when the sleeper wakes-第19节

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

drop　of　moisture　fell　on　Graham's　cheek。　The　green

weapon　stopped　half　raised。　For　a　moment　the　man

stood　still　with　his　face　suddenly　expressionless；　then

he　began　to　slant　forward。　His　knees　bent。　Man　and

darkness　fell　together。　At　the　sound　of　his　fall　Graham　

rose　up　and　ran　for　his　life　until　a　step　down　to

the　gangway　tripped　him。　He　scrambled　to　his　feet；

turned　up　the　gangway　and　ran　on。



When　the　sixth　star　glared　he　was　already　close　to

the　yawning　throat　of　a　passage。　He　ran　on　the

swifter　for　the　light；　entered　the　passage　and　turned　a

corner　into　absolute　night　again。　He　was　knocked

sideways；　rolled　over；　and　recovered　his　feet。　He

found　himself　one　of　a　crowd　of　invisible　fugitives

pressing　in　one　direction。　His　one　thought　now　was

their　thought　also；　to　escape　out　of　this　fighting。　He

thrust　and　struck；　staggered；　ran；　was　wedged　tightly；

lost　ground　and　then　was　clear　again。



For　some　minutes　he　was　running　through　the　darkness　

along　a　winding　passage；　and　then　he　crossed

some　wide　and　open　space；　passed　down　a　long　incline；

and　came　at　last　down　a　flight　of　steps　to　a　level　place。

Many　people　were　shouting；　〃They　are　coming！　The

guards　are　coming。　They　are　firing。　Get　out　of　the

fighting。　The　guards　are　firing。　It　will　be　safe　in

Seventh　Way。　Along　here　to　Seventh　Way！〃　There

were　women　and　children　in　the　crowd　as　well　as　men。

Men　called　names　to　him。　The　crowd　converged　on

an　archway；　passed　through　a　short　throat　and

emerged　on　a　wider　space　again；　lit　dimly。　The　black

figures　about　him　spread　out　and　ran　up　what　seemed

in　the　twilight　to　be　a　gigantic　series　of　steps。　He　

followed。　The　people　dispersed　to　the　right　and　left。

。　。　。　He　perceived　that　he　was　no　longer　in　a

crowd。　He　stopped　near　the　highest　step。　Before

him；　on　that　level；　were　groups　of　seats　and　a　little

kiosk。　He　went　up　to　this　and；　stopping　in　the　shadow

of　its　eaves；　looked　about　him　panting。



Everything　was　vague　and　gray；　but　he　recognised

that　these　great　steps　were　a　series　of　platforms　of　the

〃ways；〃　now　motionless　again。　The　platform　slanted

up　on　either　side；　and　the　tall　buildings　rose　beyond；

vast　dim　ghosts；　their　inscriptions　and　advertisements

indistinctly　seen；　and　up　through　the　girders　and

cables　was　a　faint　interrupted　ribbon　of　pallid　sky。　A

number　of　people　hurried　by。　From　their　shouts　and

voices；　it　seemed　they　were　hurrying　to　join　the　

fighting。　Other　less　noisy　figures　flitted　timidly　among　the

shadows。



From　very　far　away　down　the　street　he　could　hear

the　sound　of　a　struggle。　But　it　was　evident　to　him

that　this　was　not　the　street　into　which　the　theatre

opened。　That　former　fight；　it　seemed；　had　suddenly

dropped　out　of　sound　and　hearing。　Andgrotesque

thought！they　were　fighting　for　him！



For　a　space　he　was　like　a　man　who　pauses　in　the

reading　of　a　vivid　book；　and　suddenly　doubts　what　he

has　been　taking　unquestioningly。　At　that　time　he　had

little　mind　for　details；　the　whole　effect　was　a　huge

astonishment。　Oddly　enough；　while　the　flight　from

the　Council　prison；　the　great　crowd　in　the　hall；　and

the　attack　of　the　red　police　upon　the　swarming　people

were　clearly　present　in　his　mind；　it　cost　him　an　effort

to　piece　in　his　awakening　and　to　revive　the　meditative

interval　of　the　Silent　Rooms。　At　first　his　memory

leapt　these　things　and　took　him　back　to　the　cascade

at　Pentargen　quivering　in　the　wind；　and　all　the　sombre

splendours　of　the　sunlit　Cornish　coast。　The　contrast

touched　everything　with　unreality。　And　then　the　gap

filled；　and　he　began　to　comprehend　his　position。



It　was　no　longer　absolutely　a　riddle；　as　it　had　been

in　the　Silent　Rooms。　At　least　he　had　the　strange；

bare　outline　now。　He　was　in　some　way　the　owner　of

half　the　world；　and　great　political　parties　were　fighting

to　possess　him。　On　the　one　hand　was　the　White　Council；　

with　its　red　police；　set　resolutely；　it　seemed；　on　the

usurpation　of　his　property　and　perhaps　his　murder；　on

the　other；　the　revolution　that　had　liberated　him；　with

this　unseen　〃Ostrog〃　as　its　leader。　And　the　whole

of　this　gigantic　city　was　convulsed　by　their　struggle。

Frantic　development　of　his　world！　〃I　do　not　under…

stand；〃　he　cried。　〃I　do　not　understand！〃



He　had　slipped　out　between　the　contending　parties

into　this　liberty　of　the　twilight。　What　would　happen

next？　What　was　happening？　He　figured　the　redclad　

men　as　busily　hunting　him；　driving　the　blackbadged　

revolutionists　before　them。



At　any　rate　chance　had　given　him　a　breathing　space。

He　could　lurk　unchallenged　by　the　passers…by；　and

watch　the　course　of　things。　His　eye　followed　up　the

intricate　dim　immensity　of　the　twilight　buildings；　and

it　came　to　him　as　a　thing　infinitely　wonderful；　that

above　there　the　sun　was　rising；　and　the　world　was　lit

and　glowing　with　the　old　familiar　light　of　day。　In　a

little　while　he　had　recovered　his　breath。　His　clothing

had　already　dried　upon　him　from　the　snow。



He　wandered　for　miles　along　these　twilight　ways；

speaking　to　no　one；　accosted　by　no　onea　dark

figure　among　dark　figuresthe　coveted　man　out　of

the　past；　the　inestimable　unintentional　owner　of　half

the　world。　Wherever　there　were　lights　or　dense

crowds；　or　exceptional　excitement　he　was　afraid　of

recognition；　and　watched　and　turned　back　or　went　up

and　down　by　the　middle　stairways；　into　some　transverse　

system　of　ways　at　a　lower　or　higher　level。　And

though　he　came　on　no　more　fighting；　the　whole　city

stirred　with　battle。　Once　he　had　to　run　to　avoid　a

marching　multitude　of　men　that　swept　the　street。

Everyone　abroad　seemed　involved。　For　the　most　part

they　were　men；　and　they　carried　what　he　judged　were

weapons。　It　seemed　as　though　the　struggle　was　

concentrated　mainly　in　the　quarter　of　the　city　from　which

he　came。　Ever　and　again　a　distant　roaring；　the　remote

suggestion　of　that　conflict；　reached　his　ears。　Then　his

caution　and　his　curiosity　struggled　together。　But　his

caution　prevailed；　and　he　continued　wandering　away

from　the　fightingso　far　as　he　could　judge。　He

went　unmolested；　unsuspected　through　the　dark。

After　a　time　he　ceased　to　hear　even　a　remote　echo　of

the　battle；　fewer　and　fewer　people　passed　him；　until　at

last　the　Titanic　streets　became　deserted。　The　

frontges　of　the　buildings　grew　plain　and　harsh；　he　seemed

to　have　come　to　a　district　of　vacant　warehouses。　

Solitude　crept　upon　himhis　pace　slackened。



He　became　aware　of　a　growing　fatigue。　At　times

he　would　turn　aside　and　seat　himself　on　one　of　the

numerous　seats　of　the　upper　ways。　But　a　feverish

restlessness；　the　knowledge　of　his　vital　implication　in

his　struggle；　would　not　let　him　rest　in　any　place　for

long。　Was　the　struggle　on　his　behalf　alone？



And　then　in　a　desolate　place　came　the　shock　of　an

earthquakea　roaring　and　thunderinga　mighty

wind　of　cold　air　pouring　through　the　city；　the　smash

of　glass；　the　slip　and　thud　of　falling　masonrya

sieries　of　gigantic　concussions。　A　mass　of　glass　and

ironwork　fell　from　the　remote　roofs　into　the　middle

gallery；　not　a　hundred　yards　away　from　him；　and　in

the　distance　were　shouts　and　running。　He；　too；　was

startled　to　an　aimless　activity；　and　ran　first　one　way

and　then　as　aimlessly　back。



A　man　came　running　towards　him。　His　self…control

returned。　〃What　have　they　blown　up？〃　asked　the

man　breathlessly。　〃That　was　an　explosion；〃　and　before

Graham　could　speak　he　had　hurried　on。



The　great　buildings　rose　dimly；　veiled　by　a　perplexing　

twilight；　albeit　the　rivulet　of　sky　above　was　now

bright　with　day。　He　noted　many　strange　features；

understanding　none　at　the　time；　he　even　spelt　out

many　of　the　inscriptions　in　Phonetic　lettering。　But

what　profits　it　to　decipher　a　confusion　of　odd…looking

letters　resolving　itself；　after　painful　strain　of　eye　and

mind；　into　〃Here　is　Eadhamite；〃　or；　〃Labour　Bureau

Little　Side？〃　Grotesque　thought；　that　in　all

probability　some　or　all　of　these　cliff…like　houses　were

his！



The　perversity　of　his　experience　came　to　him　vividly。　

In　actual　fact　he　had　made　such　a　leap　in　time

as　romancers　have　imagined　again　and　again。　And

that　fact　realised；　he　had　been　prepared；　his　mind　had；

as　it　were；　seated　itself　for　a　spectacle。　And　no　

spectacle；　but　a　great　vague　danger；　unsympathetic

shadows　and　veils　of　darkness。　Somewhere　through

the　labyrinthine　obscurity　his　death　sought　him。

Would　he；　after　all；　be　killed　before　he　saw？　It　might

be　that　even　at　the　next　shadowy　corner　his　destruction　

ambushed。　A　great　desire　to　see；　a　great　longing

to　know；　arose　in　him。



He　became　fearful　of　corners。　It　seemed　to　him

that　there　was　safety　in　concealment。　Where　could

he　hide　to　be　inconspicuous　when　the　lights　returned？

At　last　he　sat　down　upon　a　seat　in　a　recess　on　one

of　the　higher　ways；　conceiving　he　was　alone　there。



He　squeezed　his　knuckles　into　his　weary　eyes。　

Suppose　w