when the sleeper wakes-第10节

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observed。　They　made　no　gestures　of　greeting；　they

stood　regarding　him　as　in　the　nineteenth　century　a

group　of　men　might　have　stood　in　the　street　regarding

a　distant　balloon　that　had　suddenly　floated　into　view。

What　council　could　it　be　that　gathered　there；　that　little

body　of　men　beneath　the　significant　white　Atlas；

secluded　from　every　eavesdropper　in　this　impressive

spaciousness？　And　why　should　he　be　brought　to

them；　and　be　looked　at　strangely　and　spoken　of

inaudibly？　Howard　appeared　beneath；　walking

quickly　across　the　polished　floor　towards　them。　As　he

drew　near　he　bowed　and　performed　certain　peculiar

movements；　apparently　of　a　ceremonious　nature。

Then　he　ascended　the　steps　of　the　dais；　and　stood　by

the　apparatus　at　the　end　of　the　table。



Graham　watched　that　visible　inaudible　conversation。

Occasionally；　one　of　the　white…robed　men　would

glance　towards　him。　He　strained　his　ears　in　vain。

The　gesticulation　of　two　of　the　speakers　became　

animated。　He　glanced　from　them　to　the　passive　faces　of

his　attendants。　。　。　。　When　he　looked　again　Howard

was　extending　his　hands　and　moving　his　head　like　a

man　who　protests。　He　was　interrupted；　it　seemed；　by

one　of　the　white…robed　men　rapping　the　table。



The　conversation　lasted　an　interminable　time　to

Graham's　sense。　His　eyes　rose　to　the　still　giant　at

whose　feet　the　Council　sat。　Thence　they　wandered

at　last　to　the　walls　of　the　hall。　It　was　decorated　in

long　painted　panels　of　a　quasi…Japanese　type；　many

of　them　very　beautiful。　These　panels　were　grouped

in　a　great　and　elaborate　framing　of　dark　metal；　which

passed　into　the　metallic　caryatidae　of　the　galleries；　and

the　great　structural　lines　of　the　interior。　The　facile

grace　of　these　panels　enhanced　the　mighty　white　effort

that　laboured　in　the　centre　of　the　scheme。　Graham's

eyes　came　back　to　the　Council；　and　Howard　was

descending　the　steps。　As　he　drew　nearer　his　features

could　be　distinguished；　and　Graham　saw　that　he　was

flushed　and　blowing　out　his　cheeks。　His　countenance

was　still　disturbed　when　presently　he　reappeared　along

the　gallery。



〃This　way；〃　he　said　concisely；　and　they　went　on　in

silence　to　a　little　door　that　opened　at　their　approach。

The　two　men　in　red　stopped　on　either　side　of　this　door。

Howard　and　Graham　passed　in；　and　Graham；　glancing

back；　saw　the　white…robed　Council　still　standing　in　a

close　group　and　looking　at　him。　Then　the　door　closed

behind　him　with　a　heavy　thud；　and　for　the　first　time

since　his　awakening　he　was　in　silence。　The　floor；　even；

was　noiseless　to　his　feet。



Howard　opened　another　door；　and　they　were　in　the

first　of　two　contiguous　chambers　furnished　in　white

and　green。　〃What　Council　was　that？　〃　began　Graham。　

〃What　were　they　discussing？　What　have

they　to　do　with　me？〃　Howard　closed　the　door　carefully；　

heaved　a　huge　sigh；　and　said　something　in　an

undertone。　He　walked　slanting　ways　across　the　room

and　turned；　blowing　out　his　cheeks　again。　〃Ugh！〃

he　grunted；　a　man　relieved。



Graham　stood　regarding　him。



〃You　must　understand；〃　began　Howard　abruptly；

avoiding　Graham's　eyes；　〃that　our　social　order　is

very　complex。　A　half　explanation；　a　bare　unqualified

statement　would　give　you　false　impressions。　As　a

matter　of　factit　is　a　case　of　compound　interest

partlyyour　small　fortune；　and　the　fortune　of　your

cousin　Warming　which　was　left　to　youand　certain

other　beginningshave　become　very　considerable。

And　in　other　ways　that　will　be　hard　for　you　to　understand；　

you　have　become　a　person　of　significanceof

very　considerable　significanceinvolved　in　the

world's　affairs。〃



He　stopped。



〃Yes？〃　said　Graham。



〃We　have　grave　social　troubles。〃



〃Yes？　〃



〃Things　have　come　to　such　a　pass　that；　in　fact；

is　advisable　to　seclude　you　here。〃



〃Keep　me　prisoner！　〃　exclaimed　Graham。



〃Wellto　ask　you　to　keep　in　seclusion。〃



Graham　turned　on　him。　〃This　is　strange！〃　he

said。



〃No　harm　will　be　done　you。〃



〃No　harm　！　〃



〃But　you　must　be　kept　here〃

　

〃While　I　learn　my　position；　I　presume。〃



〃Precisely。〃



〃Very　well　then。　Begin。　Why　__harm？__〃



〃　Not　now。〃



〃Why　not？　〃



〃It　is　too　long　a　story；　Sire。〃



〃All　the　more　reason　I　should　begin　at　once。　You

say　I　am　a　person　of　importance。　What　was　that

shouting　I　heard？　Why　is　a　great　multitude　shouting

and　excited　because　my　trance　is　over；　and　who　are

the　men　in　white　in　that　huge　council　chamber？　〃



〃All　in　good　time；　Sire；〃　said　Howard。　〃But　not

crudely；　not　crudely。　This　is　one　of　those　flimsy　times

when　no　man　has　a　settled　mind。　Your　awakening。

No　one　expected　your　awakening。　The　Council　is

consulting。〃



〃What　council？　〃



〃The　Council　you　saw。〃



Graham　made　a　petulant　movement。　〃　This　is　not

right；〃　he　said。　〃　I　should　be　told　what　is　happening。



〃You　must　wait。　Really　you　must　wait。〃



Graham　sat　down　abruptly。　〃I　suppose　since　I

have　waited　so　long　to　resume　life；〃　he　said；　〃that　I

must　wait　a　little　longer。〃



〃That　is　better；〃　said　Howard。　〃Yes；　that　is　much

better。　And　I　must　leave　you　alone。　For　a　space。

While　I　attend　the　discussion　in　the　Council。

I　am　sorry。〃



He　went　towards　the　noiseless　door；　hesitated　and

vanished。



Graham　walked　to　the　door；　tried　it；　found　it　securely　

fastened　in　some　way　he　never　came　to　understand；　

turned　about；　paced　the　room　restlessly；　made

the　circuit　of　the　room；　and　sat　down。　He　remained

sitting　for　some　time　with　folded　arms　and　knitted

brow；　biting　his　finger　nails　and　trying　to　piece

together　the　kaleidoscopic　impressions　of　this　first

hour　of　awakened　life；　the　vast　mechanical　spaces；　the

endless　series　of　chambers　and　passages；　the　great

struggle　that　roared　and　splashed　through　these

strange　ways；　the　little　group　of　remote　unsympathetic

men　beneath　the　colossal　Atlas；　Howard's　mysterious

behaviour。　There　was　an　inkling　of　some　vast　inheritance　

already　in　his　minda　vast　inheritance　perhaps　

misappliedof　some　unprecedented　importance

and　opportunity。　What　had　he　to　do？　And　this

room's　secluded　silence　was　eloquent　of　imprisonment！



It　came　into　Graham's　mind　with　irresistible　conviction　

that　this　series　of　magnificent　impressions　was

a　dream。　He　tried　to　shut　his　eyes　and　succeeded；

but　that　time…honoured　device　led　to　no　awakening。



Presently　he　began　to　touch　and　examine　all　the

unfamiliar　appointments　of　the　two　small　rooms　in

which　he　found　himself。



In　a　long　oval　panel　of　mirror　he　saw　himself　and

stopped　astonished。　He　was　clad　in　a　graceful　costume　

of　purple　and　bluish　white；　with　a　little　greyshot

beard　trimmed　to　a　point；　and　his　hair；　its　blackness

streaked　now　with　bands　of　grey；　arranged　over　his

forehead　in　an　unfamiliar　but　graceful　manner。　He

seemed　a　man　of　five…and…forty　perhaps。　For　a

moment　he　did　not　perceive　this　was　himself。



A　flash　of　laughter　came　with　the　recognition。　〃To

call　on　old　Warming　like　this！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃and

make　him　take　me　out　to　lunch！　〃



Then　he　thought　of　meeting　first　one　and　then

another　of　the　few　familiar　acquaintances　of　his　early

manhood；　and　in　the　midst　of　his　amusement　realised

that　every　soul　with　whom　he　might　jest　had　died

many　score　of　years　ago。　The　thought　smote　him

abruptly　and　keenly；　he　stopped　short；　the　expression

of　his　face　changed　to　a　white　consternation。



The　tumultuous　memory　of　the　moving　platforms

and　the　huge　facade　of　that　wonderful　street　reasserted

itself。　The　shouting　multitudes　came　back　clear　and

vivid；　and　those　remote；　inaudible；　unfriendly　councilors　

in　white。　He　felt　himself　a　little　figure；　very　

small　and　ineffectual；　pitifully　conspicuous。　And　all

about　him；　the　world　wasstrange。



CHAPTER　VII



IN　THE　SILENT　ROOMS



Presently　Graham　resumed　his　examination　of　his

apartments。　Curiosity　kept　him　moving　in　spite　of

his　fatigue。　The　inner　room；　he　perceived；　was　high；

and　its　ceiling　dome　shaped'；　with　an　oblong　aperture

in　the　centre；　opening　into　a　funnel　in　which　a　wheel

of　broad　vans　seemed　to　be　rotating；　apparently　driving　

the　air　up　the　shaft。　The　faint　humming　note　of

its　easy　motion　was　the　only　clear　sound　in　that　quiet

place。　As　these　vans　sprang　up　one　after　the　other；

Graham　could　get　transient　glimpses　of　the　sky。　He

was　surprised　to　see　a　star。



This　drew　his　attention　to　the　fact　that　the　bright

lighting　of　these　rooms　was　due　to　a　multitude　of　very

faint　glow　lamps　set　about　the　cornices。　There　were

no　windows。　And　he　began　to　recall　that　along　all

the　vast　chambers　and　passages　he　had　traversed　with

Howard　he　had　observed　no　windows　at　all。　Had

there　been　windows？　There　were　windows　on　the

street　indeed；　but　were　they　for　light？　Or　was　the

whole　city　lit　day　and　night　for　evermore；　so　that

there　was　no　night　there？



And　another　thing　dawned　upon　him。　There　was

no　fireplace　in　either　room。　Was　the