when the sleeper wakes-第14节

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

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

the　halls　crowdedshouting。　The　whole　city　shouts

against　the　Council。　We　have　arms。〃　He　wiped　the

blood　with　his　hand。　〃Your　life　here　is　not　worth〃

〃But　why　arms？　〃



〃The　people　have　risen　to　protect　you；　Sire。

What？　〃



He　turned　quickly　as　the　man　who　had　first　come

down　made　a　hissing　with　his　teeth。　Graham　saw

the　latter　start　back；　gesticulate　to　them　to　conceal

themselves；　and　move　as　if　to　hide　behind　the　opening

door。



As　he　did　so　Howard　appeared；　a　little　tray　in　one

hand　and　his　heavy　face　downcast。　He　started；　looked

up；　the　door　slammed　behind　him；　the　tray　tilted　side…

ways；　and　the　steel　wedge　struck　him　behind　the　ear。

He　went　down　like　a　felled　tree；　and　lay　as　he　fell

athwart　the　floor　of　the　outer　room。　The　man　who

had　struck　him　bent　hastily；　studied　his　face　for　a

moment；　rose；　and　returned　to　his　work　at　the　door。



〃Your　poison！〃　said　a　voice　in　Graham's　ear。



Then　abruptly　they　were　in　darkness。　The　innumerable　

cornice　lights　had　been　extinguished。　Graham　saw

the　aperture　of　the　ventilator　with　ghostly

snow　whirling　above　it　and　dark　figures　moving　hastily。　

Three　knelt　on　the　van。　Some　dim　thinga

ladder　was　being　lowered　through　the　opening；　and

a　hand　appeared　holding　a　fitful　yellow　light。



He　had　a　moment　of　hesitation。　But　the　manner

of　these　men；　their　swift　alacrity；　their　words；　marched

so　completely　with　his　own　fears　of　the　Council；　with

his　idea　and　hope　of　a　rescue；　that　it　lasted　not　a

moment。　And　his　people　awaited　him！



〃I　do　not　understand；〃　he　said；　〃I　trust。　Tell　me

what　to　do。〃



The　man　with　the　cut　brow　gripped　Graham's　arm。



〃Clamber　up　the　ladder；〃　he　whispered。　〃Quick。

They　will　have　heard〃



Graham　felt　for　the　ladder　with　extended　hands；　put

his　foot　on　the　lower　rung；　and；　turning　his　head；　saw

over　the　shoulder　of　the　nearest　man；　in　the　yellow

flicker　of　the　light；　the　first…comer　astride　over　Howard　

and　still　working　at　the　door。　Graham　turned　to

the　ladder　again；　and　was　thrust　by　his　conductor　and

helped　up　by　those　above；　and　then　he　was　standing

on　something　hard　and　cold　and　slippery　outside　the

ventilating　funnel。



He　shivered。　He　was　aware　of　a　great　difference

in　the　temperature。　Half　a　dozen　men　stood　about

him；　and　light　flakes　of　snow　touched　hands　and　face

and　melted。　For　a　moment　it　was　dark；　then　for　a

flash　a　ghastly　violet　white；　and　then　everything　was

dark　again。



He　saw　he　had　come　out　upon　the　roof　of　the　vast

city　structure　which　had　replaced　the　miscellaneous

houses；　streets　and　open　spaces　of　Victorian　London。

The　place　upon　which　he　stood　was　level；　with　huge

serpentine　cables　Iying　athwart　it　in　every　direction。

The　circular　wheels　of　a　number　of　windmills　loomed

indistinct　and　gigantic　through　the　darkness　and　snowfall；　

and　roared　with　a　varying　loudness　as　the　fitful

white　light　smote　up　from　below；　touched　the　snow

eddies　with　a　transient　glitter；　and　made　an　evanescent

spectre　in　the　night；　and　here　and　there；　low　down！

some　vaguely　outlined　wind…driven　mechanism　flickered　

with　livid　sparks。



All　this　he　appreciated　in　a　fragmentary　manner　as

his　rescuers　stood　about　him。　Someone　threw　a　thick

soft　cloak　of　fur…like　texture　about　him；　and　fastened

it　by　buckled　straps　at　waist　and　shoulders。　Things

were　said　briefly；　decisively。　Someone　thrust　him

forward。



Before　his　mind　was　yet　clear　a　dark　shape　gripped

his　arm。　〃This　way；〃　said　this　shape；　urging　him

along；　and　pointed　Graham　across　the　flat　roof　in　the

direction　of　a　dim　semicircular　haze　of　light。　Graham

obeyed。



〃Mind！〃　said　a　voice；　as　Graham　stumbled　against

a　cable。　〃Between　them　and　not　across　them；〃　said

the　voice。　And；　〃We　must　hurry。〃



〃Where　are　the　people？　〃　said　Graham。　〃The

people　you　said　awaited　me？　〃



The　stranger　did　not　answer。　He　left　Graham's

arm　as　the　path　grew　narrower；　and　led　the　way　with

rapid　strides。　Graham　followed　blindly。　In　a　minute　

he　found　himself　running。　〃Are　the　others　coming？〃　

he　panted；　but　received　no　reply。　His　companion　

glanced　back　and　ran　on。　They　came　to　a　sort

of　pathway　of　open　metal…work；　transverse　to　the　direction　

they　had　come；　and　they　turned　aside　to　follow

this。　Graham　looked　back；　but　the　snowstorm　had

hidden　the　others。



〃Come　on！〃　said　his　guide。　Running　now；　they

drew　near　a　little　windmill　spinning　high　in　the　air。

〃Stoop；〃　said　Graham's　guide；　and　they　avoided　an

endless　band　running　roaring　up　to　the　shaft　of　the

vane。　〃This　way！〃　and　they　were　ankle　deep　in　a

gutter　full　of　drifted　thawing　snow；　between　two　low

walls　of　metal　that　presently　rose　waist　high。　〃I　will

go　first；〃　said　the　guide。　Graham　drew　his　cloak

about　him　and　followed。　Then　suddenly　came　a　narrow　

abyss　across　which　the　gutter　leapt　to　the　snowy

darkness　of　the　further　side。　Graham　peeped　over　the

side　once　and　the　gulf　was　black。　For　a　moment　he

regretted　his　flight。　He　dared　not　look　again；　and　his

brain　spun　as　he　waded　through　the　half　liquid　snow。



Then　out　of　the　gutter　they　clambered　and　hurried

across　a　wide　flat　space　damp　with　thawing　snow；

and　for　half　its　extent　dimly　translucent　to　lights　that

went　to　and　fro　underneath。　He　hesitated　at　this

unstable　looking　substance；　but　his　guide　ran　on

unheeding；　and　so　they　came　to　and　clambered　up

slippery　steps　to　the　rim　of　a　great　dome　of　glass。

Round　this　they　went。　Far　below　a　number　of　people

seemed　to　be　dancing；　and　music　filtered　through　the

dome。　。　。　。　Graham　fancied　he　heard　a　shouting

through　the　snowstorm；　and　his　guide　hurried　him　on

with　a　new　spurt　of　haste。　They　clambered　panting　to

a　space　of　huge　windmills；　one　so　vast　that　only　the

lower　edge　of　its　vans　came　rushing　into　sight　and

rushed　up　again　and　was　lost　in　the　night　and　the

snow。　They　hurried　for　a　time　through　the　colossal

metallic　tracery　of　its　supports；　and　came　at　last　above

a　place　of　moving　platforms　like　the　place　into　which

Graham　had　looked　from　the　balcony。　They　crawled

across　the　sloping　transparency　that　covered　this　street

of　platforms；　crawling　on　hands　and　knees　because　of

the　slipperiness　of　the　snowfall。



For　the　most　part　the　glass　was　bedewed；　and　Graham　

saw　only　hazy　suggestions　of　the　forms　below；

but　near　the　pitch　of　the　transparent　roof　the　glass　was

clear；　and　he　found　himself　looking　sheerly　down　upon

it　all。　For　awhile；　in　spite　of　the　urgency　of　his

guide；　he　gave　way　to　vertigo　and　lay　spread…eagled

on　the　glass；　sick　and　paralysed。　Far　below；　mere

stirring　specks　and　dots；　went　the　people　of　the　unsleeping　

city　in　their　perpetual　daylight；　and　the　moving　

platforms　ran　on　their　incessant　journey。　Messengers　

and　men　on　unknown　businesses　shot　along

the　drooping　cables　and　the　frail　bridges　were　crowded

with　men。　It　was　like　peering　into　a　gigantic　glass

hive；　and　it　lay　vertically　below　him　with　only　a　tough

glass　of　unknown　thickness　to　save　him　from　a　fall。

The　street　showed　warm　and　lit；　and　Graham　was　wet

now　to　the　skin　with　thawing　snow；　and　his　feet　were

numbed　with　cold。　For　a　space　he　could　not　move。



〃Come　on！〃　cried　his　guide；　with　terror　in　his　voice。

〃Come　on！〃



Graham　reached　the　pitch　of　the　roof　by　an　effort。



Over　the　ridge；　following　his　guide's　example；　he

turned　about　and　slid　backward　down　the　opposite

slope　very　swiftly；　amid　a　little　avalanche　of　snow

While　he　was　sliding　he　thought　of　what　would　happen

if　some　broken　gap　should　come　in　his　way。　At　the

edge　he　stumbled　to　his　feet　ankle　deep　in　slush

thanking　heaven　for　an　opaque　footing　again。　His

guide　was　already　clambering　up　a　metal　screen　to　a

level　expanse。



Through　the　spare　snowflakes　above　this　loomed

another　line　of　vast　windmills；　and　then　suddenly　the

amorphous　tumult　of　the　rotating　wheels　was　pierced

with　a　deafening　sound。　It　was　a　mechanical　shrilling

of　extraordinary　intensity　that　seemed　to　come　simultaneously　

from　every　point　of　the　compass。



〃They　have　missed　us　already！〃　cried　Graham's

guide　in　an　accent　of　terror；　and　suddenly；　with　a

blinding　flash；　the　night　became　day。



Above　the　driving　snow；　from　the　summits　of　the

wind…wheels；　appeared　vast　masts　carrying　globes　of

livid　light。　They　receded　in　illimitable　vistas　in　every

direction。　As　far　as　his　eye　could　penetrate　the　snowfall　

they　glared。



〃Get　on　this；〃　cried　Graham's　conductor；　and

thrust　him　forward　to　a　long　grating　of　snowless　

metal　that　ran　like　a　band　between　two　slightly

sloping　expanses　of　snow。　It　felt　warm　to　Graham's

benurrled　feet；　and　a　faint　eddy　of　steam　rose　from　it。



〃Come　on！〃　shouted　his　guide　ten　yards　off；　and；

without　waiting；　ran　swiftly　through　the　incandescent

glare　towards　the　iron　supports　of　the　next　rang