when the sleeper wakes-第12节

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world；　and　saw　only　an　enigmatical　veil。



He　prowled　about　his　apartment；　examining　everything　

as　a　caged　animal　might　do。　He　felt　very　tired；

felt　that　feverish　exhaustion　that　does　not　admit　of　rest。

He　listened　for　long　spaces　under　the　ventilator　to

catch　some　distant　echo　of　the　tumults　he　felt　must　be

proceeding　in　the　city。



He　began　to　talk　to　himself。　〃Two　hundred　and

three　years！　〃　he　said　to　himself　over　and　over　again；

laughing　stupidly。　〃Then　I　am　two　hundred　and

thirty…three　years　old！　The　oldest　inhabitant。　Surely

they　haven't　reversed　the　tendency　of　our　time　and

gone　back　to　the　rule　of　the　oldest。　My　claims　are

indisputable。　Mumble；　mumble。　I　remember　the　Bulgarian　

atrocities　as　though　it　was　yesterday。　'Tis　a

great　age！　Ha　ha！〃　He　was　surprised　at　first　to

hear　himself　laughing；　and　then　laughed　again　deliberately　

and　louder。　Then　he　realised　that　he　was

behaving　foolishly。　〃Steady；〃　he　said。　〃Steady！〃



His　pacing　became　more　regular。　〃This　new

world；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　understand　it。　__Why？__　。　。　。

But　it　is　all　__why！__〃



〃I　suppose　they　can　fly　and　do　all　sorts　of　things

Let　me　try　and　remember　just　how　it　began。〃



He　was　surprised　at　first　to　find　how　vague　the

memories　of　his　first　thirty　years　had　become。　He

remembered　fragments；　for　the　most　part　trivial

moments；　things　of　no　great　importance　that　he　had

observed。　His　boyhood　seemed　the　most　accessible

at　first；　he　recalled　school　books　and　certain　lessons

in　mensuration。　Then　he　revived　the　more　salient

features　of　his　life；　memories　of　the　wife　long　since

dead；　her　magic　influence　now　gone　beyond　corruption；　

of　his　rivals　and　friends　and　betrayers；　of　the

swift　decision　of　this　issue　and　that；　and　then　of　his　；

last　years　of　misery；　of　fluctuating　resolves；　and　at　last

of　his　strenuous　studies。　In　a　little　while　he　perceived

he　had　it　all　again；　dim　perhaps；　like　metal　long　laid

aside；　but　in　no　way　defective　or　injured；　capable　of

re…polishing。　And　the　hue　of　it　was　a　deepening　misery。　

Was　it　worth　re…polishing？　By　a　miracle　he　had

been　lifted　out　of　a　life　that　had　become　intolerable。



He　reverted　to　his　present　condition。　He　wrestled

with　the　facts　in　vain。　It　became　an　inextricable　tangle。　

He　saw　the　sky　through　the　ventilator　pink　with

dawn。　An　old　persuasion　came　out　of　the　dark　recesses　

of　his　memory。　〃I　must　sleep；〃　he　said。　It

appeared　as　a　delightful　relief　from　this　mental　distress　

and　from　the　growing　pain　and　heaviness　of　his

limbs。　He　went　to　the　strange　little　bed；　lay　down　and

was　presently　asleep。



He　was　destined　to　become　very　familiar　indeed

with　these　apartments　before　he　left　them；　for　he

remained　imprisoned　for　three　days。　During　that　time

no　one；　except　Howard；　entered　his　prison。　The　marvel　

of　his　fate　mingled　with　and　in　some　way　minimised　

the　marvel　of　his　survival。　He　had　awakened

to　mankind　it　seemed　only　to　be　snatched　away　into

this　unaccountable　solitude。　Howard　came　regularly

with　subtly　sustaining　and　nutritive　fluids；　and　light

and　pleasant　foods；　quite　strange　to　Graham。　He

always　closed　the　door　carefully　as　he　entered。　On

matters　of　detail　he　was　increasingly　obliging；　but　the

bearing　of　Graham　on　the　great　issues　that　were　evidently　

being　contested　so　closely　beyond　the　soundproof　

walls　that　enclosed　him；　he　would　not　elucidate。

He　evaded；　as　politely　as　possible；　every　question　on

the　position　of　affairs　in　the　outer　world。



And　in　those　three　days　Graham's　incessant

thoughts　went　far　and　wide。　All　that　he　had　seen；

all　this　elaborate　contrivance　to　prevent　him　seeing；

worked　together　in　his　mind。　Almost　every　possible

interpretation　of　his　position　he　debatedeven　as　it

chanced；　the　right　interpretation。　Things　that　presently　

happened　to　him；　came　to　him　at　last　credible；

by　virtue　of　this　seclusion。　When　at　length　the

moment　of　his　release　arrived；　it　found　him　prepared。



Howard's　bearing　went　far　to　deepen　Graham's

impression　of　his　own　strange　importance；　the　door

between　its　opening　and　closing　seemed　to　admit　with

him　a　breath　of　momentous　happening。　His　enquiries　

became　more　definite　and　searching。　Howard

retreated　through　protests　and　difficulties。　The　awakening　

was　unforeseen；　he　repeated；　it　happened　to

have　fallen　in　with　the　trend　of　a　social　convulsion。



〃To　explain　it　I　must　tell　you　the　history　of　a　gross

and　a　half　of　years；〃　protested　Howard。



〃The　thing　is　this；〃　said　Graham。　〃You　are

afraid　of　something　I　shall　do。　In　some　way　I　am

arbitratorI　might　be　arbitrator。〃



〃　It　is　not　that。　But　you　haveI　may　tell　you

this　muchthe　automatic　increase　of　your　property

puts　great　possibilities　of　interference　in　your　hands。

And　in　certain　other　ways　you　have　influence；　with

your　eighteenth　century　notions。〃



〃Nineteenth　century；〃　corrected　Graham。



〃With　your　old　world　notions；　anyhow；　ignorant

as　you　are　of　every　feature　of　our　State。〃



〃Am　I　a　fool？　〃



〃Certainly　not。〃



〃Do　I　seem　to　be　the　sort　of　man　who　would　act

rashly？〃



〃You　were　never　expected　to　act　at　all。　No　one

counted　on　your　awakening。　No　one　dreamt　you

would　ever　awake。　The　Council　had　surrounded　you

with　antiseptic　conditions。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　we

thought　that　you　were　deada　mere　arrest　of　decay。

Andbut　it　is　too　complex。　We　dare　not　suddenly

while　you　are　still　half　awake。〃



〃It　won't　do；〃　said　Graham。　〃Suppose　it　is　as

you　saywhy　am　I　not　being　crammed　night　and

day　with　facts　and　warnings　and　all　the　wisdom　of　the

time　to　fit　me　for　my　responsibilities？　Am　I　any

wiser　now　than　two　days　ago；　if　it　is　two　days；　when　I

awoke？〃



Howard　pulled　his　lip。



〃I　am　beginning　to　feelevery　hour　I　feel　more

clearlya　sense　of　complex　concealment　of　which

you　are　the　salient　point。　Is　this　Council；　or　committee；　

or　whatever　they　are；　cooking　the　accounts　of

my　estate？　Is　that　it？　〃



〃That　note　of　suspicion〃　said　Howard。



〃　Ugh！〃　said　Graham。　〃Now；　mark　my　words；　it

will　be　ill　for　those　who　have　put　me　here。　It　will　be

ill。　I　am　alive。　Make　no　doubt　of　it；　I　am　alive。

Every　day　my　pulse　is　stronger　and　my　mind　clearer

and　more　vigorous。　No　more　quiescence。　I　am　a

man　come　back　to　life。　And　I　want　to　__live…__〃



〃__Live！__〃



Howard's　face　lit　with　an　idea。　He　came　towards

Graham　and　spoke　in　an　easy　confidential　tone。



〃The　Council　secludes　you　here　for　your　good。

You　are　restless。　Naturallyan　energetic　man！

You　find　it　dull　here。　But　we　are　anxious　that　everything　

you　may　desireevery　desireevery　sort　of

desire　。　。　。　There　may　be　something。　Is　there

any　sort　of　company？　〃



He　paused　meaningly。

〃　Yes；〃　said　Graham　thoughtfully。　〃　There　is。〃



〃Ah！　__Now！__　We　have　treated　you　neglectfully。〃



〃The　crowds　in　yonder　streets　of　yours。〃



〃That；〃　said　Howard；　〃I　am　afraid。　But〃



Graham　began　pacing　the　room。　Howard　stood

near　the　door　watching　him。　The　implication　of　Howard's　

suggestion　was　only　half　evident　to　Graham

Company？　Suppose　he　were　to　accept　the　proposal；

demand　some　sort　of　__company__？　Would　there　be　any

possibilities　of　gathering　from　the　conversation　o？this

additional　person　some　vague　inkling　of　the　struggle

that　had　broken　out　so　vividly　at　his　waking　moment？

He　meditated　again；　and　the　suggestion　took　colour。

He　turned　on　Howard　abruptly。



〃What　do　you　mean　by　company？　〃



Howard　raised　his　eyes　and　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃Human　beings；〃　he　said；　with　a　curious　smile　on　his

heavy　face。



〃Our　social　ideas；〃　he　said；　〃have　a　certain　increased　

liberality；　perhaps；　in　comparison　with　your

times。　If　a　man　wishes　to　relieve　such　a　tedium　as

thisby　feminine　society；　for　instance。　We　think　it

no　scandal。　We　have　cleared　our　minds　of　formulae。

There　is　in　our　city　a　class；　a　necessary　class；　no　longer

despiseddiscreet〃　



Graham　stopped　dead。　



〃It　would　pass　the　time；〃　said　Howard。　〃It　is　a

thing　I　should　perhaps　have　thought　of　before；　but；

as　a　matter　of　fact；　so　much　is　happening〃



He　indicated　the　exterior　world。



Graham　hesitated。　For　a　moment　the　figure　of　a

possible　woman　that　his　imagination　suddenly　created

dominated　his　mind　with　an　intense　attraction。　Then

he　flashed　into　anger。



〃No　I〃　he　shouted。



He　began　striding　rapidly　up　and　down　the　room。



〃Everything　you　say；　everything　you　do；　convinces

meof　some　great　issue　in　which　I　am　concerned。

I　do　not　want　to　pass　the　time；　as　you　call　it。　Yes；　I

know。　Desire　and　indulgence　are　life　in　a　sense

and　Death！　Extinction！　In　my　life　before　I　slept

I　had　worked　out　that　pitiful　question。　I　will　not

begin　again。　There　is　a　city；　a　multitude。　And

meanwhile　I　am　here　like　a　rabbit　in　a　bag。〃



His　rage　surged　high。　He　choked　for　a　moment

and　began　to　wave　his　clenched　fists。　He　gave　way

to　an　anger　fit；　he　swore　archaic　cu