when the sleeper wakes-第6节
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that ever I saw or spoke to before I went to sleep；
must be dead。〃
They did not answer him。
〃The Queen and the Royal Family； her Ministers；
of Church and State。 High and low； rich and poor； one
with another〃
〃Is there England still？〃
〃That's a comfort！ Is there London？〃
E 〃This __is__ London； eh？ And you are my assistant
custodian； assistant…custodian。 And these？ Eh？
Assistant…custodians to？〃
He sat with a gaunt stare on his face。 〃But why
am I here？ No！ Don't talk。 Be quiet。 Let me〃
He sat silent； rubbed his eyes； and； uncovering them；
found another little glass of pinkish fluid held towards
him。 He took the dose。 It was almost immediately
sustaining。 Directly he had taken it he began to weep
naturally and refreshingly。
Presently he looked at their faces； suddenly laughed
through his tears； a little foolishly。 〃Buttwo
hundredyears ！ 〃 he said。 He grimaced hysterically
and covered up his face again。
After a space he grew calm。 He sat up； his hands
hanging over his knees in almost precisely the same
attitude in which Isbister had found him on the cliff
at Pentargen。 His attention was attracted by a thick
domineering voice； the footsteps of an advancing personage。
〃What are you doing？ Why was I not
warned？ Surely you could tell？ Someone will suffer
for this。 The man must be kept quiet。 Are the
doorways closed？ All the doorways？ He must be kept
perfectly quiet。 He must not be told。 Has he been
told anything？〃
The man with the fair beard made some inaudible
remark； and Graham looking over his shoulder saw
approaching a very short； fat； and thickset beardless
man； with aquiline nose and heavy neck and chin。
Very thick black and slightly sloping eyebrows that
almost met over his nose and overhung deep grey
eyes； gave his face an oddly formidable expression。
He scowled momentarily at Graham and then his
regard returned to the man with the flaxen beard。
〃These others；〃 he said in a voice of extreme
irritation。 〃You had better go。〃
〃Go？ 〃 said the red…bearded man。
〃Certainlygo now。 But see the doorways are
closed as you go。〃
The two men addressed turned obediently； after one
reluctant glance at Graham； and instead of going
through the archway as he expected； walked straight
to the dead wall of the apartment opposite the archway。
And then came a strange thing； a long strip
of this apparently solid wall rolled up with a snap；
hung over the two retreating men and fell again； and
immediately Graham was alone with the new comer
and the purple…robed man with the flaxen beard。
For a space the thickset man took not the slightest
notice of Graham； but proceeded to interrogate the
otherobviously his subordinateupon the treatment
of their charge。 He spoke clearly； but in
phrases only partially intelligible to Graham。 The
awakening seemed not only a matter of surprise but
of consternation and annoyance to him。 He was evidently
profoundly excited。
〃You must not confuse his mind by telling him
things；〃 he repeated again and again。 〃You must not
confuse his mind。〃
His questions answered； he turned quickly and eyed
the awakened sleeper with an ambiguous expression。
〃Feel queer？ 〃 he asked。
〃Very。〃
〃The world； what you see of it； seems strange to
you？ 〃
〃I suppose I have to live in it； strange as it seems。〃
〃I suppose so； now。〃
〃In the first place； hadn't I better have some
clothes？ 〃
〃They〃 said the thickset man and stopped； and
the flaxen…bearded man met his eye and went away。
〃You will very speedily have clothes；〃 said the thickset
man。
〃Is it true indeed； that I have been asleep two
hundred？〃 asked Graham。
〃They have told you that； have they？ Two hundred
and three； as a matter of fact。〃
Graham accepted the indisputable now with raised
eyebrows and depressed mouth。 He sat silent for a
moment； and then asked a question； 〃Is there a mill
or dynamo near here？〃 He did not wait for an
answer。 〃Things have changed tremendously； I
suppose？〃 he said。
〃What is that shouting？ 〃 he asked abruptly。
〃Nothing；〃 said the thickset man impatiently。
〃It's people。 You'll understand better laterperhaps。
As you say； things have changed。〃 He spoke
shortly； his brows were knit； and he glanced about
him like a man trying to decide in an emergency。
〃We must get you clothes and so forth； at any rate。
Better wait here until some can come。 No one will
come near you。 You want shaving。〃
Graham rubbed his chin。
The man with the flaxen beard came back towards
them； turned suddenly； listened for a moment； lifted
his eyebrows at the older man； and hurried off through
the archway towards the balcony。 The tumult of
shouting grew louder； and the thickset man turned and
listened also。 He cursed suddenly under his breath；
and turned his eyes upon Graham with an unfriendly
expression。 It was a surge of many voices； rising and
falling； shouting and screaming； and once came a
sound like blows and sharp cries； and then a snapping
like the crackling of dry sticks。 Graham
strained his ears to draw some single thread of sound
from the woven tumult。
Then he perceived； repeated again and again； a
certain formula。 For a time he doubted his ears。 But
surely these were the words： 〃 how us the Sleeper！
Show us the Sleeper！〃
The thickset man rushed suddenly to the archway。
〃Wild！ 〃 he cried； 〃How do they know？ Do they
know？ Or is it guessing？ 〃
There was perhaps an answer。
〃I can't come；〃 said the thickset man； 〃I have __him__
to see to。 But shout from the balcony。〃
There was an inaudible reply。
〃Say he is not awake。 Anything！ I leave it to
you。〃
He came hurrying back to Graham。 〃You must
have clothes at once；〃 he said。 〃You cannot stop
hereand it will be impossible to〃
He rushed away； Graham shouting unanswered
questions after him。 In a moment he was back。
〃I can't tell you what is happening。 It is too complex
to explain。 In a moment you shall have your
clothes made。 Yesin a moment。 And then I can
take you away from here。 You will find out our
troubles soon enough。〃
〃But those voices。 They were shouting？〃
〃Something about the Sleeperthat's you。 They
have some twisted idea。 I don't know what it is。 I
know nothing。〃
A shrill bell jetted acutely across the indistinct mingling
of remote noises； and this brusque person sprang
to a little group of appliances in the corner of the
room。 He listened for a moment； regarding a ball of
crystal； nodded； and said a few indistinct words； then
he walked to the wall through which the two men had
vanished。 It rolled up again like a curtain； and he
stood waiting。
Graham lifted his arm and was astonished to find
what strength the restoratives had given him。 He
thrust one leg over the side of the couch and then the
other。 His head no longer swam。 He could scarcely
credit his rapid recovery。 He sat feeling his limbs。
The man with the flaxen beard re…entered from the
archway； and as he did so the cage of a lift came
sliding down in front of the thickset man； and a lean；
grey…bearded man； carrying a roll； and wearing a
tightly…fitting costume of dark green； appeared therein。
〃This is the tailor；〃 said the thickset man with an
introductory gesture。〃 It will never do for you to
wear that black。 I cannot understand how it got here。
But I shall。 I shall。 You will be as rapid as possible？ 〃
he said to the tailor。
The man in green bowed； and； advancing； seated
himself by Graham on the bed。 His manner was
calm； but his eyes were full of curiosity。 〃You will
find the fashions altered； Sire；〃 he said。 He glanced
from under his brows at the thickset man。 ；
He opened the roller with a quick movement； and a
confusion of brilliant fabrics poured out over his knees。
〃You lived； Sire； in a period essentially cylindrical
the Victorian。 With a tendency to the hemisphere in
hats。 Circular curves always。 Now〃 He flicked
out a little appliance the size and appearance of a
keyless watch； whirled the knob； and beholda little
figure in white appeared kinetoscope fashion on the
dial； walking and turning。 The tailor caught up a
pattern of bluish white satin。 〃That is my conception
of your immediate treatment；〃 he said。
The thickset man came and stood by the shoulder
of Graham。
〃We have very little time；〃 he said。
〃Trust me；〃 said the tailor。 〃My machine follows。
What do you think of this？ 〃
〃What is that？〃 asked the man from the nineteenth
century。
〃In your days they showed you a fashion…plate；〃
said the tailor；〃 but this is our modern development
See here。〃 The little figure repeated its evolutions；
but in a different costume。 〃Or this；〃 and with a
click another small figure in a more voluminous type
of robe marched o
