when the sleeper wakes-第49部分

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felt　the　jerk　of　a　clearance；　the　nose　of　the　machine

jerked　upward　steeply；　and　for　a　moment　he　seemed

to　be　Iying　on　his　back。　The　machine　was　reeling　and

staggering；　it　seemed　to　be　dancing　on　its　screw。　He

made　a　huge　effort；　hung　for　a　moment　on　the　levers；

and　slowly　the　engine　came　forward　again。　He

was　driving　upward　but　no　longer　so　steeply。　He

gasped　for　a　moment　and　flung　himself　at　the

levers　again。　The　wind　whistled　about　him。　One

further　effort　and　he　was　almost　level。　He　could

breathe。　He　turned　his　head　for　the　first　time　to　see

what　had　become　of　his　antagonists。　Turned　back　to

the　levers　for　a　moment　and　looked　again。　For　a

moment　he　could　have　believed　they　were　annihilated。

And　then　he　saw　between　the　two　stages　to　the　east

was　a　chasm；　and　down　this　something；　a　slender　edge；

fell　swiftly　and　vanished；　as　a　sixpence　falls　down　a

crack。



At　first　he　did　not　understand；　and　then　a　wild　joy

possessed　him。　He　shouted　at　the　top　of　his　voice；　an

inarticulate　shout；　and　drove　higher　and　higher　up　the

sky。　Throb；　throb；　throb；　pause；　throb；　throb；　throb。

〃Where　was　the　other　aeropile？〃　he　thought。　〃They

too。〃　As　he　looked　round　the　empty　heavens　he

had　a　momentary　fear　that　this　machine　had　risen

above　him；　and　then　he　saw　it　alighting　on　the　

Norwood　stage。　They　had　meant　shooting。　To　risk　being

rammed　headlong　two　thousand　feet　in　the　air　was

beyond　their　latter…day　courage。　The　combat　was

declined。



For　a　little　while　he　circled；　then　swooped　in　a　steep

descent　towards　the　westward　stage。　Throb　throb

throb；　throb　throb　throb。　The　twilight　was　creeping

on　apace；　the　smoke　from　the　Streatham　stage　that　had

been　so　dense　and　dark；　was　now　a　pillar　of　fire；　and

all　the　laced　curves　of　the　moving　ways　and　the　

translucent　roofs　and　domes　and　the　chasms　between　the

buildings　were　glowing　softly　now；　lit　by　the　tempered

radiance　of　the　electric　light　that　the　glare　of　the

way　overpowered。　The　three　efficient　stages　that　the

Ostrogites　heldfor　Wimbledon　Park　was　useless

because　of　the　fire　from　Roehampton；　and　Streatham

was　a　furnacewere　glowing　with　guide　lights　for

the　coming　aeroplanes。　As　he　swept　over　the　Roehampton　

stage　he　saw　the　dark　masses　of　the　people

thereon。　He　heard　a　clap　of　frantic　cheering；　heard　a

bullet　from　the　Wimbledon　Park　stage　tweet　through

the　air；　and　went　beating　up　above　the　Surrey　wastes。

He　felt　a　breath　of　wind　from　the　south…west；　and

lifted　his　westward　wing　as　he　had　learnt　to　do；　and

so　drove　upward　heeling　into　the　rare　swift　upper　air。

Throb　throb　throbthrob　throb　throb。



Up　he　drove　and　up；　to　that　pulsating　rhythm；　until

the　country　beneath　was　blue　and　indistinct；　and　London　

spread　like　a　little　map　traced　in　light；　like　the

mere　model　of　a　city　near　the　brim　of　the　horizon。

The　south…west　was　a　sky　of　sapphire　over　the　

shadowy　rim　of　the　world；　and　ever　as　he　drove　upward　the

multitude　of　stars　increased。



And　behold！　In　the　southward；　low　down　and

glittering　swiftly　nearer；　were　two　little　patches　of

nebulous　light。　And　then　two　more；　and　then　a　nebulous　

glow　of　swiftly　driving　shapes。　Presently　he

could　count　them。　There　were　four　and　twenty。　The

first　fleet　of　aeroplanes　had　come！　Beyond　appeared

a　yet　greater　glow。



He　swept　round　in　a　half　circle；　staring　at　this　advancing　

fleet。　It　flew　in　a　wedge…like　shape；　a　triangular　flight　

of　gigantic　phosphorescent　shapes　sweeping

nearer　through　the　lower　air。　He　made　a　swift　calculation　

of　their　pace；　and　spun　the　little　wheel

that　brought　the　engine　forward。　He　touched

a　lever　and　the　throbbing　effort　of　the　engine

ceased。　He　began　to　fall；　fell　swifter　and　swifter。　He

aimed　at　the　apex　of　the　wedge。　He　dropped　like　a

stone　through　the　whistling　air。　It　seemed　scarce　a

second　from　that　soaring　moment　before　he　struck　the

foremost　aeroplane。



No　man　of　all　that　black　multitude　saw　the　coming

of　his　fate；　no　man　among　them　dreamt　of　the　hawk

that　struck　downward　upon　him　out　of　the　sky。　Those

who　were　not　limp　in　the　agonies　of　air…sickness；　were

craning　their　black　necks　and　staring　to　see　the　filmy

city　that　was　rising　out　of　the　haze；　the　rich　and

splendid　city　to　which　〃Massa　Boss〃　had　brought

their　obedient　muscles。　Bright　teeth　gleamed　and　the

glossy　faces　shone。　They　had　heard　of　Paris。　They

knew　they　were　to　have　lordly　times　among　the　〃poor

white〃　trash。　And　suddenly　Graham　struck　them。



He　had　aimed　at　the　body　of　the　aeroplane；　but　at

the　very　last　instant　a　better　idea　had　flashed　into　his

mind。　He　twisted　about　and　struck　near　the　edge　of

the　starboard　wing　with　all　his　accumulated　weight。

He　was　jerked　back　as　he　struck。　His　prow　went

gliding　across　its　smooth　expanse　towards　the　rim。

He　felt　the　forward　rush　of　the　huge　fabric　sweeping

him　and　his　aeropile　along　with　it；　and　for　a　moment

that　seemed　an　age　he　could　not　tell　what　was　happening。　

He　heard　a　thousand　throats　yelling；　and

perceived　that　his　machine　was　balanced　on　the　edge

of　the　gigantic　float；　and　driving　down；　down；　glanced

over　his　shoulder　and　saw　the　backbone　of　the

aeroplane　and　the　opposite　float　swaying　up。　He　had

a　vision　through　the　ribs　of　sliding　chairs；　staring

faces；　and　hands　clutching　at　the　tilting　guide　bars。

The　fenestrations　in　the　further　float　flashed　open　as

the　aeronaut　tried　to　right　her。　Beyond；　he　saw　a

second　aeroplane　leaping　steeply　to　escape　the　whirl

of　its　heeling　fellow。　The　broad　area　of　swaying

wings　seemed　to　jerk　upward。　He　felt　his　aeropile

had　dropped　clear；　that　the　monstrous　fabric；　clean

overturned；　hung　like　a　sloping　wall　above　him。



He　did　not　clearly　understand　that　he　had　struck

the　side　float　of　the　aeroplane　and　slipped　off；　but　he

perceived　that　he　was　flying　free　on　the　down　glide

and　rapidly　nearing　earth。　What　had　he　done？　His

heart　throbbed　like　a　noisy　engine　in　his　throat　and

for　a　perilous　instant　he　could　not　move　his　levers

because　of　the　paralysis　of　his　hands。　He　wrenched

the　levers　to　throw　his　engine　back；　fought　for　two

seconds　against　the　weight　of　it；　felt　himself　righting

driving　horizontally；　set　the　engine　beating　again。



He　looked　upward　and　saw　two　aeroplanes　glide

shouting　far　overhead；　looked　back；　and　saw　the　main

body　of　the　fleet　opening　out　and　rushing　upward　and　。　。

outward；　saw　the　one　he　had　struck　fall　edgewise　on

and　strike　like　a　gigantic　knife…blade　along　the　wind…　

wheels　below　it。



He　put　down　his　stern　and　looked　again。　He　drove

up　heedless　of　his　direction　as　he　watched。　He　saw

the　wind…vanes　give；　saw　the　huge　fabric　strike　the

earth；　saw　its　downward　vans　crumple　with　the　weight

of　its　descent；　and　then　the　whole　mass　turned　over

and　smashed；　upside　down；　upon　the　sloping　wheels。

Throb；　throb；　throb；　pause。　Suddenly　from　the　heaving　

wreckage　a　thin　tongue　of　white　fire　licked　up

towards　the　zenith。　And　then　he　was　aware　of　a

huge　mass　flying　through　the　air　towards　him；　and

turned　upwards　just　in　time　to　escape　the　chargeif

it　was　a　chargeof　a　second　aeroplane。　It　whirled

by　below；　sucked　him　down　a　fathom；　and　nearly

turned　him　over　in　the　gust　of　its　close　passage。



He　became　aware　of　three　others　rushing　towards

him；　aware　of　the　urgent　necessity　of　beating　above

them。　Aeroplanes　were　all　about　him；　circling　wildly

to　avoid　him；　as　it　seemed。　They　drove　past　him；

above；　below；　eastward　and　westward。　Far　away　to

the　westward　was　the　sound　of　a　collision；　and　two

falling　flares。　Far　away　to　the　southward　a　second

squadron　was　coming。　Steadily　he　beat　upward。

Presently　all　the　aeroplanes　were　below　him；　but　for　a

moment　he　doubted　the　height　he　had　of　them；　and　did

not　swoop　again。　And　then　he　came　down　upon　a

second　victim　and　all　its　load　of　soldiers　saw　him　coming。　

The　big　machine　heeled　and　swayed　as　the　fear　maddened　

men　scrambled　to　the　stern　for　their

weapons。　A　score　of　bullets　sung　through　the　air；　and

there　flashed　a　star　in　the　thick　glass　wind…screen

that　protected　him。　The　aeroplane　slowed　and

dropped　to　foil　his　stroke；　and　dropped　too　low。　Just

in　time　he　saw　the　wind…wheels　of　Bromley　hill　rushing　

up　towards　him；　and　spun　about　and　up　as　the

aeroplane　he　had　chased　crashed　among　them。　All　its

voices　wove　into　a　felt　of　yelling。　The　great　fabric

seemed　to　be　standing　on　end　for　a　second　among　the

heeling　and　splintering　vans；　and　then　it　flew　to　pieces。

Huge　splinters　came　flying　through　the　air；　its　engines

burst　like　shells。　A　hot　rush　of　flame　shot　overhead

into　the　darkling　sky。



〃__Two！__〃　he　cried；　with　a　bomb　from　overhead　bursting　

as　it　fell；　and　forthwith　he　was　beating　up　again。

A　glorious　exhilaration　possessed　him　now；　a　giant

activity。　His　troubles　about　humanity；　about　his　

inadaquacy；　were　gone　for　ever。　He　was　a　man　in　battle

rejoicing　in　his　power。　Aeroplanes　seemed　radiating

from　him　in　every　direction；　intent　only　upon　avoiding

him；　the　yelling　of　their　packed　passengers　came　in

short　gusts　as　they　swept　by。　He　chose　his　third

quarry；　struck　hastily　and　did　but　turn　it　on　edge。　It

escaped　him；　to　smash　against　the　tall　cliff　of　London

wall。　FIying　from　that　impact　he　skimmed　the　darkling　

ground　so　nearly　he　could　see　a　frightened　rabbit

bolting　up　a　slope。　He　jerked　up　steeply；　and　found

himself　driving　over　south　London　with　the　air　about

him　vacant。　To　the　right　of　him　a　wild　riot　of　signal

rockets　from　the　Ostrogites　banged　tumultuously　in

the　sky。　To　the　south　the　wreckage　of　half　a　dozen

air　ships　flamed；　and　east　and　west　and　north　the　air

ships　fled　before　him。　They　drove　away　to　the　east

and　north；　and　went　about　in　the　south；　for　they　could

not　pause　in　the　air。　In　their　present　confusion　any

attempt　at　evolution　would　have　meant　disastrous　

collisions。　He　could　scarcely　realize　the　thing　he　had

done。　In　every　quarter　a