when the sleeper wakes-第5节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



English；　there　was　a　reiteration　of　〃Wake！〃　He

heard　some　indistinct　shrill　cry；　and　abruptly　the

three　men　began　laughing。



〃Ha；　ha；　ha！〃　laughed　onea　red…haired　man　in

a　short　purple　robe。　〃When　the　Sleeper　wakes

__When！__



He　turned　his　eyes　full　of　merriment　along　the　passage。　

His　face　changed；　the　whole　man　changed；

became　rigid。　The　other　two　turned　swiftly　at　his

exclamation　and　stood　motionless。　Their　faces

assumed　an　expression　of　consternation；　an　expression

that　deepened　into　awe。



Suddenly　Graham's　knees　bent　beneath　him；　his　arm

against　the　pillar　collapsed　limply；　he　staggered　

forward　and　fell　upon　his　face。



CHAPTER　IV



THE　SOUND　OF　A　TUMULT



Graham's　last　impression　before　he　fainted　was　of

a　clamorous　ringing　of　bells。　He　learnt　afterwards　that

he　was　insensible；　hanging　between　life　and　death；　for

the　better　part　of　an　hour。　When　he　recovered　his

senses；　he　was　back　on　his　translucent　couch；　and

there　was　a　stirring　warmth　at　heart　and　throat。　The

dark　apparatus；　he　perceived；　had　been　removed　from

his　arm；　which　was　bandaged。　The　white　framework

was　still　about　him；　but　the　greenish　transparent　

substance　that　had　filled　it　was　altogether　gone。　A　man

in　a　deep　violet　robe；　one　of　those　who　had　been　on

the　balcony；　was　looking　keenly　into　his　face。



Remote　but　insistent　was　a　clamour　of　bells　and

confused　sounds；　that　suggested　to　his　mind　the　

picture　of　a　great　number　of　people　shouting　together。

Something　seemed　to　fall　across　this　tumult；　a

door　suddenly　closed。



Graham　moved　his　head。　〃What　does　this　all

mean？〃　he　said　slowly。　〃Where　am　I？〃



He　saw　the　red…haired　man　who　had　been　first　to

discover　him。　A　voice　seemed　to　be　asking　what　he

had　said；　and　was　abruptly　stilled。



The　man　in　violet　answered　in　a　soft　voice；　speaking

English　with　a　slightly　foreign　accent；　or　so　at　least

it　seemed　to　the　Sleeper's　ears；　〃You　are　quite　safe。



You　were　brought　hither　from　where　you　fell　asleep。

It　is　quite　safe。　You　have　been　here　some　time

sleeping。　In　a　trance。〃



He　said　something　further　that　Graham　could　not

hear；　and　a　little　phial　was　handed　across　to　him。

Graham　felt　a　cooling　spray；　a　fragrant　mist　played

over　his　forehead　for　a　moment；　and　his　sense　of

refreshment　increased。　He　closed　his　eyes　in　satisfaction。



〃　Better？〃　asked　the　man　in　violet；　as　Graham's

eyes　reopened。　He　was　a　pleasant…faced　man　of

thirty；　perhaps；　with　a　pointed　flaxen　beard；　and　a

clasp　of　gold　at　the　neck　of　his　violet　robe。



〃Yes；〃　said　Graham。



〃You　have　been　asleep　some　time。　In　a　cataleptic

trance。　You　have　heard？　Catalepsy？　It　may　seem

strange　to　you　at　first；　but　I　can　assure　you　everything

is　well。〃



Graham　did　not　answer；　but　these　words　served

their　reassuring　purpose。　His　eyes　went　from　face

to　face　of　the　three　people　about　him。　They　were

regarding　him　strangely。　He　knew　he　ought　to　be

somewhere　in　Cornwall；　but　he　could　not　square　these

things　with　that　impression。



A　matter　that　had　been　in　his　mind　during　his　last

waking　moments　at　Boscastle　recurred；　a　thing　resolved

upon　and　somehow　neglected。　He　cleared　his

throat。



〃Have　you　wired　my　cousin？〃　he　asked。　〃E。

Warming；　27；　Chancery　Lane？　〃



They　were　all　assiduous　to　hear。　But　he　had　to

repeat　it。　〃What　an　odd　__blurr__　in　his　accent！〃　

whispered　the　red…haired　man。　〃Wire；　sir？〃　said　the

young　man　with　the　flaxen　beard；　evidently　puzzled。



〃He　means　send　an　electric　telegram；〃　volunteered

the　third；　a　pleasant…faced　youth　of　nineteen　or　twenty。

The　flaxen…bearded　man　gave　a　cry　of　comprehension。

〃How　stupid　of　me！　You　may　be　sure　everything

shall　be　done；　sir；〃　he　said　to　Graham。　〃I　am　afraid

it　would　be　difficult　towire　to　your　cousin。　He　is

not　in　London　now。　But　don't　trouble　about　arrangements　

yet；　you　have　been　asleep　a　very　long　time　and

the　important　thing　is　to　get　over　that；　sir。〃　（Graham

concluded　the　word　was　sir；　but　this　man　pronounced

it　〃Sire。〃）



〃Oh！〃　said　Graham；　and　became　quiet。



It　was　all　very　puzzling；　but　apparently　these　people

in　unfamiliar　dress　knew　what　they　were　about。　Yet

they　were　odd　and　the　room　was　odd。　It　seemed　he

was　in　some　newly　established　place。　He　had　a　sudden

flash　of　suspicion。　Surely　this　wasn't　some　hall

of　public　exhibition！　If　it　was　he　would　give　Warming　

a　piece　of　his　mind。　But　it　scarcely　had　that

character。　And　in　a　place　of　public　exhibition　he

would　not　have　discovered　himself　naked。



Then　suddenly；　quite　abruptly；　he　realised　what　had

happened。　There　was　no　perceptible　interval　of　suspicion；　

no　dawn　to　his　knowledge。　Abruptly　he

knew　that　his　trance　had　lasted　for　a　vast　interval；　as

if　by　some　processes　of　thought　reading　he　interpreted

the　awe　in　the　faces　that　peered　into　his。　He　looked

at　them　strangely；　full　of　intense　emotion。　It　seemed

they　read　his　eyes。　He　framed　his　lips　to　speak　and

could　not。　A　queer　impulse　to　hide　his　knowledge

came　into　his　mind　almost　at　the　moment　of　his　discovery。　

He　looked　at　his　bare　feet；　regarding　then

silently。　His　impulse　to　speak　passed。　He　was

trembling　exceedingly。



They　gave　him　some　pink　fluid　with　a　greenish

fluorescence　and　a　meaty　taste；　and　the　assurance　of

returning　strength　grew。



〃Thatthat　makes　me　feel　better；〃　he　said

hoarsely；　and　there　were　murmurs　of　respectful

approval。　He　knew　now　quite　clearly。　He　made　to

speak　again；　and　again　he　could　not。



He　pressed　his　throat　and　tried　a　third　time。



〃How　long？　〃　he　asked　in　a　level　voice。　〃How　long

have　I　been　asleep？　〃



〃Some　considerable　time；〃　said　the　flaxen…bearded

man；　glancing　quickly　at　the　others。



〃How　long？　〃



〃A　very　long　time。〃



〃Yesyes；〃　said　Graham；　suddenly　testy。　〃But

I　want　Is　itit　issome　years？　Many　years？

There　was　somethingI　forget　what。　I　feel

confused。　But　you〃　He　sobbed。　〃You　need

not　fence　with　me。　How　long？〃



He　stopped；　breathing　irregularly。　He　squeezed

his　eyes　with　his　knuckles　and　sat　waiting　for　an

answer。



They　spoke　in　undertones。



〃Five　or　six？〃　he　asked　faintly。　〃More？〃



〃Very　much　more　than　that。〃



〃Morel　〃



〃More。〃



He　looked　at　them　and　it　seemed　as　though　imps

were　twitching　the　muscles　of　his　face。　He　looked

his　question。



〃Many　years；〃　said　the　man　with　the　red　beard。



Graham　struggled　into　a　sitting　position。　He

wiped　a　rheumy　tear　from　his　face　with　a　lean　hand。

〃Many　years！〃　he　repeated。　He　shut　his　eyes　tight；

opened　them；　and　sat　looking　about　him；　from　one

unfamiliar　thing　to　another。



〃How　many　years？〃　he　asked。



〃You　must　be　prepared　to　be　surprised。〃



〃Well？　〃



〃More　than　a　gross　of　years。〃



He　was　irritated　at　the　strange　word。〃　More　than

a　__what__？〃



Two　of　them　spoke　together。　Some　quick　remarks

that　were　made　about　〃decimal〃　he　did　not　catch。



〃How　long　did　you　say？　〃　asked　Graham。　〃How

long？　Don't　look　like　that。　Tell　me。〃



Among　the　remarks　in　an　undertone；　his　ear　caught

six　words：　〃More　than　a　couple　of　centuries。〃



__〃Whats？〃__　he　cried；　turning　on　the　youth　who　he

thought　had　spoken。　〃Who　says？　What　was

that？　A　couple　of　centuries！〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　man　with　the　red　beard。　〃Two

hundred　years。〃



Graham　repeated　the　words。　He　had　been　prepared

to　hear　of　a　vast　repose；　and　yet　these　concrete

centuries　defeated　him。



〃Two　hundred　years；〃　he　said　again；　with　the　figure

of　a　great　gulf　opening　very　slowly　in　his　mind；　and

then；　〃Oh；　but！〃



They　said　nothing。



〃Youdid　you　say？　〃



〃Two　hundred　years。　Two　centuries　of　years；〃

said　the　man　with　the　red　beard。



There　was　a　pause。　Graham　looked　at　their　faces

and　saw　that　what　he　had　heard　was　indeed　true。



〃But　it　can't　be；〃　he　said　querulously。　〃I　am

dreaming。　Trances。　Trances　don't　last。　That　is　not

rightthis　is　a　joke　you　have　played　upon　me！　Tell

mesome　days　ago；　perhaps；　I　was　walking　along

the　coast　of　Cornwall？　〃



His　voice　failed　him。



The　man　with　the　flaxen　beard　hesitated。　〃I'm

not　very　strong　in　history；　sir；〃　he　said　weakly；　and

glanced　at　the　others。



〃That　was　it；　sir；〃　said　the　youngster。　〃Boscastle；

in　the　old　Duchy　of　Cornwallit's　in　the　southwest

country　beyond　the　dairy　meadows。　There　is　a　house

there　still。　I　have　been　there。〃



〃Boscastle！〃　Graham　turned　his　eyes　to　the

youngster。　〃That　was　itBoscastle。　Little　Boscastle。　

I　fell　asleepsomewhere　there。　I　don't

exactly　remember。　I　don't　exactly　remember。〃



He　pressed　his　brows　and　whispered；〃　More　than

two　hundred　years！〃　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　I



He　began　to　speak　quickly　with　a　twitching　face；

but　his　heart　was　cold　within　him。　〃But　if　it　is　two

hundred　years；　every　soul　I　know；　every　human　being

that　ever　I　saw　or　spoke　to　before　I　went　to　sleep；

must　be　dead。〃



They　did　not　answer