when the sleeper wakes-第50节

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for　complete　possession　of　his　thoughts。　They　

protruded　from　a　background　of　swarming　halls；　elevated

passages；　rooms　jammed　with　ward　leaders　in　council

kinematograph　and　telephone　rooms；　and　windows

looking　out　on　a　seething　sea　of　marching　men。　The

man　in　yellow；　and　men　whom　he　fancied　were　called

Ward　Leaders；　were　either　propelling　him　forward

or　following　him　obediently；　it　was　hard　to　tell。　

Perhaps　they　were　doing　a　little　of　both。　Perhaps　some

power　unseen　and　unsuspected；　propelled　them　all。

He　was　aware　that　he　was　going　to　make　a　proclamation　

to　the　People　of　the　Earth；　aware　of　certain

grandiose　phrases　floating　in　his　mind　as　the　thing

he　meant　to　say。　Many　little　things　happened；　and

then　he　found　himself　with　the　man　in　yellow　entering

a　little　room　where　this　proclamation　of　his　was　to　be

made。



This　room　was　grotesquely　latter…day　in　its　appointments。　

In　the　centre　was　a　bright　oval　lit　by　shaded

electric　lights　from　above。　The　rest　was　in　shadow；

and　the　double　finely　fitting　doors　through　which　he

came　from　the　swarming　Hall　of　the　Atlas　made　the

place　very　still。　The　dead　thud　of　these　as　they　closed

behind　him；　the　sudden　cessation　of　the　tumult　in

which　he　had　been　living　for　hours；　the　quivering　circle　

of　light；　the　whispers　and　quick　noiseless　movements　

of　vaguely　visible　attendants　in　the　shadows；　had

a　strange　effect　upon　Graham。　The　huge　ears　of　a　

phonographic　mechanism　gaped　in　a　battery　for　his　words；

the　black　eyes　of　great　photographic　cameras　awaited

his　beginning；　beyond　metal　rods　and　coils　glittered

dimly；　and　something　whirled　about　with　a　droning

hum。　He　walked　into　the　centre　of　the　light；　and　his

shadow　drew　together　black　and　sharp　to　a　little　blot

at　his　feet。



The　vague　shape　of　the　thing　he　meant　to　say　was

already　in　his　mind。　But　this　silence；　this　isolation；

the　sudden　withdrawal　from　that　contagious　crowd；

this　silent　audience　of　gaping；　glaring　machines　had

not　been　in　his　anticipation。　All　his　supports　seemed

withdrawn　together；　he　seemed　to　have　dropped　into

this　suddenly；　suddenly　to　have　discovered　himself。　In

a　moment　he　was　changed。　He　found　that　he　now

feared　to　be　inadequate；　he　feared　to　be　theatrical；　he

feared　the　quality　of　his　voice；　the　quality　of　his　wit；

astonished；　he　turned　to　the　man　in　yellow　with　a　

propitiatory　gesture。　〃For　a　moment；〃　he　said；　〃I　must

wait。　I　did　not　think　it　would　be　like　this。　I　must

think　of　the　thing　I　have　to　say。



While　he　was　still　hesitating　there　came　an　agitated

messenger　with　news　that　the　foremost　aeroplanes　were

passing　over　Arawan。



〃Arawan？〃　he　said。〃　Where　is　that？　But　anyhow；

they　are　coming。　They　will　be　here。　When？〃　　



〃By　twilight。〃



〃Great　God！　In　only　a　few　hours。　What　news　of

the　flying　stages？〃　he　asked。



〃The　people　of　the　south…west　wards　are　ready。〃



〃Ready！　〃



He　turned　impatiently　to　the　blank　circles　of　the

lenses　again。



〃I　suppose　it　must　be　a　sort　of　speech。　Would　to

God　I　knew　certainly　the　thing　that　should　be　said！

Aeroplanes　at　Arawan！　They　must　have　started

before　the　main　fleet。　And　the　people　only　ready！

Surely　。　。　。〃



〃Oh！　what　does　it　matter　whether　I　speak　well　or

ill？〃　he　said；　and　felt　the　light　grow　brighter。



He　had　framed　some　vague　sentence　of　democratic

sentiment　when　suddenly　doubts　overwhelmed　him。

His　belief　in　his　heroic　quality　and　calling　he　found　had

altogether　lost　its　assured　conviction。　The　picture　of

a　little　strutting　futility　in　a　windy　waste　of　

incomprehensible　destinies　replaced　it。　Abruptly　it　was　

perfectly　clear　to　him　that　this　revolt　against　Ostrog　was

premature；　foredoomed　to　failure；　the　impulse　of　

passionate　inadequacy　against　inevitable　things。　He

thought　of　that　swift　flight　of　aeroplanes　like　the　swoop

of　Fate　towards　him。　He　was　astonished　that　he　could

have　seen　things　in　any　other　light。　In　that　final

emergency　he　debated；　thrust　debate　resolutely　aside；

determined　at　all　costs　to　go　through　with　the　thing

he　had　undertaken。　And　he　could　find　no　word　to

begin。　Even　as　he　stood；　awkward；　hesitating；　with

an　indiscrete　apology　for　his　inability　trembling　on　his

lips；　came　the　noise　of　many　people　crying　out；　the

running　to　and　fro　of　feet。　〃Wait；〃　cried　someone；

and　a　door　opened。　〃She　is　coming；〃　said　the　voices。

Graham　turned；　and　the　watching　lights　waned。



Through　the　open　doorway　he　saw　a　slight　grey

figure　advancing　across　a　spacious　hall。　His　heart

leapt。　It　was　Helen　Wotton。　Behind　and　about　her

marched　a　riot　of　applause。　The　man　in　yellow　came

out　of　the　nearer　shadows　into　the　circle　of　light。



〃This　is　the　girl　who　told　us　what　Ostrog　had

dune；〃　he　said。



Her　face　was　aflame；　and　the　heavy　coils　of　her

black　hair　fell　about　her　shoulders。　The　folds　of　the

soft　silk　robe　she　wore　streamed　from　her　and　floated

in　the　rhythm　of　her　advance。　She　drew　nearer　and

nearer；　and　his　heart　was　beating　fast。　All　his　doubts

were　gone。　The　shadow　of　the　doorway　fell　athwart

her　face　and　she　was　near　him。　〃You　have　not

betrayed　us？　〃　she　cried。　〃You　are　with　us？　〃



〃Where　have　you　been？　〃　said　Graham。



〃At　the　office　of　the　south…west　wards。　Until　ten

minutes　since　I　did　not　know　you　had　returned。　I

went　to　the　office　of　the　south…west　wards　to　find　the

Ward　Leaders　in　order　that　they　might　tell　the　people。〃



〃I　came　back　so　soon　as　I　heard。〃



〃I　knew；〃　she　cried；　〃　knew　you　would　be　with　us。

And　it　was　Iit　was　I　that　told　them。　They　have

risen。　All　the　world　is　rising。　The　people　have

awakened。　Thank　God　that　I　did　not　act　in　vain！

You　are　Master　still。〃



〃You　told　them　〃　he　said　slowly；　and　he　saw　that　in

spite　of　her　steady　eyes　her　lips　trembled　and　her

throat　rose　and　fell。



〃I　told　them。　I　knew　of　the　order。　I　was　here。

I　heard　that　the　negroes　were　to　come　to　London　to

guard　you　and　to　keep　the　people　downto　keep

you　a　prisoner。　And　I　stopped　it。　I　came　out　and

told　the　people。　And　you　are　Master　still。〃



Graham　glanced　at　the　black　lenses　of　the　cameras；

the　vast　listening　ears；　and　back　to　her　face。　〃I　am

Master　still；〃　he　said　slowly；　and　the　swift　rush　of　a

fleet　of　aeroplanes　passed　across　his　thoughts。



〃And　you　did　this？　You；　who　are　the　niece　of

Ostrog。〃



〃For　you；〃　she　cried。　〃For　you！　That　you　for

whom　the　world　has　waited　should　not　be　cheated　of

your　power。〃



Graham　stood　for　a　space；　wordless；　regarding　her。

His　doubts　and　questionings　had　fled　before　her　

presence。　He　remembered　the　things　that　he　had　meant

to　say。　He　faced　the　cameras　again　and　the　light

about　him　grew　brighter。　He　turned　again　towards

her。



〃You　have　saved　me；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　saved

my　power。　And　the　battle　is　beginning。　God　knows。

what　this　night　will　seebut　not　dishonour。〃



He　paused。　He　addressed　himself　to　the　unseen

multitudes　who　stared　upon　him　through　those　

grotesque　black　eyes。　At　first　he　spoke　slowly。

〃Men　and　women　of　the　new　age；〃　he　said；　〃You

have　arisen　to　do　battle　for　the　race。　。　。　There

is　no　easy　victory　before　us。〃



He　stopped　to　gather　words。　The　thoughts　that

had　been　in　his　mind　before　she　came　returned；　but

transfigured；　no　longer　touched　with　the　shadow　of　a

possible　irrelevance。　〃This　night　is　a　beginning；〃　he

cried。　〃This　battle　that　is　coming；　this　battle　that

rushes　upon　us　to…night；　is　only　a　beginning。　All　your

lives；　it　may　be；　you　must　fight。　Take　no　thought

though　I　am　beaten；　though　I　am　utterly　overthrown。〃



He　found　the　thing　in　his　mind　too　vague　for　words。

He　paused　momentarily；　and　broke　into　vague　

exhortations；　and　then　a　rush　of　speech　came　upon　him。

Much　that　he　said　was　but　the　humanitarian　commonplace　

of　a　vanished　age；　but　the　conviction　of　his　voice

touched　it　to　vitality。　He　stated　the　case　of　the　old

days　to　the　people　of　the　new　age；　to　the　woman　at

his　side。　〃I　come　out　of　the　past　to　you；〃　he　said；

〃with　the　memory　of　an　age　that　hoped。　My　age　was

an　age　of　dreamsof　beginnings；　an　age　of　noble

hopes；　throughout　the　world　we　had　made　an　end　of

slavery；　throughout　the　world　we　had　spread　the　desire

and　anticipation　that　wars　might　cease；　that　all　men

and　women　might　live　nobly；　in　freedom　and　peace。

。　。　。　So　we　hoped　in　the　days　that　are　past。　And

what　of　those　hopes？　How　is　it　with　man　after　two

hundred　years？



〃Great　cities；　vast　powers；　a　collective　greatness

beyond　our　dreams。　For　that　we　did　not　work；　and

that　has　come。　But　how　is　it　with　the　little　lives　that

make　up　this　greater　life？　How　is　it　with　the　common

lives？　As　it　has　ever　beensorrow　and　labour；　lives

cramped　and　unfulfilled；　lives　tempted　by　power；

tempted　by　wealth；　and　gone　to　waste　and　folly。　The

old　faiths　have　faded　and　changed；　the　new　faith。

Is　there　a　new　faith？　〃



Things　that　he　had　long　wished　to　believe；　he　found

that