From the Business Quarter they presently passed by the running ways into a remote quarter of the city, where the bulk of the manufactures was done. On their way the platforms crossed the Thames twice, and passed in a broad viaduct across one of the great roads that entered the city from the North. In both cases his impression was swift and in both very vivid. The river was a broad wrinkled glitter of black sea water, overarched by buildings, and vanishing either way into a blackness starred with receding1 lights. A string of black barges2 passed seaward, manned by blue-clad men. The road was a long and very broad and high tunnel, along which big-wheeled machines drove noiselessly and swiftly. Here, too, the distinctive4 blue of the Labour Department was in abundance. The smoothness of the double tracks, the largeness and the lightness of the big pneumatic wheels in proportion to the vehicular body, struck Graham most vividly5. One lank6 and very high carriage with longitudinal metallic7 rods hung with the dripping carcasses of many hundred sheep arrested his attention unduly8. Abruptly9 the edge of the archway cut and blotted10 out the picture.
Presently they left the way and descended11 by a lift and traversed a passage that sloped downward, and so came to a descending12 lift again. The appearance of things changed. Even the pretence13 of architectural ornament14 disappeared, the lights diminished in number and size, the architecture became more and more massive in proportion to the spaces as the factory quarters were reached. And in the dusty biscuit-making place of the potters, among the felspar mills, in the furnace rooms of the metal workers, among the incandescent15 lakes of crude Eadhamite, the blue canvas clothing was on man, woman and child.
Many of these great and dusty galleries were silent avenues of machinery16, endless raked out ashen17 furnaces testified to the revolutionary dislocation, but wherever there was work it was being done by slow-moving workers in blue canvas. The only people not in blue canvas were the overlookers of the work-places and the orange-clad Labour Police. And fresh from the flushed faces of the dancing halls, the voluntary vigours of the business quarter, Graham could note the pinched faces, the feeble muscles, and weary eyes of many of the latter-day workers. Such as he saw at work were noticeably inferior in physique to the few gaily19 dressed managers and forewomen who were directing their labours. The burly labourers of the old Victorian times had followed that dray horse and all such living force producers, to extinction20; the place of his costly21 muscles was taken by some dexterous22 machine. The latter-day labourer, male as well as female, was essentially23 a machine-minder and feeder, a servant and attendant, or an artist under direction.
The women, in comparison with those Graham remembered, were as a class distinctly plain and flat-chested. Two hundred years of emancipation24 from the moral restraints of Puritanical25 religion, two hundred years of city life, had done their work in eliminating the strain of feminine beauty and vigour18 from the blue canvas myriads26. To be brilliant physically27 or mentally, to be in any way attractive or exceptional, had been and was still a certain way of emancipation to the drudge28, a line of escape to the Pleasure City and its splendours and delights, and at last to the Euthanasy and peace. To be steadfast29 against such inducements was scarcely to be expected of meanly nourished souls. In the young cities of Graham's former life, the newly aggregated30 labouring mass had been a diverse multitude, still stirred by the tradition of personal honour and a high morality; now it was differentiating31 into an instinct class, with a moral and physical difference of its own--even with a dialect of its own.
They penetrated32 downward, ever downward, towards the working places. Presently they passed underneath34 one of the streets of the moving ways, and saw its platforms running on their rails far overhead, and chinks of white lights between the transverse slits35. The factories that were not working were sparsely36 lighted; to Graham they and their shrouded37 aisles38 of giant machines seemed plunged39 in gloom, and even where work was going on the illumination was far less brilliant than upon the public ways.
Beyond the blazing lakes of Eadhamite he came to the warren of the jewellers, and, with some difficulty and by using his signature, obtained admission to these galleries. They were high and dark, and rather cold. In the first a few men were making ornaments40 of gold filigree41, each man at a little bench by himself, and with a little shaded light. The long vista42 of light patches, with the nimble fingers brightly lit and moving among the gleaming yellow coils, and the intent face like the face of a ghost, in each shadow, had the oddest effect.
The work was beautifully executed, but without any strength of modelling or drawing, for the most part intricate grotesques43 or the ringing of the changes on a geometrical _motif_. These workers wore a peculiar44 white uniform without pockets or sleeves. They assumed this on coming to work, but at night they were stripped and examined before they left the premises45 of the Department. In spite of every precaution, the Labour policeman told them in a depressed46 tone, the Department was not infrequently robbed.
Beyond was a gallery of women busied in cutting and setting slabs47 of artificial ruby48, and next these were men and women working together upon the slabs of copper49 net that formed the basis of _cloisonne_ tiles. Many of these workers had lips and nostrils50 a livid white, due to a disease caused by a peculiar purple enamel51 that chanced to be much in fashion. Asano apologised to Graham for this offensive sight, but excused himself on the score of the convenience of this route. "This is what I wanted to see," said Graham; "this is what I wanted to see," trying to avoid a start at a particularly striking disfigurement.
"She might have done better with herself than that," said Asano.
Graham made some indignant comments.
"But, Sire, we simply could not stand that stuff without the purple," said Asano. "In your days people could stand such crudities, they were nearer the barbaric by two hundred years."
They continued along one of the lower galleries of this _cloisonne_ factory, and came to a little bridge that spanned a vault52. Looking over the parapet, Graham saw that beneath was a wharf53 under yet more tremendous archings than any he had seen. Three barges, smothered54 in floury dust, were being unloaded of their cargoes55 of powdered felspar by a multitude of coughing men, each guiding a little truck; the dust filled the place with a choking mist, and turned the electric glare yellow. The vague shadows of these workers gesticulated about their feet, and rushed to and fro against a long stretch of white-washed wall. Every now and then one would stop to cough.
A shadowy, huge mass of masonry56 rising out of the inky water, brought to Graham's mind the thought of the multitude of ways and galleries and lifts that rose floor above floor overhead between him and the sky. The men worked in silence under the supervision57 of two of the Labour Police; their feet made a hollow thunder on the planks58 along which they went to and fro. And as he looked at this scene, some hidden voice in the darkness began to sing.
"Stop that!" shouted one of the policemen, but the order was disobeyed, and first one and then all the white-stained men who were working there had taken up the beating refrain, singing it defiantly--the Song of the Revolt. The feet upon the planks thundered now to the rhythm of the song, tramp, tramp, tramp. The policeman who had shouted glanced at his fellow, and Graham saw him shrug59 his shoulders. He made no further effort to stop the singing.
And so they went through these factories and places of toil60, seeing many painful and grim things. That walk left on Graham's mind a maze61 of memories, fluctuating pictures of swathed halls, and crowded vaults62 seen through clouds of dust, of intricate machines, the racing63 threads of looms64, the heavy beat of stamping machinery, the roar and rattle65 of belt and armature, of ill-lit subterranean66 aisles of sleeping places, illimitable vistas67 of pin-point lights. Here was the smell of tanning, and here the reek68 of a brewery69, and here unprecedented70 reeks71. Everywhere were pillars and cross archings of such a massiveness as Graham had never before seen, thick Titans of greasy72, shining brickwork crushed beneath the vast weight of that complex city world, even as these anemic millions were crushed by its complexity73. And everywhere were pale features, lean limbs, disfigurement and degradation74.
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 ascending75 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, trotting76 towards some unknown disturbance77. And then came a remote disorder78. 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 valiantly79 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 hooting80 and yelping81 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 gasped82 and shrieked83 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, bawling84 again and again in good English, "This is Ostrog's doing, Ostrog the Knave85! The Master is betrayed." His voice was hoarse86 and a thin foam87 dropped from his ugly shouting mouth. He yelled an unspeakable horror that the Black Police had done in Paris, and so passed shrieking88, "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 haze89 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 rumour90?"
"It sounds true," said Asano.
"Let us have the facts," said Graham.
Asano shrugged91 his shoulders. "We had better get towards the Council House," he cried. "That is where they will swarm92. 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 accosted93 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 knew--had not someone in the Wind-Vane Offices learnt. He said a girl."
"A girl? Not--?"
"He said a girl--he 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 tumult94 into determinate movements, it came like a wind along the street. "To your wards33, to your wards. Every man get arms. Every man to his ward3!"
收听单词发音 |
1
receding
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的现在分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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barges
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| 驳船( barge的名词复数 ) | |
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ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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distinctive
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| adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的 | |
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vividly
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| adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地 | |
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lank
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| adj.瘦削的；稀疏的 | |
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metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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unduly
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| adv.过度地，不适当地 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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blotted
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| 涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 )； （用吸墨纸）吸干 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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pretence
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| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
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ornament
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| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
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incandescent
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| adj.遇热发光的， 白炽的，感情强烈的 | |
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machinery
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| n.(总称)机械，机器；机构 | |
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ashen
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| adj.灰的 | |
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vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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extinction
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| n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种 | |
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costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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dexterous
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| adj.灵敏的；灵巧的 | |
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essentially
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| adv.本质上，实质上，基本上 | |
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emancipation
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| n.（从束缚、支配下）解放 | |
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puritanical
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| adj.极端拘谨的；道德严格的 | |
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myriads
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| n.无数，极大数量( myriad的名词复数 ) | |
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physically
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| adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律 | |
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drudge
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| n.劳碌的人；v.做苦工，操劳 | |
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steadfast
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| adj.固定的，不变的，不动摇的；忠实的；坚贞不移的 | |
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aggregated
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| a.聚合的，合计的 | |
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differentiating
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| [计] 微分的 | |
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penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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wards
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| 区( ward的名词复数 )； 病房； 受监护的未成年者； 被人照顾或控制的状态 | |
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underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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slits
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| n.狭长的口子，裂缝( slit的名词复数 )v.切开，撕开( slit的第三人称单数 )；在…上开狭长口子 | |
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sparsely
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| adv.稀疏地；稀少地；不足地；贫乏地 | |
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shrouded
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| v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 )；保密 | |
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aisles
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| n. (席位间的)通道, 侧廊 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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ornaments
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| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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filigree
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| n.金银丝做的工艺品；v.用金银细丝饰品装饰；用华而不实的饰品装饰；adj.金银细丝工艺的 | |
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vista
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| n.远景，深景，展望，回想 | |
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grotesques
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| n.衣着、打扮、五官等古怪，不协调的样子( grotesque的名词复数 ) | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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slabs
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| n.厚板，平板，厚片( slab的名词复数 )；厚胶片 | |
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ruby
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| n.红宝石，红宝石色 | |
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copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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50
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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51
enamel
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| n.珐琅，搪瓷，瓷釉；(牙齿的)珐琅质 | |
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52
vault
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| n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室 | |
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wharf
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| n.码头，停泊处 | |
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54
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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cargoes
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| n.（船或飞机装载的）货物( cargo的名词复数 )；大量，重负 | |
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56
masonry
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| n.砖土建筑；砖石 | |
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supervision
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| n.监督，管理 | |
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planks
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| （厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点 | |
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shrug
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| v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等) | |
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toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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maze
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| n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑 | |
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vaults
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| n.拱顶( vault的名词复数 )；地下室；撑物跳高；墓穴 | |
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racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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looms
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| n.织布机( loom的名词复数 )v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的第三人称单数 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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subterranean
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| adj.地下的，地表下的 | |
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vistas
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| 长条形景色( vista的名词复数 )； 回顾； 展望； （未来可能发生的）一系列情景 | |
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reek
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| v.发出臭气；n.恶臭 | |
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brewery
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| n.啤酒厂 | |
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unprecedented
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| adj.无前例的，新奇的 | |
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reeks
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| n.恶臭( reek的名词复数 )v.发出浓烈的臭气( reek的第三人称单数 )；散发臭气；发出难闻的气味 (of sth)；明显带有（令人不快或生疑的跡象） | |
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greasy
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| adj. 多脂的，油脂的 | |
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73
complexity
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| n.复杂(性)，复杂的事物 | |
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74
degradation
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| n.降级；低落；退化；陵削；降解；衰变 | |
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ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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trotting
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| 小跑，急走( trot的现在分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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79
valiantly
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| adv.勇敢地，英勇地；雄赳赳 | |
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80
hooting
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| （使）作汽笛声响，作汽车喇叭声( hoot的现在分词 )； 倒好儿； 倒彩 | |
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81
yelping
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| v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的现在分词 ) | |
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82
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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83
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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84
bawling
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| v.大叫，大喊( bawl的现在分词 )；放声大哭；大声叫出；叫卖（货物） | |
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85
knave
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| n.流氓；（纸牌中的）杰克 | |
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86
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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87
foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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88
shrieking
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| v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 ) | |
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89
haze
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| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
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90
rumour
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| n.谣言，谣传，传闻 | |
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91
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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92
swarm
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| n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入 | |
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93
accosted
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| v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 )；跟…搭讪；（乞丐等）上前向…乞讨；（妓女等）勾搭 | |
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94
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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