when the sleeper wakes-第13节

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and　began　to　wave　his　clenched　fists。　He　gave　way

to　an　anger　fit；　he　swore　archaic　curses。　His　gestures

had　the　quality　of　physical　threats。



〃I　do　not　know　who　your　party　may　be。　I　am　in

the　dark；　and　you　keep　me　in　the　dark。　But　I　know

this；　that　I　am　secluded　here　for　no　good　purpose。

For　no　good　purpose。　I　warn　you；　I　warn　you　of　the

consequences。　Once　I　come　at　my　power〃



He　realised　that　to　threaten　thus　might　be　a　danger

to　himself。　He　stopped。　Howard　stood　regarding

him　with　a　curious　expression。



〃I　take　it　this　is　a　message　to　the　Council；〃　said

Howard。



Graham　had　a　momentary　impulse　to　leap　upon　the

man；　fell　or　stun　him。　It　must　have　shown　upon　his

face；　at　any　rate　Howard's　movement　was　quick。　In

a　second　the　noiseless　door　had　closed　again；　and　the

man　from　the　nineteenth　century　was　alone。



For　a　moment　he　stood　rigid；　with　clenched　hands

half　raised。　Then　he　flung　them　down。　〃What　a　fool

I　have　been！〃　he　said；　and　gave　way　to　his　anger　again；

stamping　about　the　room　and　shouting　curses。

For　a　long　time　he　kept　himself　in　a　sort　of　frenzy；

raging　at　his　position；　at　his　own　folly；　at　the　knaves

who　had　imprisoned　him。　He　did　this　because　he

did　not　want　to　look　calmly　at　his　position。　He　clung

to　his　angerbecause　he　was　afraid　of　Fear。



Presently　he　found　himself　reasoning　with　himself

This　imprisonment　was　unaccountable；　but　no　doubt

the　legal　formsnew　legal　formsof　the　time　permitted　

it。　It　must；　of　course；　be　legal。　These　people

were　two　hundred　years　further　on　in　the　march　of

civilisation　than　the　Victorian　generation。　It　was　not

likely　they　would　be　lesshumane。　Yet　they　had

cleared　their　minds　of　formulae！　Was　humanity　a

formula　as　well　as　chastity？



His　imagination　set　to　work　to　suggest　things　that

might　be　done　to　him。　The　attempts　of　his　reason　to

dispose　of　these　suggestions；　though　for　the　most　part

logically　valid；　were　quite　unavailing。　〃Why　should

anything　be　done　to　me？　〃



〃If　the　worst　comes　to　the　worst；〃　he　found　himself　

saying　at　last；　〃I　can　give　up　what　they　want。

But　what　do　they　want？　And　why　don't　they　ask　me

for　it　instead　of　cooping　me　up？　〃



He　returned　to　his　former　preoccupation　with　the

Council's　possible　intentions。　He　began　to　reconsider

the　details　of　Howard's　behaviour；　sinister　glances；

inexplicable　hesitations。　Then；　for　a　time；　his　mind

circled　about　the　idea　of　escaping　from　these　rooms；

but　whither　could　he　escape　into　this　vast；　crowded

world？　He　would　be　worse　off　than　a　Saxon　yeoman

suddenly　dropped　into　nineteenth　century　London。

And　besides；　how　could　anyone　escape　from　these

rooms？



〃How　can　it　benefit　anyone　if　harm　should　happen

to　me？　〃



He　thought　of　the　tumult；　the　great　social　trouble

of　which　he　was　so　unaccountably　the　axis。　A　text；

irrelevant　enough　and　yet　curiously　insistent；　came

floating　up　out　of　the　darkness　of　his　memory。　This

also　a　Council　had　said：



〃It　is　expedient　for　us　that　one　man　should　die　for

the　people。〃



CHAPTER　VIII



THE　ROOF　SPACES



As　the　fans　in　the　circular　aperture　of　the　inner　room

rotated　and　permitted　glimpses　of　the　night；　dim

sounds　drifted　in　thereby。　And　Graham；　standing

underneath；　wrestling　darkly　with　the　unknown　powers　

that　imprisoned　him；　and　which　he　had　now　deliberately　

challenged；　was　startled　by　the　sound　of　a

voice。



He　peered　up　and　saw　in　the　intervals　of　the　rotation；　

dark　and　dim；　the　face　and　shoulders　of　a　man

regarding　him。　When　a　dark　hand　was　extended；　the

swift　van　struck　it；　swung　round　and　beat　on　with　a

little　brownish　patch　on　the　edge　of　its　thin　blade；　and

something　began　to　fall　therefrom　upon　the　floor；

dripping　silently。

　　Graham　looked　down；　and　there　were　spots　of　blood

at　his　feet。　He　looked　up　again　in　a　strange　excitement。　

The　figure　had　gone。



He　remained　motionlesshis　every　sense　intent

upon　the　flickering　patch　of　darkness；　for　outside　it

was　high　night。　He　became　aware　of　some　faint；　remote；　

dark　specks　floating　lightly　through　the　outer

air。　They　came　down　towards　him；　fitfully；　eddyingly；　

and　passed　aside　out　of　the　uprush　from　the

fan。　A　gleam　of　light　flickered；　the　specks　flashed

white；　and　then　the　darkness　came　again。　Warmed

and　lit　as　he　was；　he　perceived　that　it　was　snowing

within　a　few　feet　of　him。



Graham　walked　across　the　room　and　came　back

to　the　ventilator　again。　He　saw　the　head　of　a　man

pass　near。　There　was　a　sound　of　whispering。　Then

a　smart　blow　on　some　metallic　substance；　effort；

voices；　and　the　vans　stopped。　A　gust　of　snowflakes

whirled　into　the　room；　and　vanished　before　they

touched　the　floor。　〃Don't　be　afraid；〃　said　a　voice。



Graham　stood　under　the　van。　〃Who　are　you？〃

he　whispered。



For　a　moment　there　was　nothing　but　a　swaying　of　the

fan；　and　then　the　head　of　a　man　was　thrust　cautiously

into　the　opening。　His　face　appeared　nearly　inverted

to　Graham；　his　dark　hair　was　wet　with　dissolving

flakes　of　snow　upon　it。　His　arm　went　up　into　the

darkness　holding　something　unseen。　He　had　a　youthful　

face　and　bright　eyes；　and　the　veins　of　his　forehead

were　swollen。　He　seemed　to　be　exerting　himself　to

maintain　his　position。



For　several　seconds　neither　he　nor　Graham　spoke。



〃You　were　the　Sleeper？〃　said　the　stranger　at　last。



〃Yes；〃　said　Graham。　〃What　do　you　want　with

me？〃



〃I　come　from　Ostrog；　Sire。〃



〃Ostrog？〃



The　man　in　the　ventilator　twisted　his　head　round

so　that　his　profile　was　towards　Graham。　He　appeared

to　be　listening。　Suddenly　there　was　a　hasty　exclamation；　

and　the　intruder　sprang　back　just　in　time　to

escape　the　sweep　of　the　released　fan。　And　when　

Graham　peered　up　there　was　nothing　visible　but　the

slowly　falling　snow。



It　was　perhaps　a　quarter　of　an　hour　before　anything

returned　to　the　ventilator。　But　at　last　came　the　same

metallic　interference　again；　the　fans　stopped　and　the

face　reappeared。　Graham　had　remained　all　this　time

in　the　same　place；　alert　and　tremulously　excited。



〃Who　are　you？　What　do　you　want？〃　he　said。



〃We　want　to　speak　to　you；　Sire；〃　said　the　intruder。



〃We　wantI　can't　hold　the　thing。　We　have　been

trying　to　find　a　way　to　you　these　three　days。〃



〃Is　it　rescue？　〃　whispered　Graham。　〃　Escape？〃



〃Yes；　Sire。　If　you　will。〃



〃You　are　my　partythe　party　of　the　Sleeper？〃



〃Yes；　Sire。〃



〃What　am　I　to　do？〃　said　Graham。



There　was　a　struggle。　The　stranger's　arm　appeared；

and　his　hand　was　bleeding。　His　knees　came　into　view

over　the　edge　of　the　funnel。　〃Stand　away　from　me；〃

he　said；　and　he　dropped　rather　heavily　on　his　hands

and　one　shoulder　at　Graham's　feet。　The　released

ventilator　whirled　noisily。　The　stranger　rolled　over；

sprang　up　nimbly　and　stood　panting；　hand　to　a　bruised

shoulder；　and　with　his　bright　eyes　on　Graham。



〃You　are　indeed　the　Sleeper；〃　he　said。　〃I　saw

you　asleep。　When　it　was　the　law　that　anyone　might

see　you。〃



〃I　am　the　man　who　was　in　the　trance；〃　said　Graham。　

〃They　have　imprisoned　me　here。　I　have　been

here　since　I　awokeat　least　three　days。〃



The　intruder　seemed　about　to　speak；　heard　something；　

glanced　swiftly　at　the　door；　and　suddenly　left

Graham　and　ran　towards　it；　shouting　quick　incoherent

words。　A　bright　wedge　of　steel　flashed　in　his　hand；

and　he　began　tap；　tap；　a　quick　succession　of　blows

upon　the　hinges。　〃Mind！〃　cried　a　voice。　〃Oh！〃

The　voice　came　from　above。



Graham　glanced　up；　saw　the　soles　of　two　feet；

ducked；　was　struck　on　the　shoulder　by　one　of　them；

and　a　heavy　weight　bore　him　to　the　earth。　He　fell　on

his　knees　and　forward；　and　the　weight　went　over　his

head。　He　knelt　up　and　saw　a　second　man　from　above

seated　before　him。



〃I　did　not　see　you；　Sire；〃　panted　the　man。　He　rose

and　assisted　Graham　to　arise。　〃Are　you　hurt；　Sire？〃

he　panted。　A　succession　of　heavy　blows　on　the　ventilator　

began；　something　fell　close　to　Graham's　face；

and　a　shivering　edge　of　white　metal　danced；　fell　over；

and　lay　flat　upon　the　floor。



〃What　is　this？〃　cried　Graham；　confused　and　looking　

at　the　ventilator。　〃Who　are　you？　What　are　you

going　to　do？　Remember；　I　understand　nothing。〃



〃Stand　back；〃　said　the　stranger；　and　drew　him

from　under　the　ventilator　as　another　fragment　of　metal

fell　heavily。



〃　We　want　you　to　come；　Sire；〃　panted　the　newcomer；　

and　Graham　glancing　at　his　face　again；　saw

a　new　cut　had　changed　from　white　to　red　on　his　fore…

head；　and　a　couple　of　little　trickles　of　blood　starting

therefrom。　〃Your　people　call　for　you。〃



〃Come　where？　My　people？　〃



〃To　the　hall　about　the　markets。　Your　life　is　in

danger　here。　We　have　spies。　We　learned　but　just

in　time。　The　Council　has　decidedthis　very　day

either　to　drug　or　kill　you。　And　everything　is　ready。

The　people　are　drilled；　the　wind…vane　police；　the　engineers；　

and　half　the　way…gearers　are　with　us。　We　have

the　halls　crowdedsho