when the sleeper wakes-第15节

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glare　towards　the　iron　supports　of　the　next　range　of

wind…wheels。　Graham；　recovering　from　his　astonishment；　

followed　as　fast；　convinced　of　his　imminent

capture。



In　a　score　of　seconds　they　were　within　a　tracery　of

glare　and　black　shadows　shot　with　moving　bars

beneath　the　monstrous　wheels。　Graham's　conductor

ran　on　for　some　time；　and　suddenly　darted　sideways

and　vanished　into　a　black　shadow　in　the　corner　of　the

foot　of　a　huge　support。　In　another　moment　Graham

was　beside　him。



They　cowered　panting　and　stared　out。



The　scene　upon　which　Graham　looked　was　very

wild　and　strange。　The　snow　had　now　almost　ceased；

only　a　belated　flake　passed　now　and　again　across　the

picture。　But　the　broad　stretch　of　level　before　them

was　a　ghastly　white；　broken　only　by　gigantic　masses

and　moving　shapes　and　lengthy　strips　of　impenetrable

darkness；　vast　ungainly　Titans　of　shadow。　All　about

them；　huge　metallic　structures；　iron　girders；　inhumanly　

vast　as　it　seemed　to　him；　interlaced；　and　the

edges　of　wind…wheels；　scarcely　moving　in　the　lull；　I

passed　in　great　shining　curves　steeper　and　steeper　up

into　a　luminous　haze。　Wherever　the　snow…spangled

light　struck　down；　beams　and　girders；　and　incessant

bands　running　with　a　halting；　indomitable　resolution

passed　upward　and　downward　into　the　black。　And

with　all　that　mighty　activity；　with　an　omnipresent

sense　of　motive　and　design；　this　snow…clad　desolation

of　mechanism　seemed　void　of　all　human　presence　save

themselves；　seemed　as　trackless　and　deserted　and

unfrequented　by　men　as　some　inaccessible　Alpine

snowfield。



〃They　will　be　chasing　us；〃　cried　the　leader。　〃We

are　scarcely　halfway　there　yet。　Cold　as　it　is　we　must

hide　here　for　a　spaceat　least　until　it　snows　more

thickly　again。〃



His　teeth　chattered　in　his　head。



〃Where　are　the　markets？　〃　asked　Graham　staring

out。　〃Where　are　all　the　people？　〃



The　other　made　no　answer。





〃Look！〃　whispered　Graham；　crouched　close；　and

became　very　still。



The　snow　had　suddenly　become　thick　again；　and

sliding　with　the　whirling　eddies　out　of　the　black　pit

of　the　sky　came　something；　vague　and　large　and　very

swift。　It　came　down　in　a　steep　curve　and　swept　round；

wide　wings　extended　and　a　trail　of　white　condensing

steam　behind　it；　rose　with　an　easy　swiftness　and　went

gliding　up　the　air；　swept　horizontally　forward　in　a

wide　curve；　and　vanished　again　in　the　steaming　specks

of　snow。　And；　through　the　ribs　of　its　body；　Graham

saw　two　little　men；　very　minute　and　active；　searching

the　snowy　areas　about　him；　as　it　seemed　to　him；　with

field　glasses。　For　a　second　they　were　clear；　then　hazy

through　a　thick　whirl　of　snow；　then　small　and　distant；

and　in　a　minute　they　were　gone。



〃Now！〃　cried　his　companion。　〃Come！〃



He　pulled　Graham's　sleeve；　and　incontinently　the

two　were　running　headlong　down　the　arcade　of　ironwork　

beneath　the　wind…wheels。　Graham；　running

blindly；　collided　with　his　leader；　who　had　turned　back

on　him　suddenly。　He　found　himself　within　a　dozen

yards　of　a　black　chasm。　It　extended　as　far　as　he

could　see　right　and　left。　It　seemed　to　cut　off　their

progress　in　either　direction。



〃Do　as　I　do；〃　whispered　his　guide。　He　lay　down

and　crawled　to　the　edge；　thrust　his　head　over　and

twisted　until　one　leg　hung。　He　seemed　to　feel　for

something　with　his　foot；　found　it；　and　went　sliding

over　the　edge　into　the　gulf。　His　head　reappeared。

〃It　is　a　ledge；〃　he　whispered。　〃In　the　dark　all　the

way　along。　Do　as　I　did。〃



Graham　hesitated；　went　down　upon　all　fours；

crawled　to　the　edge；　and　peered　into　a　velvety　blackness。　

For　a　sickly　moment　he　had　courage　neither

to　go　on　nor　retreat；　then　he　sat　and　hung　his　leg

down；　felt　his　guide's　hands　pulling　at　him；　had　a

horrible　sensation　of　sliding　over　the　edge　into　the

unfathomable；　splashed；　and　felt　himself　in　a　slushy

gutter；　impenetrably　dark。



〃This　way；〃　whispered　the　voice；　and　he　began

crawling　along　the　gutter　through　the　trickling　thaw；

pressing　himself　against　the　wall。　They　continued

along　it　for　some　minutes。　He　seemed　to　pass　through

a　hundred　stages　of　misery；　to　pass　minute　after　minute

through　a　hundred　degrees　of　cold；　damp；　and　exhaustion。　

In　a　little　while　he　ceased　to　feel　his　hands　and

feet。



The　gutter　sloped　downwards。　He　observed　that

they　were　now　many　feet　below　the　edge　of　the　buildings。　

Rows　of　spectral　white　shapes　like　the　ghosts

of　blind…drawn　windows　rose　above　them。　They　came

to　the　end　of　a　cable　fastened　above　one　of　these　white

windows；　dimly　visible　and　dropping　into　impenetrable

shadows。　Suddenly　his　hand　came　against　his　guide's。



〃Still！〃　whispered　the　latter　very　softly。



He　looked　up　with　a　start　and　saw　the　huge　wings

of　the　flying　machine　gliding　slowly　and　noiselessly

overhead　athwart　the　broad　band　of　snow…flecked　grey…blue　

sky。　In　a　moment　it　was　hidden　again。



〃Keep　still；　they　were　just　turning。〃



For　awhile　both　were　motionless；　then　Graham's

companion　stood　up；　and　reaching　towards　the　fastenings　

of　the　cable　fumbled　with　some　indistinct　tackle。



〃What　is　that？　〃　asked　Graham。



The　only　answer　was　a　faint　cry。　The　man　crouched

motionless。　Graham　peered　and　saw　his　face　dimly。

He　was　staring　down　the　long　ribbon　of　sky；　and

Graham；　following　his　eyes；　saw　the　flying　machine

small　and　faint　and　remote。　Then　he　saw　that　the

wings　spread　on　either　side；　that　it　headed　towards

them；　that　every　moment　it　grew　larger。　It　was　following　

the　edge　of　the　chasm　towards　them。



The　man's　movements　became　convulsive。　He

thrust　two　cross　bars　into　Graham's　hand。　Graham

could　not　see　them；　he　ascertained　their　form　by　feeling。　

They　were　slung　by　thin　cords　to　the　cable。　On

the　cord　were　hand　grips　of　some　soft　elastic　substance。　

〃Put　the　cross　between　your　legs；〃　whispered　

the　guide　hysterically；　〃and　grip　the　holdfasts。

Grip　tightly；　grip！〃



Graham　did　as　he　was　told。



〃Jump；〃　said　the　voice。　〃In　heaven's　name；

jump！〃



For　one　momentous　second　Graham　could　not

speak。　He　was　glad　afterwards　that　darkness　hid　his

face。　He　said　nothing。　He　began　to　tremble　violently。　

He　looked　sideways　at　the　swift　shadow　that

swallowed　up　the　sky　as　it　rushed　upon　him。



〃Jump！　Jumpin　God's　name！　Or　they　will　have

us；〃　cried　Graham's　guide；　and　in　the　violence　of　his

passion　thrust　him　forward。



Graham　tottered　convulsively；　gave　a　sobbing　cry；

a　cry　in　spite　of　himself；　and　then；　as　the　flying

machine　swept　over　them；　fell　forward　into　the　pit　of

that　darkness；　seated　on　the　cross　wood　and　holding

the　ropes　with　the　clutch　of　death。　Something

cracked；　something　rapped　smartly　against　a　wall。

He　heard　the　pulley　of　the　cradle　hum　on　its　rope。

He　heard　the　aeronauts　shout。　He　felt　a　pair　of　knees

digging　into　his　back。。。。　He　was　sweeping

headlong　through　the　air；　falling　through　the　air。　All

his　strength　was　in　his　hands。　He　would　have

screamed　but　he　had　no　breath。



He　shot　into　a　blinding　light　that　made　him　grip

the　tighter。　He　recognised　the　great　passage　with

the　running　ways；　the　hanging　lights　and　interlacing

girders。　They　rushed　upward　and　by　him。　He　had

a　momentary　impression　of　a　great　circular　aperture

yawning　to　swallow　him　up。



He　was　in　the　dark　again；　falling；　falling；　gripping

with　aching　hands；　and　behold！　a　clap　of　sound；　a

burst　of　light；　and　he　was　in　a　brightly　lit　hall　with　a

roaring　multitude　of　people　beneath　his　feet。　The

people！　His　people！　A　proscenium；　a　stage　rushed

up　towards　him；　and　his　cable　swept　down　to　a　circular　

aperture　to　the　right　of　this。　He　felt　he　was　travelling　

slower；　and　suddenly　very　much　slower。　He

distinguished　shouts　of　〃Saved！　The　Master。　He　is

safe！〃　The　stage　rushed　up　towards　him　with　rapidly　

diminishing　swiftness。　Then。



He　heard　the　man　clinging　behind　him　shout　as　if

suddenly　terrified；　and　this　shout　was　echoed　by　a

shout　from　below。　He　felt　that　he　was　no　longer

gliding　along　the　cable　but　falling　with　it。　There　was

a　tumult　of　yells；　screams　and　cries。　He　felt　something　

soft　against　his　extended　hand；　and　the　impact

of　a　broken　fall　quivering　through　his　arm。　。　。



He　wanted　to　be　still　and　the　people　were　lifting

him。　He　believed　afterwards　he　was　carried　to　the　

platform　and　given　some　drink；　but　he　was　never　sure。

He　did　　not　notice　what　became　of　his　guide。　When

his　mind　was　clear　again　he　was　on　his　feet；　eager

hands　were　assisting　him　to　stand。　He　was　in　a　

big　alcove；　occupying　the　position　that　in　his　previous

experience　had　been　devoted　to　the　lower　boxes。　If　

this　was　indeed　a　theatre。



A　mighty　tumult　was　in　his　ears；　a　thunderous　roar；

the　shouting　of　a　countless　multitude。〃　It　is　the

Sleeper！　The　Sleeper　is　with　us！〃



〃The　Sleeper　is　with　us！　The　Masterthe

Owner！　The　Master　is　with　us。　He　is　safe。〃



Graham　had　a　surging　vision　of　a　grea