when the sleeper wakes-第48节

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〃The　people〃



〃I　believe　in　the　people。〃



〃Because　you　are　an　anachronism。　You　are　a　man

out　of　the　Pastan　accident。　You　are　Owner　

perhaps　of　half　the　property　in　the　world。　But　you　are

not　Master。　You　do　not　know　enough　to　be　Master。〃



He　glanced　at　Lincoln　again。　〃I　know　now　what

you　thinkI　can　guess　something　of　what　you　mean

to　do。　Even　now　it　is　not　too　late　to　warn　you。　You



dream　of　human　equalityof　a　socialistic　order

you　have　all　those　worn…out　dreams　of　the　nineteenth

century　fresh　and　vivid　in　your　mind；　and　you　would

rule　this　age　that　you　do　not　understand。〃



〃Listen！　〃　said　Graham。　〃You　can　hear　ita

sound　like　the　sea。　Not　voicesbut　a　voice。　Do

you　altogether　understand？〃



〃We　taught　them　that；〃　said　Ostrog。



〃　Perhaps。　Can　you　teach　them　to　forget　it？　But

enough　of　this！　These　negroes　must　not　come。〃



There　was　a　pause　and　Ostrog　looked　him　in　the

eyes。



〃They　will；〃　he　said。



〃I　forbid　it；〃　said　Graham。



〃They　have　started。〃



〃I　will　not　have　it。〃



〃No；〃　said　Ostrog。　〃Sorry　as　I　am　to　follow　the

method　of　the　Council。　For　your　own　good

you　must　not　side　with　disorder。　And　now　that

you　are　here。　It　was　kind　of　you　to　come　here。〃



Lincoln　laid　his　hand　on　Graham's　shoulder。

Abruptly　Graham　realized　the　enormity　of　his　blunder

in　coming　to　the　Council　House。　He　turned　towards

the　curtains　that　separated　the　hall　from　the　antechamber。　

The　clutching　hand　of　Asano　intervened。

In　another　moment　Lincoln　had　grasped　Graham's

cloak。



He　turned　and　struck　at　Lincoln's　face；　and　incontinently　

a　negro　had　him　by　collar　and　arm。　He

wrenched　himself　away；　his　sleeve　tore　noisily；　and　he

stumbled　back；　to　be　tripped　by　the　other　attendant。

Then　he　struck　the　ground　heavily　and　he　was　staring

at　the　distant　ceiling　of　the　hall。



He　shouted；　rolled　over；　struggling　fiercely；　clutched

an　attendant's　leg　and　threw　him　headlong；　and

struggled　to　his　feet。



Lincoln　appeared　before　him；　went　down　heavily

again　with　a　blow　under　the　point　of　the　jaw　and　lay　

still。　Graham　made　two　strides；　stumbled。　And　then

Ostrog's　arm　was　round　his　neck；　he　was　pulled　over

backward；　fell　heavily；　and　his　arms　were　pinned　to　the

ground。　After　a　few　violent　efforts　he　ceased　to

struggle　and　lay　staring　at　Ostrog's　heaving　throat。



〃Youarea　prisoner；〃　panted　Ostrog；　exulting。

〃Youwere　rather　a　foolto　come　back。〃



Graham　turned　his　head　about　and　perceived

through　the　irregular　green　window　in　the　walls　of

the　hall　the　men　who　had　been　working　the　building

cranes　gesticulating　excitedly　to　the　people　below　them。

They　had　seen！　　



Ostrog　followed　his　eyes　and　started。　He　shouted

something　to　Lincoln；　but　Lincoln　did　not　move。　A

bullet　smashed　among　the　mouldings　above　the　Atlas

The　two　sheets　of　transparent　matter　that　had　been

stretched　across　this　gap　were　rent；　the　edges　of　the

torn　aperture　darkened；　curved；　ran　rapidly　towards

the　framework；　and　in　a　moment　the　Council　chamber

stood　open　to　the　air。　A　chilly　gust　blew　in　by　the

gap；　bringing　with　it　a　war　of　voices　from　the　ruinous

spaces　without；　an　elvish　babblement；　〃Save　the

Master！〃　〃What　are　they　doing　to　the　Master？〃

〃The　Master　is　betrayed！　〃



And　then　he　realised　that　Ostrog's　attention　was

distracted；　that　Ostrog's　grip　had　relaxed；　and；

wrenching　his　arms　free；　he　struggled　to　his　knees。

In　another　moment　he　had　thrust　Ostrog　back；　and

he　was　on　one　foot；　his　hand　gripping　Ostrog's　throat；

and　Ostrog's　hands　clutching　the　silk　about　his　neck。

But　now　men　were　coming　towards　them　from　the

daismen　whose　intentions　he　misunderstood。　He

had　a　glimpse　of　someone　running　in　the　distance

towards　the　curtains　of　the　antechamber；　and　then

Ostrog　had　slipped　from　him　and　these　newcomers

were　upon　him。　To　his　infinite　astonishment；　they

seized　him。　They　obeyed　the　shouts　of　Ostrog。



He　was　lugged　a　dozen　yards　before　he　realised　that

they　were　not　friendsthat　they　were　dragging　him

towards　the　open　panel。　When　he　saw　this　he　pulled

back；　he　tried　to　fling　himself　down；　he　shouted　for

help　with　all　his　strength。　And　this　time　there　were

answering　cries。



The　grip　upon　his　neck　relaxed；　and　behold！　in　the

lower　corner　of　the　rent　upon　the　wall；　first　one　and

then　a　number　of　little　black　figures　appeared　shouting

and　waving　arms。　They　came　leaping　down　from

the　gap　into　the　light　gallery　that　had　led　to　the　Silent

Rooms。　They　ran　along　it；　so　near　were　they　that

Graham　could　see　the　weapons　in　their　hands；　Then

Ostrog　was　shouting　in　his　ear　to　the　men　who　held

him；　and　once　more　he　was　struggling　with　all　his

strength　against　their　endeavours　to　thrust　him　towards

the　opening　that　yawned　to　receive　him。　〃They　can't

come　down；〃　panted　Ostrog。　〃They　daren't　fire。

It's　all　right。〃　〃We'll　save　him　from　them　yet。〃



For　long　minutes　as　it　seemed　to　Graham　that

inglorious　struggle　continued。　His　clothes　were　rent

in　a　dozen　places；　he　was　covered　in　dust；　one　hand

had　been　trodden　upon。　He　could　hear　the　shouts　of

his　supporters；　and　once　he　heard　shots。　He　could

feel　his　strength　giving　way；　feel　his　efforts　wild　and

aimless。　But　no　help　came；　and　surely；　irresistibly；

that　black；　yawning　opening　came　nearer。



The　pressure　upon　him　relaxed　and　he　struggled

up。　He　saw　Ostrog's　grey　head　receding　and　

perceived　that　he　was　no　longer　held。　He　turned　about

and　came　full　into　a　man　in　black。　One　of　the　green

weapons　cracked　close　to　him；　a　drift　of　pungent

smoke　came　into　his　face；　and　a　steel　blade　flashed。

The　huge　chamber　span　about　him。



He　saw　a　man　in　pale　blue　stabbing　one　of　the　black

and　yellow　attendants　not　three　yards　from　his　face。

Then　hands　were　upon　him　again。



He　was　being　pulled　in　two；　directions　now。　It

seemed　as　though　people　were　shouting　to　him。　He

wanted　to　understand　and　could　not。　Someone　was

clutching　about　his　thighs；　he　was　being　hoisted　in

spite　of　his　vigorous　efforts。　He　understood　suddenly；

he　ceased　to　struggle。　He　was　lifted　up　on　men's

shoulders　and　carried　away　from　that　devouring　panel。

Ten　thousand　throats　were　cheering。



He　saw　men　in　blue　and　black　hurrying　after　the

retreating　Ostrogites　and　firing。　Lifted　up；　he　saw

now　across　the　whole　expanse　of　the　hall　beneath　the

Atlas　image；　saw　that　he　was　being　carried　towards

the　raised　platform　in　the　centre　of　the　place。　The　far

end　of　the　hall　was　already　full　of　people　running

towards　him。　They　were　looking　at　him　and　cheering。



He　became　aware　that　a　sort　of　body…guard　

surrounded　him。　Active　men　about　him　shouted　vague

orders。　He　saw　close　at　hand　the　black　moustached

man　in　yellow　who　had　been　among　those　who　had

greeted　him　in　the　public　theatre；　shouting　directions。

The　hall　was　already　densely　packed　with　swaying

people；　the　little　metal　gallery　sagged　with　a　shouting

load；　the　curtains　at　the　end　had　been　torn　away；　and

the　ante…chamber　was　revealed　densely　crowded。　He

could　scarcely　make　the　man　near　him　hear　for　the

tumult　about　them。　〃Where　has　Ostrog　gone？〃　he

asked。



The　man　he　questioned　pointed　over　the　heads

towards　the　lower　panels　about　the　hall　on　the　side

opposite　the　gap。　They　stood　open　and　armed　men；

blue　clad　with　black　sashes；　were　running　through　them

and　vanishing　into　the　chambers　and　passages　beyond。

It　seemed　to　Graham　that　a　sound　of　firing　drifted

through　the　riot。　He　was　carried　in　a　staggering

curve　across　the　great　hall　towards　an　opening　beneath

the　gap。



He　perceived　men　working　with　a　sort　of　rude　

discipline　to　keep　the　crowd　off　him；　to　make　a　space　clear

about　him。　He　passed　out　of　the　hall；　and　saw　a

crude；　new　wall　rising　blankly　before　him　topped　by

blue　sky。　He　was　swung　down　to　his　feet；　someone

gripped　his　arm　and　guided　him。　He　found　the　man

in　yellow　close　at　hand。　They　were　taking　him　up　a

narrow　stairway　of　brick；　and　close　at　hand　rose　the

great　red　painted　masses；　the　cranes　and　levers　and

the　still　engines　of　the　big　building　machine。



He　was　at　the　top　of　the　steps。　He　was　hurried

across　a　narrow　railed　footway；　and　suddenly　with　a

vast　shouting　the　amphitheatre　of　ruins　opened　again

before　him。　〃The　Master　is　with　us！　The　Master！

The　Master！〃　The　shout　swept　athwart　the　lake　of

faces　like　a　wave；　broke　against　the　distant　cliff　of

ruins；　and　came　back　in　a　welter　of　cries。　〃The

Master　is　on　our　side！　〃



Graham　perceived　that　he　was　no　longer　encompassed　

by　people；　that　he　was　standing　upon　a　little

temporary　platform　of　white　metal；　part　of　a　flimsy

seeming　scaffolding　that　laced　about　the　great　mass

of　the　Council　House。　Over　all　the　huge　expanse

of　the　ruins；　swayed　and　eddied　the　shouting　people；

and　here　and　there　the　black　banners　of　the　revolutionary　

societies　ducked　and　swayed　and　formed　rare

nuclei　of　organisation　in　the　chaos。　U