To Whom This May Come

Edward Bellamy

Description

In this imaginative short story, author Edward Bellamy brings together two themes that run through many of his works -- telepathy and utopian society. After a shipwreck, the narrator finds himself stranded on a remote island populated by a tribe blessed with the ability to read minds. This unique skill has alleviated many of the problems and anxieties that plague modern life in the rest of the world, such as dishonesty, crime and even misread romantic signals.

Sujets

• Short story

Informations

• Publié par: The Floating Press
• Date de parution: 01 septembre 2014
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781776585298
• Langue: English

Extrait

TO WHOM THIS MAY COME
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EDWARD BELLAMY
 
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To Whom This May Come First published in 1898 Epub ISBN 978-1-77658-529-8 Also available: PDF ISBN 978-1-77658-530-4 © 2014 The Floating Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike. Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
To Whom this May Come
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It is now about a year since I took passage at Calcutta in the shipAdelaide for New York. We had baffling weather till New Amsterdam Islandwas sighted, where we took a new point of departure. Three days later,a terrible gale struck us Four days we flew before it, whither, no oneknew, for neither sun, moon, nor stars were at any time visible, and wecould take no observation. Toward midnight of the fourth day, the glareof lightning revealed the Adelaide in a hopeless position, close in upona low-lying shore, and driving straight toward it. All around and asternfar out to sea was such a maze of rocks and shoals that it was a miraclewe had come so far. Presently the ship struck, and almost instantly wentto pieces, so great was the violence of the sea. I gave myself up forlost, and was indeed already past the worst of drowning, when I wasrecalled to consciousness by being thrown with a tremendous shock uponthe beach. I had just strength enough to drag myself above the reach ofthe waves, and then I fell down and knew no more.
When I awoke, the storm was over. The sun, already halfway up the sky,had dried my clothing, and renewed the vigor of my bruised and achinglimbs. On sea or shore I saw no vestige of my ship or my companions, ofwhom I appeared the sole survivor. I was not, however, alone. A groupof persons, apparently the inhabitants of the country, stood near,observing me with looks of friendliness which at once freed me fromapprehension as to my treatment at their hands. They were a white andhandsome people, evidently of a high order of civilization, though Irecognized in them the traits of no race with which I was familiar.
Seeing that it was evidently their idea of etiquette to leave it tostrangers to open conversation, I addressed them in English, but failedto elicit any response beyond deprecating smiles. I then accostedthem successively in the French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, andPortuguese tongues, but with no better results. I began to be very muchpuzzled as to what could possibly be the nationality of a white andevidently civilized race to which no one of the tongues of the greatseafaring nations was intelligible. The oddest thing of all was theunbroken silence with which they contemplated my efforts to opencommunication with them. It was as if they were agreed not to give mea clue to their language by even a whisper; for while they regarded oneanother with looks of smiling intelligence, they did not once open theirlips. But if this behavior suggested that they were amusing themselvesat my expense, that presumption was negatived by the unmistakablefriendliness and sympathy which their whole bearing expressed.