when the sleeper wakes-第9节

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breathing。　He　stopped　abruptly。



〃I　don't　understand；〃　said　Graham。



〃It　will　be　clearer　later；〃　said　Howard。



He　glanced　uneasily　upward；　as　though　he　found　the

progress　of　the　lift　slow。



〃I　shall　understand　better；　no　doubt；　when　I　have

seen　my　way　about　a　little；〃　said　Graham　puzzled。　〃It。

will　beit　is　bound　to　be　perplexing。　At　present　it　is

all　so　strange。　Anything　seems　possible。　Anything

In　the　details　even。　Your　counting；　I　understand；　is

different。〃



The　lift　stopped；　and　they　stepped　out　into　a　narrow

but　very　long　passage　between　high　walls；　along

which　ran　an　extraordinary　number　of　tubes　and　big

cables。



〃What　a　huge　place　this　is！〃　said　Graham。　〃Is　it

all　one　building？　What　place　is　it？〃



〃This　is　one　of　the　city　ways　for　various　public

services。　Light　and　so　forth。〃



〃Was　it　a　social　troublethatin　the　great

roadway　place？　How　are　you　governed？　Have　you

still　a　police？〃

〃Several；〃　said　Howard。



〃Several？　〃



〃About　fourteen。〃



〃I　don't　understand。〃



〃Very　probably　not。　Our　social　order　will　probably

seem　very　complex　to　you。　To　tell　you　the　truth；　I

don't　understand　it　myself　very　clearly。　Nobody　does。

You　will；　perhapsbye　and　bye。　We　have　to　go　to

the　Council。〃

　　Graham's　attention　was　divided　between　the　urgent

necessity　of　his　inquiries　and　the　people　in　the　

passages　and　halls　they　were　traversing。　For　a　moment

his　mind　would　be　concentrated　upon　Howard　and

the　halting　answers　he　made；　and　then　he　would　lose　

the　thread　in　response　to　some　vivid　unexpected

impression。　Along　the　passages；　in　the　halls；　half　the

people　seemed　to　be　men　in　the　red　uniform。　The　pale

blue　canvas　that　had　been　so　abundant　in　the　aisle　of

moving　ways　did　not　appear。　Invariably　these　men

looked　at　him；　and　saluted　him　and　Howard　as　they

passed。



He　had　a　clear　vision　of　entering　a　long　corridor；

and　there　were　a　number　of　girls　sitting　on　low　seats

and　as　though　in　a　class。　He　saw　no　teacher；　but　only

a　novel　apparatus　from　which　he　fancied　a　voice　proceeded。　

The　girls　regarded　him　and　his　conductor；　he

thought；　with　curiosity　and　astonishment。　But　he　was

hurried　on　before　he　could　form　a　clear　idea　of　the

gathering。　He　judged　they　knew　Howard　and　not

himself；　and　that　they　wondered　who　he　was。　This

Howard；　it　seemed；　was　a　person　of　importance。　But

then　he　was　also　merely　Graham's　guardian。　That

was　odd。



There　came　a　passage　in　twilight；　and　into　this　passage

a　footway　hung　so　that　he　could　see　the　feet　and

ankles　of　people　going　to　and　fro　thereon；　but　no

more　of　them。　Then　vague　impressions　of　galleries

and　of　casual　astonished　passers…by　turning　round　to

stare　after　the　two　of　them　with　their　red…clad　guard。



The　stimulus　of　the　restoratives　he　had　taken　was

only　temporary。　He　was　speedily　fatigued　by　this

excessive　haste。　He　asked　Howard　to　slacken　his

speed。　Presently　he　was　in　a　lift　that　had　a　window

upon　the　great　street　space；　but　this　was　glazed　and

did　not　open；　and　they　were　too　high　for　him　to　see

the　moving　platforms　below。　But　he　saw　people　going

to　and　fro　along　cables　and　along　strange；　frail…looking

ridges。



And　thence　they　passed　across　the　street　and　at　a　vast

height　above　it。　They　crossed　by　means　of　a　narrow

bridge　closed　in　with　glass；　so　clear　that　it　made　him

giddy　even　to　remember　it。　The　floor　of　it　also　was

of　glass。　From　his　memory　of　the　cliffs　between　New

Quay　and　Boscastle；　so　remote　in　time；　and　so　recent

in　his　experience；　it　seemed　to　him　that　they　must　be

near　four　hundred　feet　above　the　moving　ways。　He

stopped；　looked　down　between　his　legs　upon　the

swarming　blue　and　red　multitudes；　minute　and　fore…

shortened；　struggling　and　gesticulating　still　towards

the　little　balcony　far　below；　a　little　toy　balcony；　it

seemed；　where　he　had　so　recently　been　standing。　A

thin　haze　and　the　glare　of　the　mighty　globes　of　light

obscured　everything。　A　man　seated　in　a　little　open…

work　cradle　shot　by　from　some　point　still　higher　than

the　little　narrow　bridge；　rushing　down　a　cable　as

swiftly　almost　as　if　he　were　falling。　Graham　stopped

involuntarily　to　watch　this　strange　passenger　vanish

in　a　great　circular　opening　below；　and　then　his　eyes

went　back　to　the　tumultuous　struggle。



Along　one　of　the　swifter　ways　rushed　a　thick　crowd

of　red　spots。　This　broke　up　into　individuals　as　it

approached　the　balcony；　and　went　pouring　down　the

slower　ways　towards　the　dense　struggling　crowd　on

the　central　area。　These　men　in　red　appeared　to　be

armed　with　sticks　or　truncheons；　they　seemed　to　be

striking　and　thrusting。　A　great　shouting；　cries　of

wrath；　screaming；　burst　out　and　came　up　to　Graham；

faint　and　thin。　〃Go　on；〃　cried　Howard；　laying　hands

on　him。



Another　man　rushed　down　a　cable。　Graham　suddenly　

glanced　up　to　see　whence　he　came；　and　beheld

through　the　glassy　roof　and　the　network　of　cables　and

girders；　dim　rhythmically　passing　forms　like　the　vans

of　windmills；　and　between　them　glimpses　of　a　remote

and　pallid　sky。　Then　Howard　had　thrust　him　forward

across　the　bridge；　and　he　was　in　a　little　narrow　passage　

decorated　with　geometrical　patterns。



〃I　want　to　see　more　of　that；〃　cried　Graham；

resisting。



〃No；　no；〃　cried　Howard；　still　gripping　his　arm。



〃This　way。　You　must　go　this　way。〃　And　the　men　in

red　following　them　seemed　ready　to　enforce　his　orders。



Some　negroes　in　a　curious　wasp…like　uniform　of　black

and　yellow　appeared　down　the　passage；　and　one　hastened　

to　throw　up　a　sliding　shutter　that　had　seemed

a　door　to　Graham；　and　led　the　way　through　it。

Graham　found　himself　in　a　gallery　overhanging　the

end　of　a　great　chamber。　The　attendant　in　black　and

yellow　crossed　this；　thrust　up　a　second　shutter　and

stood　waiting。



This　place　had　the　appearance　of　an　ante…room。　He

saw　a　number　of　people　in　the　central　space；　and　at

the　opposite　end　a　large　and　imposing　doorway　at　the

top　of　a　flight　of　steps；　heavily　curtained　but　giving　a

glimpse　of　some　still　larger　hall　beyond。　He　perceived

white　men　in　red　and　other　negroes　in　black　and　yellow　

standing　stiffly　about　those　portals。



As　they　crossed　the　gallery　he　heard　a　whisper　from

below；　〃The　Sleeper；〃　and　was　aware　of　a　turning　of

heads；　a　hum　of　observation。　They　entered　another

little　passage　in　the　wall　of　this　ante…chamber；　and

then　he　found　himself　on　an　iron…railed　gallery　of

metal　that　passed　round　the　side　of　the　great　hall　he

had　already　seen　through　the　curtains。　He　entered

the　place　at　the　corner；　so　that　he　received　the　fullest

impression　of　its　huge　proportions。　The　black　in　the

wasp　uniform　stood　aside　like　a　well…trained　servant；

and　closed　the　valve　behind　him。



Compared　with　any　of　the　places　Graham　had　see

thus　far；　this　second　hall　appeared　to　be　decorate

with　extreme　richness。　On　a　pedestal　at　the　remote

end；　and　more　brilliantly　lit　than　any　other　object；　was

a　gigantic　white　figure　of　Atlas；　strong　and　strenuous；

the　globe　upon　his　bowed　shoulders。　It　was　the　first

thing　to　strike　his　attention；　it　was　so　vast；　so　patiently

and　painfully　real；　so　white　and　simple。　Save　for　this

figure　and　for　a　dais　in　the　centre；　the　wide　floor　of　the

place　was　a　shining　vacancy。　The　dais　was　remote

in　the　greatness　of　the　area；　it　would　have　looked　a

mere　slab　of　metal　had　it　not　been　for　the　group　of

seven　men　who　stood　about　a　table　on　it；　and　gave　an

inkling　of　its　proportions。　They　were　all　dressed　in

white　robes；　they　seemed　to　have　arisen　that　moment

from　their　seats；　and　they　were　regarding　Graham

steadfastly。　At　the　end　of　the　table　he　perceived　the

glitter　of　some　mechanical　appliances。



Howard　led　him　along　the　end　gallery　until　they

were　opposite　this　mighty　labouring　figure。　Then　he

stopped。　The　two　men　in　red　who　had　followed　them

into　the　gallery　came　and　stood　on　either　hand　of

Graham。



〃You　must　remain　here；〃　murmured　Howard；　〃for

a　few　moments；〃　and；　without　waiting　for　a　reply；

hurried　away　along　the　gallery。



〃But；　__why？〃__　began　Graham。



He　moved　as　if　to　follow　Howard；　and　found　his

path　obstructed　by　one　of　the　men　in　red。　〃You　have

to　wait　here；　Sire；〃　said　the　man　in　red。



__〃Why？〃__



〃Orders；　Sire。〃



〃Whose　orders？　〃



〃Our　orders；　Sire。〃



Graham　looked　his　exasperation。



〃What　place　is　this？〃　he　said　presently。　〃Who

are　those　men？　〃



〃They　are　the　lords　of　the　Council；　Sire。〃



〃What　Council？　〃



〃__The__　Council。〃



〃Oh！〃　said　Graham；　and　after　an　equally　ineffectual

attempt　at　the　other　man；　went　to　the　railing　and

stared　at　the　distant　men　in　white；　who　stood　watching

him　and　whispering　together。



The　Council？　He　perceived　there　were　now　eight；

though　how　the　newcomer　had　arrived　he　had　not

observed。　They　made　no　gestures　of　greeting；　they

stood　regarding　him　as　in　the　nineteenth　century　a

group　of　me