when the sleeper wakes-第18节

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with　a　leaping　of　faint　flashes　along　the　edge　of　the

further　ways。　By　their　light　Graham　saw　the　heads

and　bodies　of　a　number　of　men；　armed　with　weapons

like　those　of　his　guards；　leap　into　an　instant's　dim　

visibility。　The　whole　area　began　to　crackle；　to　flash　with

little　instantaneous　streaks　of　light；　and　abruptly　the

darkness　rolled　back　like　a　curtain。



A　glare　of　light　dazzled　his　eyes；　a　vast　seething

expanse　of　struggling　men　confused　his　mind。　A

shout；　a　burst　of　cheering；　came　across　the　ways。　He

looked　up　to　see　the　source　of　the　light。　A　man　hung

far　overhead　from　the　upper　part　of　a　cable；　holding　by

a　rope　the　blinding　star　that　had　driven　the　darkness

back。　He　wore　a　red　uniform。



Graham's　eyes　fell　to　the　ways　again。　A　wedge　of

red　a　little　way　along　the　vista　caught　his　eye。　He

saw　it　was　a　dense　mass　of　red…clad　men　jammed

the　higher　further　way；　their　backs　against　the　pitiless

cliff　of　building；　and　surrounded　by　a　dense　crowd　of

antagonists。　They　were　fighting。　Weapons　flashed

and　rose　and　fell；　heads　vanished　at　the　edge　of　the

contest；　and　other　heads　replaced　them；　the　little

flashes　from　the　green　weapons　became　little　jets　of

smoky　grey　while　the　light　lasted。



Abruptly　the　flare　was　extinguished　and　the　ways

were　an　inky　darkness　once　more；　a　tumultuous

mystery。



He　felt　something　thrusting　against　him。　He　was

being　pushed　along　the　gallery。　Someone　was　

shoutingit　might　be　at　him。　He　was　too　confused　to

hear。　He　was　thrust　against　the　wall；　and　a　number　of

people　blundered　past　him。　It　seemed　to　him　that　his

guards　were　struggling　with　one　another。



Suddenly　the　cable…hung　star…holder　appeared　again；

and　the　whole　scene　was　white　and　dazzling。　The

band　of　red…coats　seemed　broader　and　nearer；　its　apex

was　half…way　down　the　ways　towards　the　central　aisle。

And　raising　his　eyes　Graham　saw　that　a　number　of

these　men　had　also　appeared　now　in　the　darkened

lower　galleries　of　the　opposite　building；　and　were　firing

over　the　heads　of　their　fellows　below　at　the　boiling

confusion　of　people　on　the　lower　ways。　The　meaning

of　these　things　dawned　upon　him。　The　march　of　the

people　had　come　upon　an　ambush　at　the　very　outset。

Thrown　into　confusion　by　the　extinction　of　the　lights

they　were　now　being　attacked　by　the　red　police。　Then

he　became　aware　that　he　was　standing　alone；　that　his

guards　and　Lincoln　were　along　the　gallery　in　the

direction　along　which　he　had　come　before　the　darkness

fell。　He　saw　they　were　gesticulating　to　him　wildly；

running　back　towards　him。　A　great　shouting　came

from　across　the　ways。　Then　it　seemed　as　though　the

whole　face　of　the　darkened　building　opposite　was　lined

and　speckled　with　red…clad　men。　And　they　were　pointing　

over　to　him　and　shouting。　〃The　Sleeper！　Save

the　Sleeper！〃　shouted　a　multitude　of　throats。



Something　struck　the　wall　above　his　head。　He

looked　up　at　the　impact　and　saw　a　star…shaped　splash

of　silvery　metal。　He　saw　Lincoln　near　him。　Felt　his

arm　gripped。　Then；　pat；　pat；　he　had　been　missed

twice。



For　a　moment　he　did　not　understand　this。　The

street　was　hidden；　everything　was　hidden；　as　he　looked。

The　second　flare　had　burned　out。



Lincoln　had　gripped　Graham　by　the　arm；　was

lugging　him　along　the　gallery。　〃Before　the　next

light！〃　he　cried。　His　haste　was　contagious。　

Graham's　instinct　of　self…preservation　overcame　the　

paralysis　of　his　incredulous　astonishment。　He　became　for

a　time　the　blind　creature　of　the　fear　of　death。　He　ran；

stumbling　because　of　the　uncertainty　of　the　darkness；

blundered　into　his　guards　as　they　turned　to　run　with

him。　Haste　was　his　one　desire；　to　escape　this　perilous

gallery　upon　which　he　was　exposed。　A　third　glare

came　close　on　its　predecessors。　With　it　came　a　great

shouting　across　the　ways；　an　answering　tumult　from

the　ways。　The　red…coats　below；　he　saw；　had　now

almost　gained　the　central　passage。　Their　countless

faces　turned　towards　him；　and　they　shouted。　The

white　facade　opposite　was　densely　stippled　with　red。

All　these　wonderful　things　concerned　him；　turned　upon

him　as　a　pivot。　These　were　the　guards　of　the　Council

attempting　to　recapture　him。



Lucky　it　was　for　him　that　these　shots　were　the　first

fired　in　anger　for　a　hundred　and　fifty　years。　He　heard

bullets　whacking　over　his　head；　felt　a　splash　of　molten

metal　sting　his　ear；　and　perceived　without　looking　that

the　whole　opposite　facade；　an　unmasked　ambuscade　of

red　police；　was　crowded　and　bawling　and　firing　at　him。



Down　went　one　of　his　guards　before　him；　and　Graham；

unable　to　stop；　leapt　the　writhing　body。



In　another　second　he　had　plunged；　unhurt；　into　a

black　passage；　and　incontinently　someone；　coming；　it

may　be；　in　a　transverse　direction；　blundered　violently

into　him。　He　was　hurling　down　a　staircase　in　absolute　

darkness。　He　reeled；　and　was　struck　again；　and

came　against　a　wall　with　his　hands。　He　was　crushed

by　a　weight　of　struggling　bodies；　whirled　round；　and

thrust　to　the　right。　A　vast　pressure　pinned　him。　He

could　not　breathe；　his　ribs　seemed　cracking。　He　felt

a　momentary　relaxation；　and　then　the　whole　mass　of

people　moving　together；　bore　him　back　towards　the

great　theatre　from　which　he　had　so　recently　come。



There　were　moments　when　his　feet　did　not　touch　the

ground。　Then　he　was　staggering　and　shoving。　He

heard　shouts　of　〃They　are　coming！〃　and　a　muffled

cry　close　to　him。　His　foot　blundered　against　

something　soft；　he　heard　a　hoarse　scream　under　foot。　He

heard　shouts　of　〃The　Sleeper！〃　but　he　was　too　

confused　to　speak。　He　heard　the　green　weapons

crackling。　For　a　space　he　lost　his　individual　will；　

became　an　atom　in　a　panic；　blind；　unthinking；　mechanical。　

He　thrust　and　pressed　back　and　writhed　in　the

pressure；　kicked　presently　against　a　step；　and　found

himself　ascending　a　slope。　And　abruptly　the　faces　all

about　him　leapt　out　of　the　black；　visible；　ghastly…white

and　astonished；　terrified；　perspiring；　in　a　livid　glare。

One　face；　a　young　man's；　was　very　near　to　him；　not

twenty　inches　away。　At　the　time　it　was　but　a　passing

incident　of　no　emotional　value；　but　afterwards　it　came

back　to　him　in　his　dreams。　For　this　young　man；

wedged　upright　in　the　crowd　for　a　time；　had　been　shot

and　was　already　dead。



A　fourth　white　star　must　have　been　lit　by　the　man

on　the　cable。　Its　light　came　glaring　in　through　vast

windows　and　arches　and　showed　Graham　that　he　was

now　one　of　a　dense　mass　of　flying　black　figures　pressed

back　across　the　lower　area　of　the　great　theatre。　This

time　the　picture　was　livid　and　fragmentary　slashed

and　barred　with　black　shadows。　He　saw　that　quite

near　to　him　the　red　guards　were　fighting　their　way

through　the　people。　He　could　not　tell　whether　they

saw　him。　He　looked　for　Lincoln　and　his　guards。　He

saw　Lincoln　near　the　stage　of　the　theatre　surrounded

in　a　crowd　of　black…badged　revolutionaries；　lifted　up

and　staring　to　and　fro　as　if　seeking　him。　Graham　

perceived　that　he　himself　was　near　the　opposite　edge　of

the　crowd；　that　behind　him；　separated　by　a　barrier；

sloped　the　now　vacant　seats　of　the　theatre。　A　sudden

idea　came　to　him；　and　he　began　fighting　his　way

towards　the　barrier。　As　he　reached　it　the　glare　came

to　an　end。



In　a　moment　he　had　thrown　off　the　great　cloak　that

not　only　impeded　his　movements　but　made　him　

conspicuous；　and　had　slipped　it　from　his　shoulders。　He

heard　someone　trip　in　its　folds。　In　another　he　was

scaling　the　barrier　and　had　dropped　into　the　blackness

on　the　further　side。　Then　feeling　his　way　he　came　to

the　lower　end　of　an　ascending　gangway。　In　the　darkness　

the　sound　of　firing　ceased　and　the　roar　of　feet　and

voices　lulled。　Then　suddenly　he　came　to　an　unexpected　

step　and　tripped　and　fell。　As　he　did　so　pools

and　islands　amidst　the　darkness　about　him　leapt　to

vivid　light　again；　the　uproar　surged　louder　and　the

glare　of　the　fifth　white　star　shone　through　the　vast

fenestrations　of　the　theatre　walls。



He　rolled　over　among　some　seats；　heard　a　shouting

and　the　whirring　rattle　of　weapons；　struggled　up　and

was　knocked　back　again；　perceived　that　a　number　of

black…badged　men　were　all　about　him　firing　at　the　rebels

below；　leaping　from　seat　to　seat；　crouching　among　the

seats　to　reload。　Instinctively　he　crouched　amidst　the

seats；　as　stray　shots　ripped　the　pneumatic　cushions　and

cut　bright　slashes　on　their　soft　metal　frames。

Instinctively　he　marked　the　direction　of　the　gangways；　the

most　plausible　way　of　escape　for　him　so　soon　as　the

veil　of　darkness　fell　again。



A　young　man　in　faded　blue　garments　came　vaulting

over　the　seats。　〃Hullo！〃　he　said；　with　his　flying　feet

within　six　inches　of　the　crouching　Sleeper's　face。



He　stared　without　any　sign　of　recognition；　turned

to　fire；　fired；　and；　shouting；　〃To　hell　with　the　Council！〃　

was　about　to　fire　again。　Then　it　seemed　to　Graham　

that　the　half　of　this　man's　neck　had　vanished。　A

drop　of　moisture　fell　on　G