when the sleeper wakes-第7节

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but　in　a　different　costume。　〃Or　this；〃　and　with　a

click　another　small　figure　in　a　more　voluminous　type

of　robe　marched　on　to　the　dial。　The　tailor　was　very

quick　in　his　movements；　and　glanced　twice　towards

the　lift　as　he　did　these　things。



It　rumbled　again；　and　a　crop…haired　anaemic　lad

with　features　of　the　Chinese　type；　clad　in　coarse

pale　blue　canvas；　appeared　together　with　a　complicated　

machine；　which　he　pushed　noiselessly　on

little　castors　into　the　room。　Incontinently　the　little

kinetoscope　was　dropped；　Graham　was　invited　to

stand　in　front　of　the　machine　and　the　tailor

muttered　some　instructions　to　the　crop…haired　lad；

who　answered　in　guttural　tones　and　with　words

Graham　did　not　recognise。　The　boy　then　went

to　conduct　an　incomprehensible　monologue　in　the

corner；　and　the　tailor　pulled　out　a　number　of　slotted

arms　terminating　in　little　discs；　pulling　them　out　until

the　discs　were　flat　against　the　body　of　Graham；　one

at　each　shoulder　blade；　one　at　the　elbows；　one　at　the

neck　and　so　forth；　so　that　at　last　there　were；　perhaps；

two　score　of　them　upon　his　body　and　limbs。　At　the

same　time；　some　other　person　entered　the　room　by　the

lift；　behind　Graham。　The　tailor　set　moving　a　mechanism　

that　initiated　a　faint…sounding　rhythmic　movement

of　parts　in　the　machine；　and　in　another　moment　he　was

knocking　up　the　levers　and　Graham　was　released。　The

tailor　replaced　his　cloak　of　black；　and　the　man　with

the　flaxen　beard　proffered　him　a　little　glass　of　some

refreshing　fluid。　Graham　saw　over　the　rim　of　the

glass　a　pale…faced　young　man　regarding　him　with　a

singular　fixity。



The　thickset　man　had　been　pacing　the　room　fretfully；　

and　now　turned　and　went　through　the　archway

towards　the　balcony；　from　which　the　noise　of　a　distant

crowd　still　came　in　gusts　and　cadences。　The　cropheaded　

lad　handed　the　tailor　a　roll　of　the　bluish　satin

and　the　two　began　fixing　this　in　the　mechanism　in　a

manner　reminiscent　of　a　roll　of　paper　in　a　nineteenth

century　printing　machine。　Then　they　ran　the　entire

thing　on　its　easy；　noiseless　bearings　across　the　room

to　a　remote　corner　where　a　twisted　cable　looped　rather

gracefully　from　the　wall。　They　made　some　connexion

and　the　machine　became　energetic　and　swift。



〃What　is　that　doing？〃　asked　Graham；　pointing

with　the　empty　glass　to　the　busy　figures　and　trying

to　ignore　the　scrutiny　of　the　new　comer。　〃　Is　that

some　sort　of　forcelaid　on？　〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　man　with　the　flaxen　beard。



〃Who　is　that？〃　He　indicated　the　archway　behind

him。



The　man　in　purple　stroked　his　little　beard；　hesitated；

and　answered　in　an　undertone；　〃He　is　Howard；　your

chief　guardian。　You　see；　Sire；it's　a　little　difficult

to　explain。　The　Council　appoints　a　guardian　and

assistants。　This　hall　has　under　certain　restrictions

been　public。　In　order　that　people　might　satisfy　themselves。　

We　have　barred　the　doorways　for　the　first

time。　But　I　thinkif　you　don't　mind；　I　will　leave

him　to　explain。〃



〃Odd〃　said　Graham。　〃　Guardian？　Council？〃

Then　turning　his　back　on　the　new　comer；　he　asked

in　an　undertone；　〃Why　is　this　man　glaring　at　me？

Is　he　a　mesmerist？　〃



〃Mesmerist！　He　is　a　capillotomist。〃



〃Capillotomist！〃



〃Yesone　of　the　chief。　His　yearly　fee　is　sixdoz

lions。〃



It　sounded　sheer　nonsense。　Graham　snatched　at

the　last　phrase　with　an　unsteady　mind。　〃Sixdoz

lions？〃　he　said。



〃Didn't　you　have　lions？　I　suppose　not。　You　had

the　old　pounds？　They　are　our　monetary　units。〃



〃But　what　was　that　you　saidsixdoz？　〃



〃Yes。　Six　dozen；　Sire。　Of　course　things；　even

these　little　things；　have　altered。　You　lived　in　the　days

of　the　decimal　system；　the　Arab　systemtens；　and

little　hundreds　and　thousands。　We　have　eleven

numerals　now。　We　have　single　figures　for　both　ten

and　eleven；　two　figures　for　a　dozen；　and　a　dozen　dozen

makes　a　gross；　a　great　hundred；　you　know；　a　dozen

gross　a　dozand；　and　a　dozand　dozand　a　myriad。　Very

simple？〃



〃I　suppose　so；〃　said　Graham。　〃But　about　this

capwhat　was　it？　〃



The　man　with　the　flaxen　beard　glanced　over　his

shoulder。



〃Here　are　your　clothes！〃　he　said。　Graham　turned

round　sharply　and　saw　the　tailor　standing　at　his　elbow

smiling；　and　holding　some　palpably　new　garments　over

his　arm。　The　crop…headed　boy；　by　means　of　one

finger；　was　impelling　the　complicated　machine　towards

the　lift　by　which　he　had　arrived。　Graham　stared　at

the　completed　suit。　〃You　don't　mean　to　say！〃



〃Just　made；〃　said　the　tailor。　He　dropped　the　garments　

at　the　feet　of　Graham；　walked　to　the　bed　on

which　Graham　had　so　recently　been　Iying；　flung　out

the　translucent　mattress；　and　turned　up　the　looking

glass。　As　he　did　so　a　furious　bell　summoned　the

thickset　man　to　the　corner。　The　man　with　the　flaxen

beard　rushed　across　to　him　and　then　hurried　out　by

the　archway。



The　tailor　was　assisting　Graham　into　a　dark　purple

combination　garment；　stockings；　vest；　and　pants　in

one；　as　the　thickset　man　came　back　from　the　corner

to　meet　the　man　with　the　flaxen　beard　returning　from

the　balcony。　They　began　speaking　quickly　in　an

undertone；　their　bearing　had　an　unmistakable　quality

of　anxiety。　Over　the　purple　under…garment　came　a　I

complex　but　graceful　garment　of　bluish　white；　and　I

Graham　was　clothed　in　the　fashion　once　more　and　saw

himself；　sallow…faced；　unshaven　and　shaggy　still；　but

at　least　naked　no　longer；　and　in　some　indefinable

unprecedented　way　graceful。



〃I　must　shave；〃　he　said　regarding　himself　in　the

glass。



〃In　a　moment；〃　said　Howard。



The　persistent　stare　ceased。　The　young　man　closed

his　eyes；　reopened　them；　and　with　a　lean　hand

extended；　advanced　on　Graham。　Then　he　stopped；

with　his　hand　slowly　gesticulating；　and　looked　about

him。



〃A　seat；〃　said　Howard　impatiently；　and　in　a　moment

the　flaxen…bearded　man　had　a　chair　behind　Graham。

〃Sit　down；　please；〃　said　Howard。



Graham　hesitated；　and　in　the　other　hand　of　the　wildeyed　

man　he　saw　the　glint　of　steel。



〃Don't　you　understand；　Sire？〃　cried　the　flaxen…bearded　

man　with　hurried　politeness。　〃He　is　going

to　cut　your　hair。〃



〃Oh！〃　cried　Graham　enlightened。　〃But　you

called　him



〃A　capillotomistprecisely　！　He　is　one　of　the

finest　artists　in　the　world。〃



Graham　sat　down　abruptly。　The　flaxen…bearded

man　disappeared。　The　capillotomist　came　forward

with　graceful　gestures；　examined　Graham's　ears　and

surveyed　him；　felt　the　back　of　his　head；　and　would

have　sat　down　again　to　regard　him　but　for　Howard's

audible　impatience。　Forthwith　with　rapid　movements

and　a　succession　of　deftly　handled　implements　he

shaved　Graham's　chin；　clipped　his　moustache；　and　cut

and　arranged　his　hair。　All　this　he　did　without　a　word；

with　something　of　the　rapt　air　of　a　poet　inspired。　And

as　soon　as　he　had　finished　Graham　was　handed　a　pair

of　shoes。



Suddenly　a　loud　voice　shoutedit　seemed　from　a

piece　of　machinery　in　the　corner〃At　onceat

once。　The　people　know　all　over　the　city。　Work　is

being　stopped。　Work　is　being　stopped。　Wait　for

nothing；　but　come。〃



This　shout　appeared　to　perturb　Howard　exceedingly。　

By　his　gestures　it　seemed　to　Graham　that　he

hesitated　between　two　directions。　Abruptly　he　went

towards　the　corner　where　the　apparatus　stood　about

the　little　crystal　ball。　As　he　did　so　the　undertone　of

tumultuous　shouting　from　the　archway　that　had　continued　

during　all　these　occurrences　rose　to　a　mighty

sound；　roared　as　if　it　were　sweeping　past；　and　fell

again　as　if　receding　swiftly。　It　drew　Graham　after　it

with　an　irresistible　attraction。　He　glanced　at　the

thickset　man；　and　then　obeyed　his　impulse。　In　two

strides　he　was　down　the　steps　and　in　the　passage；　and；

in　a　score　he　was　out　upon　the　balcony　upon　which　｜

the　three　men　had　been　standing。



CHAPTER　V



THE　MOVING　WAYS



He　went　to　the　railings　of　the　balcony　and　stared

upward。　An　exclamation　of　surprise　at　his　appearance；　

and　the　movements　of　a　number　of　people　came

from　the　spacious　area　below。



His　first　impression　was　of　overwhelming　architecture。　

The　place　into　which　he　looked　was　an　aisle　of

Titanic　buildings；　curving　spaciously　in　either　direction。　

Overhead　mighty　cantilevers　sprang　together

across　the　huge　width　of　the　place；　and　a　tracery　of

translucent　material　shut　out　the　sky。　Gigantic

globes　of　cool　white　light　shamed　the　pale　sunbeams

that　filtered　down　through　the　girders　and　wires。

Here　and　there　a　gossamer　suspension　bridge　dotted

with　foot　passengers　flung　across　the　chasm　and　the

air　was　webbed　with　slender　cables。　A　cliff　of　edifice

hung　above　him；　he　perceived　as　he　glanced　upward；

and　the　opposite　facade　was　grey　and　dim　and　broken

by　great　archings；　circular　perforations；　balconies；　

buttresses；　turret　projections；　myriads　of　vast　windows；

and　an　intricate　scheme　of　architectural　relief。

Athwart　these　ran　inscriptions　horizontally　and

obliquely　in　an　unfamiliar　lettering。　Here　and　ther