up than to stop it or to !iminish it, but it no" far excee!e! the "ants of the population )essel after #essel "oul! rise from the #omitories of Rye or of ;hristchurch 8I use the anti.ue names9, "oul! sail into the cro"!e! sky, an! "oul! !ra" up at the "har#es of the south - empty So nicely a!1uste! "as the system, so in!epen!ent of meteorology, that the sky, "hether calm or clou!y, resemble! a #ast kalei!oscope "hereon the same patterns perio!ically recurre! The ship on "hich )ashti saile! starte! no" at sunset, no" at !a"n 'ut al"ays, as it passe! abo#e Rheas, it "oul! neighbour the ship that ser#e! bet"een Helsingfors an! the 'ra:ils, an!, e#ery thir! time it surmounte! the Alps, the fleet of Palermo "oul! cross its track behin! 6ight an! !ay, "in! an! storm, ti!e an! earth.uake, impe!e! man no longer He ha! harnesse! *e#iathan All the ol! literature, "ith its praise of 6ature, an! its fear of 6ature, rang false as the prattle of a chil! 3et as )ashti sa" the #ast flank of the ship, staine! "ith exposure to the outer air, her horror of !irect experience returne! It "as not .uite like the air-ship in the cinematophote 7or one thing it smelt - not strongly or unpleasantly, but it !i! smell, an! "ith her eyes shut she shoul! ha#e kno"n that a ne" thing "as close to her Then she ha! to "alk to it from the lift, ha! to submit to glances from the other passengers The man in front !roppe! his 'ook - no great matter, but it !is.uiete! them all In the rooms, if the 'ook "as !roppe!, the floor raise! it mechanically, but the gang"ay to the air-ship "as not so prepare!, an! the sacre! #olume lay motionless They stoppe! - the thing "as unforeseen - an! the man, instea! of picking up his property, felt the muscles of his arm to see ho" they ha! faile! him Then some one actually sai! "ith !irect utterance( $%e shall be late$ - an! they troope! on boar!, )ashti trea!ing on the pages as she !i! so Insi!e, her anxiety increase! The arrangements "ere ol!fashione! an! rough There "as e#en a female atten!ant, to "hom she "oul! ha#e to announce her "ants !uring the #oyage 2f course a re#ol#ing platform ran the length of the boat, but she "as expecte! to "alk from it to her cabin Some cabins "ere better than others, an! she !i! not get the best She thought the atten!ant ha! been unfair, an! spasms of rage shook her The glass #al#es ha! close!, she coul! not go back She sa", at the en! of the #estibule, the lift in "hich she ha! ascen!e! going .uietly up an! !o"n, empty 'eneath those corri!ors of shining tiles "ere rooms, tier belo" tier, reaching far into the earth, an! in each room there sat a human being, eating, or sleeping, or pro!ucing i!eas An! burie! !eep in the hi#e "as her o"n room )ashti "as afrai! $2 -achine/$ she murmure!, an! caresse! her 'ook, an! "as comforte! Then the si!es of the #estibule seeme! to melt together, as !o the passages that "e see in !reams, the lift #anishe!, the 'ook that ha! been !roppe! sli! to the left an! #anishe!, polishe! tiles rushe! by like a stream of "ater, there "as a slight 1ar, an! the air-ship, issuing from its tunnel, soare! abo#e the "aters of a tropical ocean It "as night 7or a moment she sa" the coast of Sumatra e!ge! by the phosphorescence of "a#es, an! cro"ne! by lighthouses, still sen!ing forth their !isregar!e! beams These also #anishe!, an! only the stars !istracte! her They "ere not motionless, but s"aye! to an! fro abo#e her hea!, thronging out of one sky-light into another, as if the uni#erse an! not the air-ship "as careening An!, as often happens on clear nights, they seeme! no" to be in perspecti#e, no" on a plane0 no" pile! tier beyon! tier into the infinite hea#ens, no" concealing infinity, a roof limiting for e#er the #isions of men In either case they seeme! intolerable $Are "e to tra#el in the !ark&$ calle! the passengers angrily, an! the atten!ant, "ho ha! been careless, generate! the light, an! pulle! !o"n the blin!s of pliable metal %hen the air-ships ha! been built, the !esire to look !irect at things still lingere! in the "orl! Hence the extraor!inary number of skylights an! "in!o"s, an! the proportionate !iscomfort to those "ho "ere ci#ili:e! an! refine! E#en in )ashti$s

cabin one star peepe! through a fla" in the blin!, an! after a fe" hers$ uneasy slumber, she "as !isturbe! by an unfamiliar glo", "hich "as the !a"n Cuick as the ship ha! spe! "est"ar!s, the earth ha! rolle! east"ar!s .uicker still, an! ha! !ragge! back )ashti an! her companions to"ar!s the sun Science coul! prolong the night, but only for a little, an! those high hopes of neutrali:ing the earth$s !iurnal re#olution ha! passe!, together "ith hopes that "ere possibly higher To $keep pace "ith the sun,$ or e#en to outstrip it, ha! been the aim of the ci#ili:ation prece!ing this Racing aeroplanes ha! been built for the purpose, capable of enormous spee!, an! steere! by the greatest intellects of the epoch Roun! the globe they "ent, roun! an! roun!, "est"ar!, "est"ar!, roun! an! roun!, ami!st humanity$s applause In #ain The globe "ent east"ar! .uicker still, horrible acci!ents occurre!, an! the ;ommittee of the -achine, at the time rising into prominence, !eclare! the pursuit illegal, unmechanical, an! punishable by Homelessness 2f Homelessness more "ill be sai! later 5oubtless the ;ommittee "as right 3et the attempt to $!efeat the sun$ arouse! the last common interest that our race experience! about the hea#enly bo!ies, or in!ee! about anything It "as the last time that men "ere compacte! by thinking of a po"er outsi!e the "orl! The sun ha! con.uere!, yet it "as the en! of his spiritual !ominion 5a"n, mi!!ay, t"ilight, the :o!iacal path, touche! neither men$s li#es not their hearts, an! science retreate! into the groun!, to concentrate herself upon problems that she "as certain of sol#ing So "hen )ashti foun! her cabin in#a!e! by a rosy finger of light, she "as annoye!, an! trie! to a!1ust the blin! 'ut the blin! fle" up altogether, an! she sa" through the skylight small pink clou!s, s"aying against a backgroun! of blue, an! as the sun crept higher, its ra!iance entere! !irect, brimming !o"n the "all, like a gol!en sea It rose an! fell "ith the air-ship$s motion, 1ust as "a#es rise an! fall, but it a!#ance! stea!ily, as a ti!e a!#ances Dnless she "as careful, it "oul! strike her face A spasm of horror shook her an! she rang for the atten!ant The atten!ant too "as horrifie!, but she coul! !o nothing0 it "as not her place to men! the blin! She coul! only suggest that the la!y shoul! change her cabin, "hich she accor!ingly prepare! to !o People "ere almost exactly alike all o#er the "orl!, but the atten!ant of the air-ship, perhaps o"ing to her exceptional !uties, ha! gro"n a little out of the common She ha! often to a!!ress passengers "ith !irect speech, an! this ha! gi#en her a certain roughness an! originality of manner %hen )ashti s"er#e! a"ay from the sunbeams "ith a cry, she beha#e! barbarically - she put out her han! to stea!y her $Ho" !are you/$ exclaime! the passenger $3ou forget yourself/$ The "oman "as confuse!, an! apologi:e! for not ha#ing let her fall People ne#er touche! one another The custom ha! become obsolete, o"ing to the -achine $%here are "e no"&$ aske! )ashti haughtily $%e are o#er Asia,$ sai! the atten!ant, anxious to be polite $Asia&$ $3ou must excuse my common "ay of speaking I ha#e got into the habit of calling places o#er "hich I pass by their unmechanical names $ $2h, I remember Asia The -ongols came from it $ $'eneath us, in the open air, stoo! a city that "as once calle! Simla $ $Ha#e you e#er hear! of the -ongols an! of the 'risbane school&$ $6o $ $'risbane also stoo! in the open air $ $Those mountains to the right - let me sho" you them $ She pushe! back a metal blin! The main chain of the Himalayas "as re#eale! $They "ere once calle! the Roof of the %orl!, those mountains $ $3ou must remember that, before the !a"n of ci#ili:ation, they seeme! to be an impenetrable "all that touche! the stars It "as suppose! that no one but the go!s coul! exist abo#e their summits Ho" "e ha#e a!#ance!, thanks to the -achine/$ $Ho" "e ha#e a!#ance!, thanks to the -achine/$ sai! )ashti $Ho" "e ha#e a!#ance!, thanks to the -achine/$ echoe! the passenger "ho ha! !roppe! his 'ook the night before, an! "ho "as stan!ing in the passage $An! that "hite stuff in the cracks& - "hat is it&$ $I ha#e forgotten its name $ $;o#er the "in!o", please These mountains gi#e me no i!eas $ The northern aspect of the Himalayas "as in !eep sha!o"( on the In!ian slope the sun ha! 1ust pre#aile! The forests ha! been !estroye! !uring the literature epoch for the purpose of making ne"spaper-pulp, but the sno"s "ere a"akening to their morning glory, an! clou!s still hung on the breasts of +inchin1unga In the plain "ere seen the ruins of cities, "ith !iminishe! ri#ers creeping by their "alls, an! by the si!es of these "ere sometimes the signs of #omitories, marking the cities of to !ay 2#er the "hole prospect air-ships rushe!, crossing the

inter-crossing "ith incre!ible aplomb, an! rising nonchalantly "hen they !esire! to escape the perturbations of the lo"er atmosphere an! to tra#erse the Roof of the %orl! $%e ha#e in!ee! a!#ance, thanks to the -achine,$ repeate! the atten!ant, an! hi! the Himalayas behin! a metal blin! The !ay !ragge! "earily for"ar! The passengers sat each in his cabin, a#oi!ing one another "ith an almost physical repulsion an! longing to be once more un!er the surface of the earth There "ere eight or ten of them, mostly young males, sent out from the public nurseries to inhabit the rooms of those "ho ha! !ie! in #arious parts of the earth The man "ho ha! !roppe! his 'ook "as on the home"ar! 1ourney He ha! been sent to Sumatra for the purpose of propagating the race )ashti alone "as tra#elling by her pri#ate "ill At mi!!ay she took a secon! glance at the earth The air-ship "as crossing another range of mountains, but she coul! see little, o"ing to clou!s -asses of black rock ho#ere! belo" her, an! merge! in!istinctly into grey Their shapes "ere fantastic0 one of them resemble! a prostrate man $6o i!eas here,$ murmure! )ashti, an! hi! the ;aucasus behin! a metal blin! In the e#ening she looke! again They "ere crossing a gol!en sea, in "hich lay many small islan!s an! one peninsula She repeate!, $6o i!eas here,$ an! hi! 4reece behin! a metal blin!

II THE -E65I64 APPARATDS 'y a #estibule, by a lift, by a tubular rail"ay, by a platform, by a sli!ing !oor - by re#ersing all the steps of her !eparture !i! )ashti arri#e at her son$s room, "hich exactly resemble! her o"n She might "ell !eclare that the #isit "as superfluous The buttons, the knobs, the rea!ing-!esk "ith the 'ook, the temperature, the atmosphere, the illumination - all "ere exactly the same An! if +uno himself, flesh of her flesh, stoo! close besi!e her at last, "hat profit "as there in that& She "as too "ell-bre! to shake him by the han! A#erting her eyes, she spoke as follo"s( $Here I am I ha#e ha! the most terrible 1ourney an! greatly retar!e! the !e#elopment of my soul It is not "orth it, +uno, it is not "orth it -y time is too precious The sunlight almost touche! me, an! I ha#e met "ith the ru!est people I can only stop a fe" minutes Say "hat you "ant to say, an! then I must return $ $I ha#e been threatene! "ith Homelessness,$ sai! +uno She looke! at him no" $I ha#e been threatene! "ith Homelessness, an! I coul! not tell you such a thing through the -achine $ Homelessness means !eath The #ictim is expose! to the air, "hich kills him $I ha#e been outsi!e since I spoke to you last The tremen!ous thing has happene!, an! they ha#e !isco#ere! me $ $'ut "hy shoul!n$t you go outsi!e&$ she exclaime!, $It is perfectly legal, perfectly mechanical, to #isit the surface of the earth I ha#e lately been to a lecture on the sea0 there is no ob1ection to that0 one simply summons a respirator an! gets an Egression-permit It is not the kin! of thing that spiritually min!e! people !o, an! I begge! you not to !o it, but there is no legal ob1ection to it $ $I !i! not get an Egression-permit $ $Then ho" !i! you get out&$ $I foun! out a "ay of my o"n $ The phrase con#eye! no meaning to her, an! he ha! to repeat it $A "ay of your o"n&$ she "hispere! $'ut that "oul! be "rong $

$%hy&$ The .uestion shocke! her beyon! measure $3ou are beginning to "orship the -achine,$ he sai! col!ly $3ou think it irreligious of me to ha#e foun! out a "ay of my o"n It "as 1ust "hat the ;ommittee thought, "hen they threatene! me "ith Homelessness $ At this she gre" angry $I "orship nothing/$ she crie! $I am most a!#ance! I !on$t think you irreligious, for there is no such thing as religion left All the fear an! the superstition that existe! once ha#e been !estroye! by the -achine I only meant that to fin! out a "ay of your o"n "as----'esi!es, there is no ne" "ay out $ $So it is al"ays suppose! $ $Except through the #omitories, for "hich one must ha#e an Egression-permit, it is impossible to get out The 'ook says so $ $%ell, the 'ook$s "rong, for I ha#e been out on my feet $ 7or +uno "as possesse! of a certain physical strength 'y these !ays it "as a !emerit to be muscular Each infant "as examine! at birth, an! all "ho promise! un!ue strength "ere !estroye! Humanitarians may protest, but it "oul! ha#e been no true kin!ness to let an athlete li#e0 he "oul! ne#er ha#e been happy in that state of life to "hich the -achine ha! calle! him0 he "oul! ha#e yearne! for trees to climb, ri#ers to bathe in, mea!o"s an! hills against "hich he might measure his bo!y -an must be a!apte! to his surroun!ings, must he not& In the !a"n of the "orl! our "eakly must be expose! on -ount Taygetus, in its t"ilight our strong "ill suffer euthanasia, that the -achine may progress, that the -achine may progress, that the -achine may progress eternally $3ou kno" that "e ha#e lost the sense of space %e say $space is annihilate!$, but "e ha#e annihilate! not space, but the sense thereof %e ha#e lost a part of oursel#es I !etermine! to reco#er it, an! I began by "alking up an! !o"n the platform of the rail"ay outsi!e my room Dp an! !o"n, until I "as tire!, an! so !i! recapture the meaning of ,6ear, an! ,7ar, ,6ear, is a place to "hich I can get .uickly on my feet, not a place to "hich the train or the air-ship "ill take me .uickly $7ar$ is a place to "hich I cannot get .uickly on my feet0 the #omitory is $far$, though I coul! be there in thirty-eight secon!s by summoning the train -an is the measure That "as my first lesson -an$s feet are the measure for !istance, his han!s are the measure for o"nership, his bo!y is the measure for all that is lo#able an! !esirable an! strong Then I "ent further( it "as then that I calle! to you for the first time, an! you "oul! not come $This city, as you kno", is built !eep beneath the surface of the earth, "ith only the #omitories protru!ing Ha#ing pace! the platform outsi!e my o"n room, I took the lift to the next platform an! pace! that also, an! so "ith each in turn, until I came to the topmost, abo#e "hich begins the earth All the platforms "ere exactly alike, an! all that I gaine! by #isiting them "as to !e#elop my sense of space an! my muscles I think I shoul! ha#e been content "ith this - it is not a little thing, - but as I "alke! an! broo!e!, it occurre! to me that our cities ha! been built in the !ays "hen men still breathe! the outer air, an! that there ha! been #entilation shafts for the "orkmen I coul! think of nothing but these #entilation shafts Ha! they been !estroye! by all the foo!-tubes an! me!icine-tubes an! musictubes that the -achine has e#ol#e! lately& 2r !i! traces of them remain& 2ne thing "as certain If I came upon them any"here, it "oul! be in the rail"ay-tunnels of the topmost storey E#ery"here else, all space "as accounte! for $I am telling my story .uickly, but !on$t think that I "as not a co"ar! or that your ans"ers ne#er !epresse! me It is not the proper thing, it is not mechanical, it is not !ecent to "alk along a rail"aytunnel I !i! not fear that I might trea! upon a li#e rail an! be kille! I feare! something far more intangible - !oing "hat "as not contemplate! by the -achine Then I sai! to myself, ,-an is the measure,, an! I "ent, an! after many #isits I foun! an opening

$The tunnels, of course, "ere lighte! E#erything is light, artificial light0 !arkness is the exception So "hen I sa" a black gap in the tiles, I kne" that it "as an exception, an! re1oice! I put in my arm - I coul! put in no more at first - an! "a#e! it roun! an! roun! in ecstasy I loosene! another tile, an! put in my hea!, an! shoute! into the !arkness( ,I am coming, I shall !o it yet,, an! my #oice re#erberate! !o"n en!less passages I seeme! to hear the spirits of those !ea! "orkmen "ho ha! returne! each e#ening to the starlight an! to their "i#es, an! all the generations "ho ha! li#e! in the open air calle! back to me, ,3ou "ill !o it yet, you are coming,,$ He pause!, an!, absur! as he "as, his last "or!s mo#e! her 7or +uno ha! lately aske! to be a father, an! his re.uest ha! been refuse! by the ;ommittee His "as not a type that the -achine !esire! to han! on $Then a train passe! It brushe! by me, but I thrust my hea! an! arms into the hole I ha! !one enough for one !ay, so I cra"le! back to the platform, "ent !o"n in the lift, an! summone! my be! Ah "hat !reams/ An! again I calle! you, an! again you refuse! $ She shook her hea! an! sai!( $5on$t 5on$t talk of these terrible things 3ou make me miserable 3ou are thro"ing ci#ili:ation a"ay $ $'ut I ha! got back the sense of space an! a man cannot rest then I !etermine! to get in at the hole an! climb the shaft An! so I exercise! my arms 5ay after !ay I "ent through ri!iculous mo#ements, until my flesh ache!, an! I coul! hang by my han!s an! hol! the pillo" of my be! outstretche! for many minutes Then I summone! a respirator, an! starte! $It "as easy at first The mortar ha! someho" rotte!, an! I soon pushe! some more tiles in, an! clambere! after them into the !arkness, an! the spirits of the !ea! comforte! me I !on$t kno" "hat I mean by that I 1ust say "hat I felt I felt, for the first time, that a protest ha! been lo!ge! against corruption, an! that e#en as the !ea! "ere comforting me, so I "as comforting the unborn I felt that humanity existe!, an! that it existe! "ithout clothes Ho" can I possibly explain this& It "as nake!, humanity seeme! nake!, an! all these tubes an! buttons an! machineries neither came into the "orl! "ith us, nor "ill they follo" us out, nor !o they matter supremely "hile "e are here Ha! I been strong, I "oul! ha#e torn off e#ery garment I ha!, an! gone out into the outer air uns"a!!le! 'ut this is not for me, nor perhaps for my generation I climbe! "ith my respirator an! my hygienic clothes an! my !ietetic tabloi!s/ 'etter thus than not at all $There "as a la!!er, ma!e of some prim#al metal The light from the rail"ay fell upon its lo"est rungs, an! I sa" that it le! straight up"ar!s out of the rubble at the bottom of the shaft Perhaps our ancestors ran up an! !o"n it a !o:en times !aily, in their buil!ing As I climbe!, the rough e!ges cut through my glo#es so that my han!s ble! The light helpe! me for a little, an! then came !arkness an!, "orse still, silence "hich pierce! my ears like a s"or! The -achine hums/ 5i! you kno" that& Its hum penetrates our bloo!, an! may e#en gui!e our thoughts %ho kno"s/ I "as getting beyon! its po"er Then I thought( $This silence means that I am !oing "rong $ 'ut I hear! #oices in the silence, an! again they strengthene! me $ He laughe! $I ha! nee! of them The next moment I cracke! my hea! against something $ She sighe! $I ha! reache! one of those pneumatic stoppers that !efen! us from the outer air 3ou may ha#e notice! them no the air-ship Pitch !ark, my feet on the rungs of an in#isible la!!er, my han!s cut0 I cannot explain ho" I li#e! through this part, but the #oices still comforte! me, an! I felt for fastenings The stopper, I suppose, "as about eight feet across I passe! my han! o#er it as far as I coul! reach It "as perfectly smooth I felt it almost to the centre 6ot .uite to the centre, for my arm "as too short Then the #oice sai!( ,Eump It is "orth it There may be a han!le in the centre, an! you may catch hol! of it an! so come to us your o"n "ay An! if there is no han!le, so that you may fall an! are !ashe! to pieces - it is till "orth it( you "ill still come to us your o"n "ay , So I 1umpe! There "as a han!le,

an! ----$ He pause! Tears gathere! in his mother$s eyes She kne" that he "as fate! If he !i! not !ie to!ay he "oul! !ie tomorro" There "as not room for such a person in the "orl! An! "ith her pity !isgust mingle! She "as ashame! at ha#ing borne such a son, she "ho ha! al"ays been so respectable an! so full of i!eas %as he really the little boy to "hom she ha! taught the use of his stops an! buttons, an! to "hom she ha! gi#en his first lessons in the 'ook& The #ery hair that !isfigure! his lip sho"e! that he "as re#erting to some sa#age type 2n ata#ism the -achine can ha#e no mercy $There "as a han!le, an! I !i! catch it I hung trance! o#er the !arkness an! hear! the hum of these "orkings as the last "hisper in a !ying !ream All the things I ha! care! about an! all the people I ha! spoken to through tubes appeare! infinitely little -ean"hile the han!le re#ol#e! -y "eight ha! set something in motion an! I span slo"ly, an! then---$I cannot !escribe it I "as lying "ith my face to the sunshine 'loo! poure! from my nose an! ears an! I hear! a tremen!ous roaring The stopper, "ith me clinging to it, ha! simply been blo"n out of the earth, an! the air that "e make !o"n here "as escaping through the #ent into the air abo#e It burst up like a fountain I cra"le! back to it - for the upper air hurts - an!, as it "ere, I took great sips from the e!ge -y respirator ha! flo"n goo!ness kno"s here, my clothes "ere torn I 1ust lay "ith my lips close to the hole, an! I sippe! until the blee!ing stoppe! 3ou can imagine nothing so curious This hollo" in the grass - I "ill speak of it in a minute, - the sun shining into it, not brilliantly but through marble! clou!s, - the peace, the nonchalance, the sense of space, an!, brushing my cheek, the roaring fountain of our artificial air/ Soon I spie! my respirator, bobbing up an! !o"n in the current high abo#e my hea!, an! higher still "ere many air-ships 'ut no one e#er looks out of air-ships, an! in any case they coul! not ha#e picke! me up There I "as, stran!e! The sun shone a little "ay !o"n the shaft, an! re#eale! the topmost rung of the la!!er, but it "as hopeless trying to reach it I shoul! either ha#e been tosse! up again by the escape, or else ha#e fallen in, an! !ie! I coul! only lie on the grass, sipping an! sipping, an! from time to time glancing aroun! me $I kne" that I "as in %essex, for I ha! taken care to go to a lecture on the sub1ect before starting %essex lies abo#e the room in "hich "e are talking no" It "as once an important state Its kings hel! all the southern coast from the An!re!s"al! to ;orn"all, "hile the %ans!yke protecte! them on the north, running o#er the high groun! The lecturer "as only concerne! "ith the rise of %essex, so I !o not kno" ho" long it remaine! an international po"er, nor "oul! the kno"le!ge ha#e assiste! me To tell the truth I coul! !o nothing but laugh, !uring this part There "as I, "ith a pneumatic stopper by my si!e an! a respirator bobbing o#er my hea!, imprisone!, all three of us, in a grass-gro"n hollo" that "as e!ge! "ith fern $ Then he gre" gra#e again $*ucky for me that it "as a hollo" 7or the air began to fall back into it an! to fill it as "ater fills a bo"l I coul! cra"l about Presently I stoo! I breathe! a mixture, in "hich the air that hurts pre!ominate! "hene#er I trie! to climb the si!es This "as not so ba! I ha! not lost my tabloi!s an! remaine! ri!iculously cheerful, an! as for the -achine, I forgot about it altogether -y one aim no" "as to get to the top, "here the ferns "ere, an! to #ie" "hate#er ob1ects lay beyon! $I rushe! the slope The ne" air "as still too bitter for me an! I came rolling back, after a momentary #ision of something grey The sun gre" #ery feeble, an! I remembere! that he "as in Scorpio - I ha! been to a lecture on that too If the sun is in Scorpio, an! you are in %essex, it means that you must be as .uick as you can, or it "ill get too !ark 8This is the first bit of useful information I ha#e e#er got from a lecture, an! I expect it "ill be the last 9 It ma!e me try frantically to breathe the ne" air, an! to a!#ance as far as I !are! out of my pon! The hollo" fille! so slo"ly At times I thought that the fountain playe! "ith less #igour -y respirator seeme! to !ance nearer the earth0 the roar "as !ecreasing $ He broke off $I !on$t think this is interesting you The rest "ill interest you e#en less There are no i!eas in it, an! I "ish that I ha! not trouble! you to come %e are too !ifferent, mother $ She tol! him to

continue $It "as e#ening before I climbe! the bank The sun ha! #ery nearly slippe! out of the sky by this time, an! I coul! not get a goo! #ie" 3ou, "ho ha#e 1ust crosse! the Roof of the %orl!, "ill not "ant to hear an account of the little hills that I sa" - lo" colourless hills 'ut to me they "ere li#ing an! the turf that co#ere! them "as a skin, un!er "hich their muscles ripple!, an! I felt that those hills ha! calle! "ith incalculable force to men in the past, an! that men ha! lo#e! them 6o" they sleep perhaps for e#er They commune "ith humanity in !reams Happy the man, happy the "oman, "ho a"akes the hills of %essex 7or though they sleep, they "ill ne#er !ie $ His #oice rose passionately $;annot you see, cannot all you lecturers see, that it is "e that are !ying, an! that !o"n here the only thing that really li#es is the -achine& %e create! the -achine, to !o our "ill, but "e cannot make it !o our "ill no" It has robbe! us of the sense of space an! of the sense of touch, it has blurre! e#ery human relation an! narro"e! !o"n lo#e to a carnal act, it has paralyse! our bo!ies an! our "ills, an! no" it compels us to "orship it The -achine !e#elops - but not on our lies The -achine procee!s but not to our goal %e only exist as the bloo! corpuscles that course through its arteries, an! if it coul! "ork "ithout us, it "oul! let us !ie 2h, I ha#e no reme!y - or, at least, only one - to tell men again an! again that I ha#e seen the hills of %essex as lfri! sa" them "hen he o#erthre" the 5anes $So the sun set I forgot to mention that a belt of mist lay bet"een my hill an! other hills, an! that it "as the colour of pearl $ He broke off for the secon! time $4o on,$ sai! his mother "earily He shook his hea! $4o on 6othing that you say can !istress me no" I am har!ene! $ $I ha! meant to tell you the rest, but I cannot( I kno" that I cannot( goo!-bye $ )ashti stoo! irresolute All her ner#es "ere tingling "ith his blasphemies 'ut she "as also in.uisiti#e $This is unfair,$ she complaine! $3ou ha#e calle! me across the "orl! to hear your story, an! hear it I "ill Tell me - as briefly as possible, for this is a !isastrous "aste of time - tell me ho" you returne! to ci#ili:ation $ $2h - that/$ he sai!, starting $3ou "oul! like to hear about ci#ili:ation ;ertainly Ha! I got to "here my respirator fell !o"n&$ $6o - but I un!erstan! e#erything no" 3ou put on your respirator, an! manage! to "alk along the surface of the earth to a #omitory, an! there your con!uct "as reporte! to the ;entral ;ommittee $ $'y no means $ He passe! his han! o#er his forehea!, as if !ispelling some strong impression Then, resuming his narrati#e, he "arme! to it again $-y respirator fell about sunset I ha! mentione! that the fountain seeme! feebler, ha! I not&$ $3es $ $About sunset, it let the respirator fall As I sai!, I ha! entirely forgotten about the -achine, an! I pai! no great attention at the time, being occupie! "ith other things I ha! my pool of air, into "hich I coul! !ip "hen the outer keenness became intolerable, an! "hich "oul! possibly remain for !ays, pro#i!e! that no "in! sprang up to !isperse it 6ot until it "as too late !i! I reali:e "hat the stoppage of the escape implie! 3ou see - the gap in the tunnel ha! been men!e!0 the -en!ing Apparatus0 the -en!ing Apparatus, "as after me $2ne other "arning I ha!, but I neglecte! it The sky at night "as clearer than it ha! been in the !ay, an! the moon, "hich "as about half the sky behin! the sun, shone into the !ell at moments .uite brightly I "as in my usual place - on the boun!ary bet"een the t"o atmospheres - "hen I thought I sa" something !ark mo#e across the bottom of the !ell, an! #anish into the shaft In my folly, I ran !o"n I bent o#er an! listene!, an! I thought I hear! a faint scraping noise in the !epths $At this - but it "as too late - I took alarm I !etermine! to put on my respirator an! to "alk right out of the !ell 'ut my respirator ha! gone I kne" exactly "here it ha! fallen - bet"een the stopper an! the aperture - an! I coul! e#en feel the mark that it ha! ma!e in the turf It ha! gone, an! I reali:e! that something e#il "as at "ork, an! I ha! better escape to the other air, an!, if I must !ie, !ie running to"ar!s the clou! that ha! been the colour of a pearl I ne#er starte! 2ut of the shaft - it is too horrible A "orm, a long "hite "orm, ha! cra"le! out of the shaft an! "as gli!ing o#er the moonlit grass $I screame! I !i! e#erything that I shoul! not ha#e !one, I stampe! upon the creature instea! of flying from it, an! it at once curle! roun! the ankle Then "e fought The "orm let me run all o#er the !ell, but e!ge! up my leg as I ran $Help/$ I crie! 8That part is too a"ful It belongs to the part that you "ill ne#er kno" 9 $Help/$ I crie! 8%hy cannot "e suffer in silence&9 $Help/$ I crie! %hen my feet "ere "oun! together, I fell, I "as !ragge! a"ay from the !ear ferns an! the

li#ing hills, an! past the great metal stopper 8I can tell you this part9, an! I thought it might sa#e me again if I caught hol! of the han!le It also "as en"rappe!, it also 2h, the "hole !ell "as full of the things They "ere searching it in all !irections, they "ere !enu!ing it, an! the "hite snouts of others peepe! out of the hole, rea!y if nee!e! E#erything that coul! be mo#e! they brought - brush"oo!, bun!les of fern, e#erything, an! !o"n "e all "ent intert"ine! into hell The last things that I sa", ere the stopper close! after us, "ere certain stars, an! I felt that a man of my sort li#e! in the sky 7or I !i! fight, I fought till the #ery en!, an! it "as only my hea! hitting against the la!!er that .uiete! me I "oke up in this room The "orms ha! #anishe! I "as surroun!e! by artificial air, artificial light, artificial peace, an! my frien!s "ere calling to me !o"n speaking-tubes to kno" "hether I ha! come across any ne" i!eas lately $ Here his story en!e! 5iscussion of it "as impossible, an! )ashti turne! to go $It "ill en! in Homelessness,$ she sai! .uietly $I "ish it "oul!,$ retorte! +uno $The -achine has been most merciful $ $I prefer the mercy of 4o! $ $'y that superstitious phrase, !o you mean that you coul! li#e in the outer air&$ $3es $ $Ha#e you e#er seen, roun! the #omitories, the bones of those "ho "ere extru!e! after the 4reat Rebellion&$ $3es $ $They "ere left "here they perishe! for our e!ification A fe" cra"le! a"ay, but they perishe!, too - "ho can !oubt it& An! so "ith the Homeless of our o"n !ay The surface of the earth supports life no longer $ $In!ee! $ $7erns an! a little grass may sur#i#e, but all higher forms ha#e perishe! Has any air-ship !etecte! them&$ $6o $ $Has any lecturer !ealt "ith them&$ $6o $ $Then "hy this obstinacy&$ $'ecause I ha#e seen them,$ he explo!e! $Seen "hat&$ $'ecause I ha#e seen her in the t"ilight - because she came to my help "hen I calle! - because she, too, "as entangle! by the "orms, an!, luckier than I, "as kille! by one of them piercing her throat $ He "as ma! )ashti !eparte!, nor, in the troubles that follo"e!, !i! she e#er see his face again

III THE H2-E*ESS 5uring the years that follo"e! +uno$s escapa!e, t"o important !e#elopments took place in the -achine 2n the surface they "ere re#olutionary, but in either case men$s min!s ha! been prepare! beforehan!, an! they !i! but express ten!encies that "ere latent alrea!y The first of these "as the abolition of respirators A!#ance! thinkers, like )ashti, ha! al"ays hel! it foolish to #isit the surface of the earth Air-ships might be necessary, but "hat "as the goo! of going out for mere curiosity an! cra"ling along for a mile or t"o in a terrestrial motor& The habit "as #ulgar an! perhaps faintly improper( it "as unpro!ucti#e of i!eas, an! ha! no connection "ith the habits that really mattere! So respirators "ere abolishe!, an! "ith them, of course, the terrestrial motors, an! except for a fe" lecturers, "ho complaine! that they "ere !ebarre! access to their sub1ect- matter, the !e#elopment "as accepte! .uietly Those "ho still "ante! to kno" "hat the earth "as like ha! after all only to listen to some gramophone, or to look into some cinematophote An! e#en the lecturers ac.uiesce! "hen they foun! that a lecture on the sea "as none the less stimulating "hen compile! out of other lectures that ha! alrea!y been !eli#ere! on the same sub1ect $'e"are of first- han! i!eas/$ exclaime! one of the most a!#ance! of them $7irst-han! i!eas !o not really exist They are but the physical impressions pro!uce! by li#e an! fear, an! on this gross foun!ation "ho coul! erect a philosophy& *et your i!eas be secon!han!, an! if possible tenth-han!, for then they "ill be far remo#e! from that !isturbing element - !irect obser#ation 5o not learn anything about this sub1ect of mine - the 7rench Re#olution *earn instea! "hat I think that Enicharmon thought Dri:en thought 4utch thought Ho-3ung thought ;hi-'o-Sing

thought *afca!io Hearn thought ;arlyle thought -irabeau sai! about the 7rench Re#olution Through the me!ium of these ten great min!s, the bloo! that "as she! at Paris an! the "in!o"s that "ere broken at )ersailles "ill be clarifie! to an i!ea "hich you may employ most profitably in your !aily li#es 'ut be sure that the interme!iates are many an! #arie!, for in history one authority exists to counteract another Dri:en must counteract the scepticism of Ho-3ung an! Enicharmon, I must myself counteract the impetuosity of 4utch 3ou "ho listen to me are in a better position to 1u!ge about the 7rench Re#olution than I am 3our !escen!ants "ill be e#en in a better position than you, for they "ill learn "hat you think I think, an! yet another interme!iate "ill be a!!e! to the chain An! in time$ - his #oice rose - $there "ill come a generation that ha! got beyon! facts, beyon! impressions, a generation absolutely colourless, a generation seraphically free From taint of personality, "hich "ill see the 7rench Re#olution not as it happene!, nor as they "oul! like it to ha#e happene!, but as it "oul! ha#e happene!, ha! it taken place in the !ays of the -achine $ Tremen!ous applause greete! this lecture, "hich !i! but #oice a feeling alrea!y latent in the min!s of men - a feeling that terrestrial facts must be ignore!, an! that the abolition of respirators "as a positi#e gain It "as e#en suggeste! that air-ships shoul! be abolishe! too This "as not !one, because air-ships ha! someho" "orke! themsel#es into the -achine$s system 'ut year by year they "ere use! less, an! mentione! less by thoughtful men The secon! great !e#elopment "as the re-establishment of religion This, too, ha! been #oice! in the celebrate! lecture 6o one coul! mistake the re#erent tone in "hich the peroration ha! conclu!e!, an! it a"akene! a responsi#e echo in the heart of each Those "ho ha! long "orshippe! silently, no" began to talk They !escribe! the strange feeling of peace that came o#er them "hen they han!le! the 'ook of the -achine, the pleasure that it "as to repeat certain numerals out of it, ho"e#er little meaning those numerals con#eye! to the out"ar! ear, the ecstasy of touching a button, ho"e#er unimportant, or of ringing an electric bell, ho"e#er superfluously $The -achine,$ they exclaime!, $fee!s us an! clothes us an! houses us0 through it "e speak to one another, through it "e see one another, in it "e ha#e our being The -achine is the frien! of i!eas an! the enemy of superstition( the -achine is omnipotent, eternal0 blesse! is the -achine $ An! before long this allocution "as printe! on the first page of the 'ook, an! in subse.uent e!itions the ritual s"elle! into a complicate! system of praise an! prayer The "or! $religion$ "as se!ulously a#oi!e!, an! in theory the -achine "as still the creation an! the implement of man 'ut in practice all, sa#e a fe" retrogra!es, "orshippe! it as !i#ine 6or "as it "orshippe! in unity 2ne belie#er "oul! be chiefly impresse! by the blue optic plates, through "hich he sa" other belie#ers0 another by the men!ing apparatus, "hich sinful +uno ha! compare! to "orms0 another by the lifts, another by the 'ook An! each "oul! pray to this or to that, an! ask it to interce!e for him "ith the -achine as a "hole Persecution - that also "as present It !i! not break out, for reasons that "ill be set for"ar! shortly 'ut it "as latent, an! all "ho !i! not accept the minimum kno"n as $un!enominational -echanism$ li#e! in !anger of Homelessness, "hich means !eath, as "e kno" To attribute these t"o great !e#elopments to the ;entral ;ommittee, is to take a #ery narro" #ie" of ci#ili:ation The ;entral ;ommittee announce! the !e#elopments, it is true, but they "ere no more the cause of them than "ere the kings of the imperialistic perio! the cause of "ar Rather !i! they yiel! to some in#incible pressure, "hich came no one kne" "hither, an! "hich, "hen gratifie!, "as succee!e! by some ne" pressure e.ually in#incible To such a state of affairs it is con#enient to gi#e the name of progress 6o one confesse! the -achine "as out of han! 3ear by year it "as ser#e! "ith increase! efficiency an! !ecrease! intelligence The better a man kne" his o"n !uties upon it, the less he

un!erstoo! the !uties of his neighbour, an! in all the "orl! there "as not one "ho un!erstoo! the monster as a "hole Those master brains ha! perishe! They ha! left full !irections, it is true, an! their successors ha! each of them mastere! a portion of those !irections 'ut Humanity, in its !esire for comfort, ha! o#er-reache! itself It ha! exploite! the riches of nature too far Cuietly an! complacently, it "as sinking into !eca!ence, an! progress ha! come to mean the progress of the -achine As for )ashti, her life "ent peacefully for"ar! until the final !isaster She ma!e her room !ark an! slept0 she a"oke an! ma!e the room light She lecture! an! atten!e! lectures She exchange! i!eas "ith her innumerable frien!s an! belie#e! she "as gro"ing more spiritual At times a frien! "as grante! Euthanasia, an! left his or her room for the homelessness that is beyon! all human conception )ashti !i! not much min! After an unsuccessful lecture, she "oul! sometimes ask for Euthanasia herself 'ut the !eath-rate "as not permitte! to excee! the birth-rate, an! the -achine ha! hitherto refuse! it to her The troubles began .uietly, long before she "as conscious of them 2ne !ay she "as astonishe! at recei#ing a message from her son They ne#er communicate!, ha#ing nothing in common, an! she ha! only hear! in!irectly that he "as still ali#e, an! ha! been transferre! from the northern hemisphere, "here he ha! beha#e! so mischie#ously, to the southern - in!ee!, to a room not far from her o"n $5oes he "ant me to #isit him&$ she thought $6e#er again, ne#er An! I ha#e not the time $ 6o, it "as ma!ness of another kin! He refuse! to #isuali:e his face upon the blue plate, an! speaking out of the !arkness "ith solemnity sai!( $The -achine stops $ $%hat !o you say&$ $The -achine is stopping, I kno" it, I kno" the signs $ She burst into a peal of laughter He hear! her an! "as angry, an! they spoke no more $;an you imagine anything more absur!&$ she crie! to a frien! $A man "ho "as my son belie#es that the -achine is stopping It "oul! be impious if it "as not ma! $ $The -achine is stopping&$ her frien! replie! $%hat !oes that mean& The phrase con#eys nothing to me $ $6or to me $ $He !oes not refer, I suppose, to the trouble there has been lately "ith the music&$ $2h no, of course not *et us talk about music $ $Ha#e you complaine! to the authorities&$ $3es, an! they say it "ants men!ing, an! referre! me to the ;ommittee of the -en!ing Apparatus I complaine! of those curious gasping sighs that !isfigure the symphonies of the 'risbane school They soun! like some one in pain The ;ommittee of the -en!ing Apparatus say that it shall be reme!ie! shortly $ 2bscurely "orrie!, she resume! her life 7or one thing, the !efect in the music irritate! her 7or another thing, she coul! not forget +uno$s speech If he ha! kno"n that the music "as out of repair - he coul! not kno" it, for he !eteste! music - if he ha! kno"n that it "as "rong, $the -achine stops$ "as exactly the #enomous sort of remark he "oul! ha#e ma!e 2f course he ha! ma!e it at a #enture, but the coinci!ence annoye! her, an! she spoke "ith some petulance to the ;ommittee of the -en!ing Apparatus They replie!, as before, that the !efect "oul! be set right shortly $Shortly/ At once/$ she retorte! $%hy shoul! I be "orrie! by imperfect music& Things are al"ays put right at once If you !o not men! it at once, I shall complain to the ;entral ;ommittee $ $6o personal complaints are recei#e! by the ;entral ;ommittee,$ the ;ommittee of the -en!ing Apparatus replie!

$Through "hom am I to make my complaint, then&$ $Through us $ $I complain then $ $3our complaint shall be for"ar!e! in its turn $ $Ha#e others complaine!&$ This .uestion "as unmechanical, an! the ;ommittee of the -en!ing Apparatus refuse! to ans"er it $It is too ba!/$ she exclaime! to another of her frien!s $There ne#er "as such an unfortunate "oman as myself I can ne#er be sure of my music no" It gets "orse an! "orse each time I summon it $ $%hat is it&$ $I !o not kno" "hether it is insi!e my hea!, or insi!e the "all $ $;omplain, in either case $ $I ha#e complaine!, an! my complaint "ill be for"ar!e! in its turn to the ;entral ;ommittee $ Time passe!, an! they resente! the !efects no longer The !efects ha! not been reme!ie!, but the human tissues in that latter !ay ha! become so subser#ient, that they rea!ily a!apte! themsel#es to e#ery caprice of the -achine The sigh at the crises of the 'risbane symphony no longer irritate! )ashti0 she accepte! it as part of the melo!y The 1arring noise, "hether in the hea! or in the "all, "as no longer resente! by her frien! An! so "ith the moul!y artificial fruit, so "ith the bath "ater that began to stink, so "ith the !efecti#e rhymes that the poetry machine ha! taken to emit All "ere bitterly complaine! of at first, an! then ac.uiesce! in an! forgotten Things "ent from ba! to "orse unchallenge! It "as other"ise "ith the failure of the sleeping apparatus That "as a more serious stoppage There came a !ay "hen o#er the "hole "orl! - in Sumatra, in %essex, in the innumerable cities of ;ourlan! an! 'ra:il - the be!s, "hen summone! by their tire! o"ners, faile! to appear It may seem a lu!icrous matter, but from it "e may !ate the collapse of humanity The ;ommittee responsible for the failure "as assaile! by complainants, "hom it referre!, as usual, to the ;ommittee of the -en!ing Apparatus, "ho in its turn assure! them that their complaints "oul! be for"ar!e! to the ;entral ;ommittee 'ut the !iscontent gre", for mankin! "as not yet sufficiently a!aptable to !o "ithout sleeping $Some one is me!!ling "ith the -achine---$ they began $Some one is trying to make himself king, to reintro!uce the personal element $ $Punish that man "ith Homelessness $ $To the rescue/ A#enge the -achine/ A#enge the -achine/$ $%ar/ +ill the man/$ 'ut the ;ommittee of the -en!ing Apparatus no" came for"ar!, an! allaye! the panic "ith "ellchosen "or!s It confesse! that the -en!ing Apparatus "as itself in nee! of repair The effect of this frank confession "as a!mirable $2f course,$ sai! a famous lecturer - he of the 7rench Re#olution, "ho gil!e! each ne" !ecay "ith splen!our - $of course "e shall not press our complaints no" The -en!ing Apparatus has treate! us so "ell in the past that "e all sympathi:e "ith it, an! "ill "ait patiently for its reco#ery In its o"n goo! time it "ill resume its !uties -ean"hile let us !o "ithout our be!s, our tabloi!s, our other little "ants Such, I feel sure, "oul! be the "ish of the -achine $ Thousan!s of miles a"ay his au!ience applau!e! The -achine still linke! them Dn!er the seas, beneath the roots of the mountains, ran the "ires through "hich they sa" an! hear!, the enormous eyes an! ears that "ere their heritage, an! the hum of many "orkings clothe! their thoughts in one garment of subser#iency 2nly the ol! an! the sick remaine! ungrateful, for it "as rumoure! that Euthanasia, too, "as out of or!er, an! that pain ha! reappeare! among men It became !ifficult to rea! A blight entere! the atmosphere an! !ulle! its luminosity At times )ashti coul! scarcely see across her room The air, too, "as foul *ou! "ere the complaints, impotent the

reme!ies, heroic the tone of the lecturer as he crie!( $;ourage/ courage/ %hat matter so long as the -achine goes on& To it the !arkness an! the light are one $ An! though things impro#e! again after a time, the ol! brilliancy "as ne#er recapture!, an! humanity ne#er reco#ere! from its entrance into t"ilight There "as an hysterical talk of $measures,$ of $pro#isional !ictatorship,$ an! the inhabitants of Sumatra "ere aske! to familiari:e themsel#es "ith the "orkings of the central po"er station, the sai! po"er station being situate! in 7rance 'ut for the most part panic reigne!, an! men spent their strength praying to their 'ooks, tangible proofs of the -achine$s omnipotence There "ere gra!ations of terror - at times came rumours of hope-the -en!ing Apparatus "as almost men!e! - the enemies of the -achine ha! been got un!er - ne" $ner#e-centres$ "ere e#ol#ing "hich "oul! !o the "ork e#en more magnificently than before 'ut there came a !ay "hen, "ithout the slightest "arning, "ithout any pre#ious hint of feebleness, the entire communication-system broke !o"n, all o#er the "orl!, an! the "orl!, as they un!erstoo! it, en!e! )ashti "as lecturing at the time an! her earlier remarks ha! been punctuate! "ith applause As she procee!e! the au!ience became silent, an! at the conclusion there "as no soun! Some"hat !isplease!, she calle! to a frien! "ho "as a specialist in sympathy 6o soun!( !oubtless the frien! "as sleeping An! so "ith the next frien! "hom she trie! to summon, an! so "ith the next, until she remembere! +uno$s cryptic remark, $The -achine stops$ The phrase still con#eye! nothing If Eternity "as stopping it "oul! of course be set going shortly 7or example, there "as still a little light an! air - the atmosphere ha! impro#e! a fe" hours pre#iously There "as still the 'ook, an! "hile there "as the 'ook there "as security Then she broke !o"n, for "ith the cessation of acti#ity came an unexpecte! terror - silence She ha! ne#er kno"n silence, an! the coming of it nearly kille! her - it !i! kill many thousan!s of people outright E#er since her birth she ha! been surroun!e! by the stea!y hum It "as to the ear "hat artificial air "as to the lungs, an! agoni:ing pains shot across her hea! An! scarcely kno"ing "hat she !i!, she stumble! for"ar! an! presse! the unfamiliar button, the one that opene! the !oor of her cell 6o" the !oor of the cell "orke! on a simple hinge of its o"n It "as not connecte! "ith the central po"er station, !ying far a"ay in 7rance It opene!, rousing immo!erate hopes in )ashti, for she thought that the -achine ha! been men!e! It opene!, an! she sa" the !im tunnel that cur#e! far a"ay to"ar!s free!om 2ne look, an! then she shrank back 7or the tunnel "as full of people - she "as almost the last in that city to ha#e taken alarm People at any time repelle! her, an! these "ere nightmares from her "orst !reams People "ere cra"ling about, people "ere screaming, "himpering, gasping for breath, touching each other, #anishing in the !ark, an! e#er an! anon being pushe! off the platform on to the li#e rail Some "ere fighting roun! the electric bells, trying to summon trains "hich coul! not be summone! 2thers "ere yelling for Euthanasia or for respirators, or blaspheming the -achine 2thers stoo! at the !oors of their cells fearing, like herself, either to stop in them or to lea#e them An! behin! all the uproar "as silence - the silence "hich is the #oice of the earth an! of the generations "ho ha#e gone 6o - it "as "orse than solitu!e She close! the !oor again an! sat !o"n to "ait for the en! The !isintegration "ent on, accompanie! by horrible cracks an! rumbling The #al#es that restraine! the -e!ical Apparatus must ha#e "eakene!, for it rupture! an! hung hi!eously from the ceiling The floor hea#e! an! fell an! flung her from the chair A tube oo:e! to"ar!s her serpent fashion An! at last the final horror approache! - light began to ebb, an! she kne" that ci#ili:ation$s long !ay "as closing She "hirle! aroun!, praying to be sa#e! from this, at any rate, kissing the 'ook, pressing button after button The uproar outsi!e "as increasing, an! e#en penetrate! the "all Slo"ly the brilliancy of her cell "as !imme!, the reflections fa!e! from the metal s"itches 6o" she coul! not see the rea!ingstan!, no" not the 'ook, though she hel! it in her han! *ight follo"e! the flight of soun!, air "as follo"ing light, an! the original #oi! returne! to the ca#ern from "hich it has so long been exclu!e! )ashti continue! to "hirl, like the !e#otees of an earlier religion, screaming, praying, striking at the

buttons "ith blee!ing han!s It "as thus that she opene! her prison an! escape! - escape! in the spirit( at least so it seems to me, ere my me!itation closes That she escapes in the bo!y - I cannot percei#e that She struck, by chance, the s"itch that release! the !oor, an! the rush of foul air on her skin, the lou! throbbing "hispers in her ears, tol! her that she "as facing the tunnel again, an! that tremen!ous platform on "hich she ha! seen men fighting They "ere not fighting no" 2nly the "hispers remaine!, an! the little "himpering groans They "ere !ying by hun!re!s out in the !ark She burst into tears Tears ans"ere! her They "ept for humanity, those t"o, not for themsel#es They coul! not bear that this shoul! be the en! Ere silence "as complete! their hearts "ere opene!, an! they kne" "hat ha! been important on the earth -an, the flo"er of all flesh, the noblest of all creatures #isible, man "ho ha! once ma!e go! in his image, an! ha! mirrore! his strength on the constellations, beautiful nake! man "as !ying, strangle! in the garments that he ha! "o#en ;entury after century ha! he toile!, an! here "as his re"ar! Truly the garment ha! seeme! hea#enly at first, shot "ith colours of culture, se"n "ith the threa!s of self-!enial An! hea#enly it ha! been so long as man coul! she! it at "ill an! li#e by the essence that is his soul, an! the essence, e.ually !i#ine, that is his bo!y The sin against the bo!y - it "as for that they "ept in chief0 the centuries of "rong against the muscles an! the ner#es, an! those fi#e portals by "hich "e can alone apprehen! - glo:ing it o#er "ith talk of e#olution, until the bo!y "as "hite pap, the home of i!eas as colourless, last sloshy stirrings of a spirit that ha! graspe! the stars $%here are you&$ she sobbe! His #oice in the !arkness sai!, $Here $ Is there any hope, +uno&$ $6one for us $ $%here are you&$ She cra"le! o#er the bo!ies of the !ea! His bloo! spurte! o#er her han!s $Cuicker,$ he gaspe!, $I am !ying - but "e touch, "e talk, not through the -achine $ He kisse! her $%e ha#e come back to our o"n %e !ie, but "e ha#e recapture! life, as it "as in %essex, "hen lfri! o#erthre" the 5anes %e kno" "hat they kno" outsi!e, they "ho !"elt in the clou! that is the colour of a pearl $ $'ut +uno, is it true& Are there still men on the surface of the earth& Is this tunnel, this poisone! !arkness - really not the en!&$ He replie!( $I ha#e seen them, spoken to them, lo#e! them They are hi!ing in the mi!st an! the ferns until our ci#ili:ation stops To!ay they are the Homeless - tomorro"----- $ $2h, tomorro" - some fool "ill start the -achine again, tomorro" $ $6e#er,$ sai! +uno, $ne#er Humanity has learnt its lesson $ As he spoke, the "hole city "as broken like a honeycomb An air-ship ha! saile! in through the #omitory into a ruine! "harf It crashe! !o"n"ar!s, explo!ing as it "ent, ren!ing gallery after gallery "ith its "ings of steel 7or a moment they sa" the nations of the !ea!, an!, before they 1oine! them, scraps of the untainte! sky The ,-achine Stops, "as first publishe! in the 2xfor! an! ;ambri!ge Re#ie" in <FGF ;opyright H<F@? E - 7orster
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