when the sleeper wakes-第8节

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obliquely　in　an　unfamiliar　lettering。　Here　and　there

close　to　the　roof　cables　of　a　peculiar　stoutness　were

fastened；　and　drooped　in　a　steep　curve　to　circular

openings　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　space；　and　even

as　Graham　noted　these　a　remote　and　tiny　figure　of　a

man　clad　in　pale　blue　arrested　his　attention。　This　little　

figure　was　far　overhead　across　the　space　beside　the

higher　fastening　of　one　of　these　festoons；　hanging　

forward　from　a　little　ledge　of　masonry　and　handling　some

well…nigh　invisible　strings　dependent　from　the　line。

Then　suddenly；　with　a　swoop　that　sent　Graham's　heart

into　his　mouth；　this　man　had　rushed　down　the　curve

and　vanished　through　a　round　opening　on　the　hither

side　of　the　way。　Graham　had　been　looking　up　as　he

came　out　upon　the　balcony；　and　the　things　he　saw

above　and　opposed　to　him　had　at　first　seized　his　

attention　to　the　exclusion　of　anything　else。　Then　suddenly

he　discovered　the　roadway！　It　was　not　a　roadway　at

all；　as　Graham　understood　such　things；　for　in　the

nineteenth　century　the　only　roads　and　streets　were

beaten　tracks　of　motionless　earth；　jostling　rivulets　of

vehicles　between　narrow　footways。　But　this　roadway

was　three　hundred　feet　across；　and　it　moved；　it　moved；

all　save　the　middle；　the　lowest　part。　For　a　moment；

the　motion　dazzled　his　mind。　Then　he　understood。



Under　the　balcony　this　extraordinary　roadway　ran

swiftly　to　Graham's　right；　an　endless　flow　rushing

along　as　fast　as　a　nineteenth　century　express　train；　an

endless　platform　of　narrow　transverse　overlapping

slats　with　little　interspaces　that　permitted　it　to　follow

the　curvatures　of　the　street。　Upon　it　were　seats；　and

here　and　there　little　kiosks；　but　they　swept　by　too

swiftly　for　him　to　see　what　might　be　therein。　From

this　nearest　and　swiftest　platform　a　series　of　others

descended　to　the　centre　of　the　space。　Each　moved　to

the　right；　each　perceptibly　slower　than　the　one　above

it；　but　the　difference　in　pace　was　small　enough　to　permit　

anyone　to　step　from　any　platform　to　the　one　adjacent；　

and　so　walk　uninterruptedly　from　the　swiftest　to

the　motionless　middle　way。　Beyond　this　middle　way

was　another　series　of　endless　platforms　rushing　with

varying　pace　to　Graham's　left。　And　seated　in　crowds

upon　the　two　widest　and　swiftest　platforms；　or　stepping　

from　one　to　another　down　the　steps；　or　swarming

over　the　central　space；　was　an　innumerable　and　

wonderfully　diversified　multitude　of　people。



〃You　must　not　stop　here；〃　shouted　Howard　suddenly　

at　his　side。　〃You　must　come　away　at　once。〃



Graham　made　no　answer。　He　heard　without　hearing。　

The　platforms　ran　with　a　roar　and　the　people

were　shouting。　He　perceived　women　and　girls　with

flowing　hair；　beautifully　robed；　with　bands　crossing

between　the　breasts。　These　first　came　out　of　the

confusion。　Then　he　perceived　that　the　dominant　note

in　that　kaleidoscope　of　costume　was　the　pale　blue　that

the　tailor's　boy　had　worn。　He　became　aware　of　cries

of　〃The　Sleeper。　What　has　happened　to　the　Sleeper？〃

and　it　seemed　as　though　the　rushing　platforms　before

him　were　suddenly　spattered　with　the　pale　buff　of

human　faces；　and　then　still　more　thickly。　He　saw

pointing　fingers。　He　perceived　that　the　motionless

central　area　of　this　huge　arcade　just　opposite　to　the

balcony　was　densely　crowded　with　blue…clad　people。

Some　sort　of　struggle　had　sprung　into　life。　People


seemed　to　be　pushed　up　the　running　platforms　on　either

side；　and　carried　away　against　their　will。　They　would

spring　off　so　soon　as　they　were　beyond　the　thick　of

the　confusion；　and　run　back　towards　the　conflict。



〃It　is　the　Sleeper。　Verily　it　is　the　Sleeper；〃　shouted　

voices。　〃That　is　never　the　Sleeper；〃　shouted

others。　More　and　more　faces　were　turned　to　him。　At

the　intervals　along　this　central　area　Graham　noted

openings；　pits；　apparently　the　heads　of　staircases　going

down　with　people　ascending　out　of　them　and

descending　into　them。　The　struggle　it　seemed　centred

about　the　one　of　these　nearest　to　him。　People　were

running　down　the　moving　platforms　to　this；　leaping

dexterously　from　platform　to　platform。　The　clustering　

people　on　the　higher　platforms　seemed　to　divide

their　interest　between　this　point　and　the　balcony。　A

number　of　sturdy　little　figures　clad　in　a　uniform　of

bright　red；　and　working　methodically　together；　were

employed　it　seemed　in　preventing　access　to　this

descending　staircase。　About　them　a　crowd　was　rapidly

accumulating。　Their　brilliant　colour　contrasted　vividly

with　the　whitish…blue　of　their　antagonists；　for　the

struggle　was　indisputable。



He　saw　these　things　with　Howard　shouting　in　his

ear　and　shaking　his　arm。　And　then　suddenly　Howard

was　gone　and　he　stood　alone。



He　perceived　that　the　cries　of　〃The　Sleeper〃　grew

in　volume；　and　that　the　people　on　the　nearer　platform

were　standing　up。　The　nearer　swifter　platform　he

perceived　was　empty　to　the　right　of　him；　and　far

across　the　space　the　platform　running　in　the　opposite

direction　was　coming　crowded　and　passing　away　bare。

With　incredible　swiftness　a　vast　crowd　had　gathered

in　the　central　space　before　his　eyes；　a　dense　swaying

mass　of　people；　and　the　shouts　grew　from　a　fitful　crying　

to　a　voluminous　incessant　clamour：　〃The　Sleeper！〃

The　Sleeper！〃　and　yells　and　cheers；　a　waving　of　garments　

and　cries　of　〃Stop　the　ways！〃　They　were　also

crying　another　name　strange　to　Graham。　It　sounded

like　〃Ostrog。〃　The　slower　platforms　were　soon　thick

with　active　people；　running　against　the　movement　so

as　to　keep　themselves　opposite　to　him。



〃Stop　the　ways；〃　they　cried。　Agile　figures　ran　up

swiftly　from　the　centre　to　the　swift　road　nearest　to　him；

were　borne　rapidly　past　him；　shouting　strange；　

unintelligible　things；　and　ran　back　obliquely　to　the　central

way。　One　thing　he　distinguished：　〃It　is　indeed　the

Sleeper。　It　is　indeed　the　Sleeper；〃　they　testified。



For　a　space　Graham　stood　without　a　movement。

Then　he　became　vividly　aware　that　all　this　concerned

him。　He　was　pleased　at　his　wonderful　popularity；　he

bowed；　and；　seeking　a　gesture　of　longer　range；　waved

his　arm。　He　was　astonished　at　the　violence　of　uproar

that　this　provoked。　The　tumult　about　the　descending

stairway　rose　to　furious　violence。　He　became　aware

of　crowded　balconies；　of　men　sliding　along　ropes；　of

men　in　trapeze…like　seats　hurling　athwart　the　space。

He　heard　voices　behind　him；　a　number　of　people

descending　the　steps　through　the　archway；　he　suddenly　

perceived　that　his　guardian　Howard　was　back

again　and　gripping　his　arm　painfully；　and　shouting

inaudibly　in　his　ear。



He　turned；　and　Howard's　face　was　white。　〃Come

back；〃　he　heard。　〃They　will　stop　the　ways。　The

whole　city　will　be　in　confusion。〃



He　perceived　a　number　of　men　hurrying　along　the

passage　of　blue　pillars　behind　Howard；　the　red…haired

man；　the　man　with　the　flaxen　beard；　a　tall　man　in　vivid

vermilion；　a　crowd　of　others　in　red　carrying　staves；　and

all　these　people　had　anxious　eager　faces。



〃Get　him　away；〃　cried　Howard。



〃But　why？〃　said　Graham。　〃I　don't　see〃



〃You　must　come　away！〃　said　the　man　in　red　in　a

resolute　voice。　His　face　and　eyes　were　resolute；　too。

Graham's　glances　went　from　face　to　face；　and　he　was

suddenly　aware　of　that　most　disagreeable　flavour　in

life；　compulsion。　Some　one　gripped　his　arm。。。。

He　was　being　dragged　away。　It　seemed　as　though　the

tumult　suddenly　became　two；　as　if　half　the　shouts　that

had　come　in　from　this　wonderful　roadway　had　sprung

into　the　passages　of　the　great　building　behind　him。

Marvelling　and　confused；　feeling　an　impotent　desire

to　resist；　Graham　was　half　led；　half　thrust；　along　the

passage　of　blue　pillars；　and　suddenly　he　found　himself　

alone　with　Howard　in　a　lift　and　moving　swiftly

upward。



CHAPTER　VI



THE　HALL　OF　THE　ATLAS



From　the　moment　when　the　tailor　had　bowed　his

farewell　to　the　moment　when　Graham　found　himself

in　the　lift；　was　altogether　barely　five　minutes。　And

as　yet　the　haze　of　his　vast　interval　of　sleep　hung　about

him；　as　yet　the　initial　strangeness　of　his　being　alive

at　all　in　this　remote　age　touched　everything　with　wonder；　

with　a　sense　of　the　irrational；　with　something　of

the　quality　of　a　realistic　dream。　He　was　still　detached；

an　astonished　spectator；　still　but　half　involved　in　life。

What　he　had　seen；　and　especially　the　last　crowded

tumult；　framed　in　the　setting　of　the　balcony；　had　a

spectacular　turn；　like　a　thing　witnessed　from　the　box

of　a　theatre。　〃I　don't　understand；〃　he　said。　〃What

was　the　trouble？　My　mind　is　in　a　whirl。　Why　were

they　shouting？　What　is　the　danger？〃



〃We　have　our　troubles；〃　said　Howard。　His　eyes

avoided　Graham's　enquiry。　〃This　is　a　time　of　unrest。

And；　in　fact；　your　appearance；　your　waking　just　now；

has　a　sort　of　connexion〃



He　spoke　jerkily；　like　a　man　not　quite　sure　of　his

breathing。　He　stopped　abruptly。



〃I　don't　understand；〃　said　Graham。



〃It　will　be　clearer　later；〃　said　Howard