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converted　into　beautifully　punctual　and　trustworthy

machine　minders；　and　released　forthwith　from　the

long；　long　thoughts　of　youth。　Aeronautical　pupils；

who　gave　way　to　giddiness；　could　be　relieved　from

their　imaginary　terrors。　In　every　street　were　

hypnotists　ready　to　print　permanent　memories　upon　the

mind。　If　anyone　desired　to　remember　a　name；　a　series

of　numbers；　a　song　or　a　speech；　it　could　be　done　by

this　method；　and　conversely　memories　could　be

effaced；　habits　removed；　and　desires　eradicateda

sort　of　psychic　surgery　was；　in　fact；　in　general　use。

Indignities；　humbling　experiences；　were　thus　forgotten；　

amorous　widows　would　obliterate　their　previous

husbands；　angry　lovers　release　themselves　from　their

slavery。　To　graft　desires；　however；　was　still　impossible；

and　the　facts　of　thought　transference　were　yet　

unsystematised。　The　psychologists　illustrated　their　

expositions　with　some　astounding　experiments　in　mnemonics

made　through　the　agency　of　a　troupe　of　pale…faced

children　in　blue。



Graham；　like　most　of　the　people　of　his　former　time；

distrusted　the　hypnotist；　or　he　might　then　and　there

have　eased　his　mind　of　many　painful　preoccupations。

But　in　spite　of　Lincoln's　assurances　he　held　to　the　old

theory　that　to　be　hypnotised　was　in　some　way　the　

surrender　of　his　personality；　the　abdication　of　his　will。　At

the　banquet　of　wonderful　experiences　that　was　beginning；　

he　wanted　very　keenly　to　remain　absolutely

himself。



The　next　day；　and　another　day；　and　yet　another　day

passed　in　such　interests　as　these。　Each　day　Graham

spent　many　hours　in　the　glorious　entertainment　of

flying。　On　the　third　day　he　soared　across　middle

France；　and　within　sight　of　the　snow…clad　Alps。　These

vigorous　exercises　gave　him　restful　sleep；　and　each　day

saw　a　great　stride　in　his　health　from　the　spiritless

anaemia　of　his　first　awakening。　And　whenever　he　was

not　in　the　air；　and　awake；　Lincoln　was　assiduous　in　the

cause　of　his　amusement；　all　that　was　novel　and　curious

in　contemporary　invention　was　brought　to　him；　until

at　last　his　appetite　for　novelty　was　well…nigh　glutted。

One　might　fill　a　dozen　inconsecutive　volumes　with　the

strange　things　they　exhibited。　Each　afternoon　he　held

his　court　for　an　hour　or　so。　He　speedily　found　his

interest　in　his　contemporaries　becoming　personal　and

intimate。　At　first　he　had　been　alert　chiefly　for　

unfamiliarity　and　peculiarity；　any　foppishness　in　their

dress；　any　discordance　with　his　preconceptions　of

nobility　in　their　status　and　manners　had　jarred　upon

him；　and　it　was　remarkable　to　him　how　soon　that

strangeness　and　the　faint　hostility　that　arose　from　it；

disappeared；　how　soon　he　came　to　appreciate　the　true

perspective　of　his　position；　and　see　the　old　Victorian

days　remote　and　quaint。　He　found　himself　particularly　

amused　by　the　red…haired　daughter　of　the　Manager　

of　the　European　Piggeries。　On　the　second　day

after　dinner　he　made　the　acquaintance　of　a　latter…day

dancing　girl；　and　found　her　an　astonishing　artist。　And

after　that；　more　hypnotic　wonders。　On　the　third　day

Lincoln　was　moved　to　suggest　that　the　Master　should

repair　to　a　Pleasure　City；　but　this　Graham　declined；

nor　would　he　accept　the　services　of　the　hypnotists　in

his　aeronautical　experiments。　The　link　of　locality　held

him　to　London；　he　found　a　perpetual　wonder　in　

topographical　identifications　that　he　would　have　missed

abroad。　〃Hereor　a　hundred　feet　below　here；〃　he

could　say；　〃I　used　to　eat　my　midday　cutlets　during

my　London　University　days。　Underneath　here　was

Waterloo　and　the　perpetual　hunt　for　confusing　trains。

Often　have　I　stood　waiting　down　there；　bag　in　hand；

and　stared　up　into　the　sky　above　the　forest　of　signals；

little　thinking　I　should　walk　some　day　a　hundred　yards

in　the　air。　And　now　in　that　very　sky　that　was　once　a

grey　smoke　canopy；　I　circle　in　an　aeropile。〃



During　those　three　days　Graham　was　so　occupied

with　such　distractions　that　the　vast　political　

movements　in　progress　outside　his　quarters　had　but　a　small

share　of　his　attention。　Those　about　him　told　him

little。　Daily　came　Ostrog；　the　Boss；　his　Grand　Vizier；

his　mayor　of　the　palace；　to　report　in　vague　terms　the

steady　establishment　of　his　rule；　〃a　little　trouble〃

soon　to　be　settled　in　this　city；　〃a　slight　disturbance〃

in　that。　The　song　of　the　social　revolt　came　to　him　no

more；　he　never　learned　that　it　had　been　forbidden　in

the　municipal　limits；　and　all　the　great　emotions　of　the

crow's　nest　slumbered　in　his　mind。



But　on　the　second　and　third　of　the　three　days

he　found　himself；　in　spite　of　his　interest　in　the

daughter　of　the　Pig　Manager；　or　it　may　be　by；

reason　of　the　thoughts　her　conversation　suggested；

remembering　the　girl　Helen　Wotton；　who　had

spoken　to　him　so　oddly　at　the　Wind…Vane　

Keeper's　gathering。　The　impression　she　had　made　was　a

deep　one；　albeit　the　incessant　surprise　of　novel　

circumstances　had　kept　him　from　brooding　upon　it　for　a

space。　But　now　her　memory　was　coming　to　its　own。

He　wondered　what　she　had　meant　by　those　broken

half…forgotten　sentences；　the　picture　of　her　eyes　and

the　earnest　passion　of　her　face　became　more　vivid　as

his　mechanical　interests　faded。　Her　beauty　came　

compellingly　between　him　and　certain　immediate　

temptations　of　ignoble　passion。　But　he　did　not　see　her　again

until　three　full　days　were　past。



CHAPTER　XVIII



GRAHAM　REMEMBERS



She　came　upon　him　at　last　in　a　little　gallery　that

ran　from　the　Wind　Vane　Offices　toward　his　state

apartments。　The　gallery　was　long　and　narrow；　with　a

series　of　recesses；　each　with　an　arched　fenestration　that

looked　upon　a　court　of　palms。　He　came　upon　her

suddenly　in　one　of　these　recesses。　She　was　seated。

She　turned　her　head　at　the　sound　of　his　footsteps　and

started　at　the　sight　of　him。　Every　touch　of　colour

vanished　from　her　face。　She　rose　instantly；　made　a

step　toward　him　as　if　to　address　him；　and　hesitated。

He　stopped　and　stood　still；　expectant。　Then　he　perceived　

that　a　nervous　tumult　silenced　her；　perceived

too；　that　she　must　have　sought　speech　with　him　to　be

waiting　for　him　in　this　place。



He　felt　a　regal　impulse　to　assist　her。　〃I　have　wanted

to　see　you；〃　he　said。　〃A　few　days　ago　you　wanted

to　tell　me　somethingyou　wanted　to　tell　me　of　the

people。　What　was　it　you　had　to　tell　me？〃



She　looked　at　him　with　troubled　eyes。



〃You　said　the　people　were　unhappy？〃



For　a　moment　she　was　silent　still。



〃It　must　have　seemed　strange　to　you；〃　she　said

abruptly。



〃It　did。　And　yet〃



〃It　was　an　impulse。〃



〃Well？〃



〃That　is　all。〃



She　looked　at　him　with　a　face　of　hesitation。　She

spoke　with　an　effort。　〃You　forget；〃　she　said；　drawing

a　deep　breath。



〃What？〃



〃The　people〃



〃Do　you　mean？〃



〃You　forget　the　people。〃



He　looked　interrogative。



〃Yes。　I　know　you　are　surprised。　For　you　do　not

understand　what　you　are。　You　do　not　know　the　things

that　are　happening。〃



〃Well？　〃



〃You　do　not　understand。〃



〃Not　clearly；　perhaps。　Buttell　me。〃



She　turned　to　him　with　sudden　resolution。〃　It　is

so　hard　to　explain。　I　have　meant　to；　I　have　wanted　to。

And　nowI　cannot。　I　am　not　ready　with　words。

But　about　youthere　is　something。　It　is　Wonder。

Your　sleepyour　awakening。　These　things　are

miracles。　To　me　at　leastand　to　all　the　common

people。　You　who　lived　and　suffered　and　died；　you

who　were　a　common　citizen；　wake　again；　live　again；　to

find　yourself　Master　almost　of　the　earth。〃



〃Master　of　the　earth；〃　he　said。　〃So　they　tell　me。

But　try　and　imagine　how　little　I　know　of　it。〃



〃CitiesTruststhe　Labour　Company〃



〃Principalities；　powers；　dominionsthe　power　and

the　glory。　Yes；　I　have　heard　them　shout。　I　know。

I　am　Master。　King；　if　you　wish。　With　Ostrog；　the

Boss〃



He　paused。



She　turned　upon　him　and　surveyed　his　face　with　a

curious　scrutiny。　〃Well？〃



He　smiled。　〃To　take　the　responsibility。〃



〃That　is　what　we　have　begun　to　fear。〃　For　a　moment

she　said　no　more。　〃No；〃　she　said　slowly。　〃You　will

take　the　responsibility。　You　will　take　the　

responsibility。　The　people　look　to　you。〃



She　spoke　softly。〃　Listen！　For　at　least　half　the

years　of　your　sleepin　every　generationmultitudes　

of　people；　in　every　generation　greater　multitudes

of　people；　have　prayed　that　you　might　awake

prayed。〃



Graham　moved　to　speak　and　did　not。



She　hesitated；　and　a　faint　colour　crept　back　to　her

cheek。　〃Do　you　know　that　you　have　been　to　myriads

King　Arthur；　Barbarossathe　King　who　would

come　in　his　own　good　time　and　put　the　world　right　for

them？〃



〃I　suppose　the　imagination　of　the　people〃



〃Have　you　not　heard　our　proverb；　'When　the

Sleeper　wakes？'　While　you　lay　insensible　and　motionless　

therethousands　came。　Thousands。　Every

first　of　the　month　you　lay　in　state　with　a　white　robe

upon　you　and　the　people　filed　by　you。　When　I　was　a

little　girl　I　saw　you　like　that；　with　your　face　white　an