when the sleeper wakes-第36节

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in　aerial　navigation。　〃It's　clearly　to　your　advantage；

this　journey；〃　he　said　with　a　loud　laughfor　the　air

was　like　strong　wine　〃to　teach　me　quickly　and　well。

Do　I　pull　this？　Ah！　So！　Hullo！〃



〃Back；　Sire！　Back！　〃



〃Backright。　Onetwothreegood

God！　Ah！　Up　she　goes！　But　this　is　living！〃



And　now　the　machine　began　to　dance　the　strangest

figures　in　the　air。　Now　it　would　sweep　round　a　spiral

of　scarcely　a　hundred　yards　diameter；　now　it　would

rush　up　into　the　air　and　swoop　down　again；　steeply；

swiftly；　falling　like　a　hawk；　to　recover　in　a　rushing　loop

that　swept　it　high　again。　In　one　of　these　descents

it　seemed　driving　straight　at　the　drifting　park　of　

balloons　in　the　southeast；　and　only　curved　about　and

cleared　them　by　a　sudden　recovery　of　dexterity。　The

extraordinary　swiftness　and　smoothness　of　the　motion；

the　extraordinary　effect　of　the　rarefied　air　upon　his

constitution；　threw　Graham　into　a　careless　fury。



But　at　last　a　queer　incident　came　to　sober　him；　to

send　him　flying　down　once　more　to　the　crowded　life

below　with　all　its　dark　insoluble　riddles。　As　he

swooped；　came　a　tap　and　something　flying　past；　and

a　drop　like　a　drop　of　rain。　Then　as　he　went　on　down

he　saw　something　like　a　white　rag　whirling　down　in

his　wake。　〃What　was　that？〃　he　asked。　〃I　did　not

see。〃



The　aeronaut　glanced；　and　then　clutched　at　the

lever　to　recover；　for　they　were　sweeping　down。　When

the　aeropile　was　rising　again　he　drew　a　deep　breath

and　replied。　〃That；〃　and　he　indicated　the　white

thing　still　fluttering　down；　〃was　a　swan。〃



〃I　never　saw　it；〃　said　Graham。



The　aeronaut　made　no　answer；　and　Graham　saw

little　drops　upon　his　forehead。



They　drove　horizontally　while　Graham　clambered

back　to　the　passenger's　place　out　of　the　lash　of　the

wind。　And　then　came　a　swift　rush　down；　with　the

wind…screw　whirling　to　check　their　fall；　and　the　flying

stage　growing　broad　and　dark　before　them。　The　sun；

sinking　over　the　chalk　hills　in　the　west；　fell　with　them；

and　left　the　sky　a　blaze　of　gold。



Soon　men　could　be　seen　as　little　specks。　He　heard

a　noise　coming　up　to　meet　him；　a　noise　like　the　sound

of　waves　upon　a　pebbly　beach；　and　saw　that　the　roofs

about　the　flying　stage　were　dark　with　his　people

rejoicing　over　his　safe　return。　A　dark　mass　was

crushed　together　under　the　stage；　a　darkness　stippled

with　innumerable　faces；　and　quivering　with　the　minute

oscillation　of　waved　white　handkerchiefs　and　waving

hands。





CHAPTER　XVII





THREE　DAYS





Lincoln　awaited　Graham　in　an　apartment　beneath

the　flying　stages。　He　seemed　curious　to　learn　all　that

had　happened；　pleased　to　hear　of　the　extraordinary

delight　and　interest　which　Graham　took　in　flying

Graham　was　in　a　mood　of　enthusiasm。　〃I　must　learn

to　fly；〃　he　cried。　〃I　must　master　that。　I　pity　all　poor

souls　who　have　died　without　this　opportunity。　The

sweet　swift　air！　It　is　the　most　wonderful　experience

in　the　world。〃



〃You　will　find　our　new　times　full　of　wonderful

experiences；〃　said　Lincoln。　〃I　do　not　know　what　you

will　care　to　do　now。　We　have　music　that　may　seem

novel。〃



〃For　the　present；〃　said　Graham；　〃flying　holds　me。

Let　me　learn　more　of　that。　Your　aeronaut　was　saying

there　is　some　trades　union　objection　to　one's　learning。〃



〃There　is；　I　believe；〃　said　Lincoln。　〃But　for

you！　If　you　would'　like　to　occupy　yourself　with

that；　we　can　make　you　a　sworn　aeronaut　tomorrow。〃



Graham　expressed　his　wishes　vividly　and　talked　of

his　sensations　for　a　while。　〃And　as　for　affairs；〃　he

asked　abruptly。　〃How　are　things　going　on？　〃



Lincoln　waved　affairs　aside。　〃Ostrog　will　tell　you

that　tomorrow；〃　he　said。　〃Everything　is　settling

down。　The　Revolution　accomplishes　itself　all　over

the　world。　Friction　is　inevitable　here　and　there；　of

course；　but　your　rule　is　assured。　You　may　rest　secure

with　things　in　Ostrog's　hands。〃



〃Would　it　be　possible　for　me　to　be　made　a　sworn

aeronaut；　as　you　call　it；　forthwithbefore　I　sleep？〃

said　Graham；　pacing。　〃Then　I　could　be　at　it　the　very

first　thing　tomorrow　again。



〃It　would　be　possible；〃　said　Lincoln　thoughtfully。

〃Quite　possible。　Indeed；　it　shall　be　done。〃　He

laughed。〃　I　came　prepared　to　suggest　amusements；

but　you　have　found　one　for　yourself。　I　will　telephone

to　the　aeronautical　offices　from　here　and　we　will　return

to　your　apartments　in　the　Wind…Vane　Control。　By

the　time　you　have　dined　the　aeronauts　will　be　able　to

come。　You　don't　think　that　after　you　have　dined；　you

might　prefer？〃　He　paused。



〃Yes；〃　said　Graham。



〃We　had　prepared　a　show　of　dancers　　they　have

been　brought　from　the　Capri　theatre。〃



〃I　hate　ballets；〃　said　Graham；　shortly。　〃Always

did。　That　other。　That's　not　what　I　want　to　see。

We　had　dancers　in　the　old　days。　For　the　matter　of

that；　they　had　them　in　ancient　Egypt。　But　flying〃



〃　True；〃　said　Lincoln。　〃Though　our　dancers〃



〃They　can　afford　to　wait；〃　said　Graham；　〃they　can

afford　to　wait。　I　know。　I'm　not　a　Latin。　There's

questions　I　want　to　ask　some　expertabout　your

machinery。　I'm　keen。　I　want　no　distractions。〃



〃You　have　the　world　to　choose　from；〃　said　Lincoln；

〃　whatever　you　want　is　yours。〃



Asano　appeared；　and　under　the　escort　of　a　strong

guard　they　returned　through　the　city　streets　to　

Graham's　apartments。　Far　larger　crowds　had　assembled　to

witness　his　return　than　his　departure　had　gathered；　and

the　shouts　and　cheering　of　these　masses　of　people

sometimes　drowned　Lincoln's　answers　to　the　endless

questions　Graham's　aerial　journey　had　suggested。　At

first　Graham　had　acknowledged　the　cheering　and　cries

of　the　crowd　by　bows　and　gestures；　but　Lincoln

warned　him　that　such　a　recognition　would　be　

considered　incorrect　behaviour。　Graham；　already　a　little

wearied　by　rhythmic　civilities；　ignored　his　subjects　for

the　remainder　of　his　public　progress。



Directly　they　arrived　at　his　apartments　Asano　departed　

in　search　of　kinematographic　renderings　of

machinery　in　motion；　and　Lincoln　despatched　Graham's　

commands　for　models　of　machines　and　small

machines　to　illustrate　the　various　mechanical　advances

of　the　last　two　centuries。　The　little　group　of　

appliances　for　telegraphic　communication　attracted　the

Master　so　strongly　that　his　delightfully　prepared　

dinner；　served　by　a　number　of　charmingly　dexterous

girls；　waited　for　a　space。　The　habit　of　smoking　had

almost　ceased　from　the　face　of　the　earth；　but　when　he

expressed　a　wish　for　that　indulgence；　inquiries　were

made　and　some　excellent　cigars　were　discovered　in

Florida；　and　sent　to　him　by　pneumatic　dispatch　while

the　dinner　was　still　in　progress。　Afterwards　came　the

aeronauts；　and　a　feast　of　ingenious　wonders　in　the

hands　of　a　latter…day　engineer。　For　the　time；　at　any

rate；　the　neat　dexterity　of　counting　and　numbering

machines；　building　machines；　spinning　engines；　patent　

doorways；　explosive　motors；　grain　and　water　elevators；　

slaughter…house　machines　and　harvesting　appliances；　

was　more　fascinating　to　Graham　than　any

bayadere。　〃We　were　savages；〃　was　his　refrain；　〃we

were　savages。　We　were　in　the　stone　agecompared

with　this。　。　。　。　And　what　else　have　you？　〃



There　came　also　practical　psychologists　with　some

very　interesting　developments　in　the　art　of　hypnotism。

The　names　of　Milne　Bramwell；　Fechner；　Liebault；

William　James；　Myers　and　Gurney；　he　found；　bore　a

value　now　that　would　have　astonished　their　

contemporaries。　Several　practical　applications　of　

psychology　were　now　in　general　use；　it　had　largely　

supersceeded　drugs；　antiseptics　and　anaesthetics　in　

medicine；　was　employed　by　almost　all　who　had　any　need　of

mental　concentration。　A　real　enlargement　of　human

faculty　seemed　to　have　been　effected　in　this　direction。

The　feats　of　〃calculating　boys；〃　the　wonders；　as　Graham　

had　been　wont　to　regard　them；　of　mesmerisers；

were　now　within　the　range　of　anyone　who　could　afford

the　services　of　a　skilled　hypnotist。　Long　ago　the　old

examination　methods　in　education　had　been　destroyed

by　these　expedients。　Instead　of　years　of　study；　candidates

had　substituted　a　few　weeks　of　trances；　and

during　the　trances　expert　coaches　had　simply　to　repeat

all　the　points　necessary　for　adequate　answering；　adding　

a　suggestion　of　the　post　hypnotic　recollection　of

these　points。　In　process　mathematics　particularly；　this

aid　had　been　of　singular　service；　and　it　was　now　

invariably　invoked　by　such　players　of　chess　and　games

of　manual　dexterity　as　were　still　to　be　found。　In　fact；

all　operations　conducted　under　finite　rules；　of　a　

quasi…mechanical　sort　that　is；　were　now　systematically　

relieved　from　the　wanderings　of　imagination　and　emotion；　

and　brought　to　an　unexampled　pitch　of　accuracy。

Little　children　of　the　labouring　classes；　so　soon　as　they

were　of　sufficient　age　to　be　hypnotised；　were　thus　

converted　into　beautifully　punctual　and　trustworthy

machine　minders；　and　released　forthwith　from　the

long；　long　thoughts