when the sleeper wakes-第44节

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floor　was　thick　with　dancing　couples。　〃Look　at

them；〃　said　the　little　officer；　〃see　how　much　they

show　of　motherhood。〃



The　gallery　they　stood　upon　ran　along　the　upper

edge　of　a　huge　screen　that　cut　the　dancing　hall　on　one

side　from　a　sort　of　outer　hall　that　showed　through

broad　arches　the　incessant　onward　rush　of　the　city

ways。　In　this　outer　hall　was　a　great　crowd　of　less

brilliantly　dressed　people；　as　numerous　almost　as

those　who　danced　within；　the　great　majority　wearing

the　blue　uniform　of　the　Labour　Company　that　was

now　so　familiar　to　Graham。　Too　poor　to　pass　the

turnstiles　to　the　festival；　they　were　yet　unable　to　keep

away　from　the　sound　of　its　seductions。　Some　of　them

even　had　cleared　spaces；　and　were　dancing　also；　

fluttering　their　rags　in　the　air。　Some　shouted　as　they

danced；　jests　and　odd　allusions　Graham　did　not　understand。　

Once　someone　began　whistling　the　refrain　of

the　revolutionary　song；　but　it　seemed　as　though　that

beginning　was　promptly　suppressed。　The　corner　was

dark　and　Graham　could　not　see。　He　turned　to　the

hall　again。　Above　the　caryatidae　were　marble　busts

of　men　whom　that　age　esteemed　great　moral　emancipators　

and　pioneers；　for　the　most　part　their　names

were　strange　to　Graham；　though　he　recognised　Grant

Allen；　Le　Gallienne；　Nietzsche；　Shelley　and　Goodwin。

Great　black　festoons　and　eloquent　sentiments　reinforced　

the　huge　inscription　that　partially　defaced　the

upper　end　of　the　dancing　place；　and　asserted　that　〃The

Festival　of　the　Awakening〃　was　in　progress。



〃Myriads　are　taking　holiday　or　staying　from　work

because　of　that；　quite　apart　from　the　labourers　who

refuse　to　go　back；〃　said　Asano。　〃These　people　are

always　ready　for　holidays。〃



Graham　walked　to　the　parapet　and　stood　leaning

over；　looking　down　at　the　dancers。　Save　for　two　or

three　remote　whispering　couples；　who　had　stolen

apart；　he　and　his　guide　had　the　gallery　to　themselves。

A　warm　breath　of　scent　and　vitality　came　up　to　him。

Both　men　and　women　below　were　lightly　clad；　bare…

armed；　open…necked；　as　the　universal　warmth　of　the

city　permitted。　The　hair　of　the　men　was　often　a　mass

of　effeminate　curls；　their　chins　were　always　shaven；

and　many　of　them　had　flushed　or　coloured　cheeks。

Many　of　the　women　were　very　pretty；　and　all　were

dressed　with　elaborate　coquetry。　As　they　swept　by

beneath；　he　saw　ecstatic　faces　with　eyes　half　closed　in

pleasure。



〃What　sort　of　people　are　these？　〃　he　asked

abruptly。



〃Workersprosperous　workers。　What　you

would　have　called　the　middle　class。　Independent

tradesmen　with　little　separate　businesses　have　vanished　

long　ago；　but　there　are　store　servers；　managers；　

engineers　of　a　hundred　sorts。　Tonight　is　a　holiday　

of　course；　and　every　dancing　place　in　the　city

will　be　crowded；　and　every　place　of　worship。〃



〃Butthe　women？　〃



〃The　same。　There's　a　thousand　forms　of　work　for

women　now。　But　you　had　the　beginning　of　the　

independent　working…woman　in　your　days。　Most　women

are　independent　now。　Most　of　these　are　married

more　or　lessthere　are　a　number　of　methods　of　

contractand　that　gives　them　more　money；　and　enables

them　to　enjoy　themselves。〃



〃I　see；〃　said　Graham　looking　at　the　flushed　faces；

the　flash　and　swirl　of　movement；　and　still　thinking　of

that　nightmare　of　pink　helpless　limbs。〃　And　these

aremothers。〃



〃Most　of　them。〃



〃The　more　I　see　of　these　things　the　more　complex

I　find　your　problems。　This；　for　instance；　is　a　surprise。

That　news　from　Paris　was　a　surprise。〃



In　a　little　while　he　spoke　again：



〃These　are　mothers。　Presently；　I　suppose；　I　shall

get　into　the　modern　way　of　seeing　things。　I　have　old

habits　of　mind　clinging　about　mehabits　based；　I

suppose；　on　needs　that　are　over　and　done　with。　Of

course；　in　our　time；　a　woman　was　supposed　not　only

to　bear　children；　but　to　cherish　them；　to　devote　herself

to　them；　to　educate　themall　the　essentials　of　moral

and　mental　education　a　child　owed　its　mother。

Or　went　without。　Quite　a　number；　I　admit；　went

without。　Nowadays；　clearly；　there　is　no　more　need

for　such　care　than　if　they　were　butterflies。　I　see　that！

Only　there　was　an　idealthat　figure　of　a　grave；

patient　woman；　silently　and　serenely　mistress　of　a

home；　mother　and　maker　of　mento　love　her　was　a

sort　of　worship〃



He　stopped　and　repeated；　〃A　sort　of　worship。〃



〃Ideals　change；〃　said　the　little　man；　〃as　needs

change。〃



Graham　awoke　from　an　instant　reverie　and　Asano

repeated　his　words。　Graham's　mind　returned　to　the

thing　at　hand。



〃Of　course　I　see　the　perfect　reasonableness　of　this

Restraint；　soberness；　the　matured　thought；　the　unselfish　a

act；　they　are　necessities　of　the　barbarous　state；　the

life　of　dangers。　Dourness　is　man's　tribute　to　

unconquered　nature。　But　man　has　conquered　nature　now

for　all　practical　purposeshis　political　affairs　are

managed　by　Bosses　with　a　black　policeand　life　is

joyous。〃



He　looked　at　the　dancers　again。　〃Joyous；〃　he

said。



〃There　are　weary　moments；〃　said　the　little　officer；

reflectively。



〃They　all　look　young。　Down　there　I　should　be

visibly　the　oldest　man。　And　in　my　own　time　I　should

have　passed　as　middle…aged。〃



〃They　are　young。　There　are　few　old　people　in　this

class　in　the　work　cities。〃



〃How　is　that？　〃



〃Old　people's　lives　are　not　so　pleasant　as　they　used

to　be；　unless　they　are　rich　to　hire　lovers　and　helpers。

And　we　have　an　institution　called　Euthanasy。〃



〃Ah！　that　Euthanasy！〃　said　Graham。　〃The　easy

death？　〃



〃The　easy　death。　It　is　the　last　pleasure。　The

Euthanasy　Company　does　it　well。　People　will　pay　the

sumit　is　a　costly　thinglong　beforehand；　go　off　to

some　pleasure　city　and　return　impoverished　and

weary；　very　weary。〃



〃There　is　a　lot　left　for　me　to　understand；〃　said

Graham　after　a　pause。　〃Yet　I　see　the　logic　of　it　all。

Our　array　of　angry　virtues　and　sour　restraints　was　the

consequence　of　danger　and　insecurity。　The　Stoic；　the

Puritan；　even　in　my　time；　were　vanishing　types。　In

the　old　days　man　was　armed　against　Pain；　now　he　is

eager　for　Pleasure。　There　lies　the　difference。　

Civilisation　has　driven　pain　and　danger　so　far　offfor

well…to…do　people。　And　only　well…to…do　people　matter

now。　I　have　been　asleep　two　hundred　years。〃



For　a　minute　they　leant　on　the　balustrading；　following　

the　intricate　evolution　of　the　dance。　Indeed　the

scene　was　very　beautiful。



〃Before　God；〃　said　Graham；　suddenly；　〃I　would

rather　be　a　wounded　sentinel　freezing　in　the　snow　than

one　of　these　painted　fools！　〃



〃In　the　snow；〃　said　Asano；　〃one　might　think

diferently。〃



〃　I　am　uncivilised；〃　said　Graham；　not　heeding　him。

〃That　is　the　trouble。　I　am　primitivePalaeolithic。

Their　fountain　of　rage　and　fear　and　anger　is　sealed

and　closed；　the　habits　of　a　lifetime　make　them　cheerful

and　easy　and　delightful。　You　must　bear　with　my

nineteenth　century　shocks　and　disgusts。　These

people；　you　say；　are　skilled　workers　and　so　forth。　And

while　these　dance；　men　are　fightingmen　are　dying

in　Paris　to　keep　the　worldthat　they　may　dance。〃



Asano　smiled　faintly。　〃For　that　matter；　men　are

dying　in　London；〃　he　said。



There　was　a　moment's　silence。



〃Where　do　these　sleep？〃　asked　Graham。



〃Above　and　belowan　intricate　warren。〃



〃And　where　do　they　work？　This　isthe　domestic

life。〃



〃You　will　see　little　work　to…night。　Half　the　workers

are　out　or　under　arms。　Half　these　people　are　keeping

holiday。　But　we　will　go　to　the　work　places　if　you

wish　it。〃



For　a　time　Graham　watched　the　dancers；　then

suddenly　turned　away。　〃I　want　to　see　the　workers。

I　have　seen　enough　of　these；〃　he　said。



Asano　led　the　way　along　the　gallery　across　the

dancing　hall。　Presently　they　came　to　a　transverse

passage　that　brought　a　breath　of　fresher；　colder　air。



Asano　glanced　at　this　passage　as　they　went　past；

stopped；　went　back　to　it；　and　turned　to　Graham　with

a　smile。　〃Here；　Sire；〃　he　said；　〃is　somethingwill

be　familiar　to　you　at　leastand　yet。　But　I　will

not　tell　you。　Come！　〃



He　led　the　way　along　a　closed　passage　that　presently　

became　cold。　The　reverberation　of　their　feet　told

that　this　passage　was　a　bridge。　They　came　into　a

circular　gallery　that　was　glazed　in　from　the　outer

weather；　and　so　reached　a　circular　chamber　which

seemed　familiar；　though　Graham　could　not　recall　

distinctly　when　he　had　entered　it　before。　In　this　was　a

ladderthe　first　ladder　he　had　seen　since　his

awakeningup　which　they　went；　and　came　into　a

high；　dark；　cold　place　in　which　was　another　almost

vertical　ladder。　This　they　ascended；　Graham　still

perplexed。



But　at　the　top　he　understood；　and　recognized　the

metallic　bars　to　which　he　clung。　He　was　in　the　cage

under　the　ball　of　St。　Paul's。　The　dome　rose　but　a

little　way　above　the　general　contour　of　the　city；

into　the　still　twilight；　and　sloped　away；　shining

greasily　under　a　few　distant　lights；　into　a　circumambient　

ditch　of　darkn