when the sleeper wakes-第26节

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complex　wreckage；　vast　masses　of　twisted　cable

dropped　like　tangled　seaweed；　and　from　its　base　came

a　tumult　of　innumerable　voices；　violent　concussions；

and　the　sound　of　trumpets。　All　about　this　great　white

pile　was　a　ring　of　desolation；　the　smashed　and　

blackened　masses；　the　gaunt　foundations　and　ruinous　lumber　

of　the　fabric　that　had　been　destroyed　by　the　

Council's　orders；　skeletons　of　girders；　Titanic　masses　of　wall；

forests　of　stout　pillars。　Amongst　the　sombre　wreckage　

beneath；　running　water　flashed　and　glistened；　and

far　away　across　the　space；　out　of　the　midst　of　a　vague

vast　mass　of　buildings；　there　thrust　the　twisted　end　of

a　water…main；　two　hundred　feet　in　the　air；　

thunderously　spouting　a　shining　cascade。　And　everywhere

great　multitudes　of　people。



Wherever　there　was　space　and　foothold；　people

swarmed；　little　people；　small　and　minutely　clear；　except

where　the　sunset　touched　them　to　indistinguishable

gold。　They　clambered　up　the　tottering　walls；　they

clung　in　wreaths　and　groups　about　the　high…standing

pillars。　They　swarmed　along　the　edges　of　the　circle

of　ruins。　The　air　was　full　of　their　shouting；　and

were　pressing　and　swaying　towards　the　central　space。



The　upper　storeys　of　the　Council　House　seemed

deserted；　not　a　human　being　was　visible。　Only　the

drooping　banner　of　the　surrender　hung　heavily　against

the　light。　The　dead　were　within　the　Council　House；

or　hidden　by　the　swarming　people；　or　carried　away。

Graham　could　see　only　a　few　neglected　bodies　in　gaps

and　corners　of　the　ruins；　and　amidst　the　flowing　water。



〃Will　you　let　them　see　you；　Sire？〃　said　Ostrog。

〃They　are　very　anxious　to　see　you。〃



Graham　hesitated；　and　then　walked　forward　to

where　the　broken　verge　of　wall　dropped　sheer。　He　I

stood　looking　down；　a　lonely；　tall；　black　figure　against

the　sky。



Very　slowly　the　swarming　ruins　became　aware　of

him。　And　as　they　did　so　little　bands　of　black…

uniformed　men　appeared　remotely；　thrusting　through　the

crowds　towards　the　Council　House。　He　saw　little

black　heads　become　pink；　looking　at　him；　saw　by　that

means　a　wave　of　recognition　sweep　across　the　space。

It　occurred　to　him　that　he　should　accord　them　some

recognition。　He　held　up　his　arm；　then　pointed　to　the

Council　House　and　dropped　his　hand。　The　voices

below　became　unanimous；　gathered　volume；　came　up

to　him　as　multitudinous　wavelets　of　cheering。



The　western　sky　was　a　pallid　bluish　green；　and

Jupiter　shone　high　in　the　south；　before　the　capitulation

was　accomplished。　Above　was　a　slow　insensible

change；　the　advance　of　night　serene　and　beautiful；

below　was　hurry；　excitement；　conflicting　orders；

pauses；　spasmodic　developments　of　organisation；　a

vast　ascending　clamour　and　confusion。　Before　the

Council　came　out；　toiling　perspiring　men；　directed　by

a　conflict　of　shouts；　carried　forth　hundreds　of　those

who　had　perished　in　the　hand…to…hand　conflict　within

those　long　passages　and　chambers。



Guards　in　black　lined　the　way　that　the　Council

would　come；　and　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach　into　the

hazy　blue　twilight　of　the　ruins；　and　swarming　now　at

every　possible　point　in　the　captured　Council　House

and　along　the　shattered　cliff　of　its　circumadjacent

buildings；　were　innumerable　people；　and　their　voices

even　when　they　were　not　cheering；　were　as　the　soughing　

of　the　sea　upon　a　pebble　beach。　Ostrog　had

chosen　a　huge　commanding　pile　of　crushed　and　over…

thrown　masonry；　and　on　this　a　stage　of　timbers　and

metal　girders　was　being　hastily　constructed。　Its

essential　parts　were　complete；　but　humming　and

clangorous　machinery　still　glared　fitfully　in　the

shadows　beneath　this　temporary　edifice。



The　stage　had　a　small　higher　portion　on　which　

Graham　stood　with　Ostrog　and　Lincoln　close　beside　him；

a　little　in　advance　of　a　group　of　minor　officers。　A

broader　lower　stage　surrounded　this　quarter　deck；　and

on　this　were　the　black…uniformed　guards　of　the　revolt

armed　with　the　little　green　weapons　whose　very　names

Graham　still　did　not　know。　Those　standing　about

him　perceived　that　his　eyes　wandered　perpetually　from

the　swarming　people　in　the　twilight　ruins　about　him

to　the　darkling　mass　of　the　White　Council　House；

whence　the　Trustees　would　presently　come；　and　to

the　gaunt　cliffs　of　ruin　that　encircled　him；　and　so　back

to　the　people。　The　voices　of　the　crowd　swelled　to　a

deafening　tumult。



He　saw　the　Councillors　first　afar　off　in　the　glare　of

one　of　the　temporary　lights　that　marked　their　path；

a　little　group　of　white　figures　blinking　in　a　black　

archway。　In　the　Council　House　they　had　been　in　darkness。　

He　watched　them　approaching；　drawing　nearer

past　first　this　blazing　electric　star　and　then　that；　the

minatory　roar　of　the　crowd　over　whom　their　power

had　lasted　for　a　hundred　and　fifty　years　marched　along

beside　them。　As　they　drew　still　nearer　their　faces

came　out　weary；　white　and　anxious。　He　saw

them　blinking　up　through　the　glare　about　him　and

Ostrog。　He　contrasted　their　strange　cold　looks　in　the

Hall　of　Atlas。。　。。　Presently　he　could　recognise

several　of　them；　the　man　who　had　rapped　the　table　at

Howard；　a　burly　man　with　a　red　beard；　and　one　

delicate…featured；　short；　dark　man　with　a　peculiarly　long

skull。　He　noted　that　two　were　whispering　together

and　looking　behind　him　at　Ostrog。　Next　there　came

a　tall；　dark　and　handsome　man；　walking　downcast。

Abruptly　he　glanced　up；　his　eyes　touched　Graham　for

a　moment；　and　passed　beyond　him　to　Ostrog。　The

way　that　had　been　made　for　them　was　so　contrived　that

they　had　to　march　past　and　curve　about　before　they　

came　to　the　sloping　path　of　planks　that　ascended　to

the　stage　where　their　surrender　was　to　be　made。



〃The　Master；　the　Master！　God　and　the　Master；〃

shouted　the　people。〃　To　hell　with　the　Council！〃

Graham　looked　at　their　multitudes；　receding　beyond

counting　into　a　shouting　haze；　and　then　at　Ostrog

beside　him；　white　and　steadfast　and　still。　His　eye

went　again　to　the　little　group　of　White　Councillors。

And　then　he　looked　up　at　the　familiar　quiet　stars　

overhead。　The　marvellous　element　in　his　fate　was　

suddenly　vivid。　Could　that　be　his　indeed；　that　little　life

in　his　memory　two　hundred　years　gone　byand　this

as　well？



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XIV



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FROM　THE　CROW　S　NEST



And　so　after　strange　delays　and　through　an　avenue

of　doubt　and　battle；　this　man　from　the　nineteenth　

century　came　at　last　to　his　position　at　the　head　of　that

complex　world。



At　first　when　he　rose　from　the　long　deep　sleep　that

followed　his　rescue　and　the　surrender　of　the　Council；

he　did　not　recognise　his　surroundings。　By　an　effort

he　gained　a　clue　in　his　mind；　and　all　that　had　

happened　came　back　to　him；　at　first　with　a　quality　of

insincerity　like　a　story　heard；　like　something　read　out

of　a　book。　And　even　before　his　memories　were　clear；

the　exultation　of　his　escape；　the　wonder　of　his　

prominence　were　back　in　his　mind。　He　was　owner　of　half

the　world；　Master　of　the　Earth。　This　new　great　age

was　in　the　completest　sense　his。　He　no　longer　hoped

to　discover　his　experiences　a　dream；　he　became　

anxious　now　to　convince　himself　that　they　were　real。



An　obsequious　valet　assisted　him　to　dress　under　the

direction　of　a　dignified　chief　attendant；　a　little　man

whose　face　proclaimed　him　Japanese；　albeit　he　spoke

English　like　an　Englishman。　From　the　latter　he

learnt　something　of　the　state　of　affairs。　Already　the

revolution　was　an　accepted　fact；　already　business　was

being　resumed　throughout　the　city。　Abroad　the

downfall　of　the　Council　had　been　received　for　the　most

part　with　delight。　Nowhere　was　the　Council　popular；

and　the　thousand　cities　of　Western　America；　after　two

hundred　years　still　jealous　of　New　York；　London；　and

the　East；　had　risen　almost　unanimously　two　days

before　at　the　news　of　Graham's　imprisonment。　Paris

was　fighting　within　itself。　The　rest　of　the　world　hung

in　suspense。



While　he　was　breaking　his　fast；　the　sound　of　a　

telephone　bell　jetted　from　a　corner；　and　his　chief　

attendant　called　his　attention　to　the　voice　of　Ostrog　making

polite　enquiries。　Graham　interrupted　his　refreshment

to　reply。　Very　shortly　Lincoln　arrived；　and　Graham

at　once　expressed　a　strong　desire　to　talk　to　people　and

to　be　shown　more　of　the　new　life　that　was　opening

before　him。　Lincoln　informed　him　that　in　three　hours'

time　a　representative　gathering　of　officials　and　their

wives　would　be　held　in　the　state　apartments　of　the

wind…vane　Chief。　Graham's　desire　to　traverse　the

ways　of　the　city　was；　however；　at　present　impossible；

because　of　the　enormous　excitement　of　the　people。

It　was；　however；　quite　possible　for　him　to　take　a　bird's

eye　view　of　the　city　from　the　crow's　nest　of　the　

windvane　keeper。　To　this　accordingly　Graham　was　

conducted　by　his　attendant。　Lincoln；　with　a　graceful

compliment　to　the　attendant；　apologised　for　not

accompanying　them；　on　account　of　the　present　

pressure　o