Page 187 - BRAVE NEW WORLD By Aldous Huxley (1894-1963)

Brave New World By Aldous Huxley

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she said in response to Lenina's

involuntary grimace of disgust. "I oughtn't to have

done that. I'm sorry. But what are you to do when

there aren't any handkerchiefs? I remember how it

used to upset me, all that dirt, and nothing being

aseptic. I had an awful cut on my head when they

first brought me here. You can't imagine what they

used to put on it. Filth, just filth. 'Civilization is

Sterilization,' I used to say t them. And

'Streptocock-Gee to Banbury-T, to see a fine

bathroom and W.C.' as though they were children.

But of course they didn't understand. How should

they? And in the end I suppose I got used to it. And

anyhow, how can you keep things clean when there

isn't hot water laid on? And look at these clothes.

This beastly wool isn't like acetate. It lasts and lasts.

And you're supposed to mend it if it gets torn. But

I'm a Beta; I worked in the Fertilizing Room; nobody

ever taught me to do anything like that. It wasn't

my business. Besides, it never used to be right to

mend clothes. Throw them away when they've got

187
E-Text Conversion by Nalanda Digital Library