when the sleeper wakes-第6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　turned　his　eyes　upon　Graham　with　an　unfriendly

expression。　It　was　a　surge　of　many　voices；　rising　and

falling；　shouting　and　screaming；　and　once　came　a

sound　like　blows　and　sharp　cries；　and　then　a　snapping　

like　the　crackling　of　dry　sticks。　Graham

strained　his　ears　to　draw　some　single　thread　of　sound

from　the　woven　tumult。



Then　he　perceived；　repeated　again　and　again；　a　

certain　formula。　For　a　time　he　doubted　his　ears。　But

surely　these　were　the　words：　〃　how　us　the　Sleeper！

Show　us　the　Sleeper！〃



The　thickset　man　rushed　suddenly　to　the　archway。



〃Wild！　〃　he　cried；　〃How　do　they　know？　Do　they

know？　Or　is　it　guessing？　〃



There　was　perhaps　an　answer。



〃I　can't　come；〃　said　the　thickset　man；　〃I　have　__him__

to　see　to。　But　shout　from　the　balcony。〃



There　was　an　inaudible　reply。



〃Say　he　is　not　awake。　Anything！　I　leave　it　to

you。〃



He　came　hurrying　back　to　Graham。　〃You　must

have　clothes　at　once；〃　he　said。　〃You　cannot　stop

hereand　it　will　be　impossible　to〃



He　rushed　away；　Graham　shouting　unanswered

questions　after　him。　In　a　moment　he　was　back。



〃I　can't　tell　you　what　is　happening。　It　is　too　complex　

to　explain。　In　a　moment　you　shall　have　your

clothes　made。　Yesin　a　moment。　And　then　I　can

take　you　away　from　here。　You　will　find　out　our

troubles　soon　enough。〃



〃But　those　voices。　They　were　shouting？〃



〃Something　about　the　Sleeperthat's　you。　They

have　some　twisted　idea。　I　don't　know　what　it　is。　I

know　nothing。〃



A　shrill　bell　jetted　acutely　across　the　indistinct　mingling　

of　remote　noises；　and　this　brusque　person　sprang

to　a　little　group　of　appliances　in　the　corner　of　the

room。　He　listened　for　a　moment；　regarding　a　ball　of

crystal；　nodded；　and　said　a　few　indistinct　words；　then

he　walked　to　the　wall　through　which　the　two　men　had

vanished。　It　rolled　up　again　like　a　curtain；　and　he

stood　waiting。



Graham　lifted　his　arm　and　was　astonished　to　find

what　strength　the　restoratives　had　given　him。　He

thrust　one　leg　over　the　side　of　the　couch　and　then　the

other。　His　head　no　longer　swam。　He　could　scarcely

credit　his　rapid　recovery。　He　sat　feeling　his　limbs。



The　man　with　the　flaxen　beard　re…entered　from　the

archway；　and　as　he　did　so　the　cage　of　a　lift　came

sliding　down　in　front　of　the　thickset　man；　and　a　lean；

grey…bearded　man；　carrying　a　roll；　and　wearing　a

tightly…fitting　costume　of　dark　green；　appeared　therein。



〃This　is　the　tailor；〃　said　the　thickset　man　with　an

introductory　gesture。〃　It　will　never　do　for　you　to

wear　that　black。　I　cannot　understand　how　it　got　here。

But　I　shall。　I　shall。　You　will　be　as　rapid　as　possible？　〃　

he　said　to　the　tailor。



The　man　in　green　bowed；　and；　advancing；　seated

himself　by　Graham　on　the　bed。　His　manner　was

calm；　but　his　eyes　were　full　of　curiosity。　〃You　will

find　the　fashions　altered；　Sire；〃　he　said。　He　glanced

from　under　his　brows　at　the　thickset　man。　　；



He　opened　the　roller　with　a　quick　movement；　and　a

confusion　of　brilliant　fabrics　poured　out　over　his　knees。

〃You　lived；　Sire；　in　a　period　essentially　cylindrical

the　Victorian。　With　a　tendency　to　the　hemisphere　in

hats。　Circular　curves　always。　Now〃　He　flicked

out　a　little　appliance　the　size　and　appearance　of　a　

keyless　watch；　whirled　the　knob；　and　beholda　little

figure　in　white　appeared　kinetoscope　fashion　on　the

dial；　walking　and　turning。　The　tailor　caught　up　a

pattern　of　bluish　white　satin。　〃That　is　my　conception

of　your　immediate　treatment；〃　he　said。



The　thickset　man　came　and　stood　by　the　shoulder

of　Graham。



〃We　have　very　little　time；〃　he　said。



〃Trust　me；〃　said　the　tailor。　〃My　machine　follows。

What　do　you　think　of　this？　〃



〃What　is　that？〃　asked　the　man　from　the　nineteenth

century。



〃In　your　days　they　showed　you　a　fashion…plate；〃

said　the　tailor；〃　but　this　is　our　modern　development

See　here。〃　The　little　figure　repeated　its　evolutions；

but　in　a　different　costume。　〃Or　this；〃　and　with　a

click　another　small　figure　in　a　more　voluminous　type

of　robe　marched　on　to　the　dial。　The　tailor　was　very

quick　in　his　movements；　and　glanced　twice　towards

the　lift　as　he　did　these　things。



It　rumbled　again；　and　a　crop…haired　anaemic　lad

with　features　of　the　Chinese　type；　clad　in　coarse

pale　blue　canvas；　appeared　together　with　a　complicated　

machine；　which　he　pushed　noiselessly　on

little　castors　into　the　room。　Incontinently　the　little

kinetoscope　was　dropped；　Graham　was　invited　to

stand　in　front　of　the　machine　and　the　tailor

muttered　some　instructions　to　the　crop…haired　lad；

who　answered　in　guttural　tones　and　with　words

Graham　did　not　recognise。　The　boy　then　went

to　conduct　an　incomprehensible　monologue　in　the

corner；　and　the　tailor　pulled　out　a　number　of　slotted

arms　terminating　in　little　discs；　pulling　them　out　until

the　discs　were　flat　against　the　body　of　Graham；　one

at　each　shoulder　blade；　one　at　the　elbows；　one　at　the

neck　and　so　forth；　so　that　at　last　there　were；　perhaps；

two　score　of　them　upon　his　body　and　limbs。　At　the

same　time；　some　other　person　entered　the　room　by　the

lift；　behind　Graham。　The　tailor　set　moving　a　mechanism　

that　initiated　a　faint…sounding　rhythmic　movement

of　parts　in　the　machine；　and　in　another　moment　he　was

knocking　up　the　levers　and　Graham　was　released。　The

tailor　replaced　his　cloak　of　black；　and　the　man　with

the　flaxen　beard　proffered　him　a　little　glass　of　some

refreshing　fluid。　Graham　saw　over　the　rim　of　the

glass　a　pale…faced　young　man　regarding　him　with　a

singular　fixity。



The　thickset　man　had　been　pacing　the　room　fretfully；　

and　now　turned　and　went　through　the　archway

towards　the　balcony；　from　which　the　noise　of　a　distant

crowd　still　came　in　gusts　and　cadences。　The　cropheaded　

lad　handed　the　tailor　a　roll　of　the　bluish　satin

and　the　two　began　fixing　this　in　the　mechanism　in　a

manner　reminiscent　of　a　roll　of　paper　in　a　nineteenth

century　printing　machine。　Then　they　ran　the　entire

thing　on　its　easy；　noiseless　bearings　across　the　room

to　a　remote　corner　where　a　twisted　cable　looped　rather

gracefully　from　the　wall。　They　made　some　connexion

and　the　machine　became　energetic　and　swift。



〃What　is　that　doing？〃　asked　Graham；　pointing

with　the　empty　glass　to　the　busy　figures　and　trying

to　ignore　the　scrutiny　of　the　new　comer。　〃　Is　that

some　sort　of　forcelaid　on？　〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　man　with　the　flaxen　beard。



〃Who　is　that？〃　He　indicated　the　archway　behind

him。



The　man　in　purple　stroked　his　little　beard；　hesitated；

and　answered　in　an　undertone；　〃He　is　Howard；　your

chief　guardian。　You　see；　Sire；it's　a　little　difficult

to　explain。　The　Council　appoints　a　guardian　and

assistants。　This　hall　has　under　certain　restrictions

been　public。　In　order　that　people　might　satisfy　themselves。　

We　have　barred　the　doorways　for　the　first

time。　But　I　thinkif　you　don't　mind；　I　will　leave

him　to　explain。〃



〃Odd〃　said　Graham。　〃　Guardian？　Council？〃

Then　turning　his　back　on　the　new　comer；　he　asked

in　an　undertone；　〃Why　is　this　man　glaring　at　me？

Is　he　a　mesmerist？　〃



〃Mesmerist！　He　is　a　capillotomist。〃



〃Capillotomist！〃



〃Yesone　of　the　chief。　His　yearly　fee　is　sixdoz

lions。〃



It　sounded　sheer　nonsense。　Graham　snatched　at

the　last　phrase　with　an　unsteady　mind。　〃Sixdoz

lions？〃　he　said。



〃Didn't　you　have　lions？　I　suppose　not。　You　had

the　old　pounds？　They　are　our　monetary　units。〃



〃But　what　was　that　you　saidsixdoz？　〃



〃Yes。　Six　dozen；　Sire。　Of　course　things；　even

these　little　things；　have　altered。　You　lived　in　the　days

of　the　decimal　system；　the　Arab　systemtens；　and

little　hundreds　and　thousands。　We　have　eleven

numerals　now。　We　have　single　figures　for　both　ten

and　eleven；　two　figures　for　a　dozen；　and　a　dozen　dozen

makes　a　gross；　a　great　hundred；　you　know；　a　dozen

gross　a　dozand；　and　a　dozand　dozand　a　myriad。　Very

simple？〃



〃I　suppose　so；〃　said　Graham。　〃But　about　this

capwhat　was　it？　〃



The　man　with　the　flaxen　beard　glanced　over　his

shoulder。



〃Here　are　your　clothes！〃　he　said。　Graham　turned

round　sharply　and　saw　the　tailor　standing　at　his　elbow

smiling；　and　holding　some　palpably　new　garments　over

his　arm。　The　crop…headed　boy；　by　means　of　one

finger；　was　impelling　the　complicated　machine　towards

the　lift　by　which　he　had　arrived。　Graham　stared　at

the　completed　suit。　〃You　don't　mean　to　say！〃



〃Just　made；〃　said　the　tailor。　He　dropped　the　garments　

at　the　feet　of　Graham；　walked　to　the　bed　on

which　Graham　had　so　recently　been　Iying；　flung　out

the　translucent　mattress；　and　turned　up　the　looking

glass。　As　he　did　so　a　furious　bell　summoned　the

thickset　man　to　the　corner。　The　man　with　the　flaxen

beard　rushed　across　to　him　and　then　hurried　out　by

the　archway。



The　tailor　was　assisting　Graham　into　a　dark　purple

combination　garment；　stockings；　vest；　and　pants　in

one；　as　the　thickset　man　came　back　from　the　corner

to　meet　the　man　with　the　flaxen　beard　returning　from

the　balcony。　They　began　speaking　quickly　in　an

undertone；　their　bearing　had　an　unmistakable　quality

of　anxiety。　Over　the　purple　under…garment　came　a　I

complex　but　graceful　garment　of　bluish　white；　and　I

Graham　was　clothed　in　the　fashion　once　more　and　saw

himself；　sallow…faced；　unshaven　and　shaggy　still；　but

at　least　naked　no　longer；　and　in　some　indefinable

unprecedented　way　graceful。



〃I　must　shave；〃　he　said　regarding　himself　in　the

glass。



〃In　a　moment；〃　said　Howard。



The　persistent　stare　ceased。　The　young　man　closed

his　eyes；　reopened　them；　and　with　a　lean　hand

extended；　advanced　on　Graham。　Then　he　stopped；

with　his　hand　slowly　gesticulating；　and　looked　about

him。



〃A　seat；〃　said　Howard　impatiently；　and　in　a　moment

the　flaxen…bearded　man　had　a　chair　behind　Graham。

〃Sit　down；　please；〃　said　Howard。



Graham　hesitated；　and　in　the　other　hand　of　the　wildeyed　

man　he　saw　the　glint　of　steel。



〃Don't　you