Page:The Diothas, or, A far look ahead (IA diothasorfarlook01macn).pdf/113

 longer surprised at the hundred millions of volumes in the great library. The real wonder was, that, with such facilities for book-making, their number was comparatively so moderate. At my host's suggestion, however, I postponed further trial of the powers of the machine to another occasion.

"It is past nine," said Utis, "and would be time for us to retire if we purposed rising at four o'clock. For a while, however, as we shall need to sit up somewhat later, I propose that we do not rise till six. In that way, without cutting short our evenings down-stairs, as we have done, I shall be able to devote the two hours between nine and eleven to imparting the information you require. We shall have only two hours of morning exercise, it is true; but we may exert ourselves the more while we are at it, and take opportunities of exercise during the day.

"Every evening, during these hours, I will set the phonograph. You will thus be enabled to go over my instructions when I an absent. These metallic sheets will, in fact, be a permanent record of our conversations, to which you can refer at any time."

"I should wish to obtain some insight into your social system," said I, after going through the usual daily summary. "Some glimpses I have, but these serve merely to excite my curiosity to know more. I understand that all among you are equal, socially, politically, and, to a large extent, in wealth also. Now, granting that such a state of things could once be brought about, how is it made permanent? How, in fine. are you able to arrest the operation of that economic law, once considered in-