when the sleeper wakes-第42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！



and　Graham　saw　him　shrug　his　shoulders。　He　made

no　further　effort　to　stop　the　singing。



And　so　they　went　through　these　factories　and　places

of　toil；　seeing　many　painful　and　grim　things。　But

why　should　the　gentle　reader　be　depressed？　Surely

to　a　refined　nature　our　present　world　is　distressing

enough　without　bothering　ourselves　about　these

miseries　to　come。　We　shall　not　suffer　anyhow。　Our

children　may；　but　what　is　that　to　us？　That　walk　left　on

Graham's　mind　a　maze　of　memories；　fluctuating　pictures　

of　swathed　halls；　and　crowded　vaults　seen　through

clouds　of　dust；　of　intricate　machines；　the　racing　threads

of　looms；　the　heavy　beat　of　stamping　machinery；　the

roar　and　rattle　of　belt　and　armature；　of　ill…lit　

subterranean　aisles　of　sleeping　places；　illimitable　vistas　of

pin…point　lights。　And　here　the　smell　of　tanning；　and

here　the　reek　of　a　brewery　and　here；　unprecedented

reeks。　And　everywhere　were　pillars　and　cross　archings　

of　such　a　massiveness　as　Graham　had　never　before

seen；　thick　Titans　of　greasy；　shining　brickwork　crushed

beneath　the　vast　weight　of　that　complex　city　world；

even　as　these　anemic　millions　were　crushed　by　its

complexity。　And　everywhere　were　pale　features；　lean

limbs；　disfigurement　and　degradation。



Once　and　again；　and　again　a　third　time；　Graham

heard　the　song　of　the　revolt　during　his　long；

unpleasant　research　in　these　places；　and　once　he　saw

a　confused　struggle　down　a　passage；　and　learnt　that

a　number　of　these　serfs　had　seized　their　bread　before

their　work　was　done。　Graham　was　ascending　towards

the　ways　again　when　he　saw　a　number　of　blue…clad

children　running　down　a　transverse　passage；　and

presently　perceived　the　reason　of　their　panic　in　a

company　of　the　Labour　Police　armed　with　clubs；

trotting　towards　some　unknown　disturbance。　And

then　came　a　remote　disorder。　But　for　the　most　part

this　remnant　that　worked；　worked　hopelessly。　All　the

spirit　that　was　left　in　fallen　humanity　was　above　in　the

streets　that　night；　calling　for　the　Master；　and　valiantly

and　noisily　keeping　its　arms。



They　emerged　from　these　wanderings　and　stood

blinking　in　the　bright　light　of　the　middle　passage　of

the　platforms　again。　They　became　aware　of　the

remote　hooting　and　yelping　of　the　machines　of　one　of

the　General　Intelligence　Offices；　and　suddenly　came

men　running；　and　along　the　platforms　and　about　the

ways　everywhere　was　a　shouting　and　crying。　Then

a　woman　with　a　face　of　mute　white　terror；　and　another

who　gasped　and　shrieked　as　she　ran。



〃What　has　happened　now？〃　said　Graham；　puzzled；

for　he　could　not　understand　their　thick　speech。　Then

he　heard　it　in　English　and　perceived　that　the　thing

that　everyone　was　shouting；　that　men　yelled　to　one

another；　that　women　took　up　screaming；　that　was

passing　like　the　first　breeze　of　a　thunderstorm；　chill

and　sudden　through　the　city；　was　this：　〃Ostrog　has

ordered　the　Black　Police　to　London。　The　Black

Police　are　coming　from　South　Africa。　。　。　。　The

Black　Police。　The　Black　Police。〃



Asano's　face　was　white　and　astonished；　he　hesitated；　

looked　at　Graham's　face；　and　told　him　the　thing

he　already　knew。　〃But　how　can　they　know？〃　asked

Asano。



Graham　heard　someone　shouting。　〃Stop　all　work。

Stop　all　work；〃　and　a　swarthy　hunchback；　ridiculously

gay　in　green　and　gold；　came　leaping　down　the　platforms　

toward　him；　bawling　again　and　again　in　good

English；　〃This　is　Ostrog's　doing；　Ostrog；　the　Knave！

The　Master　is　betrayed。〃　His　voice　was　hoarse　and　a

thin　foam　dropped　from　his　ugly　shouting　mouth。　He

yelled　an　unspeakable　horror　that　the　Black　Police

had　done　in　Paris；　and　so　passed　shrieking；　〃Ostrog

the　Knave！〃



For　a　moment　Graham　stood　still；　for　it　had　come

upon　him　again　that　these　things　were　a　dream。　He

looked　up　at　the　great　cliff　of　buildings　on　either　side；

vanishing　into　blue　haze　at　last　above　the　lights；　and

down　to　the　roaring　tiers　of　platforms；　and　the

shouting；　running　people　who　were　gesticulating　past。

〃The　Master　is　betrayed！〃　they　cried。　〃The　Master

is　betrayed！〃



Suddenly　the　situation　shaped　itself　in　his　mind　real

and　urgent。　His　heart　began　to　beat　fast　and　strong。



〃It　has　come；〃　he　said。〃　I　might　have　known。　The

hour　has　come。〃



He　thought　swiftly。　〃What　am　I　to　do？　〃



〃Go　back　to　the　Council　House；〃　said　Asano。



〃Why　should　I　not　appeal？　The　people　are

here。



〃You　will　lose　time。　They　will　doubt　if　it　is　you。

But　they　will　mass　about　the　Council　House。　There

you　will　find'　their　leaders。　Your　strength　is　there

with　them。〃



〃Suppose　this　is　only　a　rumour？〃



〃It　sounds　true；〃　said　Asano。



〃Let　us　have　the　facts；〃　said　Graham。



Asano　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃We　had　better

get　towards　the　Council　House；〃　he　cried。　〃That　is

where　they　will　swarm。　Even　now　the　ruins　may　be

impassable。〃



Graham　regarded　him　doubtfully　and　followed　him。



They　went　up　the　stepped　platforms　to　the　swiftest

one；　and　there　Asano　accosted　a　labourer。　The

answers　to　his　questions　were　in　the　thick；　vulgar

speech。



〃What　did　he　say？　〃　asked　Graham。



〃He　knows　little；　but　he　told　me　that　the　Black

Police　would　have　arrived　here　before　the　people

knewhad　not　someone　in　the　Wind…Vane　Offices

Learnt。　He　said　a　girl。〃



〃A　girl？　Not？〃



〃　He　said　a　girlhe　did　not　know　who　she　was。

Who　came　out　from　the　Council　House　crying　aloud；

and　told　the　men　at　work　among　the　ruins。〃



And　then　another　thing　was　shouted；　something

that　turned　an　aimless　tumult　into　determinate　movements；　

it　came　like　a　wind　along　the　street。　〃To　your

Wards；　to　your　Wards。　Every　man　get　arms。　Every

man　to　his　Ward！〃



CHAPTER　XXII





THE：　STRUGGLE　IN　THE　COUNCIL　HOUSE



As　Asano　and　Graham　hurried　along　to　the　ruins

about　the　Council　House；　they　saw　everywhere　the

excitement　of　the　people　rising。　〃To　your　Wards

To　your　Wards！〃　Everywhere　men　and　women　in

blue　were　hurrying　from　unknown　subterranean

employments；　up　the　staircases　of　the　middle　path…　at

one　place　Graham　saw　an　arsenal　of　the　revolutionary

committee　besieged　by　a　crowd　of　shouting　men；　at

another　a　couple　of　men　in　the　hated　yellow　uniform

of　the　Labour　Police；　pursued　by　a　gathering　crowd；

fled　precipitately　along　the　swift　way　that　went　in　the

opposite　direction。



The　cries　of　〃To　your　Wards！〃　became　at　last　a

continuous　shouting　as　they　drew　near　the　

Government　quarter。　Many　of　the　shouts　were　

unintelligible。　〃Ostrog　has　betrayed　us；〃　one　man　bawled　in

a　hoarse　voice；　again　and　again；　dinning　that　refrain

into　Graham's　ear　until　it　haunted　him。　This　person

stayed　close　beside　Graham　and　Asano　on　the　swift

way；　shouting　to　the　people　who　swarmed　on　the　lower

platforms　as　he　rushed　past　them。　His　cry　about

Ostrog　alternated　with　some　incomprehensible　orders

Presently　he　went　leaping　down　and　disappeared。



Graham's　mind　was　filled　with　the　din。　His　plans

were　vague　and　unformed。　He　had　one　picture　of

some　commanding　position　from　which　he　could

address　the　multitudes；　another　of　meeting　Ostrog　face

to　face。　He　was　full　of　rage；　of　tense　muscular　

excitement；　his　hands　gripped；　his　lips　were　pressed　together。



The　way　to　the　Council　House　across　the　ruins　was

impassable；　but　Asano　met　that　difficulty　and　took

Graham　into　the　premises　of　the　central　post…office。

The　post…office　was　nominally　at　work；　but　the　blue…

clothed　porters　moved　sluggishly　or　had　stopped　to

stare　through　the　arches　of　their　galleries　at　the

shouting　men　who　were　going　by　outside。　〃Every

man　to　his　Ward！　Every　man　to　his　Ward！〃　Here；

by　Asano's　advice；　Graham　revealed　his　identity。



They　crossed　to　the　Council　House　by　a　cable

cradle。　Already　in　the　brief　interval　since　the　

capitulation　of　the　Councillors　a　great　change　had　been

wrought　in　the　appearance　of　the　ruins。　The　spurting

cascades　of　the　ruptured　sea　water…mains　had　been　

captured　and　tamed；　and　huge　temporary　pipes　ran　

overhead　along　a　flimsy　looking　fabric　of　girders。　The

sky　was　laced　with　restored　cables　and　wires　that

served　the　Council　House；　and　a　mass　of　new　fabric

with　cranes　and　other　building　machines　going　to　and

fro　upon　it；　projected　to　the　left　of　the　white　pile。



The　moving　ways　that　ran　across　this　area　had

been　restored；　albeit　for　once　running　under　the　open

sky。　These　were　the　ways　that　Graham　had　seen　from

the　little　balcony　in　the　hour　of　his　awakening；　not

nine　days　since；　and　the　hall　of　his　Trance　had　been　on

the　further　side；　where　now　shapeless　piles　of　smashed

and　shattered　masonry　were　heaped　together。



It　was　already　high　day　and　the　sun　was　shining

brightly。　Out　of　their　tall　caverns　of　blue　electric

light　came　the　swift　ways　crowded　with　multitudes　of

people；　who　poured　off　them　and　gathered　ever　denser

over　the　wreckage　and　confusion　of　the　ruins。　The

air　was　full　of　their　shouting；　and　they　were　pressing

and　swaying　towards　the　central　building。　For　the

most　part　that　shouting　mass　consisted　of　shapeless

swarms；　but　here　and　there　Graham　could　see　that　a

rude　discipline　struggled　to　establish　itself。　And　every

voice　clamoured　for　order　in　the　chaos。　〃To　your

Wards！　Every　man　to　his　Ward！〃



The　cable　carried　them　into　a　hall　which　Graham

recognised　as　the　ante…chamber　to　the　Hall　of　the

Atlas；　about　the　gallery　of　which　he　had　walked　days

ago　with　Howard　to　show　himself　to　the　vanished

Council；　an　hour　from　his　awakening。　Now　the　place

was　empty　except　for　two　cable　attendants。　These

men　seemed　hugely　astonished　to　recognise　the

Sleeper　in　the　man　who　swung　down　from　the　cross

seat。



〃Where　is　Helen　Wotton？〃　he　demanded。　〃Where

is　Helen　Wotton？〃



They　did　not　know。



〃　Then　where　is　Ostrog？　I　must　see　Ostrog　

forthwith。　He　has　disobeyed　me。　I　have　come　back　to

take　things　out　of　his　hands。〃　Without　waiting　for

Asano；　he　went　straight　across　t