第9章

Grahamtoldhimbriefly。

Ostroglistenedinsilence。

Hesmiledfaintly。"DoyouknowwhatIwasdoingwhentheycametotellmeyouhadcome？"

"HowcanIguess？"

"Preparingyourdouble。"

"Mydouble？"

"Amanaslikeyouaswecouldfind。Weweregoingtohypnotisehim，tosavehimthedifficultyofacting。Itwasimperative。Thewholeofthisrevoltdependsontheideathatyouareawake，alive，andwithus。Evennowagreatmultitudeofpeoplehasgatheredinthetheatreclamouringtoseeyou。Theydonottrust……Youknow，ofcourse——somethingofyourposition？"

"Verylittle，"saidGraham。

"Itislikethis。"Ostrogwalkedapaceortwointotheroomandturned。"Youareabsoluteowner，"

hesaid，"ofmorethanhalftheworld。AsaresultofthatyouarepracticallyKing。Yourpowersarelimitedinmanyintricateways，butyouarethefigurehead，thepopularsymbolofgovernment。ThisWhiteCouncil，theCouncilofTrusteesasitiscalled"

"Ihaveheardthevagueoutlineofthesethings。"

"Iwondered。"

"Icameuponagarrulousoldman。"

"Isee……Ourmasses——thewordcomesfromyourdays——youknowofcourse，thatwestillhavemasses——regardyouasouractualruler。JustasagreatnumberofpeopleinyourdaysregardedtheCrownastheruler。Theyarediscontented——themassesallovertheearth——withtheruleofyourTrustees。Forthemostpartitistheolddiscontent，theoldquarrelofthecommonmanwithhiscommonness——themiseryofworkanddisciplineandunfitness。

ButyourTrusteeshaveruledill。Incertainmatters，intheadministrationoftheLabourCompanies，forexample，theyhavebeenunwise。Theyhavegivenendlessopportunities。Alreadyweofthepopularpartywereagitatingforreforms——whenyourwakingcame。Came！Ifithadbeencontriveditcouldnothavecomemoreopportunity。"Hesmiled。

"Thepublicmind，makingnoallowanceforyouryearsofquiescence，hadalreadyhitonthethoughtofwakingyouandappealingtoyou，and——Flash！"

Heindicatedtheoutbreakbyagesture，andGrahammovedhisheadtoshowthatheunderstood。

"TheCouncilmuddled——quarreled。Theyalwaysdo。Theycouldnotdecidewhattodowithyou。

Youknowhowtheyimprisonedyou？"

"Isee。Isee。Andnow——wewin？"

"Wewin。Indeedwewin。Tonight，infiveswifthours。Suddenlywestruckeverywhere。Thewindvanepeople，theLabourCompanyanditsmillions，burstthebonds。Wegotthepulloftheaeropiles。"

Hepaused。"Yes，"saidGraham，guessingthataeropilemeantflyingmachine。

"Thatwas，ofcourse，essential。Ortheycouldhavegotaway。Allthecityrose，everythirdmanalmostwasinit！Alltheblue，allthepublicservices，saveonlyjustafewaeronautsandabouthalftheredpolice。Youwererescued，andtheirownpoliceoftheWays——nothalfofthemcouldbemassedattheCouncilHouse——havebeenbrokenup，disarmedorkilled。AllLondonisours——now。OnlytheCouncilHouseremains。

"Halfofthosewhoremaintothemoftheredpolicewerelostinthatfoolishattempttorecaptureyou。Theylosttheirheadswhentheylostyou。Theyflungalltheyhadatthetheatre。WecutthemofffromtheCouncilHousethere。Trulytonighthasbeenanightofvictory。Everywhereyourstarhasblazed。Adayago——theWhiteCouncilruledasithasruledforagrossofyears，foracenturyandahalfofyears，andthen，withonlyalittlewhispering，acovertarminghereandthere，suddenly——So！"

"Iamveryignorant，"saidGraham。"Isuppose——。

Idonotclearlyunderstandtheconditionsofthisfighting。Ifyoucouldexplain。WhereistheCouncil？Whereisthefight？"

Ostrogsteppedacrosstheroom，somethingclicked，andsuddenly，saveforanovalglow，theywereindarkness。ForamomentGrahamwaspuzzled。

Thenhesawthatthecloudygreydischadtakendepthandcolour，hadassumedtheappearanceofanovalwindowlookingoutuponastrangeunfamiliarscene。

Atthefirstglancehewasunabletoguesswhatthisscenemightbe。Itwasadaylightscene，thedaylightofawintryday，greyandclear。Acrossthepictureandhalfwayasitseemedbetweenhimandtheremoterview，astoutcableoftwistedwhitewirestretchedvertically。Thenheperceivedthattherowsofgreatwindwheelshesaw，thewideintervals，theoccasionalgulfsofdarkness，wereakintothosethroughwhichhehadfledfromtheCouncilHouse。Hedistinguishedanorderlyfileofredfiguresmarchingacrossanopenspacebetweenfilesofmeninblack，andrealisedbeforeOstrogspokethathewaslookingdownontheuppersurfaceoflatter—dayLondon。Theovernightsnowshadgone。Hejudgedthatthismirrorwassomemodernreplacementofthecameraobscura，butthatmatterwasnotexplainedtohim。Hesawthatthoughthefileofredfigureswastrottingfromlefttoright，yettheywerepassingoutofthepicturetotheleft。

Hewonderedmomentarily，andthensawthatthepicturewaspassingslowly，panoramafashion，acrosstheoval。

"Inamomentyouwillseethefighting，"saidOstrogathiselbow。"Thosefellowsinredyounoticeareprisoners。ThisistheroofspaceofLondon——allthehousesarepracticallycontinuousnow。

Thestreetsandpublicsquaresarecoveredin。Thegapsandchasmsofyourtimehavedisappeared。"

Somethingoutoffocusobliteratedhalfthepicture。

Itsformsuggestedaman。Therewasagleamofmetal，aflash，somethingthatsweptacrosstheoval，astheeyelidofabirdsweepsacrossitseye，andthepicturewasclearagain。AndnowGrahambeheldmenrunningdownamongthewind—wheels，pointingweaponsfromwhichjettedoutlittlesmokyflashes。

Theyswarmedthickerandthickertotheright，gesticulating——itmightbetheywereshouting，butofthatthepicturetoldnothing。Theyandthewindwheelspassedslowlyandsteadilyacrossthefieldofthemirror。

"Now，"saidOstrog，"comestheCouncilHouse，"

andslowlyablackedgecreptintoviewandgatheredGraham’sattention。Soonitwasnolongeranedgebutacavity，ahugeblackenedspaceamidsttheclusteringedifices，andfromitthinspiresofsmokeroseintothepallidwintersky。Gauntruinousmassesofthebuilding，mightytruncatedpiersandgirders，rosedismallyoutofthiscavernousdarkness。Andoverthesevestigesofsomesplendidplace，countlessminutemenwereclambering，leaping，swarming。

"ThisistheCouncilHouse，"saidOstrog。"Theirlaststronghold。Andthefoolswastedenoughammunitiontoholdoutforamonthinblowingupthebuildingsallaboutthem——tostopourattack。Youheardthesmash？Itshatteredhalfthebrittleglassinthecity。"

Andwhilehespoke，Grahamsawthatbeyondthisseaofruins，overhangingitandrisingtoagreatheight，wasaraggedmassofwhitebuilding。Thismasshadbeenisolatedbytheruthlessdestructionofitssurroundings。Blackgapsmarkedthepassagesthedisasterhadtornapart；bighallshadbeenslashedopenandthedecorationoftheirinteriorsshoweddismallyinthewintrydawn，anddownthejaggedwallhungfestoonsofdividedcablesandtwistedendsoflinesandmetallicrods。Andamidstallthevastdetailsmovedlittleredspecks，thered—clotheddefendersoftheCouncil。Everynowandthenfaintflashesilluminatedthebleakshadows。AtthefirstsightitseemedtoGrahamthatanattackuponthisisolatedwhitebuildingwasinprogress，butthenheperceivedthatthepartyoftherevoltwasnotadvancing，butshelteredamidstthecolossalwreckagethatencircledthislastraggedstrongholdofthered—garbedmen，waskeepingupafitfulfiring。

Andnottenhoursagohehadstoodbeneaththeventilatingfansinalittlechamberwithinthatremotebuildingwonderingwhatwashappeningintheworld！

Lookingmoreattentivelyasthiswarlikeepisodemovedsilentlyacrossthecentreofthemirror，Grahamsawthatthewhitebuildingwassurroundedoneverysidebyruins，andOstrogproceededtodescribeinconcisephraseshowitsdefendershadsoughtbysuchdestructiontoisolatethemselvesfromastorm。

Hespokeofthelossofmenthathugedownfallhadentailedinanindifferenttone。Heindicatedanimprovisedmortuaryamongthewreckageshowedambulancesswarminglikecheese—mitesalongaruinousgroovethathadoncebeenastreetofmovingways。

HewasmoreinterestedinpointingoutthepartsoftheCouncilHouse，thedistributionofthebesiegers。

InalittlewhilethecivilcontestthathadconvulsedLondonwasnolongeramysterytoGraham。Itwasnotumultuousrevolthadoccurredthatnight，noequalwarfare，butasplendidlyorganised__coupd’etat__。

Ostrog’sgraspofdetailswasastonishing；heseemedtoknowthebusinessofeventhesmallestknotofblackandredspecksthatcrawledamidsttheseplaces。

Hestretchedahugeblackarmacrosstheluminouspicture，andshowedtheroomwhenceGrahamhadescaped，andacrossthechasmofruinsthecourseofhisflight。Grahamrecognisedthegulfacrosswhichthegutterran，andthewind—wheelswherehehadcrouchedfromtheflyingmachine。Therestofhispathhadsuccumbedtotheexplosion。HelookedagainattheCouncilHouse，anditwasalreadyhalfhidden，andontherightahillsidewithaclusterofdomesandpinnacles，hazy，dimanddistant，wasglidingintoview。

"AndtheCouncilisreallyoverthrown？"hesaid。

"Overthrown，"saidOstrog。

"AndI——。IsitindeedtruethatI？"

"YouareMasteroftheWorld。"

"Butthatwhiteflag——"

"ThatistheflagoftheCouncil——theflagoftheRuleoftheWorld。Itwillfall。Thefightisover。

Theirattackonthetheatrewastheirlastfranticstruggle。Theyhaveonlyathousandmenorso，andsomeofthesemenwillbedisloyal。Theyhavelittleammunition。Andwearerevivingtheancientarts。Wearecastingguns。"

"But——help。Isthiscitytheworld？"

"Practicallythisisalltheyhavelefttothemoftheirempire。Abroadthecitieshaveeitherrevoltedwithusorwaittheissue。Yourawakeninghasperplexedthem，paralysedthem。"

"Buthaven’ttheCouncilflyingmachines？Whyistherenofightingwiththem？"

"Theyhad。Butthegreaterpartoftheaeronautswereintherevoltwithus。Theywouldn’ttaketheriskoffightingonourside，buttheywouldnotstiragainstus。Wehadtogetapullwiththeaeronauts。

Quitehalfwerewithus，andtheothersknewit。

Directlytheyknewyouhadgotaway，thoselookingforyoudropped。Wekilledthemanwhoshotatyou——anhourago。Andweoccupiedtheflyingstagesattheoutsetineverycitywecould，andsostoppedandcapturedtheairplanes，andasforthelittleflyingmachinesthatturnedout——forsomedid——

wekeptuptoostraightandsteadyafireforthemtogetneartheCouncilHouse。Iftheydroppedtheycouldn’triseagain，becausethere’snoclearspaceaboutthereforthemtogetup。Severalwehavesmashed，severalothershavedroppedandsurrendered，theresthavegoneofftotheContinenttofindafriendlycityiftheycanbeforetheirfuelrunsout。

Mostofthesemenwereonlytoogladtobetakenprisonerandkeptoutofharm’sway。Upsettinginaflyingmachineisn’taveryattractiveprospect。There’snochancefortheCouncilthatway。Itsdaysaredone。"

HelaughedandturnedtotheovalreflectionagaintoshowGrahamwhathemeantbyflyingstages。

Eventhefourneareroneswereremoteandobscuredbyathinmorninghaze。ButGrahamcouldperceivetheywereveryvaststructures，judgedevenbythestandardofthethingsaboutthem。

Andthenasthesedimshapespassedtothelefttherecameagainthesightoftheexpanseacrosswhichthedisarmedmeninredhadbeenmarching。Andthentheblackruins，andthenagainthebeleagueredwhitefastnessoftheCouncil。Itappearednolongeraghostlypile，butglowingamberinthesunlight，foracloudshadowhadpassed。Aboutitthepigmystrugglestillhunginsuspense，butnowthereddefenderswerenolongerfiring。

So，inaduskystillness，themanfromthenineteenthcenturysawtheclosingsceneofthegreatrevolt，theforcibleestablishmentofhisrule。Withaqualityofstartlingdiscoveryitcametohimthatthiswashisworld，andnotthatotherhehadleftbehind；

thatthiswasnospectacletoculminateandcease；thatinthisworldlaywhateverlifewasstillbeforehim，layallhisdutiesanddangersandresponsibilities。Heturnedwithfreshquestions。Ostrogbegantoanswerthem，andthenbrokeoffabruptly。"ButthesethingsImustexplainmorefullylater。Atpresentthereare——duties。Thepeoplearecomingbythemovingwaystowardsthiswardfromeverypartofthecity——

themarketsandtheatresaredenselycrowded。Youarejustintimeforthem。Theyareclamouringtoseeyou。Andabroadtheywanttoseeyou。Paris，NewYork，Chicago，Denver，Capri——thousandsofcitiesareupandinatumult，undecided，andclamouringtoseeyou。Theyhaveclamouredthatyoushouldbeawakenedforyears，andnowitisdonetheywillscarcelybelieve——"

Butsurely——Ican’tgo……"

Ostrogansweredfromtheothersideoftheroom，1。

andthepictureontheovaldiscpaledandvanished’

asthelightjerkedbackagain。"Therearekinetotele—photographs，"hesaid。"Asyoubowtothepeoplehere——allovertheworldmyriadsofmyriadsofpeople，packedandstillindarkenedhalls，willseeyoualso。Inblackandwhite，ofcourse——notlikethis。

Andyouwillheartheirshoutsreinforcingtheshoutinginthehall。

"Andthereisanopticalcontrivanceweshalluse，"

saidOstrog，"usedbysomeoftheposturersandwomendancers。Itmaybenoveltoyou。Youstandinaverybrightlight，andtheyseenotyoubutamagnifiedimageofyouthrownonascreen——sothateventhefurtherestmanintheremotestgallerycan，ifhechooses，countyoureyelashes。"

Grahamclutcheddesperatelyatoneofthequestionsinhismind。"WhatisthepopulationofLondon？"

"Eightandtwaindymyriads。"

"Eightandwhat？"

"Morethanthirty—threemillions。"

ThesefigureswentbeyondGraham’simagination"Youwillbeexpectedtosaysomething，"saidOstrog。"NotwhatyouusedtocallaSpeech，butwhatourpeoplecallaWord——justonesentence，sixorsevenwords。Somethingformal。IfImightsuggest——’Ihaveawakenedandmyheartiswithyou。’

Thatisthesortofthingtheywant。"

"Whatwasthat？"askedGraham。

"’Iamawakenedandmyheartiswithyou。’Andbow——bowroyally。Butfirstwemustgetyoublackrobes——forblackisyourcolour。Doyoumind？

Andthentheywilldispersetotheirhomes。"

Grahamhesitated。"Iaminyourhands，"hesaid。

Ostrogwasclearlyofthatopinion。Hethoughtforamoment，turnedtothecurtainandcalledbriefdirectionstosomeunseenattendants。Almostimmediatelyablackrobe，theveryfellowoftheblackrobeGrahamhadworninthetheatre，wasbrought。Andashethrewitabouthisshoulderstherecamefromtheroomwithouttheshrillingofahigh—pitchedbell。

Ostrogturnedininterrogationtotheattendant，thensuddenlyseemedtochangehismind，pulledthecurtainasideanddisappeared。

ForamomentGrahamstoodwiththedeferentialattendantlisteningtoOstrog’sretreatingsteps。

Therewasasoundofquickquestionandanswerandofmenrunning。ThecurtainwassnatchedbackandOstrogreappeared，hismassivefaceglowingwithexcitement。Hecrossedtheroominastride，clickedtheroomintodarkness，grippedGrahamsarmandpointedtothemirror。

"Evenasweturnedaway，"hesaid。

Grahamsawhisindexfinger，blackandcolossal，abovethemirroredCouncilHouse。Foramomenthedidnotunderstand。Andthenheperceivedthattheflagstaffthathadcarriedthewhitebannerwasbare。

"Doyoumean——？"hebegan。

"TheCouncilhassurrendered。Itsruleisatanendforevermore。"

"Look！"andOstrogpointedtoacoilofblackthatcreptinlittlejerksupthevacantflagstaff，unfoldingasitrose。

TheovalpicturepaledasLincolnpulledthecurtainasideandentered。

"Theyareclamourous，"hesaid。

OstrogkepthisgripofGraham’sarm。

"Wehaveraisedthepeople，"hesaid。"Wehavegiventhemarms。Fortodayatleasttheirwishesmustbelaw。"

LincolnheldtheCurtainopenforGrahamandOstrogtopassthrough。

OnhiswaytothemarketsGrahamhadatransitoryglanceofalongnarrowwhite—walledroominwhichmenintheuniversalbluecanvaswerecarryingcoveredthingslikebiers，andaboutwhichmeninmedicalpurplehurriedtoandfro。Fromthisroomcamegroansandwailing。Hehadanimpressionofanemptyblood—stainedcouch，ofmenonothercouches，bandagedandblood—stained。Itwasjustaglimpsefromarailedfootwayandthenabuttresshidtheplaceandtheyweregoingontowardsthemarkets。

Theroarofthemultitudewasnearnow：itleapttothunder。And，arrestinghisattention，aflutteringofblackbanners，thewavingofbluecanvasandbrownrags，andtheswarmingvastnessofthetheatrenearthepublicmarketscameintoviewdownalongpassage。Thepictureopenedout。Heperceivedtheywereenteringthegreattheatreofhisfirstappearance，theFreattheatrehehadlastseenasachequer—workofglareandblacknessinhisflightfromtheredpolice。

Thistimeheentereditalongagalleryatalevelhighabovethestage。Theplacewasnowbrilliantlylitagain。Hesoughtthegangwayupwhichhehadfled，buthecouldnottellitfromamongitsdozensoffellows；norcouldheseeanythingofthesmashedseats，deflatedcushions，andsuchliketracesofthefightbecauseofthedensityofthepeople。Exceptthestagethewholeplacewascloselypacked。Lookingdowntheeffectwasavastareaofstippledpink，eachdotastillupturnedfaceregardinghim。AthisappearancewithOstrogthecheeringdiedaway，thesingingdiedaway，acommonintereststilledandunifiedthedisorder。Itseemedasthougheveryindividualofthosemyriadswaswatchinghim。

CHAPTERXIII

THEENDOFTHEOLDORDER

SofarasGrahamwasabletojudge，itwasnearmiddaywhenthewhitebanneroftheCouncilfell。

Butsomehourshadtoelapsebeforeitwaspossibletoeffecttheformalcapitulation，andsoafterhehadspokenhis"Word"heretiredtohisnewapartmentsinthewind—vaneoffices。Thecontinuousexcitementofthelasttwelvehourshadlefthiminordinatelyfatigued，evenhiscuriositywasexhausted；foraspacehesatinertandpassivewithopeneyes，andforaspaceheslept。Hewasrousedbytwomedicalattendants，comepreparedwithstimulantstosustainhimthroughthenextoccasion。Afterhehadtakentheirdrugsandbathedbytheiradviceincoldwater，hefeltarapidreturnofinterestandenergy，andwaspresentlyableandwillingtoaccompanyOstrogthroughseveralmiles（asitseemed）ofpassages，lifts，andslidestotheclosingsceneoftheWhiteCouncil’srule。

Thewayrandeviouslythroughamazeofbuildings。

Theycameatlasttoapassagethatcurvedabout，andshowedbroadeningbeforehimanoblongopening，cloudshotwithsunset，andtheraggedskylineoftheruinousCouncilHouse。Atumultofshoutscamedriftinguptohim。Inanothermomenttheyhadcomeouthighuponthebrowofthecliffoftornbuildingsthatoverhungthewreckage。ThevastareaopenedtoGraham’seyes，nonethelessstrangeandwonderfulfortheremoteviewhehadhadofitintheovalmirror。

Thisrudelyamphitheatralspaceseemednowthebetterpartofamiletoitsouteredge。Itwasgoldlitonthelefthand，catchingthesunlight，andbelowandtotherightclearandcoldintheshadow。AbovetheshadowygreyCouncilHousethatstoodinthemidstofit，thegreatblackbannerofthesurrenderstillhunginsluggishfoldsagainsttheblazingsunset。

Severedrooms，hallsandpassagesgapedstrangely，brokenmassesofmetalprojecteddismallyfromthecomplexwreckage，vastmassesoftwistedcabledroppedliketangledseaweed，andfromitsbasecameatumultofinnumerablevoices，violentconcussions，andthesoundoftrumpets。Allaboutthisgreatwhitepilewasaringofdesolation；thesmashedandblackenedmasses，thegauntfoundationsandruinouslumberofthefabricthathadbeendestroyedbytheCouncil’sorders，skeletonsofgirders，Titanicmassesofwall，forestsofstoutpillars。Amongstthesombrewreckagebeneath，runningwaterflashedandglistened，andfarawayacrossthespace，outofthemidstofavaguevastmassofbuildings，therethrustthetwistedendofawater—main，twohundredfeetintheair，thunderouslyspoutingashiningcascade。Andeverywheregreatmultitudesofpeople。

Wherevertherewasspaceandfoothold，peopleswarmed，littlepeople，smallandminutelyclear，exceptwherethesunsettouchedthemtoindistinguishablegold。Theyclamberedupthetotteringwalls，theyclunginwreathsandgroupsaboutthehigh—standingpillars。Theyswarmedalongtheedgesofthecircleofruins。Theairwasfulloftheirshouting，andwerepressingandswayingtowardsthecentralspace。

TheupperstoreysoftheCouncilHouseseemeddeserted，notahumanbeingwasvisible。Onlythedroopingbannerofthesurrenderhungheavilyagainstthelight。ThedeadwerewithintheCouncilHouse，orhiddenbytheswarmingpeople，orcarriedaway。

Grahamcouldseeonlyafewneglectedbodiesingapsandcornersoftheruins，andamidsttheflowingwater。

"Willyouletthemseeyou，Sire？"saidOstrog。

"Theyareveryanxioustoseeyou。"

Grahamhesitated，andthenwalkedforwardtowherethebrokenvergeofwalldroppedsheer。HeI

stoodlookingdown，alonely，tall，blackfigureagainstthesky。

Veryslowlytheswarmingruinsbecameawareofhim。Andastheydidsolittlebandsofblack—

uniformedmenappearedremotely，thrustingthroughthecrowdstowardstheCouncilHouse。Hesawlittleblackheadsbecomepink，lookingathim，sawbythatmeansawaveofrecognitionsweepacrossthespace。

Itoccurredtohimthatheshouldaccordthemsomerecognition。Hehelduphisarm，thenpointedtotheCouncilHouseanddroppedhishand。Thevoicesbelowbecameunanimous，gatheredvolume，cameuptohimasmultitudinouswaveletsofcheering。

Thewesternskywasapallidbluishgreen，andJupitershonehighinthesouth，beforethecapitulationwasaccomplished。Abovewasaslowinsensiblechange，theadvanceofnightsereneandbeautiful；

belowwashurry，excitement，conflictingorders，pauses，spasmodicdevelopmentsoforganisation，avastascendingclamourandconfusion。BeforetheCouncilcameout，toilingperspiringmen，directedbyaconflictofshouts，carriedforthhundredsofthosewhohadperishedinthehand—to—handconflictwithinthoselongpassagesandchambers。

GuardsinblacklinedthewaythattheCouncilwouldcome，andasfarastheeyecouldreachintothehazybluetwilightoftheruins，andswarmingnowateverypossiblepointinthecapturedCouncilHouseandalongtheshatteredcliffofitscircumadjacentbuildings，wereinnumerablepeople，andtheirvoicesevenwhentheywerenotcheering，wereasthesoughingoftheseauponapebblebeach。Ostroghadchosenahugecommandingpileofcrushedandover—

thrownmasonry，andonthisastageoftimbersandmetalgirderswasbeinghastilyconstructed。Itsessentialpartswerecomplete，buthummingandclangorousmachinerystillglaredfitfullyintheshadowsbeneaththistemporaryedifice。

ThestagehadasmallhigherportiononwhichGrahamstoodwithOstrogandLincolnclosebesidehim，alittleinadvanceofagroupofminorofficers。A

broaderlowerstagesurroundedthisquarterdeck，andonthisweretheblack—uniformedguardsoftherevoltarmedwiththelittlegreenweaponswhoseverynamesGrahamstilldidnotknow。ThosestandingabouthimperceivedthathiseyeswanderedperpetuallyfromtheswarmingpeopleinthetwilightruinsabouthimtothedarklingmassoftheWhiteCouncilHouse，whencetheTrusteeswouldpresentlycome，andtothegauntcliffsofruinthatencircledhim，andsobacktothepeople。Thevoicesofthecrowdswelledtoadeafeningtumult。

HesawtheCouncillorsfirstafaroffintheglareofoneofthetemporarylightsthatmarkedtheirpath，alittlegroupofwhitefiguresblinkinginablackarchway。IntheCouncilHousetheyhadbeenindarkness。