when the sleeper wakes-第35节

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inactive　altogether。　These　ascents　gave　Graham　a

glorious　sense　of　successful　effort；　the　descents

through　the　rarefied　air　were　beyond　all　experience。

He　wanted　never　to　leave　the　upper　air　again。



For　a　time　he　was　intent　upon　the　minute　details　of

the　landscape　that　ran　swiftly　northward　beneath　him。

Its　minute；　clear　detail　pleased　him　exceedingly。　He

was　impressed　by　the　ruin　of　the　houses　that　had　once

dotted　the　country；　by　the　vast　treeless　expanse　of

country　from　which　all　farms　and　villages　had　gone；

save　for　crumbling　ruins。　He　had　known　the　thing

was　so；　but　seeing　it　so　was　an　altogether　different

matter。　He　tried　to　make　out　places　he　had　known

within　the　hollow　basin　of　the　world　below；　but　at　first

he　could　distinguish　no　data　now　that　the　Thames　valley

was　left　behind。　Soon；　however；　they　were　driving　over

a　sharp　chalk　hill　that　he　recognised　as　the　Guildford

Hog's　Back；　because　of　the　familiar　outline　of　the

gorge　at　its　eastward　end；　and　because　of　the　ruins　of

the　town　that　rose　steeply　on　either　lip　of　this　gorge。

And　from　that　he　made　out　other　points；　Leith　Hill；

the　sandy　wastes　of　Aldershot；　and　so　forth。　The

Downs　escarpment　was　set　with　gigantic　slow…moving

wind…wheels。　Save　where　the　broad　Eadhamite　

Portsmouth　Road；　thickly　dotted　with　rushing　shapes；　

followed　the　course　of　the　old　railway；　the　gorge　of　the

Wey　was　choked　with　thickets。



The　whole　expanse　of　the　Downs　escarpment；　so　far

as　the　grey　haze　permitted　him　to　see；　was　set　with

wind…wheels　to　which　the　largest　of　the　city　was　but　a

younger　brother。　They　stirred　with　a　stately　motion

before　the　south…west　wind。　And　here　and　there　were

patches　dotted　with　the　sheep　of　the　British　Food

Trust；　and　here　and　there　a　mounted　shepherd　made　a

spot　of　black。　Then　rushing　under　the　stern　of　the

aeropile　came　the　Wealden　Heights；　the　line　of　

Hindhead；　Pitch　Hill；　and　Leith　Hill；　with　a　second　row　of

wind…wheels　that　seemed　striving　to　rob　the　downland

whirlers　of　their　share　of　breeze。　The　purple　heather

was　speckled　with　yellow　gorse；　and　on　the　further

side　a　drove　of　black　oxen　stampeded　before　a

couple　of　mounted　men。　Swiftly　these　swept　behind；

and　dwindled　and　lost　colour；　and　became　scarce　

moving　specks　that　were　swallowed　up　in　haze。



And　when　these　had　vanished　in　the　distance

Graham　heard　a　peewit　wailing　close　at　hand。　He

perceived　he　was　now　above　the　South　Downs；

and　staring　over　his　shoulder　saw　the　battlements

of　Portsmouth　Landing　Stage　towering　over　the

ridge　of　Portsdown　Hill。　In　another　moment　there

came　into　sight　a　spread　of　shipping　like　floating

cities；　the　little　white　cliffs　of　the　Needles　dwarfed　and

sunlit；　and　the　grey　and　glittering　waters　of　the　narrow　

sea。　They　seemed　to　leap　the　Solent　in　a　moment；

and　in　a　few　seconds　the　Isle　of　Wight　was　running

past；　and　then　beneath　him　spread　a　wider　and　wide

extent　of　sea；　here　purple　with　the　shadow　of　a　cloud；

here　grey；　here　a　burnished　mirror；　and　here　a　spread

of　cloudy　greenish　blue。　The　Isle　of　Wight　grew

smaller　and　smaller。　In　a　few　more　minutes　a　strip　of

grey　haze　detached　itself　from　other　strips　that　were

clouds；　descended　out　of　the　sky　and　became　a　coast…

linesunlit　and　pleasantthe　coast　of　northern

France。　It　rose；　it　took　colour；　became　definite　and

detailed；　and　the　counterpart　of　the　Downland　of　

England　was　speeding　by　below。



In　a　little　time；　as　it　seemed；　Paris　came　above　the

horizon；　and　hung　there　for　a　space；　and　sank　out　of

sight　again　as　the　aeropile　circled　about　to　the　north

again。　But　he　perceived　the　Eiffel　Tower　still　

standing；　and　beside　it　a　huge　dome　surmounted　by　a　

pinpoint　Colossus。　And　he　perceived；　too；　though　he　did

not　understand　it　at　the　time；　a　slanting　drift　of　smoke。

The　aeronaut　said　something　about　〃trouble　in　the

underways；〃　that　Graham　did　not　heed　at　the　time。

But　he　marked　the　minarets　and　towers　and　slender

masses　that　streamed　skyward　above　the　city　

windvanes；　and　knew　that　in　the　matter　of　grace　at　least

Paris　still　kept　in　front　of　her　larger　rival。　And　even

as　he　looked　a　pale　blue　shape　ascended　very　swiftly

from　the　city　like　a　dead　leaf　driving　up　before　a　gale。

It　curved　round　and　soared　towards　them　growing

rapidly　larger　and　larger。　The　aeronaut　was　saying

something。　〃What？〃　said　Graham；　loath　to　take　his

eyes　from　this。　〃Aeroplane；　Sire；〃　bawled　the　

aeronaut　pointing。



They　rose　and　curved　about　northward　as　it　drew

nearer。　Nearer　it　came　and　nearer；　larger　and　larger。

The　throb；　throb；　throbbeat；　of　the　aeropile's

flight；　that　had　seemed　so　potent　and　so　swift；　

suddenly　appeared　slow　by　comparison　with　this　

tremendous　rush。　How　great　the　monster　seemed；　how

swift　and　steady！　It　passed　quite　closely　beneath

them；　driving　along　silently；　a　vast　spread　of　

wirenetted　translucent　wings；　a　thing　alive。　Graham　had　a

momentary　glimpse　of　the　rows　and　rows　of　wrapped…up　

passengers；　slung　in　their　little　cradles　behind

wind…screens；　of　a　white…clothed　engineer　crawling

against　the　gale　along　a　ladder　way；　of　spouting

engines　beating　together；　of　the　whirling　wind　screw；

and　of　a　wide　waste　of　wing。　He　exulted　in　the　sight。

And　in　an　instant　the　thing　had　passed。



It　rose　slightly　and　their　own　little　wings　swayed

in　the　rush　of　its　flight。　It　fell　and　grew　smaller。

Scarcely　had　they　moved；　as　it　seemed；　before　it　was

again　only　a　flat　blue　thing　that　dwindled　in　the　sky。

This　was　the　aeroplane　that　went　to　and　fro　between

London　and　Paris。　In　fair　weather　and　in　peaceful

times　it　came　and　went　four　times　a　day。



They　beat　across　the　Channel；　slowly　as　it　seemed

now；　to　Graham's　enlarged　ideas；　and　Beachy　Head

rose　greyly　to　the　left　of　them。



〃Land；〃　called　the　aeronaut；　his　voice　small　against

the　whistling　of　the　air　over　the　wind…screen。



〃Not　yet；〃　bawled　Graham；　laughing。　〃Not　land

yet。　I　want　to　learn　more　of　this　machine。〃



〃I　meant〃　said　the　aeronaut。



〃I　want　to　learn　more　of　this　machine；〃　repeated

Graham。



〃I'm　coming　to　you；〃　he　said；　and　had　flung　himself　

free　of　his　chair　and　taken　a　step　along　the　guarded

rail　between　them。　He　stopped　for　a　moment；　and

his　colour　changed　and　his　hands　tightened。　Another

step　and　he　was　clinging　close　to　the　aeronaut。　He

felt　a　weight　on　his　shoulder；　the　pressure　of　the　air。

His　hat　was　a　whirling　speck　behind。　The　wind　came

in　gusts　over　his　wind…screen　and　blew　his　hair　in

streamers　past　his　cheek。　The　aeronaut　made　some

hasty　adjustments　for　the　shifting　of　the　centres　of

gravity　and　pressure。



〃I　want　to　have　these　things　explained；〃　said　

Graham。〃　What　do　you　do　when　you　move　that　engine

forward？〃



The　aeronaut　hesitated。　Then　he　answered；　〃They

are　complex；　Sire。〃



〃I　don't　mind；〃　shouted　Graham。　〃I　don't　mind。〃



There　was　a　moment's　pause。〃　Aeronautics　is　the

secretthe　privilege〃



〃I　know。　But　I'm　the　Master；　and　I　mean　to

know。〃　He　laughed；　full　of　this　novel　realisation　of

power　that　was　his　gift　from　the　upper　air。



The　aeropile　curved　about；　and　the　keen　fresh　wind

cut　across　Graham's　face　and　his　garment　lugged　at

his　body　as　the　stem　pointed　round　to　the　west。　The

two　men　looked　into　each　other's　eyes。



〃Sire；　there　are　rules〃



〃Not　where　I　am　concerned；〃　said　Graham。　〃You

seem　to　forget。〃



The　aeronaut　scrutinised　his　face。　〃No；〃　he　said。

〃I　do　not　forget；　Sire。　But　in　all　the　earthno　man

who　is　not　a　sworn　aeronauthas　ever　a　chance。

They　come　as　passengers〃



〃I　have　heard　something　of　the　sort。　But　I'm　not

going　to　argue　these　points。　Do　you　know　why　I

have　slept　two　hundred　years？　To　fly！〃



〃Sire；〃　said　the　aeronaut；　〃the　rulesif　I　break

the　rules〃



Graham　waved　the　penalties　aside。



〃Then　if　you　will　watch　me〃



〃No；〃　said　Graham；　swaying　and　gripping　tight　as

the　machine　lifted　its　nose　again　for　an　ascent。

〃That's　not　my　game。　I　want　to　do　it　myself。　Do

it　myself　if　I　smash　for　it！　No！　I　will。　See。　I　am

going　to　clamber　by　this　to　come　and　share　your

seat。　Steady！　I　mean　to　fly　of　my　own　accord　if

I　smash　at　the　end　of　it。　I　will　have　something　to　pay

for　my　sleep。　Of　all　other　things。　In　my　past　it

was　my　dream　to　fly。　Nowkeep　your　balance。〃



〃　A　dozen　spies　are　watching　me；　Sire！〃



Graham's　temper　was　at　end。　Perhaps　he　chose　it

should　be。　He　swore。　He　swung　himself　round　the

intervening　mass　of　levers　and　the　aeropile　swayed。



〃Am　I　Master　of　the　earth？〃　he　said。　〃Or　is　your

Society？　Now。　Take　your　hands　off　those　levers；

and　hold　my　wrists。　Yesso。　And　now；　how　do

we　turn　her　nose　down　to　the　glide？　〃



〃Sire；〃　said　the　aeronaut。



〃What　is　it？　〃



〃You　will　protect　me？　〃



〃Lord！　Yes！　If　I　have　to　burn　London。　Now！〃



And　with　that　promise　Graham　bought　his　first　lesson　

in　aerial　navigation。　〃It's　clearly　to　your　advantag