when the sleeper wakes-第34节

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hull　of　a　twenty…ton　yacht。　Its　lateral　supporting　sails

braced　and　stayed　with　metal　nerves　almost　like　the

nerves　of　a　bee's　wing；　and　made　of　some　sort　of

glassy　artificial　membrane；　cast　their　shadow　over

many　hundreds　of　square　yards。　The　chairs　for　the

engineer　and　his　passenger　hung　free　to　swing　by　a

complex　tackle；　within　the　protecting　ribs　of　the

frame　and　well　abaft　the　middle。　The　passenger's

chair　was　protected　by　a　wind…guard　and　guarded

about　with　metallic　rods　carrying　air　cushions。　It

could；　if　desired；　be　completely　closed　in；　but　Graham

was　anxious　for　novel　experiences；　and　desired　that　it

should　be　left　open。　The　aeronaut　sat　behind　a　glass

that　sheltered　his　face。　The　passenger　could　secure

himself　firmly　in　his　seat；　and　this　was　almost　

unavoidable　on　landing；　or　he　could　move　along　by　means　of

a　little　rail　and　rod　to　a　locker　at　the　stem　of　the

machine；　where　his　personal　luggage；　his　wraps　and

restoratives　were　placed；　and　which　also　with　the　seats；

served　as　a　makeweight　to　the　parts　of　the　central

engine　that　projected　to　the　propeller　at　the　stern。



The　engine　was　very　simple　in　appearance。　Asano；

pointing　out　the　parts　of　this　apparatus　to　him；　told

him　that；　like　the　gas…engine　of　Victorian　days；　it　was

of　the　explosive　type；　burning　a　small　drop　of　a　substance　

called　〃fomile〃　at　each　stroke。　It　consisted

simply　of　reservoir　and　piston　about　the　long　fluted

crank　of　the　propeller　shaft。　So　much　Graham　saw　of

the　machine。



The　flying　stage　about　him　was　empty　save　for

Asano　and　their　suite　of　attendants。　Directed　by　the

aeronaut　he　placed　himself　in　his　seat。　He　then　drank

a　mixture　containing　ergota　dose；　he　learnt；　invariably　

administered　to　those　about　to　fly；　and　designed

to　counteract　the　possible　effect　of　diminished　air　

pressure　upon　the　system。　Having　done　so；　he　declared

himself　ready　for　the　journey。　Asano　took　the　empty

glass　from　him；　stepped　through　the　bars　of　the　hull；

and　stood　below　on　the　stage　waving　his　hand。　

Suddenly　he　seemed　to　slide　along　the　stage　to　the　right

and　vanish。



The　engine　was　beating；　the　propeller　spinning；　and

for　a　second　the　stage　and　the　buildings　beyond　were

gliding　swiftly　and　horizontally　past　Graham's　eye；

then　these　things　seemed　to　tilt　up　abruptly。　He

gripped　the　little　rods　on　either　side　of　him　

instinctively。　He　felt　himself　moving　upward；　heard　the　air

whistle　over　the　top　of　the　wind　screen。　The　

propeller　screw　moved　round　with　powerful　rhythmic

impulsesone；　two；　three；　pause；　one；　two；　three

which　the　engineer　controlled　very　delicately。　The

machine　began　a　quivering　vibration　that　continued

throughout　the　flight；　and　the　roof　areas　seemed　

running　away　to　starboard　very　quickly　and　growing

rapidly　smaller。　He　looked　from　the　face　of　the　engineer　

through　the　ribs　of　the　machine。　Looking　sideways；　

there　was　nothing　very　startling　in　what　he　saw

a　rapid　funicular　railway　might　have　given　the　same

sensations。　He　recognised　the　Council　House　and　the

Highgate　Ridge。　And　then　he　looked　straight　down

between　his　feet。



For　a　moment　physical　terror　possessed　him；　a　

passionate　sense　of　insecurity。　He　held　tight。　For　a　

second　or　so　he　could　not　lift　his　eyes。　Some　hundred

feet　or　more　sheer　below　him　was　one　of　the　big　

windvanes　of　south…west　London；　and　beyond　it　the　

southernmost　flying　stage　crowded　with　little　black　dots。

These　things　seemed　to　be　falling　away　from　him。

For　a　second　he　had　an　impulse　to　pursue　the　earth。

He　set　his　teeth；　he　lifted　his　eyes　by　a　muscular　effort；

and　the　moment　of　panic　passed。



He　remained　for　a　space　with　his　teeth　set　hard；　his

eyes　staring　into　the　sky。　Throb；　throb；　throbbeat；

went　the　engine；　throb；　throb；　throb；beat。

He　gripped　his　bars　tightly；　glanced　at　the　aeronaut；

and　saw　a　smile　upon　his　sun…tanned　face。　He　smiled

in　returnperhaps　a　little　artificially。　〃A　little

strange　at　first；〃　he　shouted　before　he　recalled　his

dignity。　But　he　dared　not　look　down　again　for　some

time。　He　stared　over　the　aeronaut's　head　to　where　a

rim　of　vague　blue　horizon　crept　up　the　sky。　For　a

little　while　he　could'　not　banish　the　thought　of　possible

accidents　from　his　mind。　Throb；　throb；　throbbeat；

suppose　some　trivial　screw　went　wrong　in　that　

supporting　engine！　Suppose！　He　made　a　grim

effort　to　dismiss　all　such　suppositions。　After　a　while

they　did　at　least　abandon　the　foreground　of　his

thoughts。　And　up　he　went　steadily；　higher　and　higher

into　the　clear　air。



Once　the　mental　shock　of　moving　unsupported

through　the　air　was　over；　his　sensations　ceased　to　be

unpleasant；　became　very　speedily　pleasurable。　He　had

been　warned　of　air　sickness。　But　he　found　the　

pulsating　movement　of　the　aeropile　as　it　drove　up　the　faint

south…west　breeze　was　very　little　in　excess　of　the　

pitching　of　a　boat　head　on　to　broad　rollers　in　a　moderate

gale；　and　he　was　constitutionally　a　good　sailor。　And

the　keenness　of　the　more　rarefied　air　into　which　they

ascended　produced　a　sense　of　lightness　and　exhilaration。　

He　looked　up　and　saw　the　blue　sky　above

fretted　with　cirrus　clouds。　His　eye　came　cautiously

down　through　the　ribs　and　bars　to　a　shining　flight　of

white　birds　that　hung　in　the　lower　sky。　For　a　space

he　watched　these。　Then　going　lower　and　less　apprehensively；　

he　saw　the　slender　figure　of　the　Wind…Vane

keeper's　crow's　nest　shining　golden　in　the　sunlight　and

growing　smaller　every　moment。　As　his　eye　fell　with

more　confidence　now；　there　came　a　blue　line　of　hills；

and　then　London；　already　to　leeward；　an　intricate

space　of　roofing。　Its　near　edge　came　sharp　and　clear；

and　banished　his　last　apprehensions　in　a　shock　of　surprise。　

For　the　boundary　of　London　was　like　a　wall；

like　a　cliff；　a　steep　fall　of　three　or　four　hundred　feet；　a

frontage　broken　only　by　terraces　here　and　there；　a

complex　decorative　facade。



That　gradual　passage　of　town　into　country　through

an　extensive　sponge　of　suburbs；　which　was　so　

characteristic　a　feature　of　the　great　cities　of　the　nineteenth

century；　existed　no　longer。　Nothing　remained　of　it

but　a　waste　of　ruins　here；　variegated　and　dense　with

thickets　of　the　heterogeneous　growths　that　had　once

adorned　the　gardens　of　the　belt；　interspersed　among

levelled　brown　patches　of　sown　ground；　and　verdant

stretches　of　winter　greens。　The　latter　even　spread

among　the　vestiges　of　houses。　But　for　the　most　part

the　reefs　and　skerries　of　ruins；　the　wreckage　of　

suburban　villas；　stood　among　their　streets　and　roads；　queer

islands　amidst　the　levelled　expanses　of　green　and

brown；　abandoned　indeed　by　the　inhabitants　years

since；　but　too　substantial；　it　seemed'；　to　be　cleared　out

of　the　way　of　the　wholesale　horticultural　mechanisms

of　the　time。



The　vegetation　of　this　waste　undulated　and　frothed

amidst　the　countless　cells　of　crumbling　house　walls；

and　broke　along　the　foot　of　the　city　wall　in　a　surf　of

bramble　and　holly　and　ivy　and　teazle　and　tall　grasses。

Here　and　there　gaudy　pleasure　palaces　towered　amidst

the　puny　remains　of　Victorian　times；　and　cable　ways

slanted　to　them　from　the　city。　That　winter　day　they

seemed　deserted。　Deserted；　too；　were　the　artificial

gardens　among　the　ruins。　The　city　limits　were　indeed

as　sharply　defined　as　in　the　ancient　days　when　the

gates　were　shut　at　nightfall　and　the　robber　foreman

prowled　to　the　very　walls。　A　huge　semi…circular　throat

poured　out　a　vigorous　traffic　upon　the　Eadhamite

Bath　Road。　So　the　first　prospect　of　the　world　beyond

the　city　flashed　on　Graham；　and　dwindled。　And　when

at　last　he　could　look　vertically　downward　again；　he

saw　below　him　the　vegetable　fields　of　the　Thames　

valley　　innumerable　minute　oblongs　of　ruddy　brown；

intersected　by　shining　threads；　the　sewage　ditches。



His　exhilaration　increased　rapidly；　became　a　sort　of

intoxication。　He　found　himself　drawing　deep　breaths

of　air；　laughing　aloud；　desiring　to　shout。　After　a　time

that　desire　became　too　strong　for　him；　and　he　shouted。



The　machine　had　now　risen　as　high　as　was　customary　

with　aeropiles；　and　they　began　to　curve　about

towards　the　south。　Steering；　Graham　perceived；　was

effected　by　the　opening　or　closing　of　one　or　two　thin

strips　of　membrane　in　one　or　other　of　the　otherwise

rigid　wings；　and　by　the　movement　of　the　whole　engine

backward　or　forward　along　its　supports。　The　

aeronaut　set　the　engine　gliding　slowly　forward　along　its

rail　and　opened　the　valve　of　the　leeward　wing　until　the

stem　of　the　aeropile　was　horizontal　and　pointing　

southward。　And　in　that　direction　they　drove　with　a　slight

list　to　leeward；　and　with　a　slow　alternation　of　

movement；　first　a　short；　sharp　ascent　and'　then　a　long

downward　glide　that　was　very　swift　and　pleasing。

During　these　downward　glides　the　propellor　was

inactive　altogether。　These　ascents　gave　Graham　a

glorious　sense　of　successful　effort；　the　descents

through　the　rarefied　air　were　beyon