when the sleeper wakes-第40部分

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independent　working…woman　in　your　days。　Most　women

are　independent　now。　Most　of　these　are　married

more　or　lessthere　are　a　number　of　methods　of　

contractand　that　gives　them　more　money；　and　enables

them　to　enjoy　themselves。〃



〃I　see；〃　said　Graham　looking　at　the　flushed　faces；

the　flash　and　swirl　of　movement；　and　still　thinking　of

that　nightmare　of　pink　helpless　limbs。〃　And　these

aremothers。〃



〃Most　of　them。〃



〃The　more　I　see　of　these　things　the　more　complex

I　find　your　problems。　This；　for　instance；　is　a　surprise。

That　news　from　Paris　was　a　surprise。〃



In　a　little　while　he　spoke　again：



〃These　are　mothers。　Presently；　I　suppose；　I　shall

get　into　the　modern　way　of　seeing　things。　I　have　old

habits　of　mind　clinging　about　mehabits　based；　I

suppose；　on　needs　that　are　over　and　done　with。　Of

course；　in　our　time；　a　woman　was　supposed　not　only

to　bear　children；　but　to　cherish　them；　to　devote　herself

to　them；　to　educate　themall　the　essentials　of　moral

and　mental　education　a　child　owed　its　mother。

Or　went　without。　Quite　a　number；　I　admit；　went

without。　Nowadays；　clearly；　there　is　no　more　need

for　such　care　than　if　they　were　butterflies。　I　see　that！

Only　there　was　an　idealthat　figure　of　a　grave；

patient　woman；　silently　and　serenely　mistress　of　a

home；　mother　and　maker　of　mento　love　her　was　a

sort　of　worship〃



He　stopped　and　repeated；　〃A　sort　of　worship。〃



〃Ideals　change；〃　said　the　little　man；　〃as　needs

change。〃



Graham　awoke　from　an　instant　reverie　and　Asano

repeated　his　words。　Graham's　mind　returned　to　the

thing　at　hand。



〃Of　course　I　see　the　perfect　reasonableness　of　this

Restraint；　soberness；　the　matured　thought；　the　unselfish　a

act；　they　are　necessities　of　the　barbarous　state；　the

life　of　dangers。　Dourness　is　man's　tribute　to　

unconquered　nature。　But　man　has　conquered　nature　now

for　all　practical　purposeshis　political　affairs　are

managed　by　Bosses　with　a　black　policeand　life　is

joyous。〃



He　looked　at　the　dancers　again。　〃Joyous；〃　he

said。



〃There　are　weary　moments；〃　said　the　little　officer；

reflectively。



〃They　all　look　young。　Down　there　I　should　be

visibly　the　oldest　man。　And　in　my　own　time　I　should

have　passed　as　middle…aged。〃



〃They　are　young。　There　are　few　old　people　in　this

class　in　the　work　cities。〃



〃How　is　that？　〃



〃Old　people's　lives　are　not　so　pleasant　as　they　used

to　be；　unless　they　are　rich　to　hire　lovers　and　helpers。

And　we　have　an　institution　called　Euthanasy。〃



〃Ah！　that　Euthanasy！〃　said　Graham。　〃The　easy

death？　〃



〃The　easy　death。　It　is　the　last　pleasure。　The

Euthanasy　Company　does　it　well。　People　will　pay　the

sumit　is　a　costly　thinglong　beforehand；　go　off　to

some　pleasure　city　and　return　impoverished　and

weary；　very　weary。〃



〃There　is　a　lot　left　for　me　to　understand；〃　said

Graham　after　a　pause。　〃Yet　I　see　the　logic　of　it　all。

Our　array　of　angry　virtues　and　sour　restraints　was　the

consequence　of　danger　and　insecurity。　The　Stoic；　the

Puritan；　even　in　my　time；　were　vanishing　types。　In

the　old　days　man　was　armed　against　Pain；　now　he　is

eager　for　Pleasure。　There　lies　the　difference。　

Civilisation　has　driven　pain　and　danger　so　far　offfor

well…to…do　people。　And　only　well…to…do　people　matter

now。　I　have　been　asleep　two　hundred　years。〃



For　a　minute　they　leant　on　the　balustrading；　following　

the　intricate　evolution　of　the　dance。　Indeed　the

scene　was　very　beautiful。



〃Before　God；〃　said　Graham；　suddenly；　〃I　would

rather　be　a　wounded　sentinel　freezing　in　the　snow　than

one　of　these　painted　fools！　〃



〃In　the　snow；〃　said　Asano；　〃one　might　think

diferently。〃



〃　I　am　uncivilised；〃　said　Graham；　not　heeding　him。

〃That　is　the　trouble。　I　am　primitivePalaeolithic。

Their　fountain　of　rage　and　fear　and　anger　is　sealed

and　closed；　the　habits　of　a　lifetime　make　them　cheerful

and　easy　and　delightful。　You　must　bear　with　my

nineteenth　century　shocks　and　disgusts。　These

people；　you　say；　are　skilled　workers　and　so　forth。　And

while　these　dance；　men　are　fightingmen　are　dying

in　Paris　to　keep　the　worldthat　they　may　dance。〃



Asano　smiled　faintly。　〃For　that　matter；　men　are

dying　in　London；〃　he　said。



There　was　a　moment's　silence。



〃Where　do　these　sleep？〃　asked　Graham。



〃Above　and　belowan　intricate　warren。〃



〃And　where　do　they　work？　This　isthe　domestic

life。〃



〃You　will　see　little　work　to…night。　Half　the　workers

are　out　or　under　arms。　Half　these　people　are　keeping

holiday。　But　we　will　go　to　the　work　places　if　you

wish　it。〃



For　a　time　Graham　watched　the　dancers；　then

suddenly　turned　away。　〃I　want　to　see　the　workers。

I　have　seen　enough　of　these；〃　he　said。



Asano　led　the　way　along　the　gallery　across　the

dancing　hall。　Presently　they　came　to　a　transverse

passage　that　brought　a　breath　of　fresher；　colder　air。



Asano　glanced　at　this　passage　as　they　went　past；

stopped；　went　back　to　it；　and　turned　to　Graham　with

a　smile。　〃Here；　Sire；〃　he　said；　〃is　somethingwill

be　familiar　to　you　at　leastand　yet。　But　I　will

not　tell　you。　Come！　〃



He　led　the　way　along　a　closed　passage　that　presently　

became　cold。　The　reverberation　of　their　feet　told

that　this　passage　was　a　bridge。　They　came　into　a

circular　gallery　that　was　glazed　in　from　the　outer

weather；　and　so　reached　a　circular　chamber　which

seemed　familiar；　though　Graham　could　not　recall　

distinctly　when　he　had　entered　it　before。　In　this　was　a

ladderthe　first　ladder　he　had　seen　since　his

awakeningup　which　they　went；　and　came　into　a

high；　dark；　cold　place　in　which　was　another　almost

vertical　ladder。　This　they　ascended；　Graham　still

perplexed。



But　at　the　top　he　understood；　and　recognized　the

metallic　bars　to　which　he　clung。　He　was　in　the　cage

under　the　ball　of　St。　Paul's。　The　dome　rose　but　a

little　way　above　the　general　contour　of　the　city；

into　the　still　twilight；　and　sloped　away；　shining

greasily　under　a　few　distant　lights；　into　a　circumambient　

ditch　of　darkness。



Out　between　the　bars　he　looked　upon　the　wind…clear　

northern　sky　and　saw　the　starry　constellations

all　unchanged。　Capella　hung　in　the　west；　Vega　was

rising；　and　the　seven　glittering　points　of　the　Great

Bear　swept　overhead　in　their　stately　circle　about　the

Pole。



He　saw　these　stars　in　a　clear　gap　of　sky。　To　the

east　and　south　the　great　circular　shapes　of　

complaining　wind…wheels　blotted　out　the　heavens；　so　that　the

glare　about　the　Council　House　was　hidden。　To　the

south…west　hung　Orion；　showing　like　a　pallid　ghost

through　a　tracery　of　iron…work　and　interlacing　shapes

above　a　dazzling　coruscation　of　lights。　A　bellowing　

and　siren　screaming　that　came　from　the　flying

stages　warned　the　world　that　one　of　the　aeroplanes

was　ready　to　start。　He　remained　for　a　space　gazing

towards　the　glaring　stage。　Then　his　eyes　went　back

to　the　northward　constellations。



For　a　long　time　he　was　silent。　〃This；〃　he　said　at

last；　smiling　in　the　shadow；　〃seems　the　strangest　thing

of　all。　To　stand　in　the　dome　of　Saint　Paul's　and　look

once　more　upon　these　familiar；　silent　stars！〃



Thence　Graham　was　taken　by　Asano　along　devious

ways　to　the　great　gambling　and　business　quarters

where　the　bulk　of　the　fortunes　in　the　city　were　lost

and　made。　It　impressed　him　as　a　well…nigh　interminable　

series　of　very　high　halls；　surrounded　by　tiers　upon

tiers　of　galleries　into　which　opened　thousands　of

offices；　and　traversed　by　a　complicated　multitude　of

bridges；　footways；　aerial　motor　rails；　and　trapeze　and

cable　leaps。　And　here　more　than　anywhere　the　note

of　vehement　vitality；　of　uncontrollable；　hasty　activity。

rose　high。　Everywhere　was　violent　advertisement；

until　his　brain　swam　at　the　tumult　of　light　and　colour。

And　Babble　Machines　of　a　peculiarly　rancid　tone　were

abundant　and　filled　the　air　with　strenuous　squealing

and　an　idiotic　slang。　〃Skin　your　eyes　and　slide；〃

〃Gewhoop；　Bonanza；〃　〃Gollipers　come　and　hark！〃



The　place　seemed　to　him　to　be　dense　with　people

either　profoundly　agitated　or　swelling　with　obscure

cunning；　yet　he　learnt　that　the　place　was　comparatively　

empty；　that　the　great　political　convulsion　of　the

last　few　days　had　reduced　transactions　to　an　

unprecedented　minimum。　In　one　huge　place　were　long

avenues　of　roulette　tables；　each　with　an　excited；　

undignified　crowd　about　it；　in　another　a

yelping　Babel　of　white…faced　women　and　red…

necked　leathery…lunged　men　bought　and　sold　the

shares　of　an　absolutely　fictitious　business　

undertaking　which；　every　five　minutes；　paid　a　dividend　of

ten　per　cent　and　cancelled　a　certain　proportion　of　its

shares　by　means　of　a　lottery　wheel。



These　business　activities　were　prosecuted　with　an

energy　that　readily　passed　into　violence；　and　Graham

approaching　a　dense　crowd　found　at　its　centre　a　couple

of　prominent　merchants　in　violent　controversy　with

teeth　and　nails　on　some　delicate　point　of　business

etiquette。　Something　still　remained　in　life　to　be　fought

for。　Further　he　had　a　shock　at　a　vehement　

announcement　in　phonetic　letters　of　scarlet　flame；　each　twice

the　height　of　a　man；　that　〃　WE　ASSURE　THE

PROPRAIET'R。　WE　ASSURE　THE　PROPRAIET'R。〃



〃Who's　the　proprietor？〃　he　asked。



〃You。〃



〃　But　what　do　they　assure　me？〃　he　asked。　〃What

do　they　assure　me？〃



〃Didn't　you　have　assurance？〃



Graham　thought。　〃Insurance？　〃



〃YesInsurance。　I　remember　that　was　the　older

word。　They　are　insuring　your　life。　Dozands　of

people　are　taking　out　policies；　myriads　of　lions　are

being　put　on　you。　And　further　on　other　people　are

buying　annuities。　They　do　that　on　everybody　who　is

at　all　prominent。　Look　there！〃



A　crowd　of　people　surged　and　roared；　and　Graham

saw　a　vast　black　screen　suddenly　illuminated　in　still

larger　letters　of　burning　purple。　〃Anuetes　on　the

Propraiet'r…x　5　pr。　G。〃　The　people　began　to　boo

and　shout　at　this；　a　number　of　hard　breathing；　

wildeyed　men　came　r