when the sleeper wakes-第30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！



built　of　enormous　sizethe　usual　stretch　of　wing

being　six　hundred　feet　or　more；　and　the　length　of　the

fabric　a　thousand　feet。　They　were　for　passenger

traffic　alone。　The　lightly　swung　car　they　carried　was

from　a　hundred　to　a　hundred　and　fifty　feet　in　length。

It　Was　hung　in　a　peculiar　manner　in　order　to　minimise

the　complex　vibration　that　even　a　moderate　wind　produced；　

and　for　the　same　reason　the　little　seats　within

the　careach　passenger　remained　seated　during　the

voyagewere　slung　with　great　freedom　of　movement。　

The　starting　of　the　mechanism　was　only　possible　

from　a　gigantic　car　on　the　rail　of　a　specially　

constructed　stage。　Graham　had　seen　these　vast　stages；

the　flying　stages；　from　the　crow's　nest　very　well。　Six

huge　blank　areas　they　were；　with　a　giant　〃carrier〃

stage　on　each。



The　choice　of　descent　was　equally　circumscribed；　an

accurately　plane　surface　being　needed　for　safe　grounding。　

Apart　from　the　destruction　that　would　have　been

caused　by　the　descent　of　this　great　expanse　of　sail　and

metal；　and　the　impossibility　of　its　rising　again；　the　

concussion　of　an　irregular　surface；　a　tree…set　hillside；　for

instance；　or　an　embankment；　would　be　sufficient　to

pierce　or　damage　the　framework；　to　smash　the　ribs　of

the　body；　and　perhaps　kill　those　aboard。



At　first　Graham　felt　disappointed　with　these　cumbersome　

contrivances；　but　he　speedily　grasped　the　fact

that　smaller　machines　would　have　been　unremunerative；　

for　the　simple　reason　that　their　carrying　power

would　be　disproportionately　diminished　with　deminished　

size。　Moreover；　the　huge　size　of　these　things

enabled　themand　it　was　a　consideration　of　primary

importanceto　traverse　the　air　at　enormous　speeds；

and　so　run　no　risks　of　unanticipated　weather。　The

briefest　journey　performed；　that　from　London　to

Paris；　took　about　three…quarters　of　an　hour；　but　the

velocity　attained　was　not　high；　the　leap　to　New　York

occupied　about　two　hours；　and　by　timing　oneself　carefully　

at　the　intermediate　stations　it　was　possible　in

quiet　weather　to　go　around　the　world　in　a　day。



The　little　aeropiles　（as　for　no　particular　reason　they

were　distinctively　called）　were　of　an　altogether　

different　type。　Several　of　these　were　going　to　and　fro　in

the　air。　They　were　designed　to　carry　only　one　or　two

persons；　and　their　manufacture　and　maintenance　was

so　costly　as　to　render　them　the　monopoly　of　the　richer

sort　of　people。　Their　sails；　which　were　brilliantly

coloured；　consisted　only　of　two　pairs　of　lateral　air　

floats　in　the　same　plane；　and　of　a　screw　behind。　Their

small　size　rendered　a　descent　in　any　open　space　neither

difficult　nor　disagreeable；　and　it　was　possible　to　attach

pneumatic　wheels　or　even　the　ordinary　motors　for　terrestrial　

tragic　to　them；　and　so　carry　them　to　a　convenient　

starting　place。　They　required　a　special　sort　of

swift　car　to　throw　them　into　the　air；　but　such　a　car

was　efficient　in　any　open　place　clear　of　high　buildings

or　trees。　Human　aeronautics；　Graham　perceived；

were　evidently　still　a　long　way　behind　the　instinctive

gift　of　the　albatross　or　the　fly…catcher。　One　great

influence　that　might　have　brought　the　aeropile　to　a

more　rapid　perfection　had　been　withheld；　these　

inventions　had　never　been　used　in　warfare。　The　last　great

international　struggle　had　occurred　before　the　

usurpation　of　the　Council。



The　Flying　Stages　of　London　were　collected

together　in　an　irregular　crescent　on　the　southern　side

of　the　river。　They　formed　three　groups　of　two　each

and　retained　the　names　of　ancient　suburban　hills　or

villages。　They　were　named　in　order；　Roehampton；

Wimhledon　Park；　Streatham；　Norwood；　Blackheath；

and　Shooter's　Hill。　They　were　uniform　structures　

rising　high　above　the　general　roof　surfaces。　Each　was

about　four　thousand　yards　long　and　a　thousand　broad；

and　constructed　of　the　compound　of　aluminium　and

iron　that　had　replaced　iron　in　architecture。　Their

higher　tiers　formed　an　openwork　of　girders　through

which　lifts　and　staircases　ascended。　The　upper　

surface　was　a　uniform　expanse；　with　portionsthe　

starting　carriersthat　could　be　raised　and　were　then　able

to　run　on　very　slightly　inclined　rails　to　the　end　of　the

fabric。　Save　for　any　aeropiles　or　aeroplanes　that　were

in　port　these　open　surfaces　were　kept　clear　for　arrivals。



During　the　adjustment　of　the　aeroplanes　it　was　the

custom　for　passengers　to　wait　in　the　system　of　

theatres；　restaurants；　news…rooms；　and　places　of　pleasure

and　indulgence　of　various　sorts　that　interwove　with　the

prosperous　shops　below。　This　portion　of　London　was

in　consequence　commonly　the　gayest　of　all　its　

districts；　with　something　of　the　meretricious　gaiety　of　a

seaport　or　city　of　hotels。　And　for　those　who　took　a

more　serious　view　of　aeronautics；　the　religious　

quarters　had　flung　out　an　attractive　colony　of　devotional

chapels；　while　a　host　of　brilliant　medical　establishments　

competed　to　supply　physical　preparatives　for　the

journey。　At　various　levels　through　the　mass　of　chambers　

and　passages　beneath　these；　ran；　in　addition　to　the

main　moving　ways　of　the　city　which　laced　and

gathered　here；　a　complex　system　of　special　passages

and　lifts　and　slides；　for　the　convenient　interchange　of

people　and　luggage　between　stage　and　stage。　And　a

distinctive　feature　of　the　architecture　of　this　section

was　the　ostentatious　massiveness　of　the　metal　piers

and　girders　that　everywhere　broke　the　vistas　and

spanned　the　halls　and　passages；　crowding　and　twining

up　to　meet　the　weight　of　the　stages　and　the　weighty

impact　of　the　aeroplanes　overhead。



Graham　went　to　the　flying　stages　by　the　public　ways。

He　was　accompanied　by　Asano；　his　Japanese　attendant。　

Lincoln　was　called　away　by　Ostrog；　who　was

busy　with　his　administrative　concerns。　A　strong

guard　of　the　Wind…Vane　police　awaited　the　Master

outside　the　Wind…Vane　offices；　and　they　cleared　a

space　for　him　on　the　upper　moving　platform。　His

passage　to　the　flying　stages　was　unexpected；　

nevertheless　a　considerable　crowd　gathered　and　followed

him　to　his　destination。　As　he　went　along；　he　could

hear　the　people　shouting　his　name；　and　saw　numberless　

men　and　women　and　children　in　blue　come　swarming　

up　the　staircases　in　the　central　path；　gesticulating

and　shouting。　He　could　not　hear　what　they　shouted。

He　was　struck　again　by　the　evident　existence　of　a　

vulgar　dialect　among　the　poor　of　the　city。　When　at　last

he　descended；　his　guards　were　immediately　surrounded　

by　a　dense　excited　crowd。　Afterwards　it

occurred　to　him　that　some　had　attempted　to　reach　him

with　petitions。　His　guards　cleared　a　passage　for　him

with　difficulty。



He　found　an　aeropile　in　charge　of　an　aeronaut

awaiting　him　on　the　westward　stage。　Seen　close　this

mechanism　was　no　longer　small。　As　it　lay　on　its

launching　carrier　upon　the　wide　expanse　of　the　flying

stage；　its　aluminium　body　skeleton　was　as　big　as　the

hull　of　a　twenty…ton　yacht。　Its　lateral　supporting　sails

braced　and　stayed　with　metal　nerves　almost　like　the

nerves　of　a　bee's　wing；　and　made　of　some　sort　of

glassy　artificial　membrane；　cast　their　shadow　over

many　hundreds　of　square　yards。　The　chairs　for　the

engineer　and　his　passenger　hung　free　to　swing　by　a

complex　tackle；　within　the　protecting　ribs　of　the

frame　and　well　abaft　the　middle。　The　passenger's

chair　was　protected　by　a　wind…guard　and　guarded

about　with　metallic　rods　carrying　air　cushions。　It

could；　if　desired；　be　completely　closed　in；　but　Graham

was　anxious　for　novel　experiences；　and　desired　that　it

should　be　left　open。　The　aeronaut　sat　behind　a　glass

that　sheltered　his　face。　The　passenger　could　secure

himself　firmly　in　his　seat；　and　this　was　almost　

unavoidable　on　landing；　or　he　could　move　along　by　means　of

a　little　rail　and　rod　to　a　locker　at　the　stem　of　the

machine；　where　his　personal　luggage；　his　wraps　and

restoratives　were　placed；　and　which　also　with　the　seats；

served　as　a　makeweight　to　the　parts　of　the　central

engine　that　projected　to　the　propeller　at　the　stern。



The　engine　was　very　simple　in　appearance。　Asano；

pointing　out　the　parts　of　this　apparatus　to　him；　told

him　that；　like　the　gas…engine　of　Victorian　days；　it　was

of　the　explosive　type；　burning　a　small　drop　of　a　substance　

called　〃fomile〃　at　each　stroke。　It　consisted

simply　of　reservoir　and　piston　about　the　long　fluted

crank　of　the　propeller　shaft。　So　much　Graham　saw　of

the　machine。



The　flying　stage　about　him　was　empty　save　for

Asano　and　their　suite　of　attendants。　Directed　by　the

aeronaut　he　placed　himself　in　his　seat。　He　then　drank

a　mixture　containing　ergota　dose；　he　learnt；　invariably　

administered　to　those　about　to　fly；　and　designed

to　counteract　the　possible　effect　of　diminished　air　

pressure　upon　the　system。　Having　done　so；　he　declared

himself　ready　for　the　journey。　Asano　took　the　empty

glass　from　him；　stepped　through　the　bars　of　the　hull；

and　stood　below　on　the　stage　waving　his　hand。　

Suddenly　he　seemed　to　slide　along　the　stage　to　the　right

and　vanish。



The　engine　was　beating；　the　propeller　spinning；　and

for　a　second　the　stage　and　the　buildings　beyond　were

gliding　swiftly　and　horizontally　past　Graham's　eye；

then　these　things　seemed　to　tilt　up　abruptly。　He

gripped　the　little　rods　on　either　side　of　him　

instinctively。　He　felt　himself　moving　upward；　heard　the　air

whistle　over　the　top　of　the　wind　screen。　The　

propeller　screw　moved　round　with　powerful　rhythmic

impulsesone；　two；　three；　pause；　one；　two；　three

which　the　engineer　controlled　very　delicately。　The

machine　began　a　quivering　vibration　that　continued

throughout　the　flight；　and　the　roof　areas　seemed　

running　away　to　starboard　very　quickly　and　growing

rapidly　smaller。　He　looked　from　the　face　of　the　engineer　

through　the　ribs　of　the　machine。　Looking　sideways；　

there　was　nothing　very　startling　in　what　he　saw

a　rapid　funicular　railway　might　have　given　the　same

sensations。　He　recognised　the　Council　House　an