when the sleeper wakes-第16部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！




He　felt　a　curious　emotionthrobbingvery　fast！

He　stopped　again。　The　guards　before　him　marched

on；　those　about　him　stopped　as　he　did。　He　saw　the

direction　of　their　faces。　The　throbbing　had　something

to　do　with　the　lights。　He　too　looked　up。



At　first　it　seemed　to　him　a　thing　that　affected　the

lights　simply；　an　isolated　phenomenon；　having　no

bearing　on　the　things　below。　Each　huge　globe　of

blinding　whiteness　was　as　it　were　clutched；　compressed

in　a　systole　that　was　followed　by　a　transitory　diastole；

and　again　a　systole　like　a　tightening　grip；　darkness；

light；　darkness；　in　rapid　alternation。



Graham　became　aware　that　this　strange　behaviour

of　the　lights　had　to　do　with　the　people　below。　The

appearance　of　the　houses　and　ways；　the　appearance

of　the　packed　masses　changed；　became　a　confusion　of

vivid　lights　and　leaping　shadows。　He　saw　a　multitude　

of　shadows　had　sprung　into　aggressive　existence；

seemed　rushing　up；　broadening；　widening；　growing

with　steady　swiftnessto　leap　suddenly　back　and

return　reinforced。　The　song　and　the　tramping　had

ceased。　The　unanimous　march；　he　discovered；　was

arrested；　there　were　eddies；　a　flow　sideways；　shouts　of

〃The　lights！〃　Voices　were　crying　together　one

thing。　〃The　lights！〃　cried　these　voices。　〃The

lights！〃　He　looked　down。　In　this　dancing　death

of　the　lights　the　area　of　the　street　had　suddenly

become　a　monstrous　struggle。　The　huge　white　globes

became　purple…white；　purple　with　a　reddish　glow；　

flickered；　flickered　faster　and　faster；　fluttered　between　light

and　extinction；　ceased　to　flicker　and　became　mere　

fading　specks　of　glowing　red　in　a　vast　obscurity。　In　ten

seconds　the　extinction　was　accomplished；　and　there

was　only　this　roaring　darkness；　a　black　monstrosity

that　had　suddenly　swallowed　up　those　glittering

myriads　of　men。



He　felt　invisible　forms　about　him；　his　arms　were

gripped。　Something　rapped　sharply　against　his　shin。

A　voice　bawled　in　his　ear；　〃　It　is　all　rightall　right。〃



Graham　shook　off　the　paralysis　of　his　first　astonishment。　

He　struck　his　forehead　against　Lincoln's　and

bawled；　〃What　is　this　darkness？〃



〃The　Council　has　cut　the　currents　that　light　the

city。　We　must　waitstop。　The　people　will　go　on。

They　will〃



His　voice　was　drowned。　Voices　were　shouting；

〃Save　the　Sleeper。　Take　care　of　the　Sleeper。〃　A

guard　stumbled　against　Graham　and　hurt　his　hand　by

an　inadvertent　blow　of　his　weapon。　A　wild　tumult

tossed　and　whirled　about　him；　growing；　as　it　seemed；

louder；　denser；　more　furious　each　moment。　Fragments　

of　recognisable　sounds　drove　towards　him；　were

whirled　away　from　him　as　his　mind　reached　out　to

grasp　them。　Voices　seemed　to　be　shouting　conflicting

orders；　other　voices　answered。　There　were　suddenly

a　succession　of　piercing　screams　close　beneath　them。



A　voice　bawled　in　his　ear；　〃The　red　police；〃　and

receded　forthwith　beyond　his　questions。



A　crackling　sound　grew　to　distinctness；　and　there

with　a　leaping　of　faint　flashes　along　the　edge　of　the

further　ways。　By　their　light　Graham　saw　the　heads

and　bodies　of　a　number　of　men；　armed　with　weapons

like　those　of　his　guards；　leap　into　an　instant's　dim　

visibility。　The　whole　area　began　to　crackle；　to　flash　with

little　instantaneous　streaks　of　light；　and　abruptly　the

darkness　rolled　back　like　a　curtain。



A　glare　of　light　dazzled　his　eyes；　a　vast　seething

expanse　of　struggling　men　confused　his　mind。　A

shout；　a　burst　of　cheering；　came　across　the　ways。　He

looked　up　to　see　the　source　of　the　light。　A　man　hung

far　overhead　from　the　upper　part　of　a　cable；　holding　by

a　rope　the　blinding　star　that　had　driven　the　darkness

back。　He　wore　a　red　uniform。



Graham's　eyes　fell　to　the　ways　again。　A　wedge　of

red　a　little　way　along　the　vista　caught　his　eye。　He

saw　it　was　a　dense　mass　of　red…clad　men　jammed

the　higher　further　way；　their　backs　against　the　pitiless

cliff　of　building；　and　surrounded　by　a　dense　crowd　of

antagonists。　They　were　fighting。　Weapons　flashed

and　rose　and　fell；　heads　vanished　at　the　edge　of　the

contest；　and　other　heads　replaced　them；　the　little

flashes　from　the　green　weapons　became　little　jets　of

smoky　grey　while　the　light　lasted。



Abruptly　the　flare　was　extinguished　and　the　ways

were　an　inky　darkness　once　more；　a　tumultuous

mystery。



He　felt　something　thrusting　against　him。　He　was

being　pushed　along　the　gallery。　Someone　was　

shoutingit　might　be　at　him。　He　was　too　confused　to

hear。　He　was　thrust　against　the　wall；　and　a　number　of

people　blundered　past　him。　It　seemed　to　him　that　his

guards　were　struggling　with　one　another。



Suddenly　the　cable…hung　star…holder　appeared　again；

and　the　whole　scene　was　white　and　dazzling。　The

band　of　red…coats　seemed　broader　and　nearer；　its　apex

was　half…way　down　the　ways　towards　the　central　aisle。

And　raising　his　eyes　Graham　saw　that　a　number　of

these　men　had　also　appeared　now　in　the　darkened

lower　galleries　of　the　opposite　building；　and　were　firing

over　the　heads　of　their　fellows　below　at　the　boiling

confusion　of　people　on　the　lower　ways。　The　meaning

of　these　things　dawned　upon　him。　The　march　of　the

people　had　come　upon　an　ambush　at　the　very　outset。

Thrown　into　confusion　by　the　extinction　of　the　lights

they　were　now　being　attacked　by　the　red　police。　Then

he　became　aware　that　he　was　standing　alone；　that　his

guards　and　Lincoln　were　along　the　gallery　in　the

direction　along　which　he　had　come　before　the　darkness

fell。　He　saw　they　were　gesticulating　to　him　wildly；

running　back　towards　him。　A　great　shouting　came

from　across　the　ways。　Then　it　seemed　as　though　the

whole　face　of　the　darkened　building　opposite　was　lined

and　speckled　with　red…clad　men。　And　they　were　pointing　

over　to　him　and　shouting。　〃The　Sleeper！　Save

the　Sleeper！〃　shouted　a　multitude　of　throats。



Something　struck　the　wall　above　his　head。　He

looked　up　at　the　impact　and　saw　a　star…shaped　splash

of　silvery　metal。　He　saw　Lincoln　near　him。　Felt　his

arm　gripped。　Then；　pat；　pat；　he　had　been　missed

twice。



For　a　moment　he　did　not　understand　this。　The

street　was　hidden；　everything　was　hidden；　as　he　looked。

The　second　flare　had　burned　out。



Lincoln　had　gripped　Graham　by　the　arm；　was

lugging　him　along　the　gallery。　〃Before　the　next

light！〃　he　cried。　His　haste　was　contagious。　

Graham's　instinct　of　self…preservation　overcame　the　

paralysis　of　his　incredulous　astonishment。　He　became　for

a　time　the　blind　creature　of　the　fear　of　death。　He　ran；

stumbling　because　of　the　uncertainty　of　the　darkness；

blundered　into　his　guards　as　they　turned　to　run　with

him。　Haste　was　his　one　desire；　to　escape　this　perilous

gallery　upon　which　he　was　exposed。　A　third　glare

came　close　on　its　predecessors。　With　it　came　a　great

shouting　across　the　ways；　an　answering　tumult　from

the　ways。　The　red…coats　below；　he　saw；　had　now

almost　gained　the　central　passage。　Their　countless

faces　turned　towards　him；　and　they　shouted。　The

white　facade　opposite　was　densely　stippled　with　red。

All　these　wonderful　things　concerned　him；　turned　upon

him　as　a　pivot。　These　were　the　guards　of　the　Council

attempting　to　recapture　him。



Lucky　it　was　for　him　that　these　shots　were　the　first

fired　in　anger　for　a　hundred　and　fifty　years。　He　heard

bullets　whacking　over　his　head；　felt　a　splash　of　molten

metal　sting　his　ear；　and　perceived　without　looking　that

the　whole　opposite　facade；　an　unmasked　ambuscade　of

red　police；　was　crowded　and　bawling　and　firing　at　him。



Down　went　one　of　his　guards　before　him；　and　Graham；

unable　to　stop；　leapt　the　writhing　body。



In　another　second　he　had　plunged；　unhurt；　into　a

black　passage；　and　incontinently　someone；　coming；　it

may　be；　in　a　transverse　direction；　blundered　violently

into　him。　He　was　hurling　down　a　staircase　in　absolute　

darkness。　He　reeled；　and　was　struck　again；　and

came　against　a　wall　with　his　hands。　He　was　crushed

by　a　weight　of　struggling　bodies；　whirled　round；　and

thrust　to　the　right。　A　vast　pressure　pinned　him。　He

could　not　breathe；　his　ribs　seemed　cracking。　He　felt

a　momentary　relaxation；　and　then　the　whole　mass　of

people　moving　together；　bore　him　back　towards　the

great　theatre　from　which　he　had　so　recently　come。



There　were　moments　when　his　feet　did　not　touch　the

ground。　Then　he　was　staggering　and　shoving。　He

heard　shouts　of　〃They　are　coming！〃　and　a　muffled

cry　close　to　him。　His　foot　blundered　against　

something　soft；　he　heard　a　hoarse　scream　under　foot。　He

heard　shouts　of　〃The　Sleeper！〃　but　he　was　too　

confused　to　speak。　He　heard　the　green　weapons

crackling。　For　a　space　he　lost　his　individual　will；　

became　an　atom　in　a　panic；　blind；　unthinking；　mechanical。　

He　thrust　and　pressed　back　and　writhed　in　the

pressure；　kicked　presently　against　a　step；　and　found

himself　ascending　a　slope。　And　abruptly　the　faces　all

about　him　leapt　out　of　the　black；　visible；　ghastly…white

and　astonished；　terrified；　perspiring；　in　a　livid　glare。

One　face；　a　young　man's；　was　very　near　to　him；　not

twenty　inches　away。　At　the　time　it　was　but　a　passing

incident　of　no　emotional　value；　but　afterwards　it　came

back　to　him　in　his　dreams。　For　this　young　man；

wedged　upright　in　the　crowd　for　a　time；　had　been　shot

and　was　already　dead。



A　fourth　white　star　must　have　been　lit　by　the　man

on　the　cable。　Its　light　came　glaring　in　through　vast

windows　and　arches　and　showed　Graham　that　he　was

now　one　of　a　dense　mass　of　flying　black　figures　pressed

back　across　the　lower　area　of　the　great　theatre。　This

time　the　picture　was　livid　and　fragmentary　slashed

and　barred　with　black　shadows。　He　saw　that　quite

near　to　him　the　red　guards　were　fighting　their　way

through　the　people。　He　could　not　tell　whether　they

saw　him。　He　looked　for　Lincoln　and　his　guards。　He

saw　Lincoln　near　the　stage　of　the　theatre　surrounded

in　a　crowd　of　black…badged　revolutionaries；　lifted　up

and　staring　to　and　fro　as　if　seeking　him。　Graham　

perceived　that