ded by people whose only means of communicating with one another
is to keep up while together a constant clatter of hissing, guttural,
and explosive noises, eked out by all manner of facial contortions and
bodily gestures. I frequently find myself staring open-mouthed at those
who address me, too much struck by their grotesque appearance to bethink
myself of replying.

I find that I shall not live out the voyage, and I do not care to. From
my experience of the people on the ship, I can judge how I should fare
on land amid the stunning Babel of a nation of talkers. And my friends,
--God bless them! how lonely I should feel in their very presence! Nay,
what satisfaction or consolation, what but bitter mockery, could I ever
more find in such human sympathy and companionship as suffice others
and once sufficed me,--I who have seen and known what I have seen
and known! Ah, yes, doubtless it is far better I should die; but the
knowledge of the things that I have seen I feel should not perish with
me. For hope's sake, men should not miss the glimpse of the higher,
sun-bathed reaches of the upward path they plod. So thinking, I have
written out some account of my wonderful experience, though briefer far,
by reason of my weakness, than fits the greatness of the matter. The
captain seems an honest, well-meaning man, and to him I shall confide
the narrative, charging him, on touching shore, to see it safely in the
hands of some one who will bring it to the world's ear.

Note.--The extent of my own connection with the foregoing document is
sufficiently indicated by the author himself in the final paragraph.--
E.B.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of To Whom This May Come, by Edward Bellamy

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TO WHOM THIS MAY COME ***

***** This file should be named 22704.txt or 22704.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/7/0/22704/

Produced by David Widger

Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
will be renamed.

Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without
permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules,
set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to
copying and distributing Project Gutenber