when the sleeper wakes-第32节

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glance　was　expressive。　〃Have　the　arts　grown　with

the　rest　of　civilised　things？〃　he　said。　〃Who　are　your

great　painters？〃



She　looked　at　him　doubtfully。　Then　laughed。

〃For　a　moment；〃　she　said；　〃I　thought　you　meant〃

She　laughed　again。　〃You　mean；　of　course；　those

good　men　you　used　to　think　so　much　of　because　they

could　cover　great　spaces　of　canvas　with　oil…colours？

Great　oblongs。　And　people　used　to　put　the　things　in

gilt　frames　and　hang　them　up　in　rows　in　their　square

rooms。　We　haven't　any。　People　grew　tired　of　that

sort　of　thing。〃



〃But　what　did　you　think　I　meant？〃



She　put　a　finger　significantly　on　a　cheek　whose　glow

was　above　suspicion；　and　smiled　and　looked　very　arch

and　pretty　and　inviting。　〃And　here；〃　and　she　

indicated　her　eyelid。



Graham　had　an　adventurous　moment。　Then　a

grotesque　memory　of　a　picture　he　had　somewhere

seen　of　Uncle　Toby　and　the　Widow　flashed　across　his

mind。　An　archaic　shame　came　upon　him。　He

became　acutely　aware　that　he　was　visible　to　a　great

number　of　interested　people。　〃I　see；〃　he　remarked

inadequately。　He　turned　awkwardly　away　from　her；

fascinating　facility。　He　looked　about　him　to　meet　a

number　of　eyes　that　immediately　occupied　themselves

with　other　things。　Possibly　he　coloured　a　little。

〃Who　is　that　talking　with　the　lady　in　saffron？〃　he

asked；　avoiding　her　eyes。



The　person　in　question　he　learnt　was　one　of　the

great　organisers　of　the　American　theatres　just　fresh

from　a　gigantic　production　at　Mexico。　His　face

reminded　Graham　of　a　bust　of　Caligula。　Another

striking　looking　man　was　the　Black　Labour　Master。

The　phrase　at　the　time　made　no　deep　impression；　but

afterwards　it　recurred；the　Black　Labour　Master？

The　little　lady；　in　no　degree　embarrassed；　pointed　out

to　him　a　charming　little　woman　as　one　of　the　

subsidiary　wives　of　the　Anglican　Bishop　of　London。　She

added　encomiums　on　the　episcopal　couragehitherto

there　had　been　a　rule　of　clerical　monogamy〃　neither

a　natural　nor　an　expedient　condition　of　things。　Why

should　the　natural　development　of　the　affections　be　

dwarfed　and　restricted　because　a　man　is　a　priest？〃



〃And；　bye　the　bye；〃　she　added；　〃are　you　an　

Anglican？〃　Graham　was　on　the　verge　of　hesitating

inquiries　about　the　status　of　a　〃subsidiary　wife；〃　

apparently　an　euphemistic　phrase；　when　Lincoln's　return

broke　off　this　very　suggestive　and　interesting　conversation。　

They　crossed　the　aisle　to　where　a　tall　man　in

crimson；　and　two　charming　persons　in　Burmese　costume　

（as　it　seemed　to　him）　awaited　him　diffidently。

From　their　civilities　he　passed　to　other　presentations。



In　a　little　while　his　multitudinous　impressions

began　to　organise　themselves　into　a　general　effect。　At

first　the　glitter　of　the　gathering　had　raised　all　the　

democrat　in　Graham；　he　had　felt　hostile　and　satirical。　But

it　is　not　in　human　nature　to　resist　an　atmosphere　of

courteous　regard。　Soon　the　music；　the　light；　the　play

of　colours；　the　shining　arms　and　shoulders　about　him；

the　touch　of　hands；　the　transient　interest　of　smiling

faces；　the　frothing　sound　of　skillfully　modulated　voices；

the　atmosphere　of　compliment；　interest　and　respect；

had　woven　together　into　a　fabric　of　indisputable　pleasure。　

Graham　for　a　time　forgot　his　spacious　resolutions。　

He　gave　way　insensibly　to　the　intoxication　of

me　position　that　was　conceded　him；　his　manner

became　less　conscious；　more　convincingly　regal；　his

feet　walked　assuredly；　the　black　robe　fell　with　a　bolder

fold　and　pride　ennobled　his　voice。　After　all　this　was

a　brilliant　interesting　world。



His　glance　went　approvingly　over　the　shifting

colours　of　the　people；　it　rested　here　and　there　in　kindly

criticism　upon　a　face。　Presently　it　occurred　to　him

that　he　owed　some　apology　to　the　charming　little　person　

with　the　red　hair　and　blue　eyes。　He　felt　guilty　of

a　clumsy　snub。　It　was　not　princely　to　ignore　her

advances；　even　if　his　policy　necessitated　their　rejection。　

He　wondered　if　he　should　see　her　again。　And

suddenly　a　little　thing　touched　all　the　glamour　of　this

brilliant　gathering　and　changed　its　quality。



He　looked　up　and　saw　passing　across　a　bridge　of

porcelain　and　looking　down　upon　him；　a　face　that　was

almost　immediately　hidden；　the　face　of　the　girl　he　had

seen　overnight　in　the　little　room　beyond　the　theatre

after　his　escape　from　the　Council。　And　she　was　looking　

with　much　the　same　expression　of　curious　expectation；　

of　uncertain　intentness；　upon　his　proceedings。

For　the　moment　he　did　not　remember　when　he　had

seen　her；　and　then　with　recognition　came　a　vague

memory　of　the　stirring　emotions　of　their　first　

encounter。　But　the　dancing　web　of　melody　about　him　kept

the　air　of　that　great　marching　song　from　his　memory。



The　lady　to　whom　he　was　talking　repeated　her

remark；　and　Graham　recalled　himself　to　the　

quasiregal　flirtation　upon　which　he　was　engaged。



But　from　that　moment　a　vague　restlessness；　a　feeling　

that　grew　to　dissatisfaction；　came　into　his　mind。

He　was　troubled　as　if　by　some　half　forgotten　duty；　by

the　sense　of　things　important　slipping　from　him　amidst

this　light　and　brilliance。　The　attraction　that　these

bright　ladies　who　crowded　about　him　were　beginning

to　exercise　ceased。　He　no　longer　made　vague　and

clumsy　responses　to　the　subtly　amorous　advances　that

he　was　now　assured　were　being　made　to　him；　and　his

eyes　wandered　for　another　sight　of　that　face　that　had

appealed　so　strongly　to　his　sense　of　beauty。　But　he

did　not　see　her　again　until　he　was　awaiting　Lincoln's

return　to　leave　this　assembly。　In　answer　to　his　request

Lincoln　had　promised　that　an　attempt　should　be　made

to　fly　that　afternoon；　if　the　weather　permitted。　He　had

gone　to　make　certain　necessary　arrangements。



Graham　was　in　one　of　the　upper　galleries　in　

conversation　with　a　bright…eyed　lady　on　the　subject　of

Eadhamitethe　subject　was　his　choice　and　not　hers。

He　had　interrupted　her　warm　assurances　of　personal

devotion　with　a　matter…of…fact　inquiry。　He　found　her；

as　he　had　already　found　several　other　latter…day

women　that　night；　less　well　informed　than　charming。

Suddenly；　struggling　against　the　eddying　drift　of

nearer　melody；　the　song　of　the　Revolt；　the　great　song

he　had　heard　in　the　Hall；　hoarse　and　massive；　came

beating　down　to　him。



He　glanced　up　startled；　and　perceived　above　him　an

__oeil　de　boeuf__　through　which　this　song　had　come；　and

beyond；　the　upper　courses　of　cable；　the　blue　haze；　and

the　pendant　fabric　of　the　lights　of　the　public　ways。　He

heard　the　song　break　into　a　tumult　of　voices　and　cease。

But　now　he　perceived　quite　clearly　the　drone　and

tumult　of　the　moving　platforms　and　a　murmur　of

many　people。　He　had　a　vague　persuasion　that　he

could　not　account　for；　a　sort　of　instinctive　feeling　that

outside　in　the　ways　a　huge　crowd'　must　be　watching

this　place　in　which　their　Master　amused　himself。　He

wondered　what　they　might　be　thinking。



Though　the　song　had　stopped　so　abruptly；　though

the　special　music　of　this　gathering　reasserted　itself；　the

motif　of　the　marching　song；　once　it　had　begun；

lingered　in　his　mind。



The　bright…eyed　lady　was　still　struggling　with　the

mysteries　of　Eadhamite　when　he　perceived　the　girl　he

had　seen　in　the　theatre　again。　She　was　coming　now

along　the　gallery　towards　him；　he　saw　her　first　before

she　saw　him。　She　was　dressed　in　a　faintly　luminous

grey；　her　dark　hair　about　her　brows　was　like　a　cloud；

and　as　he　saw　her　the　cold　light　from　the　circular

opening　into　the　ways　fell　upon　her　downcast　face。



The　lady　in　trouble　about　the　Eadhamite　saw　the

change　in　his　expression；　and　grasped　her　opportunity

to　escape。　　Would　you　care　to　know　that　girl；　Sire？〃

she　asked　boldly。　〃She　is　Helen　Wottona　niece　of

Ostrog's。　She　knows　a　great　many　serious　things。

She　is　one　of　the　most　serious　persons　alive。　I　am

sure　you　will　like　her。〃



In　another　moment　Graham　was　talking　to　the　girl；

and　the　bright…eyed　lady　had　fluttered　away。



〃I　remember　you　quite　well；〃　said　Graham。　〃You

were　in　that　little　room。　When　all　the　people　were

singing　and　beating　time　with　their　feet。　Before　I

walked　across　the　Hall。〃



Her　momentary　embarrassment　passed。　She

looked　up　at　him；　and　her　face　was　steady。　〃It　was

wonderful；〃　she　said；　hesitated；　and　spoke　with　a　

sudden　effort。　〃All　those　people　would　have　died　for　you；

Sire。　Countless　people　did　die　for　you　that　night。〃



Her　face　glowed。　She　glanced　swiftly　aside　to　see

that　no　other　heard　her　words。



Lincoln　appeared　some　way　off　along　the　gallery；

making　his　way　through　the　press　towards　them。　She

saw　him　and　turned　to　Graham　strangely　eager；　with

a　swift　change　to　confidence　and　intimacy。　〃Sire；〃

she　said　quickly；　〃I　cannot　tell　you　now　and　here。　But

the　common　people　are　very　unhappy；　they　are

oppressedthey　are　misgoverned。　Do　not　forget　the

people；　who　faced　deathdeath　that　you　might　live。〃



〃I　know　nothing〃　began　Graham。



〃I　canno