when the sleeper wakes-第55节

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heart　throbbed　like　a　noisy　engine　in　his　throat　and

for　a　perilous　instant　he　could　not　move　his　levers

because　of　the　paralysis　of　his　hands。　He　wrenched

the　levers　to　throw　his　engine　back；　fought　for　two

seconds　against　the　weight　of　it；　felt　himself　righting

driving　horizontally；　set　the　engine　beating　again。



He　looked　upward　and　saw　two　aeroplanes　glide

shouting　far　overhead；　looked　back；　and　saw　the　main

body　of　the　fleet　opening　out　and　rushing　upward　and　。　。

outward；　saw　the　one　he　had　struck　fall　edgewise　on

and　strike　like　a　gigantic　knife…blade　along　the　wind…　

wheels　below　it。



He　put　down　his　stern　and　looked　again。　He　drove

up　heedless　of　his　direction　as　he　watched。　He　saw

the　wind…vanes　give；　saw　the　huge　fabric　strike　the

earth；　saw　its　downward　vans　crumple　with　the　weight

of　its　descent；　and　then　the　whole　mass　turned　over

and　smashed；　upside　down；　upon　the　sloping　wheels。

Throb；　throb；　throb；　pause。　Suddenly　from　the　heaving　

wreckage　a　thin　tongue　of　white　fire　licked　up

towards　the　zenith。　And　then　he　was　aware　of　a

huge　mass　flying　through　the　air　towards　him；　and

turned　upwards　just　in　time　to　escape　the　chargeif

it　was　a　chargeof　a　second　aeroplane。　It　whirled

by　below；　sucked　him　down　a　fathom；　and　nearly

turned　him　over　in　the　gust　of　its　close　passage。



He　became　aware　of　three　others　rushing　towards

him；　aware　of　the　urgent　necessity　of　beating　above

them。　Aeroplanes　were　all　about　him；　circling　wildly

to　avoid　him；　as　it　seemed。　They　drove　past　him；

above；　below；　eastward　and　westward。　Far　away　to

the　westward　was　the　sound　of　a　collision；　and　two

falling　flares。　Far　away　to　the　southward　a　second

squadron　was　coming。　Steadily　he　beat　upward。

Presently　all　the　aeroplanes　were　below　him；　but　for　a

moment　he　doubted　the　height　he　had　of　them；　and　did

not　swoop　again。　And　then　he　came　down　upon　a

second　victim　and　all　its　load　of　soldiers　saw　him　coming。　

The　big　machine　heeled　and　swayed　as　the　fear　maddened　

men　scrambled　to　the　stern　for　their

weapons。　A　score　of　bullets　sung　through　the　air；　and

there　flashed　a　star　in　the　thick　glass　wind…screen

that　protected　him。　The　aeroplane　slowed　and

dropped　to　foil　his　stroke；　and　dropped　too　low。　Just

in　time　he　saw　the　wind…wheels　of　Bromley　hill　rushing　

up　towards　him；　and　spun　about　and　up　as　the

aeroplane　he　had　chased　crashed　among　them。　All　its

voices　wove　into　a　felt　of　yelling。　The　great　fabric

seemed　to　be　standing　on　end　for　a　second　among　the

heeling　and　splintering　vans；　and　then　it　flew　to　pieces。

Huge　splinters　came　flying　through　the　air；　its　engines

burst　like　shells。　A　hot　rush　of　flame　shot　overhead

into　the　darkling　sky。



〃__Two！__〃　he　cried；　with　a　bomb　from　overhead　bursting　

as　it　fell；　and　forthwith　he　was　beating　up　again。

A　glorious　exhilaration　possessed　him　now；　a　giant

activity。　His　troubles　about　humanity；　about　his　

inadaquacy；　were　gone　for　ever。　He　was　a　man　in　battle

rejoicing　in　his　power。　Aeroplanes　seemed　radiating

from　him　in　every　direction；　intent　only　upon　avoiding

him；　the　yelling　of　their　packed　passengers　came　in

short　gusts　as　they　swept　by。　He　chose　his　third

quarry；　struck　hastily　and　did　but　turn　it　on　edge。　It

escaped　him；　to　smash　against　the　tall　cliff　of　London

wall。　FIying　from　that　impact　he　skimmed　the　darkling　

ground　so　nearly　he　could　see　a　frightened　rabbit

bolting　up　a　slope。　He　jerked　up　steeply；　and　found

himself　driving　over　south　London　with　the　air　about

him　vacant。　To　the　right　of　him　a　wild　riot　of　signal

rockets　from　the　Ostrogites　banged　tumultuously　in

the　sky。　To　the　south　the　wreckage　of　half　a　dozen

air　ships　flamed；　and　east　and　west　and　north　the　air

ships　fled　before　him。　They　drove　away　to　the　east

and　north；　and　went　about　in　the　south；　for　they　could

not　pause　in　the　air。　In　their　present　confusion　any

attempt　at　evolution　would　have　meant　disastrous　

collisions。　He　could　scarcely　realize　the　thing　he　had

done。　In　every　quarter　aeroplanes　were　receding。

They　were　receding。　They　dwindled　smaller　and

smaller。　They　were　in　flight！



He　passed　two　hundred　feet　or　so　above　the　Roehampton　

stage。　It　was　black　with　people　and　noisy

with　their　frantic　shouting。　But　why　was　the　Wimbledon　

Park　stage　black　and　cheering；　too？　The

smoke　and　flame　of　Streatham　now　hid　the　three　further　

stages。　He　curved　about　and　rose　to　see　them

and　the　northern　quarters。　First　came　the　square

masses　of　Shooter's　Hill　into　sight　from　behind　the

smoke；　lit　and　orderly　with　the　aeroplane　that　had

landed　and　its　disembarking　negroes。　Then　came

Blackheath；　and　then　under　the　corner　of　the　reek　the

Norwood　stage。　On　Blackheath　no　aeroplane　had

landed　but　an　aeropile　lay　upon　the　guides。　Norwood　

was　covered　by　a　swarm　of　little　figures　running

to　and　fro　in　a　passionate　confusion。　Why？　Abruptly

he　understood。　The　stubborn　defence　of　the　flying

stages　was　over；　the　people　were　pouring　into　the

under…ways　of　these　last　strongholds　of　Ostrog's

usurpation。　And　then；　from　far　away　on　the　northern

border　of　the　city；　full　of　glorious　import　to　him；　came

a　sound；　a　signal；　a　note　of　triumph；　the　leaden　thud

of　a　gun。　His　lips　fell　apart；　his　face　was　disturbed

with　emotion。



He　drew　an　immense　breath。　〃They　win；〃　he

shouted　to　the　empty　air；　〃the　people　win！〃　The

sound　of　a　second　gun　came　like　an　answer。　And

then　he　saw　the　aeropile　on　Blackheath　was　running

down　its　guides　to　launch。　It　lifted　clean　and　rose。

It　shot　up　into　the　air；　driving　straight　southward　and

away　from　him。



In　an　instant　it　came　to　him　what　this　meant。　It

must　needs　be　Ostrog　in　flight。　He　shouted　and

dropped　towards　it。　He　had　the　momentum　of　his

elevation　and　fell　slanting　down　the　air　and　very

swiftly。　It　rose　steeply　at　his　approach。　He　allowed

for　its　velocity　and　drove　straight　upon　it。



It　suddenly　became　a　mere　flat　edge；　and　behold！　he

was　past　it；　and　driving　headlong　down　with　all　the

force　of　his　futile　blow。



He　was　furiously　angry。　He　reeled　the　engine　back

along　its　shaft　and　went　circling　up。　He　saw　Ostrog's

machine　beating　up　a　spiral　before　him。　He　rose

straight　towards　it；　won　above　it　by　virtue　of　the

impetus　of　his　swoop　and　by　the　advantage　and

weight　of　a　man。　He　dropped　headlongdropped

and　missed　again！　As　he　rushed　past　he　saw　the　face

of　Ostrog's　aeronaut　confident　and　cool　and　in

Ostrog's　attitude　a　wincing　resolution。　Ostrog　was

looking　steadfastly　away　from　himto　the　south。

He　realized　with　a　gleam　of　wrath　how　bungling　his

flight　must　be。　Below　he　saw　the　Croyden　hills。　He

jerked　upward　and　once　more　he　gained　on　his　enemy。



He　glanced　over　his　shoulder　and　his　attention　was

arrested　by　a　strange　thing。　The　eastward　stage；　the

one　on　Shooter's　Hill；　appeared　to　lift；　a　flash　

changing　to　a　tall　grey　shape；　a　cowled　figure　of　smoke　and

duct；　jerked　into　the　air。　For　a　moment　this　cowled

figure　stood　motionless；　dropping　huge　masses　of

metal　from　its　shoulders；　and　then　it　began　to　uncoil　a

dense　head　of　smoke。　The　people　had　blown　it　up；

aeroplane　and　all！　As　suddenly　a　second　flash　and

grey　shape　sprang　up　from　the　Norwood　stage。　And

even　as　he　stared　at　this　came　a　dead　report；　and　the

air　wave　of　the　first　explosion　struck　him。　He　was

flung　up　and　sideways。



For　a　moment　the　aeropile　fell　nearly　edgewise　with

her　nose　down；　and　seemed　to　hesitate　whether　to

overset　altogether。　He　stood　on　his　wind…shield

wrenching　the　wheel　that　swayed　up　over　his　head。

And　then　the　shock　of　the　second　explosion　took　his

machine　sideways。



He　found　himself　clinging　to　one　of　the　ribs　of　his

machine；　and　the　air　was　blowing　past　him　and

upward。　He　seemed　to　be　hanging　quite　still　in　the

air；　with　the　wind　blowing　up　past　him。　It　occurred

to　him　that　he　was　falling。　Then　he　was　sure　that　he

was　falling。　He　could　not　look　down。



He　found　himself　recapitulating　with　incredible

swiftness　all　that　had　happened　since　his　awakening；

the　days　of　doubt　the　days　of　Empire；　and　at　last　the

tumultuous　discovery　of　Ostrog's　calculated　treachery。

he　was　beaten　but　London　was　saved。　London　was

saved！



The　thought　had　a　quality　of　utter　unreality。　Who

was　he？　Why　was　he　holding　so　tightly　with　his

hands？　Why　could　he　not　leave　go？　In　such　a　fall　as

this　countless　dreams　have　ended。　But　in　a　moment

he　would　wake。。。。



His　thoughts　ran　swifter　and　swifter。　He　wondered

if　he　should　see　Helen　again。　It　seemed　so　unreasonable　

that　he　should　not　see　her　again。　It　__must__　be　a

dream！　Yet　surely　he　would　meet　her。　She　at　least

was　real。　She　was　real。　He　would　wake　and　meet

her。



Although　he　could　not　look　at　it；　he　was　suddenly

aware　that　the　earth　was　very　near。











End