Welcome to Part Three of our serialization of The Time Machine, the second in our new series of audio adventures, Tales for Our Time. This tale is a sci-fi classic, first published by H G Wells in The New Review in 1895. But we're less interested in it for what it says about the far distant future than for its relevance to our own age. In this episode, Wells' Time Traveler projects himself 800,000 years from Victorian England and encounters for the first time the Eloi:
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.
There were others coming, and presently a little group of perhaps eight or ten of these exquisite creatures were about me... 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.
If you're going to the future, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair. Is our Time Traveler really in the year 802,701? Or has he landed in early 21st Century Europe three days after a terrorist attack?
Members of The Mark Steyn Club can hear Part Three of our adventure simply by clicking here and logging-in. Parts One and Two can be found here down the page and in reverse order. If you've only joined in recent days and missed last month's serial, Conan Doyle's The Tragedy of the Korosko, you can find Episode One here. Founding Member Liz Neville has been enjoying it:
I had just finished listening to the marvelous reading of The Tragedy of the Korosko when I received my Founding Member gift book, thoughtfully autographed by you. I'm not sure when you find time to eat and sleep, but suffice it to say I am eternally grateful for all you do. Truly a beacon in a dark time.
You're too kind, Liz, but I thank you and am glad you've joined our convivial club. Founder Membership in The Mark Steyn Club is not for everyone, but it helps support all our content - whether in print, audio or video. It closes, for all time, in just a few hours, so, if you're considering joining, the sands of time are running down. And, aside from Tales for Our Time, being a Founding Member does come with other benefits:
~A free personally autographed book or CD;
~Exclusive Steyn Store member pricing on over 40 books and other items;
~The chance to take part in our Clubland Q&A sessions;
~Transcript and audio versions of The Mark Steyn Show and our other video content;
~My new quarterly newsletter The Clubbable Steyn, the first issue of which ships later this month;
~Advance booking for my live appearances around the world;
~Customized email alerts for new content in your areas of interest;
~and the opportunity to support our print, audio and video ventures as they wing their way around the globe.
To become a Founding Member of The Mark Steyn Club in the waning hours of enrollment, please click here.
