when the sleeper wakes-第16节

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〃The　Sleeper　is　with　us！　The　Masterthe

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



Graham　had　a　surging　vision　of　a　great　hall　crowded

with　people。　He　saw　no　individuals；　he　was　conscious

of　a　froth　of　pink　faces；　of　waving　arms　and　garments；

he　felt　the　occult　influence　of　a　vast　crowd　pouring

over　him；　buoying　him　up。　There　were　balconies；

galleries；　great　archways　giving　remoter　perspectives；

and　everywhere　people；　a　vast　arena　of　people；　densely

packed　and　cheering。　Across　the　nearer　space　lay

the　collapsed　cable　like　a　huge　snake。　It　had　been

cut　by　the　men　of　the　flying　machine　at　its　upper　end；

and　had　crumpled　down　into　the　hall。　Men　seemed

to　be　hauling　this　out　of　the　way。　But　the　whole

effect　was　vague；　the　very　buildings　throbbed　and

leapt　with　the　roar　of　the　voices。



He　stood　unsteadily　and　looked　at　those　about　him。

Someone　supported　him　by　one　arm。　〃Let　me　go

into　a　little　room；〃　he　said；　weeping；　〃a　little　room；〃

and　could　say　no　more。　A　man　in　black　stepped　forward；　

took　his　disengaged　arm。　He　was　aware　of

officious　men　opening　a　door　before　him。　Someone

guided　him　to　a　seat。　He　staggered。　He　sat　down

heavily　and　covered　his　face　with　his　hands；　he　was

trembling　violently；　his　nervous　control　was　at　an　end。

He　was　relieved　of　his　cloak；　he　could　not　remember

how；　his　purple　hose　he　saw　were　black　with　wet。

People　were　running　about　him；　things　were　happening；　

but　for　some　time　he　gave　no　heed　to　them。



He　had　escaped。　A　myriad　of　cries　told　him　that。

He　was　safe。　These　were　the　people　who　were　on　his

side。　For　a　space　he　sobbed　for　breath；　and　then　he

sat　still　with　his　face　covered。　The　air　was　full　of

the　shouting　of　innumerable　men。



CHAPTER　IX



THE　PEOPLE　MARCH



He　became　aware　of　someone　urging　a　glass　of　clear

fluid　upon　his　attention；　looked　up　and　discovered　this

was　a　dark　young　man　in　a　yellow　garment。　He　took

the　dose　forthwith；　and　in　a　moment　he　was　glowing。

A　tall　man　in　a　black　robe　stood　by　his　shoulder；　and

pointed　to　the　half　open　door　into　the　hall。　This　man

was　shouting　close　to　his　ear　and　yet　what　was　said

was　indistinct　because　of　the　tremendous　uproar　from

the　great　theatre。　Behind　the　man　was　a　girl　in　a

silvery　grey　robe；　whom　Graham；　even　in　this　confusion；　

perceived　to　be　beautiful。　Her　dark　eyes；　full

of　wonder　and　curiosity；…were　fixed　on　him；　her　lips

trembled　apart。　A　partially　opened　door　gave　a

glimpse　of　the　crowded　hall；　and　admitted　a　vast

uneven　tumult；　a　hammering；　clapping　and　shouting

that　died　away　and　began　again；　and　rose　to　a　thunderous　

pitch；　and　so　continued　intermittently　all　the　time

that　Graham　remained　in　the　little　room。　He　watched

the　lips　of　the　man　in　black　and　gathered　that　he　was

making　some　clumsy　explanation。



He　stared　stupidly　for　some　moments　at　these　things

and　then　stood　up　abruptly；　he　grasped　the　arm　of　this

shouting　person。



〃Tell　me　！〃　he　cried。　〃　Who　am　I？　Who　am　I？〃



The　others　came　nearer　to　hear　his　words。　〃Who

am　I？〃　His　eyes　searched　their　faces。



〃They　have　told　him　nothing！〃　cried　the　girl。



〃Tell　me；　tell　me　！〃　cried　Graham。



〃You　are　the　Master　of　the　Earth。　You　are　owner

of　half　the　world。〃



He　did　not　believe　he　heard　aright。　He　resisted

the　persuasion。　He　pretended　not　to　understand；　not

to　hear。　He　lifted　his　voice　again。　〃I　have　been

awake　three　daysa　prisoner　three　days。　I　judge

there　is　some　struggle　between　a　number　of　people　in

this　cityit　is　London？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　younger　man。



〃And　those　who　meet　in　the　great　hall　with　the

white　Atlas？　How　does　it　concern　me？　In　some

way　it　has　to　do　with　me。　Why；　I　don't　know。

Drugs？　It　seems　to　me　that　while　I　have　slept　the

world　has　gone　mad。　I　have　gone　mad。〃



〃Who　are　those　Councillors　under　the　Atlas？　Why

should　they　try　to　drug　me？〃



〃To　keep　you　insensible；〃　said　the　man　in　yellow。



〃To　prevent　your　interference。〃



〃　But　_why？__〃



〃Because　__you__　are　the　Atlas；　Sire；〃　said　the　man　in

yellow。　〃The　world　is　on　your　shoulders。　They

rule　it　in　your　name。〃



The　sounds　from　the　hall　had　died　into　a　silence

threaded　by　one　monotonous　voice。　Now　suddenly；

trampling　on　these　last　words；　came　a　deafening

tumult；　a　roaring　and　thundering；　cheer　crowded　on

cheer；　voices　hoarse　and　shrill；　beating；　overlapping；

and　while　it　lasted　the　people　in　the　little　room　could

not　hear　each　other　shout。



Graham　stood；　his　intelligence　clinging　helplessly

to　the　thing　he　had　just　heard。　〃The　Council；〃　he

repeated　blankly；　and　then　snatched　at　a　name　that

had　struck　him。　〃But　who　is　Ostrog？〃　he　said。



〃He　is　the　organiserthe　organiser　of　the　revolt。

Our　Leaderin　your　name。〃



〃In　my　name？　And　you？　Why　is　he　not

here？〃



〃Hehas　deputed　us。　I　am　his　brotherhis

half…brother；　Lincoln。　He　wants　you　to　show　yourself

to　these　people　and　then　come　on　to　him。　That　is

why　he　has　sent。　He　is　at　the　wind…vane　offices　

directing。　The　people　are　marching。〃



〃In　your　name；〃　shouted　the　younger　man。　〃They

have　ruled；　crushed；　tyrannised。　At　last　even〃



〃In　my　name！　My　name！　Master？〃



The　younger　man　suddenly　became　audible　in　a

pause　of　the　outer　thunder；　indignant　and　vociferous；

a　high　penetrating　voice　under　his　red　aquiline　nose

and　bushy　moustache。　〃No　one　expected　you　to

wake。　No　one　expected　you　to　wake。　They　were

cunning。　Damned　tyrants！　But　they　were　taken　by

surprise。　They　did　not　know　whether　to　drug　you；

hypnotise　you；　kill　you。〃



Again　the　hall　dominated　everything。



〃Ostrog　is　at　the　wind…vane　offices　ready。　Even

now　there　is　a　rumour　of　fighting　beginning。〃



The　man　who　had　called　himself　Lincoln　came　close

to　him。　〃Ostrog　has　it　planned。　Trust　him。　We

have　our　organisations　ready。　We　shall　seize　the

flying　stages。　Even　now　he　may　be　doing　that。

Then〃



〃This　public　theatre；〃　bawled　the　man　in　yellow；

〃is　only　a　contingent。　We　have　five　myriads　of

drilled　men〃



〃We　have　arms；〃　cried　Lincoln。　〃We　have　plans。

A　leader。　Their　police　have　gone　from　the　streets

and　are　massed　in　the〃　（inaudible）。〃　It　is　now　or

never。　The　Council　is　rocking　They　cannot　trust

even　their　drilled　men〃



〃Hear　the　people　calling　to　you！〃



Graham's　mind　was　like　a　night　of　moon　and　swift

clouds；　now　dark　and　hopeless；　now　clear　and　ghastly。

He　was　Master　of　the　Earth；　he　was　a　man　sodden

with　thawing　snow。　Of　all　his　fluctuating　impressions

the　dominant　ones　presented　an　antagonism；　on　the

one　hand　was　the　White　Council；　powerful；　disciplined；

few；　the　White　Council　from　which　he　had　just

escaped；　and　on　the　other；　monstrous　crowds；　packed

masses　of　indistinguishable　people　clamouring　his

name；　hailing　him　Master。　The　other　side　had

imprisoned　him；　debated　his　death。　These　shouting

thousands　beyond　the　little　doorway　had　rescued　him。

But　why　these　things　should　be　so　he　could　not

understand。



The　door　opened；　Lincoln's　voice　was　swept　away

and　drowned；　and　a　rush　of　people　followed　on　the

heels　of　the　tumult。　These　intruders　came　towards

him　and　Lincoln　gesticulating。　The　voices　without

explained　their　soundless　lips。　〃Show　us　the　Sleeper；

show　us　the　Sleeper！〃　was　the　burden　of　the　uproar

Men　were　bawling　for　〃Order！　Silence！〃



Graham　glanced　towards　the　open　doorway；　and

saw　a　tall；　oblong　picture　of　the　hall　beyond；　a　

waving；　incessant　confusion　of　crowded；　shouting　faces；

men　and　women　together；　waving　pale　blue　garments；

extended　hands。　Many　were　standing；　one　man　in

rags　of　dark　brown；　a　gaunt　figure；　stood　on　the　seat

and　waved　a　black　cloth。　He　met　the　wonder　and

expectation　of　the　girl's　eyes。　What　did　these　people

expect　from　him。　He　was　dimly　aware　that　the

tumult　outside　had　changed　its　character；　was　in　some

way　beating；　marching。　His　own　mind；　too；　changed。

for　a　space　he　did　not　recognise　the　influence　that

was　transforming　him。　But　a　moment　that　was　near

to　panic　passed。　He　tried　to　make　audible　inquiries

of　what　was　required　of　him。



Lincoln　was　shouting　in　his　ear；　but　Graham　was

deafened　to　that。　All　the　others　save　the　woman　

gesticulated　towards　the　hall。　He　perceived　what　had

happened　to　the　uproar。　The　whole　mass　of　people

was　chanting　together。　It　was　not　simply　a　song；　the

voices　were　gathered　together　and　upborne　by　a　torrent　

of　instrumental　music；　music　like　the　music　of

an　organ；　a　woven　texture　of　sounds；　full　of　trumpets；

full　of　flaunting　banners；　full　of　the　march　and

pageantry　of　opening　war。　And　the　feet　of　the　people

were　beating　timetramp；　tramp。



He　was　urged　towards　the　door。　He　obeyed

mechanically。　The　strength　of　that　chant　took　hold

of　him；　stirred　him；　emboldened　him。　The　hall　opened

to　him；　a　vast　welter　of　fluttering　colour　swaying　to

the　music。



〃Wave　your　arm　to　them；〃　said　Lincoln。　〃Wave

your　arm　to　them。〃



〃This；