when the sleeper wakes-第24部分

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them　blinking　up　through　the　glare　about　him　and

Ostrog。　He　contrasted　their　strange　cold　looks　in　the

Hall　of　Atlas。。　。。　Presently　he　could　recognise

several　of　them；　the　man　who　had　rapped　the　table　at

Howard；　a　burly　man　with　a　red　beard；　and　one　

delicate…featured；　short；　dark　man　with　a　peculiarly　long

skull。　He　noted　that　two　were　whispering　together

and　looking　behind　him　at　Ostrog。　Next　there　came

a　tall；　dark　and　handsome　man；　walking　downcast。

Abruptly　he　glanced　up；　his　eyes　touched　Graham　for

a　moment；　and　passed　beyond　him　to　Ostrog。　The

way　that　had　been　made　for　them　was　so　contrived　that

they　had　to　march　past　and　curve　about　before　they　

came　to　the　sloping　path　of　planks　that　ascended　to

the　stage　where　their　surrender　was　to　be　made。



〃The　Master；　the　Master！　God　and　the　Master；〃

shouted　the　people。〃　To　hell　with　the　Council！〃

Graham　looked　at　their　multitudes；　receding　beyond

counting　into　a　shouting　haze；　and　then　at　Ostrog

beside　him；　white　and　steadfast　and　still。　His　eye

went　again　to　the　little　group　of　White　Councillors。

And　then　he　looked　up　at　the　familiar　quiet　stars　

overhead。　The　marvellous　element　in　his　fate　was　

suddenly　vivid。　Could　that　be　his　indeed；　that　little　life

in　his　memory　two　hundred　years　gone　byand　this

as　well？



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XIV



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FROM　THE　CROW　S　NEST



And　so　after　strange　delays　and　through　an　avenue

of　doubt　and　battle；　this　man　from　the　nineteenth　

century　came　at　last　to　his　position　at　the　head　of　that

complex　world。



At　first　when　he　rose　from　the　long　deep　sleep　that

followed　his　rescue　and　the　surrender　of　the　Council；

he　did　not　recognise　his　surroundings。　By　an　effort

he　gained　a　clue　in　his　mind；　and　all　that　had　

happened　came　back　to　him；　at　first　with　a　quality　of

insincerity　like　a　story　heard；　like　something　read　out

of　a　book。　And　even　before　his　memories　were　clear；

the　exultation　of　his　escape；　the　wonder　of　his　

prominence　were　back　in　his　mind。　He　was　owner　of　half

the　world；　Master　of　the　Earth。　This　new　great　age

was　in　the　completest　sense　his。　He　no　longer　hoped

to　discover　his　experiences　a　dream；　he　became　

anxious　now　to　convince　himself　that　they　were　real。



An　obsequious　valet　assisted　him　to　dress　under　the

direction　of　a　dignified　chief　attendant；　a　little　man

whose　face　proclaimed　him　Japanese；　albeit　he　spoke

English　like　an　Englishman。　From　the　latter　he

learnt　something　of　the　state　of　affairs。　Already　the

revolution　was　an　accepted　fact；　already　business　was

being　resumed　throughout　the　city。　Abroad　the

downfall　of　the　Council　had　been　received　for　the　most

part　with　delight。　Nowhere　was　the　Council　popular；

and　the　thousand　cities　of　Western　America；　after　two

hundred　years　still　jealous　of　New　York；　London；　and

the　East；　had　risen　almost　unanimously　two　days

before　at　the　news　of　Graham's　imprisonment。　Paris

was　fighting　within　itself。　The　rest　of　the　world　hung

in　suspense。



While　he　was　breaking　his　fast；　the　sound　of　a　

telephone　bell　jetted　from　a　corner；　and　his　chief　

attendant　called　his　attention　to　the　voice　of　Ostrog　making

polite　enquiries。　Graham　interrupted　his　refreshment

to　reply。　Very　shortly　Lincoln　arrived；　and　Graham

at　once　expressed　a　strong　desire　to　talk　to　people　and

to　be　shown　more　of　the　new　life　that　was　opening

before　him。　Lincoln　informed　him　that　in　three　hours'

time　a　representative　gathering　of　officials　and　their

wives　would　be　held　in　the　state　apartments　of　the

wind…vane　Chief。　Graham's　desire　to　traverse　the

ways　of　the　city　was；　however；　at　present　impossible；

because　of　the　enormous　excitement　of　the　people。

It　was；　however；　quite　possible　for　him　to　take　a　bird's

eye　view　of　the　city　from　the　crow's　nest　of　the　

windvane　keeper。　To　this　accordingly　Graham　was　

conducted　by　his　attendant。　Lincoln；　with　a　graceful

compliment　to　the　attendant；　apologised　for　not

accompanying　them；　on　account　of　the　present　

pressure　of　administrative　work。



Higher　even　than　the　most　gigantic　wind…wheels

hung　this　crow's　nest；　a　clear　thousand　feet　above　the

roofs；　a　little　disc…shaped　speck　on　a　spear　of　metallic

filigree；　cable　stayed。　To　its　summit　Graham　was

drawn　in　a　little　wire…hung　cradle。　Halfway　down

the　frail…seeming　stem　was　a　light　gallery　about　which

hung　a　cluster　of　tubesminute　they　looked　from

aboverotating　slowly　on　the　ring　of　its　outer　rail。

These　were　the　specula；　__en　rapport__　with　the　wind…vane

keeper's　mirrors；　in　one　of　which　Ostrog　had　shown

him　the　coming　of　his　rule。　His　Japanese　attendant

ascended　before　him　and　they　spent　nearly　an　hour

asking　and　answering　questions。



It　was　a　day　full　of　the　promise　and　quality　of

spring。　The　touch　of　the　wind　warmed。　The　sky

was　an　intense　blue　and　the　vast　expanse　of　London

shone　dazzling　under　the　morning　sun。　The　air　was

clear　of　smoke　and　haze；　sweet　as　the　air　of　a　mountain

glen。



Save　for　the　irregular　oval　of　ruins　about　the　House

of　the　Council　and　the　black　flag　of　the　surrender　that

fluttered　there；　the　mighty　city　seen　from　above

showed　few　signs　of　the　swift　revolution　that　had；　to

his　imagination；　in　one　night　and　one　day；　changed

the　destinies　of　the　world。　A　multitude　of　people　still

swarmed　over　these　ruins；　and　the　huge　openwork

stagings　in　the　distance　from　which　started　in　times　of

peace　the　service　of　aeroplanes　to　the　various　great

cities　of　Europe　and　America；　were　also　black　with

the　victors。　Across　a　narrow　way　of　planking　raised

on　trestles　that　crossed　the　ruins　a　crowd　of　workmen

were　busy　restoring　the　connection　between　the　cables

and　wires　of　the　Council　House　and　the　rest　of　the

city；　preparatory　to　the　transfer　thither　of　Ostrog's

headquarters　from　the　Wind…Vane　buildings。



For　the　rest　the　luminous　expanse　was　undisturbed。

So　vast　was　its　serenity　in　comparison　with　the　areas

of　disturbance；　that　presently　Graham；　looking　beyond

them；　could　almost　forget　the　thousands　of　men　Iying

out　of　sight　in　the　artificial　glare　within　the　

quasi…subterranean　labyrinth；　dead　or　dying　of　the　overnight

wounds；　forget　the　improvised　wards　with　the　hosts　of

surgeons；　nurses；　and　bearers　feverishly　busy；　forget；

indeed；'　all　the　wonder；　consternation　and　novelty

under　the　electric　lights。　Down　there　in　the　hidden

ways　of　the　anthill　he　knew　that　the　revolution　

triumphed；　that　black　everywhere　carried　the　day；　black

favours；　black　banners；　black　festoons　across　the

streets。　And　out　here；　under　the　fresh　sunlight；

beyond　the　crater　of　the　fight；　as　if　nothing　had　

happened　to　the　earth；　the　forest　of　Wind　Vanes　that　had

grown　from　one　or　two　while　the　Council　had　ruled；

roared　peacefully　upon　their　incessant　duty。



Far　away；　spiked；　jagged　and　indented　by　the　wind

vanes；　the　Surrey　Hills　rose　blue　and　faint；　to　the

north　and　nearer；　the　sharp　contours　of　Highgate　and

Muswell　Hill　were　similarly　jagged。　And　all　over　the

countryside；　he　knew；　on　every　crest　and　hill；　where

once　the　hedges　had　interlaced；　and　cottages；　churches；

inns；　and　farmhouses　had　nestled　among　their　trees；

wind　wheels　similar　to　those　he　saw　and　bearing　like

vast　advertisements；　gaunt　and　distinctive　

symbols　of　the　new　age；　cast　their　whirling　shadows　and

stored　incessantly　the　energy　that　flowed　away　

incessantly　through　all　the　arteries　of　the　city。　And　

underneath　these　wandered　the　countless　flocks　and　herds

of　the　British　Food　Trust　with　their　lonely　guards　and

keepers。



Not　a　familiar　outline　anywhere　broke　the　cluster

of　gigantic　shapes　below。　St。　Paul's　he　knew

survived；　and　many　of　the　old　buildings　in　Westminster；

embedded　out　of　sight；　arched　over　and　covered　in

among　the　giant　growths　of　this　great　age。　The

Themes；　too；　made　no　fall　and　gleam　of　silver

to　break　the　wilderness　of　the　city；　the　thirsty

water　mains　drank　up　every　drop　of　its　waters

before　they　reached　the　walls。　Its　bed　and　estuary

scoured　and　sunken；　was　now　a　canal　of　sea　water

and　a　race　of　grimy　bargemen　brought　the　heavy

materials　of　trade　from　the　Pool　thereby　beneath　the

very　feet　of　the　workers。　Faint　and　dim　in　the　

eastward　between　earth　and　sky　hung　the　clustering　masts

of　the　colossal　shipping　in　the　Pool。　For　all　the

heavy　traffic；　for　which　there　was　no　need　of　haste；

came　in　gigantic　sailing　ships　from　the　ends　of　the

earth；　and　the　heavy　goods　for　which　there　was

urgency　in　mechanical　ships　of　a　smaller　swifter　sort。



And　to　the　south　over　the　hills；　came　vast　aqueducts

with　sea　water　for　the　sewers　and　in　three　separate

directions；　ran　pallid　linesthe　roads；　stippled　with

moving　grey　specks。　On　the　first　occasion　that　offered

he　was　determined　to　go　out　and　see　these　roads。

That　would　come　after　the　flying　ship　he　was　presently

to　try。　His　attendant　officer　described　them　as　a　pair

of　gently　curving　surfaces　a　hundred　yards　wide；　each

one　for　the　traffic　going　in　one　direction；　and　made　of

a　substance　called　Eadhamitean　artificial　substance；。

so　far　as　he　could　gather；　resembling　toughened　glass。

Along　this　shot　a　strange　traffic　of　narrow　rubber…shod

vehicles；　great　single　wheels；　two　and　four　wheeled

vehicles；　sweeping　along　at　velocities　of　from　one　to

six　miles　a　minute。　Railroads　had　vanished；　a　few

embankments　remained　as　rust…crowned　trenches　here

and　there。　Some　few　formed　the　cores　of　Eadhamite

ways。



Among　the　first　things　to　strike　his　attention　had

been　the　great　fleets　of　advertisement　balloons　and

kites　that　receded　in　irregular　vistas　northward　and

southward　along　the　lines　of　the　aeroplane　journeys。

No　aeroplanes　were　to　be　seen。　Their　passages　had

ceased；　and　only　one　little…seeming　aeropile　circled

high　in　the　blue　distance　above　the　Surrey　Hills；　an

unimpressive　soaring　speck。



A　thing　Graham　had　already　learnt；　and　which　h