when the sleeper wakes-第25节

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to　show　Graham　what　he　meant　by　flying　stages。

Even　the　four　nearer　ones　were　remote　and　obscured

by　a　thin　morning　haze。　But　Graham　could　perceive

they　were　very　vast　structures；　judged　even　by　the

standard　of　the　things　about　them。



And　then　as　these　dim　shapes　passed　to　the　left

there　came　again　the　sight　of　the　expanse　across　which

the　disarmed　men　in　red　had　been　marching。　And

then　the　black　ruins；　and　then　again　the　beleaguered

white　fastness　of　the　Council。　It　appeared　no　longer

a　ghostly　pile；　but　glowing　amber　in　the　sunlight；　for

a　cloud　shadow　had　passed。　About　it　the　pigmy

struggle　still　hung　in　suspense；　but　now　the　red　

defenders　were　no　longer　firing。



So；　in　a　dusky　stillness；　the　man　from　the　nineteenth　

century　saw　the　closing　scene　of　the　great

revolt；　the　forcible　establishment　of　his　rule。　With　a

quality　of　startling　discovery　it　came　to　him　that　this

was　his　world；　and　not　that　other　he　had　left　behind；

that　this　was　no　spectacle　to　culminate　and　cease；　that

in　this　world　lay　whatever　life　was　still　before　him；　lay

all　his　duties　and　dangers　and　responsibilities。　He

turned　with　fresh　questions。　Ostrog　began　to　answer

them；　and　then　broke　off　abruptly。　〃But　these　things

I　must　explain　more　fully　later。　At　present　there　are

duties。　The　people　are　coming　by　the　moving

ways　towards　this　ward　from　every　part　of　the　city

the　markets　and　theatres　are　densely　crowded。　You

are　just　in　time　for　them。　They　are　clamouring　to

see　you。　And　abroad　they　want　to　see　you。　Paris；

New　York；　Chicago；　Denver；　Caprithousands　of

cities　are　up　and　in　a　tumult；　undecided；　and　

clamouring　to　see　you。　They　have　clamoured　that　you　should

be　awakened　for　years；　and　now　it　is　done　they　will

scarcely　believe〃



But　surelyI　can't　go　。　。　。〃　



Ostrog　answered　from　the　other　side　of　the　room；　1。

and　the　picture　on　the　oval　disc　paled　and　vanished　'

as　the　light　jerked　back　again。〃　There　are　

kinetotele…photographs；〃　he　said。　〃As　you　bow　to　the　

people　hereall　over　the　world　myriads　of　myriads　of

people；　packed　and　still　in　darkened　halls；　will　see　you

also。　In　black　and　white；　of　coursenot　like　this。

And　you　will　hear　their　shouts　reinforcing　the　shouting

in　the　hall。



〃And　there　is　an　optical　contrivance　we　shall　use；〃

said　Ostrog；　〃used　by　some　of　the　posturers　and

women　dancers。　It　may　be　novel　to　you。　You　stand

in　a　very　bright　light；　and　they　see　not　you　but　a

magnified　image　of　you　thrown　on　a　screenso　that

even　the　furtherest　man　in　the　remotest　gallery　can；

if　he　chooses；　count　your　eyelashes。〃



Graham　clutched　desperately　at　one　of　the　questions

in　his　mind。　〃What　is　the　population　of　London？〃



〃Eight　and　twaindy　myriads。〃



〃Eight　and　what？　〃



〃More　than　thirty…three　millions。〃　　　　　　　　



These　figures　went　beyond　Graham's　imagination

〃You　will　be　expected　to　say　something；〃　said

Ostrog。　〃Not　what　you　used　to　call　a　Speech；　but

what　our　people　call　a　Wordjust　one　sentence；　six

or　seven　words。　Something　formal。　If　I　might　

suggest'　I　have　awakened　and　my　heart　is　with　you。'

That　is　the　sort　of　thing　they　want。〃



〃　What　was　that？　〃　asked　Graham。



〃'I　am　awakened　and　my　heart　is　with　you。'　And

bowbow　royally。　But　first　we　must　get　you　black

robesfor　black　is　your　colour。　Do　you　mind？

And　then　they　will　disperse　to　their　homes。〃



Graham　hesitated。　〃I　am　in　your　hands；〃　he　said。



Ostrog　was　clearly　of　that　opinion。　He　thought

for　a　moment；　turned　to　the　curtain　and　called　brief

directions　to　some　unseen　attendants。　Almost　immediately　

a　black　robe；　the　very　fellow　of　the　black　robe

Graham　had　worn　in　the　theatre；　was　brought。　And

as　he　threw　it　about　his　shoulders　there　came　from

the　room　without　the　shrilling　of　a　high…pitched　bell。

Ostrog　turned　in　interrogation　to　the　attendant；　then

suddenly　seemed　to　change　his　mind；　pulled　the　

curtain　aside　and　disappeared。



For　a　moment　Graham　stood　with　the　deferential

attendant　listening　to　Ostrog's　retreating　steps。

There　was　a　sound　of　quick　question　and　answer　and

of　men　running。　The　curtain　was　snatched　back　and

Ostrog　reappeared；　his　massive　face　glowing　with

excitement。　He　crossed　the　room　in　a　stride；　clicked

the　room　into　darkness；　gripped　Grahams　arm　and

pointed　to　the　mirror。



〃Even　as　we　turned　away；〃　he　said。



Graham　saw　his　index　finger；　black　and　colossal；

above　the　mirrored　Council　House。　For　a　moment

he　did　not　understand。　And　then　he　perceived　that

the　flagstaff　that　had　carried　the　white　banner　was

bare。



〃Do　you　mean？〃　he　began。



〃The　Council　has　surrendered。　Its　rule　is　at　an

end　for　evermore。〃



〃Look！〃　and　Ostrog　pointed　to　a　coil　of　black　that

crept　in　little　jerks　up　the　vacant　flagstaff；　unfolding

as　it　rose。



The　oval　picture　paled　as　Lincoln　pulled　the　curtain

aside　and　entered。



〃They　are　clamourous；〃　he　said。



Ostrog　kept　his　grip　of　Graham's　arm。



〃We　have　raised　the　people；〃　he　said。　〃We　have

given　them　arms。　For　today　at　least　their　wishes

must　be　law。〃



Lincoln　held　the　Curtain　open　for　Graham　and

Ostrog　to　pass　through。



On　his　way　to　the　markets　Graham　had　a　transitory

glance　of　a　long　narrow　white…walled　room　in　which

men　in　the　universal　blue　canvas　were　carrying　

covered　things　like　biers；　and　about　which　men　in　medical

purple　hurried　to　and　fro。　From　this　room　came

groans　and　wailing。　He　had　an　impression　of　an

empty　blood…stained　couch；　of　men　on　other　couches；

bandaged　and　blood…stained。　It　was　just　a　glimpse

from　a　railed　footway　and　then　a　buttress　hid　the　place

and　they　were　going　on　towards　the　markets。



The　roar　of　the　multitude　was　near　now：　it　leapt　to

thunder。　And；　arresting　his　attention；　a　fluttering　of

black　banners；　the　waving　of　blue　canvas　and　brown

rags；　and　the　swarming　vastness　of　the　theatre　near

the　public　markets　came　into　view　down　a　long　

passage。　The　picture　opened　out。　He　perceived　they

were　entering　the　great　theatre　of　his　first　appearance；

the　Freat　theatre　he　had　last　seen　as　a　chequer…work

of　glare　and　blackness　in　his　flight　from　the　red　police。

This　time　he　entered　it　along　a　gallery　at　a　level　high

above　the　stage。　The　place　was　now　brilliantly

lit　again。　He　sought　the　gangway　up　which　he　had

fled；　but　he　could　not　tell　it　from　among　its　dozens　of

fellows；　nor　could　he　see　anything　of　the　smashed

seats；　deflated　cushions；　and　such　like　traces　of

the　fight　because　of　the　density　of　the　people。　Except

the　stage　the　whole　place　was　closely　packed。　Looking　

down　the　effect　was　a　vast　area　of　stippled　pink；

each　dot　a　still　upturned　face　regarding　him。　At　his

appearance　with　Ostrog　the　cheering　died　away；　the

singing　died　away；　a　common　interest　stilled　and　

unified　the　disorder。　It　seemed　as　though　every　

individual　of　those　myriads　was　watching　him。



CHAPTER　XIII



THE　END　OF　THE　OLD　ORDER



So　far　as　Graham　was　able　to　judge；　it　was　near

midday　when　the　white　banner　of　the　Council　fell。

But　some　hours　had　to　elapse　before　it　was　possible

to　effect　the　formal　capitulation；　and　so　after　he　had

spoken　his　〃Word〃　he　retired　to　his　new　apartments

in　the　wind…vane　offices。　The　continuous　excitement

of　the　last　twelve　hours　had　left　him　inordinately

fatigued；　even　his　curiosity　was　exhausted；　for　a　space

he　sat　inert　and　passive　with　open　eyes；　and　for　a　space

he　slept。　He　was　roused　by　two　medical　attendants；

come　prepared　with　stimulants　to　sustain　him　through

the　next　occasion。　After　he　had　taken　their　drugs

and　bathed　by　their　advice　in　cold　water；　he　felt　a

rapid　return　of　interest　and　energy；　and　was　presently

able　and　willing　to　accompany　Ostrog　through　several

miles　（as　it　seemed）　of　passages；　lifts；　and　slides　to　the

closing　scene　of　the　White　Council's　rule。



The　way　ran　deviously　through　a　maze　of　buildings。

They　came　at　last　to　a　passage　that　curved　about；　and

showed　broadening　before　him　an　oblong　opening；

clouds　hot　with　sunset；　and　the　ragged　skyline　of　the

ruinous　Council　House。　A　tumult　of　shouts　came

drifting　up　to　him。　In　another　moment　they　had　come

out　high　up　on　the　brow　of　the　cliff　of　torn　buildings

that　overhung　the　wreckage。　The　vast　area　opened

to　Graham's　eyes；　none　the　less　strange　and　wonderful

for　the　remote　view　he　had　had　of　it　in　the　oval　mirror。



This　rudely　amphitheatral　space　seemed　now　the

better　part　of　a　mile　to　its　outer　edge。　It　was　gold

lit　on　the　left　hand；　catching　the　sunlight；　and　below

and　to　the　right　clear　and　cold　in　the　shadow。　Above

the　shadowy　grey　Council　House　that　stood　in　the

midst　of　it；　the　great　black　banner　of　the　surrender

still　hung　in　sluggish　folds　against　the　blazing　sunset。

Severed　rooms；　halls　and　passages　gaped　strangely；

broken　masses　of　metal　projected　dismally　from　the

complex　wreckage；　vast　masses　of　twisted　cable

dropped　like　tangled　seaweed；　and