when the sleeper wakes-第13部分

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and　roared　with　a　varying　loudness　as　the　fitful

white　light　smote　up　from　below；　touched　the　snow

eddies　with　a　transient　glitter；　and　made　an　evanescent

spectre　in　the　night；　and　here　and　there；　low　down！

some　vaguely　outlined　wind…driven　mechanism　flickered　

with　livid　sparks。



All　this　he　appreciated　in　a　fragmentary　manner　as

his　rescuers　stood　about　him。　Someone　threw　a　thick

soft　cloak　of　fur…like　texture　about　him；　and　fastened

it　by　buckled　straps　at　waist　and　shoulders。　Things

were　said　briefly；　decisively。　Someone　thrust　him

forward。



Before　his　mind　was　yet　clear　a　dark　shape　gripped

his　arm。　〃This　way；〃　said　this　shape；　urging　him

along；　and　pointed　Graham　across　the　flat　roof　in　the

direction　of　a　dim　semicircular　haze　of　light。　Graham

obeyed。



〃Mind！〃　said　a　voice；　as　Graham　stumbled　against

a　cable。　〃Between　them　and　not　across　them；〃　said

the　voice。　And；　〃We　must　hurry。〃



〃Where　are　the　people？　〃　said　Graham。　〃The

people　you　said　awaited　me？　〃



The　stranger　did　not　answer。　He　left　Graham's

arm　as　the　path　grew　narrower；　and　led　the　way　with

rapid　strides。　Graham　followed　blindly。　In　a　minute　

he　found　himself　running。　〃Are　the　others　coming？〃　

he　panted；　but　received　no　reply。　His　companion　

glanced　back　and　ran　on。　They　came　to　a　sort

of　pathway　of　open　metal…work；　transverse　to　the　direction　

they　had　come；　and　they　turned　aside　to　follow

this。　Graham　looked　back；　but　the　snowstorm　had

hidden　the　others。



〃Come　on！〃　said　his　guide。　Running　now；　they

drew　near　a　little　windmill　spinning　high　in　the　air。

〃Stoop；〃　said　Graham's　guide；　and　they　avoided　an

endless　band　running　roaring　up　to　the　shaft　of　the

vane。　〃This　way！〃　and　they　were　ankle　deep　in　a

gutter　full　of　drifted　thawing　snow；　between　two　low

walls　of　metal　that　presently　rose　waist　high。　〃I　will

go　first；〃　said　the　guide。　Graham　drew　his　cloak

about　him　and　followed。　Then　suddenly　came　a　narrow　

abyss　across　which　the　gutter　leapt　to　the　snowy

darkness　of　the　further　side。　Graham　peeped　over　the

side　once　and　the　gulf　was　black。　For　a　moment　he

regretted　his　flight。　He　dared　not　look　again；　and　his

brain　spun　as　he　waded　through　the　half　liquid　snow。



Then　out　of　the　gutter　they　clambered　and　hurried

across　a　wide　flat　space　damp　with　thawing　snow；

and　for　half　its　extent　dimly　translucent　to　lights　that

went　to　and　fro　underneath。　He　hesitated　at　this

unstable　looking　substance；　but　his　guide　ran　on

unheeding；　and　so　they　came　to　and　clambered　up

slippery　steps　to　the　rim　of　a　great　dome　of　glass。

Round　this　they　went。　Far　below　a　number　of　people

seemed　to　be　dancing；　and　music　filtered　through　the

dome。　。　。　。　Graham　fancied　he　heard　a　shouting

through　the　snowstorm；　and　his　guide　hurried　him　on

with　a　new　spurt　of　haste。　They　clambered　panting　to

a　space　of　huge　windmills；　one　so　vast　that　only　the

lower　edge　of　its　vans　came　rushing　into　sight　and

rushed　up　again　and　was　lost　in　the　night　and　the

snow。　They　hurried　for　a　time　through　the　colossal

metallic　tracery　of　its　supports；　and　came　at　last　above

a　place　of　moving　platforms　like　the　place　into　which

Graham　had　looked　from　the　balcony。　They　crawled

across　the　sloping　transparency　that　covered　this　street

of　platforms；　crawling　on　hands　and　knees　because　of

the　slipperiness　of　the　snowfall。



For　the　most　part　the　glass　was　bedewed；　and　Graham　

saw　only　hazy　suggestions　of　the　forms　below；

but　near　the　pitch　of　the　transparent　roof　the　glass　was

clear；　and　he　found　himself　looking　sheerly　down　upon

it　all。　For　awhile；　in　spite　of　the　urgency　of　his

guide；　he　gave　way　to　vertigo　and　lay　spread…eagled

on　the　glass；　sick　and　paralysed。　Far　below；　mere

stirring　specks　and　dots；　went　the　people　of　the　unsleeping　

city　in　their　perpetual　daylight；　and　the　moving　

platforms　ran　on　their　incessant　journey。　Messengers　

and　men　on　unknown　businesses　shot　along

the　drooping　cables　and　the　frail　bridges　were　crowded

with　men。　It　was　like　peering　into　a　gigantic　glass

hive；　and　it　lay　vertically　below　him　with　only　a　tough

glass　of　unknown　thickness　to　save　him　from　a　fall。

The　street　showed　warm　and　lit；　and　Graham　was　wet

now　to　the　skin　with　thawing　snow；　and　his　feet　were

numbed　with　cold。　For　a　space　he　could　not　move。



〃Come　on！〃　cried　his　guide；　with　terror　in　his　voice。

〃Come　on！〃



Graham　reached　the　pitch　of　the　roof　by　an　effort。



Over　the　ridge；　following　his　guide's　example；　he

turned　about　and　slid　backward　down　the　opposite

slope　very　swiftly；　amid　a　little　avalanche　of　snow

While　he　was　sliding　he　thought　of　what　would　happen

if　some　broken　gap　should　come　in　his　way。　At　the

edge　he　stumbled　to　his　feet　ankle　deep　in　slush

thanking　heaven　for　an　opaque　footing　again。　His

guide　was　already　clambering　up　a　metal　screen　to　a

level　expanse。



Through　the　spare　snowflakes　above　this　loomed

another　line　of　vast　windmills；　and　then　suddenly　the

amorphous　tumult　of　the　rotating　wheels　was　pierced

with　a　deafening　sound。　It　was　a　mechanical　shrilling

of　extraordinary　intensity　that　seemed　to　come　simultaneously　

from　every　point　of　the　compass。



〃They　have　missed　us　already！〃　cried　Graham's

guide　in　an　accent　of　terror；　and　suddenly；　with　a

blinding　flash；　the　night　became　day。



Above　the　driving　snow；　from　the　summits　of　the

wind…wheels；　appeared　vast　masts　carrying　globes　of

livid　light。　They　receded　in　illimitable　vistas　in　every

direction。　As　far　as　his　eye　could　penetrate　the　snowfall　

they　glared。



〃Get　on　this；〃　cried　Graham's　conductor；　and

thrust　him　forward　to　a　long　grating　of　snowless　

metal　that　ran　like　a　band　between　two　slightly

sloping　expanses　of　snow。　It　felt　warm　to　Graham's

benurrled　feet；　and　a　faint　eddy　of　steam　rose　from　it。



〃Come　on！〃　shouted　his　guide　ten　yards　off；　and；

without　waiting；　ran　swiftly　through　the　incandescent

glare　towards　the　iron　supports　of　the　next　range　of

wind…wheels。　Graham；　recovering　from　his　astonishment；　

followed　as　fast；　convinced　of　his　imminent

capture。



In　a　score　of　seconds　they　were　within　a　tracery　of

glare　and　black　shadows　shot　with　moving　bars

beneath　the　monstrous　wheels。　Graham's　conductor

ran　on　for　some　time；　and　suddenly　darted　sideways

and　vanished　into　a　black　shadow　in　the　corner　of　the

foot　of　a　huge　support。　In　another　moment　Graham

was　beside　him。



They　cowered　panting　and　stared　out。



The　scene　upon　which　Graham　looked　was　very

wild　and　strange。　The　snow　had　now　almost　ceased；

only　a　belated　flake　passed　now　and　again　across　the

picture。　But　the　broad　stretch　of　level　before　them

was　a　ghastly　white；　broken　only　by　gigantic　masses

and　moving　shapes　and　lengthy　strips　of　impenetrable

darkness；　vast　ungainly　Titans　of　shadow。　All　about

them；　huge　metallic　structures；　iron　girders；　inhumanly　

vast　as　it　seemed　to　him；　interlaced；　and　the

edges　of　wind…wheels；　scarcely　moving　in　the　lull；　I

passed　in　great　shining　curves　steeper　and　steeper　up

into　a　luminous　haze。　Wherever　the　snow…spangled

light　struck　down；　beams　and　girders；　and　incessant

bands　running　with　a　halting；　indomitable　resolution

passed　upward　and　downward　into　the　black。　And

with　all　that　mighty　activity；　with　an　omnipresent

sense　of　motive　and　design；　this　snow…clad　desolation

of　mechanism　seemed　void　of　all　human　presence　save

themselves；　seemed　as　trackless　and　deserted　and

unfrequented　by　men　as　some　inaccessible　Alpine

snowfield。



〃They　will　be　chasing　us；〃　cried　the　leader。　〃We

are　scarcely　halfway　there　yet。　Cold　as　it　is　we　must

hide　here　for　a　spaceat　least　until　it　snows　more

thickly　again。〃



His　teeth　chattered　in　his　head。



〃Where　are　the　markets？　〃　asked　Graham　staring

out。　〃Where　are　all　the　people？　〃



The　other　made　no　answer。





〃Look！〃　whispered　Graham；　crouched　close；　and

became　very　still。



The　snow　had　suddenly　become　thick　again；　and

sliding　with　the　whirling　eddies　out　of　the　black　pit

of　the　sky　came　something；　vague　and　large　and　very

swift。　It　came　down　in　a　steep　curve　and　swept　round；

wide　wings　extended　and　a　trail　of　white　condensing

steam　behind　it；　rose　with　an　easy　swiftness　and　went

gliding　up　the　air；　swept　horizontally　forward　in　a

wide　curve；　and　vanished　again　in　the　steaming　specks

of　snow。　And；　through　the　ribs　of　its　body；　Graham

saw　two　little　men；　very　minute　and　active；　searching

the　snowy　areas　about　him；　as　it　seemed　to　him；　with

field　glasses。　For　a　second　they　were　clear；　then　hazy

through　a　thick　whirl　of　snow；　then　small　and　distant；

and　in　a　minute　they　were　gone。



〃Now！〃　cried　his　companion。　〃Come！〃



He　pulled　Graham's　sleeve；　and　incontinently　the

two　were　running　headlong　down　the　arcade　of　ironwork　

beneath　the　wind…wheels。　Graham；　running

blindly；　collided　with　his　leader；　who　had　turned　back

on　him　suddenly。　He　found　himself　within　a　dozen

yards　of　a　black　chasm。　It　extended　as　far　as　he

could　see　right　and　left。　It　seemed　to　cut　off　their

progress　in　either　direction。



〃Do　as　I　do；〃　whispered　his　guide。　He　lay　down

and　crawled　to　the　edge；　thrust　his　head　over　and

twisted　until　one　leg　hung。　He　seemed　to　feel　for

something　with　his　foot；　found　it；　and　went　sliding

over　the　edge　into　the　gulf。　His　head　reappeared。

〃It　is　a　ledge；〃　he　whispered。　〃In　the　dark　all　the

way　along。　Do　as　I　did。〃



Graham　hesitated；　went　down　upon　all　fours；

crawled　to　the　edge；　and　peered　into　a　velvety　blackness。　

For　a　sickly　moment　he　had　courage　neither

to　go　on　nor　retreat；　then　he　sat　and　hung　his　leg

down；　felt　his　guide's　hands　pulling　at　him；　had　a

horrible　sensation　of　sliding　over　the　edge　into　the

unfathomable；　splashed；　and　felt　himself　in　a　slushy

gutter；　impenetrably　dark。



〃This　way；〃　whispered　the　voice；　and　he　began

crawling　along　the　gutter　thr