the research magnificent-第69节

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ransitory　symptomatic　things。　。　。　。　〃What　was　that　boy　saying？　　They　are　burning　the　STAR　office。　。　。　。　Well；　let　them。　。　。　。〃　And　as　if　to　emphasize　his　detachment；　his　aversion；　from　the　things　that　hurried　through　the　night　about　them；　from　the　red　flare　in　the　sky　and　the　distant　shouts　and　revolver　shots　and　scuffling　flights　down　side　streets；　he　began　to　talk　again　of　aristocracy　and　the　making　of　greatness　and　a　new　great　spirit　in　men。　　All　the　rest　of　his　life；　he　said；　must　be　given　to　that。　　He　would　say　his　thing　plainly　and　honestly　and　afterwards　other　men　would　say　it　clearly　and　beautifully；　here　it　would　touch　a　man　and　there　it　would　touch　a　man；　the　Invisible　King　in　us　all　would　find　himself　and　know　himself　a　little　in　this　and　a　little　in　that；　and　at　last　a　day　would　come；　when　fair　things　and　fine　things　would　rule　the　world　and　such　squalor　as　this　about　them　would　beng　red　and　strange　to　his　face　with　both　hands；　above　them　his　eyes　were　round　and　anxious。　Blood　came　out　betwing。　　He　shouted　out　something　about　〃Foolery！〃　Haroun　al　Raschid　was　flinging　aside　all　this　sublime　indifference　to　current　things。　。　。　。　But　the　carbines　spoke　again。　Benham　seemed　to　run　unexpectedly　against　something　invisible。　　He　spun　right　round　and　fell　down　into　a　sitting　position。　　He　sat　looking　surprised。　After　one　moment　of　blank　funk　White　drew　out　his　pocket　handkerchief；　held　it　arm　high　by　way　of　a　white　flag；　and　ran　out　from　the　piazza　of　the　hotel。

17

〃Are　you　hit？〃　cried　White　dropping　to　his　knees　and　making　himself　as　compact　as　possible。　　〃Benham！〃　Benham；　after　a　moment　of　perplexed　thought　answered　in　a　strange　voice；　a　whisper　into　which　a　whistling　note　had　been　mixed。　〃It　was　stupid　of　me　to　come　out　here。　　Not　my　quarrel。　　Faults　on　both　sides。　　And　now　I　can't　ge　as　impossible　any　more　for　men　as　a　Stone　Age　Corroboree。　。　。　。　Late　or　soon？　Benham　sought　for　some　loose　large　measure　of　time。　〃Before　those　constellations　above　us　have　changed　their　shapes。　。　。　。　〃Does　it　matter　if　we　work　at　something　that　will　take　a　hundred　years　or　ten　thousand　years？　　It　will　never　come　in　our　lives；　White。　　Not　soon　enough　for　that。　　But　after　that　evorld　I　shall　never　see　as　one　feels　the　dawn　coming　through　the　last　darkness。　。　。　。〃

16

The　attack　on　the　Rand　Club　began　while　Benham　and　White　were　at　lunch　in　the　dining…room　at　the　Sherborough　on　the　day　following　the　burning　of　the　STAR　office。　　The　Sherborough　dining…room　was　on　the　first　floor；　and　the　Venetian　window　beside　their　table　opened　on　to　a　verandah　above　a　piazza。　　As　they　talked　they　became　aware　of　an　excitement　in　the　street　below；　shouting　and　running　and　then　a　sound　of　wheels　and　the　tramp　of　a　body　of　soldiers　marching　quickly。　　White　stood　up　and　looked。　　〃They're　seizing　the　stuff　in　the　gunshops；〃　he　said；　sitting　down　again。　　〃It's　amazing　they　haven't　done　it　before。〃　They　went　on　eating　and　discussing　the　work　of　a　medical　mission　at　Mukden　that　had　won　Benham's　admiration。　。　。　。　A　revolver　cracked　in　the　street　and　there　was　a　sound　of　glass　smashing。　　Then　more　revolver　shots。　　〃That's　at　the　big　club　at　the　corner；　I　think；〃　said　Benham　and　went　out　upon　the　verandah。　Up　and　down　the　street　mischief　was　afoot。　　Outside　the　Rand　Club　in　the　cross　street　a　considerable　mass　of　people　had　accumulated；　and　was　being　hustled　by　a　handful　of　khaki…clad　soldiers。　　Down　the　street　people　were　looking　in　the　direction　of　the　market…place　and　then　suddenly　a　rush　of　figures　flooded　round　the　corner；　first　a　froth　of　scattered　individuals　and　then　a　mass；　a　column；　marching　with　an　appearance　of　order　and　waving　a　flag。　　It　was　a　poorly　disciplined　body；　it　fringed　out　into　a　swarm　of　sympathizers　and　spectators　upon　the　side　walk；　and　at　the　head　of　it　two　men　disputed。　　They　seemed　to　be　differing　about　the　direction　of　the　whole　crowd。　　Suddenly　one　smote　the　other　with　his　fist；　a　blow　that　hurled　him　sideways；　and　then　turned　with　a　triumphant　gesture　to　the　following　ranks；　waving　his　arms　in　the　air。　　He　was　a　tall　lean　man；　hatless　and　collarless；　greyhaired　and　wild…eyed。　　On　he　came；　gesticulating　gauntly；　past　the　hotel。　And　then　up　the　street　something　happened。　　Benham's　attention　was　turned　round　to　it　by　a　checking；　by　a　kind　of　catch　in　the　breath；　on　the　part　of　the　advancing　procession　under　the　verandah。　The　roadway　beyond　the　club　had　suddenly　become　clear。　　Across　it　a　dozen　soldiers　had　appeared　and　dismounted　methodically　and　lined　out；　with　their　carbines　in　readiness。　　The　mounted　men　at　the　club　corner　had　vanished；　and　the　people　there　had　swayed　about　towards　this　new　threat。　　Quite　abruptly　the　miscellaneous　noises　of　the　crowd　ceased。　　Understanding　seized　upon　every　one。　These　soldiers　were　going　to　fire。　。　。　。　The　brown　uniformed　figures　moved　like　automata；　the　rifle　shots　rang　out　almost　in　one　report。　。　。　。　There　was　a　rush　in　the　crowd　towards　doorways　and　side　streets；　an　enquiring　pause；　the　darting　s　is　a　stupid　game；〃　said　Benham。　　〃Why　did　they　fire　at　all？〃　The　tall　man　who　had　led　the　mob　had　run　out　into　the　middle　of　the　road。　　His　commando　was　a　little　disposed　to　assume　a　marginal　position；　and　it　had　to　be　reassured。　　He　was　near　enough　for　Benham　to　see　his　face。　　For　a　time　it　looked　anxious　and　thoughtful。　　Then　he　seemed　to　jump　to　his　decision。　　He　unbuttoned　and　opened　his　coat　wide　as　if　defying　the　soldiers。　　〃Shoot；〃　he　bawled；　〃Shoot；　if　you　dare！〃　A　little　uniform　movement　of　the　soldiers　answered　him。　　The　small　figure　of　the　officer　away　there　was　inaudible。　　The　coat　of　the　man　below　flapped　like　the　wings　of　a　crowing　cock　before　a　breast　of　dirty　shirt；　the　hoarse　voice　cracked　with　excitement；　〃Shoot；　if　you　dare。　　Shoot；　if　you　dare！　　See！〃　Came　the　metallic　bang　of　the　carbines　again；　and　in　the　instant　the　leader　collapsed　in　the　road；　a　sprawl　of　clothes；　hit　by　half　a　dozen　bullets。　　It　was　an　extraordinary　effect。　　As　though　the　figure　had　been　deflated。　　It　was　incredible　that　a　moment　before　this　thing　had　been　a　man；　an　individual；　a　hesitating　complicated　purpose。　〃Good　God！〃　cried　Benham；　〃butthis　is　horrible！〃　The　heap　of　garments　lay　still。　　The　red　hand　that　stretched　out　towards　the　soldiers　never　twitched。　The　spectacular　silence　broke　into　a　confusion　of　sounds；　women　shrieked；　men　cursed；　some　fled；　some　sought　a　corner　from　which　they　might　still　see；　others　pressed　forward。　　〃Go　for　the　swine！〃　bawled　a　voice；　a　third　volley　rattled　over　the　heads　of　the　people；　and　in　the　road　below　a　man　with　a　rifle　halted；　took　aim；　and　answered　the　soldiers'　fire。　　〃Look　out！〃　cried　White　who　was　watching　the　soldiers；　and　ducked。　　〃This　isn't　in　the　air！〃　Came　a　straggling　volley　again；　like　a　man　running　a　metal　hammer　very　rapidly　along　iron　corrugations；　and　this　time　people　were　dropping　all　over　the　road。　　One　white…faced　man　not　a　score　of　yards　away　fell　with　a　curse　and　a　sob；　struggled　up；　staggered　for　some　yards　with　blood　running　abundantly　from　his　neck；　and　fell　and　never　stirred　again。　　Another　went　down　upon　his　back　clumsily　in　the　roadway　and　lay　wringing　his　hands　faster　and　faster　until　suddenly　with　a　movement　like　a　sigh　they　dropped　inert　by　his　side。　A　straw…hatted　youth　in　a　flannel　suit　ran　and　stopped　and　ran　again。　　He　seemed　to　be　holding　somethieen　his　fingers。　　He　went　right　past　the　hotel　and　stumbled　and　suddenly　sprawled　headlong　at　the　opposite　corner。　The　majority　of　the　crowd　had　already　vanished　into　doorways　and　side　streets。　　But　there　was　still　shouting　and　there　was　still　a　remnant　of　amazed　and　angry　men　in　the　roadwayand　one　or　two　angry　women。　　They　were　not　fighting。　　Indeed　they　were　unarmed；　but　if　they　had　had　weapons　now　they　would　certainly　have　used　them。　〃But　this　is　preposterous！〃　cried　Benham。　　〃Preposterous。　　Those　soldiers　are　never　going　to　shoot　again！　This　must　stop。〃　He　stood　hesitating　for　a　moment　and　then　turned　about　and　dashed　for　the　staircase。　　〃Good　Heaven！〃　cried　White。　　〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　Benham　was　going　to　stop　that　conflict　very　much　as　a　man　might　go　to　stop　a　clock　that　is　striking　unwarrantably　and　amazingly。　　He　was　going　to　stop　it　because　it　annoyed　his　sense　of　human　dignity。　White　hesitated　for　a　moment　and　then　followed；　crying　〃Benham！〃　But　there　was　no　arresting　this　last　outbreak　of　Benham's　all　too　impatient　kingship。　　He　pushed　aside　a　ducking　German　waiter　who　was　peeping　through　the　glass　doors；　and　rushed　out　of　the　hotel。　　With　a　gesture　of　authority　he　ran　forward　into　the　middle　of　the　street；　holding　up　his　hand；　in　which　he　still　held　his　dinner　napkin　clenched　like　a　bomb。　　White　believes　firmly　that　Benham　thought　he　would　be　able　to　dominate　everytt　up。　　I　will　sit　here　a　moment　and　pull　myself　together。　　Perhaps　I'mI　must　be　shot。　　But　it　seemed　to　comeinside　me。　。　。　。　　If　I　should　be　hurt。　　Am　I　hurt？　。　。　。　Will　you　see　to　that　book　of　mine；　White？　　It's　odd。　　A　kind　of　fainthness。　。　。　。　　What？〃　〃I　will　see　after　your　book；〃　said　White　and　glanced　at　his　hand　because　it　felt　wet；　and　was　astonished　to　discover　it　bright　red。　He　forgot　about　himself　then；　and　the　fresh　flight　of　bullets　down　the　street。　The　immediate　effect　of　this　blood　was　that　he　said　somethi