when the sleeper wakes-第43部分

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

take　things　out　of　his　hands。〃　Without　waiting　for

Asano；　he　went　straight　across　the　place；　ascended　the

steps　at　the　further　end；　and；　pulling　the　curtain　aside；

found　himself　facing　the　perpetually　labouring　Titan。



The　hall　was　empty。　Its　appearance　had　changed

very　greatly　since　his　first　sight　of　it。　It　had　suffered

serious　injury　in　the　violent　struggle　of　the　first　

outbreak。　On　the　right　hand　side　of　the　great　figure　the

upper　half　of　the　wall　had　been　torn　away　for　nearly

two　hundred　feet　of　its　length；　and　a　sheet　of　the　same

glassy　film　that　had　enclosed　Graham　at　his　awakening

had　been　drawn　across　the　gap。　This　deadened；　but

did　not　altogether　exclude　the　roar　of　the　people　outside。

〃Wards！　Wards！　Wards！〃　they　seemed　to

be　saying。　Through　it　there　were　visible　the　beams

and　supports　of　metal　scaffoldings　that　rose　and　fell

according　to　the　requirements　of　a　great　crowd　of

workmen。　An　idle　building　machine；　with　lank　arms

of　red　painted　metal　that　caught　the　still　plastic　blocks

of　mineral　paste　and　swung　them　neatly　into　position；

stretched　gauntly　across　this　green　tinted　picture。　On

it　were　still　a　number　of　workmen　staring　at　the　crowd

below。　For　a　moment　he　stood　regarding　these

things；　and　Asano　overtook　him。



〃Ostrog；〃　said　Asano；　〃will　be　in　the　small　offices

beyond　there。〃　The　little　man　looked　livid　now　and

his　eyes　searched　Graham's　face。



They　had　scarcely　advanced　ten　paces　from　the

curtain　before　a　little　panel　to　the　left　of　the　Atlas

rolled　up；　and　Ostrog；　accompanied　by　Lincoln　and

followed　by　two　black　and　yellow　clad　negroes；

appeared　crossing　the　remote　corner　of　the　hall；

towards　a　second　panel　that　was　raised　and　open。

〃Ostrog；〃　shouted　Graham；　and　at　the　sound　of　his

voice　the　little　party　turned　astonished。



Ostrog　said　something　to　Lincoln　and　advanced

alone。



Graham　was　the　first　to　speak。　His　voice　was　loud

and　dictatorial。　〃What　is　this　I　hear？〃　he　asked。

〃Are　you　bringing　negroes　hereto　keep　the　people

down？〃



〃It　is　none　too　soon；〃　said　Ostrog。　〃They　have

been　getting　out　of　hand　more　and　more；　since　the

revolt。　I　under…estimated〃



〃Do　you　mean　that　these　infernal　negroes　are　on

the　way？〃



〃On　the　way。　As　it　is；　you　have　seen　the　people

outside？　〃



〃No　wonder！　Butafter　what　was　said。　You

have　taken　too　much　on　yourself；　Ostrog。〃

　

Ostrog　said　nothing；　but　drew　nearer。



〃These　negroes　must　not　come　to　London；〃　said

Graham。　〃I　am　Master　and　they　shall　not　come。〃



Ostrog　glanced　at　Lincoln；　who　at　once　came

towards　them　with　his　two　attendants　close　behind

him。　〃Why　not？〃　asked　Ostrog。



〃White　men　must　be　mastered　by　white　men。

Besides〃



〃The　negroes　are　only　an　instrument。〃



〃But　that　is　not　the　question。　I　am　the　Master。　I

mean　to　be　the　Master。　And　I　tell　you　these　negroes

shall　not　come。〃



〃The　people〃



〃I　believe　in　the　people。〃



〃Because　you　are　an　anachronism。　You　are　a　man

out　of　the　Pastan　accident。　You　are　Owner　

perhaps　of　half　the　property　in　the　world。　But　you　are

not　Master。　You　do　not　know　enough　to　be　Master。〃



He　glanced　at　Lincoln　again。　〃I　know　now　what

you　thinkI　can　guess　something　of　what　you　mean

to　do。　Even　now　it　is　not　too　late　to　warn　you。　You



dream　of　human　equalityof　a　socialistic　order

you　have　all　those　worn…out　dreams　of　the　nineteenth

century　fresh　and　vivid　in　your　mind；　and　you　would

rule　this　age　that　you　do　not　understand。〃



〃Listen！　〃　said　Graham。　〃You　can　hear　ita

sound　like　the　sea。　Not　voicesbut　a　voice。　Do

you　altogether　understand？〃



〃We　taught　them　that；〃　said　Ostrog。



〃　Perhaps。　Can　you　teach　them　to　forget　it？　But

enough　of　this！　These　negroes　must　not　come。〃



There　was　a　pause　and　Ostrog　looked　him　in　the

eyes。



〃They　will；〃　he　said。



〃I　forbid　it；〃　said　Graham。



〃They　have　started。〃



〃I　will　not　have　it。〃



〃No；〃　said　Ostrog。　〃Sorry　as　I　am　to　follow　the

method　of　the　Council。　For　your　own　good

you　must　not　side　with　disorder。　And　now　that

you　are　here。　It　was　kind　of　you　to　come　here。〃



Lincoln　laid　his　hand　on　Graham's　shoulder。

Abruptly　Graham　realized　the　enormity　of　his　blunder

in　coming　to　the　Council　House。　He　turned　towards

the　curtains　that　separated　the　hall　from　the　antechamber。　

The　clutching　hand　of　Asano　intervened。

In　another　moment　Lincoln　had　grasped　Graham's

cloak。



He　turned　and　struck　at　Lincoln's　face；　and　incontinently　

a　negro　had　him　by　collar　and　arm。　He

wrenched　himself　away；　his　sleeve　tore　noisily；　and　he

stumbled　back；　to　be　tripped　by　the　other　attendant。

Then　he　struck　the　ground　heavily　and　he　was　staring

at　the　distant　ceiling　of　the　hall。



He　shouted；　rolled　over；　struggling　fiercely；　clutched

an　attendant's　leg　and　threw　him　headlong；　and

struggled　to　his　feet。



Lincoln　appeared　before　him；　went　down　heavily

again　with　a　blow　under　the　point　of　the　jaw　and　lay　

still。　Graham　made　two　strides；　stumbled。　And　then

Ostrog's　arm　was　round　his　neck；　he　was　pulled　over

backward；　fell　heavily；　and　his　arms　were　pinned　to　the

ground。　After　a　few　violent　efforts　he　ceased　to

struggle　and　lay　staring　at　Ostrog's　heaving　throat。



〃Youarea　prisoner；〃　panted　Ostrog；　exulting。

〃Youwere　rather　a　foolto　come　back。〃



Graham　turned　his　head　about　and　perceived

through　the　irregular　green　window　in　the　walls　of

the　hall　the　men　who　had　been　working　the　building

cranes　gesticulating　excitedly　to　the　people　below　them。

They　had　seen！　　



Ostrog　followed　his　eyes　and　started。　He　shouted

something　to　Lincoln；　but　Lincoln　did　not　move。　A

bullet　smashed　among　the　mouldings　above　the　Atlas

The　two　sheets　of　transparent　matter　that　had　been

stretched　across　this　gap　were　rent；　the　edges　of　the

torn　aperture　darkened；　curved；　ran　rapidly　towards

the　framework；　and　in　a　moment　the　Council　chamber

stood　open　to　the　air。　A　chilly　gust　blew　in　by　the

gap；　bringing　with　it　a　war　of　voices　from　the　ruinous

spaces　without；　an　elvish　babblement；　〃Save　the

Master！〃　〃What　are　they　doing　to　the　Master？〃

〃The　Master　is　betrayed！　〃



And　then　he　realised　that　Ostrog's　attention　was

distracted；　that　Ostrog's　grip　had　relaxed；　and；

wrenching　his　arms　free；　he　struggled　to　his　knees。

In　another　moment　he　had　thrust　Ostrog　back；　and

he　was　on　one　foot；　his　hand　gripping　Ostrog's　throat；

and　Ostrog's　hands　clutching　the　silk　about　his　neck。

But　now　men　were　coming　towards　them　from　the

daismen　whose　intentions　he　misunderstood。　He

had　a　glimpse　of　someone　running　in　the　distance

towards　the　curtains　of　the　antechamber；　and　then

Ostrog　had　slipped　from　him　and　these　newcomers

were　upon　him。　To　his　infinite　astonishment；　they

seized　him。　They　obeyed　the　shouts　of　Ostrog。



He　was　lugged　a　dozen　yards　before　he　realised　that

they　were　not　friendsthat　they　were　dragging　him

towards　the　open　panel。　When　he　saw　this　he　pulled

back；　he　tried　to　fling　himself　down；　he　shouted　for

help　with　all　his　strength。　And　this　time　there　were

answering　cries。



The　grip　upon　his　neck　relaxed；　and　behold！　in　the

lower　corner　of　the　rent　upon　the　wall；　first　one　and

then　a　number　of　little　black　figures　appeared　shouting

and　waving　arms。　They　came　leaping　down　from

the　gap　into　the　light　gallery　that　had　led　to　the　Silent

Rooms。　They　ran　along　it；　so　near　were　they　that

Graham　could　see　the　weapons　in　their　hands；　Then

Ostrog　was　shouting　in　his　ear　to　the　men　who　held

him；　and　once　more　he　was　struggling　with　all　his

strength　against　their　endeavours　to　thrust　him　towards

the　opening　that　yawned　to　receive　him。　〃They　can't

come　down；〃　panted　Ostrog。　〃They　daren't　fire。

It's　all　right。〃　〃We'll　save　him　from　them　yet。〃



For　long　minutes　as　it　seemed　to　Graham　that

inglorious　struggle　continued。　His　clothes　were　rent

in　a　dozen　places；　he　was　covered　in　dust；　one　hand

had　been　trodden　upon。　He　could　hear　the　shouts　of

his　supporters；　and　once　he　heard　shots。　He　could

feel　his　strength　giving　way；　feel　his　efforts　wild　and

aimless。　But　no　help　came；　and　surely；　irresistibly；

that　black；　yawning　opening　came　nearer。



The　pressure　upon　him　relaxed　and　he　struggled

up。　He　saw　Ostrog's　grey　head　receding　and　

perceived　that　he　was　no　longer　held。　He　turned　about

and　came　full　into　a　man　in　black。　One　of　the　green

weapons　cracked　close　to　him；　a　drift　of　pungent

smoke　came　into　his　face；　and　a　steel　blade　flashed。

The　huge　chamber　span　about　him。



He　saw　a　man　in　pale　blue　stabbing　one　of　the　black

and　yellow　attendants　not　three　yards　from　his　face。

Then　hands　were　upon　him　again。



He　was　being　pulled　in　two；　directions　now。　It

seemed　as　though　people　were　shouting　to　him。　He

wanted　to　understand　and　could　not。　Someone　was

clutching　about　his　thighs；　he　was　being　hoisted　in

spite　of　his　vigorous　efforts。　He　understood　suddenly；

he　ceased　to　struggle。　He　was　lifted　up　on　men's

shoulders　and　carried　away　from　that　devouring　panel。

Ten　thousand　throats　were　cheering。



He　saw　men　in　blue　and　black　hurrying　after　the

retreating　Ostrogites　and　firing。　Lifted　up；　he　saw

now　across　the　whole　expanse　of　the　hall　beneath　the

Atlas　image；　saw　that　he　was　being　carried　towards

the　raised　platform　in　the　centre　of　the　place。　The　far

end　of　the　hall　was　already　full　of　people　running

towards　him。　They　were　looking　at　him　and　cheering。



He　became　aware　that　a　sort　of　body…guard　

surrounded　him。　Active　men　about　him　shouted　vague

orders。　He　saw　close　at　hand　the　black　moustached

man　in　yellow　who　had　been　among　those　who　had

greeted　him　in　the　public　theatre；　shouting　directions。

The　hall　was　already　densely　packed　with　swaying

people；　the　little　metal　gallery　sagged　with　a　shouting

load；　the　curtains　at　the　end　had　been　to