when the sleeper wakes-第23节

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a　black　edge　came　up　and　hid　it。　He　stumbled　at

steps　and　found　himself　in　a　gallery。　He　heard　a

sobbing；　and　found　two　scared　little　girls　crouched

by　a　railing。　These　children　became　silent　at　the

near　sound　of　feet。　He　tried　to　console　them；　but

they　were　very　still　until　he　left　them。　Then　as　he

receded　he　could　hear　them　sobbing　again。



Presently　he　found　himself　at　the　foot　of　a　staircase

and　near　a　wide　opening。　He　saw　a　dim　twilight

above　this　and　ascended　out　of　the　blackness　into　a

street　of　moving　Ways　again。　Along　this　a　disorderly

swarm　of　people　marched　shouting。　They　were　singing　

snatches　of　the　song　of　the　revolt；　most　of　them

out　of　tune。　Here　and　there　torches　flared　creating

brief　hysterical　shadows。　He　asked　his　way　and　was

twice　puzzled　by　that　same　thick　dialect。　His　third

attempt　won　an　answer　he　could　understand。　He　was

two　miles　from　the　wind…vane　offices　in　Westminster；

but　the　way　was　easy　to　follow。



When　at　last　he　did　approach　the　district　of　the

wind…vane　offices　it　seemed　to　him；　from　the　cheering

processions　that　came　marching　along　the　Ways；　from

the　tumult　of　rejoicing；　and　finally　from　the　restoration

of　the　lighting　of　the　city；　that　the　overthrow　of　the

Council　must　already　be　accomplished。　And　still　no

news　of　his　absence　came　to　his　ears。



The　re…illumination　of　the　city　came　with　startling

abruptness。　Suddenly　he　stood　blinking；　all　about

him　men　halted　dazzled；　and　the　world　was　incandescent。　

The　light　found　him　already　upon　the　outskirts　

of　the　excited　crowds　that　choked　the　Ways　near

the　wind…vane　offices；　and　the　sense　of　visibility　and

exposure　that　came　with　it　turned　his　colourless　

intention　of　joining　Ostrog　to　a　keen　anxiety。



For　a　time　he　was　jostled；　obstructed；　and　endangered　

by　men　hoarse　and　weary　with　cheering　his

name；　some　of　them　bandaged　and　bloody　in　his

cause。　The　frontage　of　the　wind…vane　offices　was　

illuminated　by　some　moving　picture；　but　what　it　was　he

could　not　see；　because　in　spite　of　his　strenuous　attempts

the　density　of　the　crowd　prevented　his　approaching　it。

From　the　fragments　of　speech　he　caught；　he　judged

it　conveyed　news　of　the　fighting　about　the　Council

House。　Ignorance　and　indecision　made　him　slow　and

ineffective　in　his　movements。　For　a　time　he　could

not　conceive　how　he　was　to　get　within　the　unbroken

facade　of　this　place。　He　made　his　way　slowly　into

the　midst　of　this　mass　of　people；　until　he　realised　that

the　descending　staircase　of　the　central　Way　led　to　the

interior　of　the　buildings。　This　gave　him　a　goal；　but

the　crowding　in　the　central　path　was　so　dense　that　it

was　long　before　he　could　reach　it。　And　even　then

he　encountered　intricate　obstruction；　and　had　an　hour

of　vivid　argument　first　in　this　guard　room　and　then

in　that　before　he　could　get　a　note　taken　to　the　one

man　of　all　men　who　was　most　eager　to　see　him。　His

story　was　laughed　to　scorn　at　one　place；　and　wiser　for

that；　when　at　last　he　reached　a　second　stairway　he　professed　

simply　to　have　news　of　extraordinary　importance　

for　Ostrog。　What　it　was　he　would　not　say。

They　sent　his　note　reluctantly。　For　a　long　time　he

waited　in　a　little　room　at　the　foot　of　the　lift　shaft；　and

thither　at　last　came　Lincoln；　eager；　apologetic；　

astonished。　He　stopped　in　the　doorway　scrutinising　

Graham；　then　rushed　forward　effusively。



〃Yes；〃　he　cried。　〃It　is　you。　And　you　are　not

dead！〃



Graham　made　a　brief　explanation。



〃My　brother　is　waiting；〃　explained　Lincoln。　〃He

is　alone　in　the　wind…vane　offices。　We　feared　you　had

been　killed　in　the　theatre。　He　doubtedand　things

are　very　urgent　still　in　spite　of　what　we　are　telling

them　__there__or　he　would　have　come　to　you。〃



They　ascended　a　lift；　passed　along　a　narrow　passage；

crossed　a　great　hall；　empty　save　for　two　hurrying　

messengers；　and　entered　a　comparatively　little　room；　whose

only　furniture　was　a　long　settee　and　a　large　oval　disc

of　cloudy；　shifting　grey；　hung　by　cables　from　the　wall。

There　Lincoln　left　Graham　for　a　space；　and　he　

remained　alone　without　understanding　the　shifting

smoky　shapes　that　drove　slowly　across　this　disc。



His　attention　was　arrested　by　a　sound　that　began

abruptly。　It　was　cheering；　the　frantic　cheering　of　a

vast　but　very　remote　crowd；　a　roaring　exultation。

This　ended　as　sharply　as　it　had　begun；　like　a　sound

heard　between　the　opening　and　shutting　of　a　door。

In　the　outer　room　was　a　noise　of　hurrying　steps　and

a　melodious　clinking　as　if　a　loose　chain　was　running

over　the　teeth　of　a　wheel。



Then　he　heard　the　voice　of　a　woman；　the　rustle　of

unseen　garments。　〃It　is　Ostrog！〃　he　heard　her　say。

A　little　bell　rang　fitfully；　and　then　everything　was　still

again。



Presently　came　voices；　footsteps　and　movement

without。　The　footsteps　of　some　one　person　detached

itself　from　the　other　sounds　and　drew　near；　firm；

evenly　measured　steps。　The　curtain　lifted　slowly。　A

tall；　white…haired　man；　clad　in　garments　of　cream

coloured　silk；　appeared；　regarding　Graham　from　under

his　raised　arm。



For　a　moment　the　white　form　remained　holding　the

curtain；　then　dropped　it　and　stood　before　it。　Graham's

first　impression　was　of　a　very　broad　forehead；　very

pale　blue　eyes　deep　sunken　under　white　brows；　an

aquiline　nose；　and　a　heavily…lined　resolute　mouth。　The

folds　of　flesh　over　the　eyes；　the　drooping　of　the　

corners　of　the　mouth　contradicted　the　upright　bearing；

and　said　the　man　was　old。　Graham　rose　to　his　feet

instinctively；　and　for　a　moment　the　two　men　stood

in　silence；　regarding　each　other。



〃You　are　Ostrog？〃　said　Graham。



〃I　am　Ostrog。〃



〃The　Boss？〃



〃So　I　am　called。〃



Graham　felt　the　inconvenience　of　the　silence。　〃I

have　to　thank　you　chiefly；　I　understand；　for　my　safety；〃

he　said　presently。



〃We　were　afraid　you　were　killed；〃　said　Ostrog。



〃Or　sent　to　sleep　againfor　ever。　We　have　been

doing　everything　to　keep　our　secretthe　secret　of

your　disappearance。　Where　have　you　been？　How

did　you　get　here？　〃



Graham　told　him　briefly。



Ostrog　listened　in　silence。



He　smiled　faintly。　〃Do　you　know　what　I　was

doing　when　they　came　to　tell　me　you　had　come？　〃



〃How　can　I　guess？〃



〃Preparing　your　double。〃



〃My　double？〃



〃A　man　as　like　you　as　we　could　find。　We　were

going　to　hypnotise　him；　to　save　him　the　difficulty　of

acting。　It　was　imperative。　The　whole　of　this　revolt

depends　on　the　idea　that　you　are　awake；　alive；　and　with

us。　Even　now　a　great　multitude　of　people　has　gathered　

in　the　theatre　clamouring　to　see　you。　They　do

not　trust　。　。　。　You　know；　of　coursesomething

of　your　position？　〃



〃Very　little；〃　said　Graham。



〃It　is　like　this。〃　Ostrog　walked　a　pace　or　two

into　the　room　and　turned。　〃You　are　absolute　owner；〃

he　said；　〃of　more　than　half　the　world。　As　a　result

of　that　you　are　practically　King。　Your　powers　are

limited　in　many　intricate　ways；　but　you　are　the　figure

head；　the　popular　symbol　of　government。　This　White

Council；　the　Council　of　Trustees　as　it　is　called　〃



〃I　have　heard　the　vague　outline　of　these　things。〃



〃I　wondered。〃



〃I　came　upon　a　garrulous　old　man。〃



〃I　see　。　。　。　Our　massesthe　word　comes

from　your　daysyou　know　of　course；　that　we　still

have　massesregard　you　as　our　actual　ruler。　Just

as　a　great　number　of　people　in　your　days　regarded　the

Crown　as　the　ruler。　They　are　discontentedthe

masses　all　over　the　earthwith　the　rule　of　your

Trustees。　For　the　most　part　it　is　the　old　discontent；

the　old　quarrel　of　the　common　man　with　his　

commonnessthe　misery　of　work　and　discipline　and　unfitness。　

But　your　Trustees　have　ruled　ill。　In　certain

matters；　in　the　administration　of　the　Labour　Companies；　

for　example；　they　have　been　unwise。　They

have　given　endless　opportunities。　Already　we　of　the

popular　party　were　agitating　for　reformswhen　your

waking　came。　Came！　If　it　had　been　contrived　it

could　not　have　come　more　opportunity。〃　He　smiled。

〃The　public　mind；　making　no　allowance　for　your

years　of　quiescence；　had　already　hit　on　the　thought

of　waking　you　and　appealing　to　you；　andFlash！〃



He　indicated　the　outbreak　by　a　gesture；　and　Graham

moved　his　head　to　show　that　he　understood。



〃The　Council　muddledquarreled。　They　always

do。　They　could　not　decide　what　to　do　with　you。

You　know　how　they　imprisoned　you？〃



〃I　see。　I　see。　And　nowwe　win？〃



〃We　win。　Indeed　we　win。　Tonight；　in　five　swift

hours。　Suddenly　we　struck　everywhere。　The　windvane　

people；　the　Labour　Company　and　its　millions；

burst　the　bonds。　We　got　the　pull　of　the　aeropiles。〃



He　paused。　〃Yes；〃　said　Graham；　guessing　that

aeropile　meant　flying　machine。



〃That　was；　of　course；　essential。　Or　they　could

have　got　away。　All　the　city　rose；　every　third　man

almost　was　in　it！　All　the　blue；　all　the　public　services；

save　only　just　a　few　aeronauts　and　about　half　the　red

police。　You　were　rescued；　and　their　own　police　of

the　Waysn