How could it have happened
that having been once so far in advance they were now as much behind us?
It was evident that it was not from ignorance. They knew my watch as a
watch when they saw it; and the care with which the broken machines were
preserved and ticketed, proved that they had not lost the recollection of
their former civilisation. The more I thought, the less I could
understand it; but at last I concluded that they must have worked out
their mines of coal and iron, till either none were left, or so few, that
the use of these metals was restricted to the very highest nobility. This
was the only solution I could think of; and, though I afterwards found
how entirely mistaken it was, I felt quite sure then that it must be the
right one.
I had hardly arrived at this opinion for above four or five minutes, when
the door opened, and a young woman made her appearance with a tray, and a
very appetising smell of dinner. I gazed upon her with admiration as she
laid a cloth and set a savoury-looking dish upon the table. As I beheld
her I felt as though my position was already much ameliorated, for the
very sight of her carried great comfort. She was not more than twenty,
rather above the middle height, active and strong, but yet most
delicately featured; her lips were full and sweet; her eyes were of a
deep hazel, and fringed with long and springing eyelashes; her hair was
neatly braided from off her forehead; her complexion was simply
exquisite; her figure as robust as was consistent with the most perfect
female beauty, yet not more so; her hands and feet might have served as
models to a sculptor.
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