when the sleeper wakes-第46节

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the　moral　restraints　of　Puritanical　religion；　two　

hundred　years　of　city　life；　had　done　their　work　in　

eliminating　the　strain　of　feminine　beauty　and　vigour　from

the　blue　canvas　myriads。　To　be　brilliant　physically

or　mentally；　to　be　in　any　way　attractive　or　exceptional；

had　been　and　was　still　a　certain　way　of　emancipation

to　the　drudge；　a　line　of　escape　to　the　Pleasure　City

and　its　splendours　and　delights；　and　at　last　to　the

Euthanasy　and　peace。　To　be　steadfast　against　such

inducements　was　scarcely　to　be　expected　of　meanly

nourished　souls。　In　the　young　cities　of　Graham's

former　life；　the　newly　aggregated　labouring　mass　had

been　a　diverse　multitude；　still　stirred　by　the　tradition

of　personal　honour　and　a　high　morality；　now　it　was

differentiating　into　a　distinct　class；　with　a　moral　and

physical　difference　of　its　owneven　with　a　dialect　of

its　own。



They　penetrated　downward；　ever　downward；　towards

the　working　places。　Presently　they　passed　underneath

one　of　the　streets　of　the　moving　ways；　and　saw　its　

platforms　running　on　their　rails　far　overhead；　and　chinks

of　white　lights　between　the　transverse　slits。　The

factories　that　were　not　working　were　sparsely　lighted；

to　Graham　they　and　their　shrouded　aisles　of　giant

machines　seemed　plunged　in　gloom；　and　even　where

work　was　going　on　the　illumination　was　far　less

brilliant　than　upon　the　public　ways。



Beyond　the　blazing　lakes　of　Eadhamite　he　came　to

the　warren　of　the　jewellers；　and；　with　some　difficulty

and　by　using　his　signature；　obtained　admission　to

these　galleries。　They　were　high　and　dark；　and　rather

cold。　In　the　first　a　few　men　were　making　ornaments

of　gold　filigree；　each　man　at　a　little　bench　by　himself；

and　with　a　little　shaded　light。　The　long　vista　of　light

patches；　with　the　nimble　fingers　brightly　lit　and

moving　among　the　gleaming　yellow　coils；　and　the

intent　face　like　the　face　of　a　ghost；　in　each　shadow

had　the　oddest　effect。



The　work　was　beautifully　executed；　but　without　any

strength　of　modelling　or　drawing；　for　the　most　part

intricate　grotesques　or　the　ringing　of　the　changes　on

a　geometrical　motif。　These　workers　wore　a　peculiar

white　uniform　without　pockets　or　sleeves。　They

assumed　this　on　coming　to　work；　but　at　night　they

were　stripped　and　examined　before　they　left　the

premises　of　the　Company。　In　spite　of　every　precaution；　

the　Labour　policeman　told　them　in　a　depressed

tone；　the　Company　was　not　infrequently　robbed。



Beyond　was　a　gallery　of　women　busied　in　cutting

and　setting　slabs　of　artificial　ruby；　and　next　these　were

men　and　women　busied　together　upon　the　slabs　of

copper　net　that　formed　the　basis　of　cloisonne　tiles。

Many　of　these　workers　had　lips　and　nostrils　a　livid

white；　due　to　a　disease　caused　by　a　peculiar　purple

enamel　that　chanced　to　be　much　in　fashion。　Asano

apologised　to　Graham　for　the　offence　of　their　faces；　but

excused　himself　on　the　score　of　the　convenience　of　this

route。　〃This　is　what　I　wanted　to　see；〃　said　Graham；

〃this　is　what　I　wanted　to　see；〃　trying　to　avoid　a　start

at　a　particularly　striking　disfigurement　that　suddenly

stared　him　in　the　face。



〃She　might　have　done　better　with　herself　than

that；〃　said　Asano。



Graham　made　some　indignant　comments。



〃But；　Sire；　we　simply　could　not　stand　that　stuff

without　the　purple；〃　said　Asano。　〃In　your　days　

people　could　stand　such　crudities；　they　were　nearer　the

barbaric　by　two　hundred　years。〃



They　continued　along　one　of　the　lower　galleries　of

this　cloisonne　factory；　and　came　to　a　little　bridge　that

spanned　a　vault。　Looking　over　the　parapet；　Graham

saw　that　beneath　was　a　wharf　under　yet　more　tremendous　

archings　than　any　he　had　seen。　Three

barges；　smothered　in　floury　dust；　were　being　unloaded

of　their　cargoes　of　powdered　felspar　by　a　multitude

of　coughing　men；　each　guiding　a　little　truck；　the　dust

filled　the　place　with　a　choking　mist；　and　turned　the

electric　glare　yellow。　The　vague　shadows　of　these

workers　gesticulated　about　their　feet；　and　rushed　to

and　fro　against　a　long　stretch　of　white…washed　wall。

Every　now　and　then　one　would　stop　to　cough。



A　shadowy；　huge　mass　of　masonry　rising　out　of　the

inky　water；　brought　to　Graham's　mind　the　thought　of

the　multitude　of　ways　and　galleries　and　lifts；　that　rose

floor　above　floor　overhead　between　him　and　the　sky。

The　men　worked　in　silence　under　the　supervision　of

two　of　the　Labour　Police；　their　feet　made　a　hollow

thunder　on　the　planks　along　which　they　went　to　and

fro。　And　as　he　looked　at　this　scene；　some　hidden

voice　in　the　darkness　began　to　sing。



〃Stop　that！〃　shouted　one　of　the　policemen；　but　the

order　was　disobeyed；　and　first　one　and　then　all　the

white…stained　men　who　were　working　there　had　taken

up　the　beating　refrain；　singing　it　defiantly；　the　Song

of　the　Revolt。　The　feet　upon　the　planks　thundered

now　to　the　rhythm　of　the　song；　tramp；　tramp；　tramp。

The　policeman　who　had　shouted　glanced　at　his　fellow；

and　Graham　saw　him　shrug　his　shoulders。　He　made

no　further　effort　to　stop　the　singing。



And　so　they　went　through　these　factories　and　places

of　toil；　seeing　many　painful　and　grim　things。　But

why　should　the　gentle　reader　be　depressed？　Surely

to　a　refined　nature　our　present　world　is　distressing

enough　without　bothering　ourselves　about　these

miseries　to　come。　We　shall　not　suffer　anyhow。　Our

children　may；　but　what　is　that　to　us？　That　walk　left　on

Graham's　mind　a　maze　of　memories；　fluctuating　pictures　

of　swathed　halls；　and　crowded　vaults　seen　through

clouds　of　dust；　of　intricate　machines；　the　racing　threads

of　looms；　the　heavy　beat　of　stamping　machinery；　the

roar　and　rattle　of　belt　and　armature；　of　ill…lit　

subterranean　aisles　of　sleeping　places；　illimitable　vistas　of

pin…point　lights。　And　here　the　smell　of　tanning；　and

here　the　reek　of　a　brewery　and　here；　unprecedented

reeks。　And　everywhere　were　pillars　and　cross　archings　

of　such　a　massiveness　as　Graham　had　never　before

seen；　thick　Titans　of　greasy；　shining　brickwork　crushed

beneath　the　vast　weight　of　that　complex　city　world；

even　as　these　anemic　millions　were　crushed　by　its

complexity。　And　everywhere　were　pale　features；　lean

limbs；　disfigurement　and　degradation。



Once　and　again；　and　again　a　third　time；　Graham

heard　the　song　of　the　revolt　during　his　long；

unpleasant　research　in　these　places；　and　once　he　saw

a　confused　struggle　down　a　passage；　and　learnt　that

a　number　of　these　serfs　had　seized　their　bread　before

their　work　was　done。　Graham　was　ascending　towards

the　ways　again　when　he　saw　a　number　of　blue…clad

children　running　down　a　transverse　passage；　and

presently　perceived　the　reason　of　their　panic　in　a

company　of　the　Labour　Police　armed　with　clubs；

trotting　towards　some　unknown　disturbance。　And

then　came　a　remote　disorder。　But　for　the　most　part

this　remnant　that　worked；　worked　hopelessly。　All　the

spirit　that　was　left　in　fallen　humanity　was　above　in　the

streets　that　night；　calling　for　the　Master；　and　valiantly

and　noisily　keeping　its　arms。



They　emerged　from　these　wanderings　and　stood

blinking　in　the　bright　light　of　the　middle　passage　of

the　platforms　again。　They　became　aware　of　the

remote　hooting　and　yelping　of　the　machines　of　one　of

the　General　Intelligence　Offices；　and　suddenly　came

men　running；　and　along　the　platforms　and　about　the

ways　everywhere　was　a　shouting　and　crying。　Then

a　woman　with　a　face　of　mute　white　terror；　and　another

who　gasped　and　shrieked　as　she　ran。



〃What　has　happened　now？〃　said　Graham；　puzzled；

for　he　could　not　understand　their　thick　speech。　Then

he　heard　it　in　English　and　perceived　that　the　thing

that　everyone　was　shouting；　that　men　yelled　to　one

another；　that　women　took　up　screaming；　that　was

passing　like　the　first　breeze　of　a　thunderstorm；　chill

and　sudden　through　the　city；　was　this：　〃Ostrog　has

ordered　the　Black　Police　to　London。　The　Black

Police　are　coming　from　South　Africa。　。　。　。　The

Black　Police。　The　Black　Police。〃



Asano's　face　was　white　and　astonished；　he　hesitated；　

looked　at　Graham's　face；　and　told　him　the　thing

he　already　knew。　〃But　how　can　they　know？〃　asked

Asano。



Graham　heard　someone　shouting。　〃Stop　all　work。

Stop　all　work；〃　and　a　swarthy　hunchback；　ridiculously

gay　in　green　and　gold；　came　leaping　down　the　platforms　

toward　him；　bawling　again　and　again　in　good

English；　〃This　is　Ostrog's　doing；　Ostrog；　the　Knave！

The　Master　is　betrayed。〃　His　voice　was　hoarse　and　a

thin　foam　dropped　from　his　ugly　shouting　mouth。　He

yelled　an　unspeakable　horror　that　the　Black　Police

had　done　in　Paris；　and　so　passed　shrieking；　〃Ostrog

the　Knave！〃



For　a　moment　Graham　stood　still；　for　it　had　come

upon　him　again　that　these　things　were　a　dream。　He

looked　up　at　the　great　cliff　of　buildings　on　either　side；

vanishing　into　blue　haze　at　last　above　the　lights；　and

down　to　the　roaring　tiers　of　platforms；　and　the

shouting；　running　people　who　were　gesticulating　past。

〃