"Herbert George Wells. When the Sleeper Wakes" - читать интересную книгу автора

have the halls crowded-shouting. The whole city shouts against the Council.
We have arms." He wiped the blood with his hand. "Your life here is not
worth-" "But why arms? "

"The people have risen to protect you, Sire. What? "

He turned quickly as the man who had first come down made a hissing with
his teeth. Graham saw the latter start back, gesticulate to them to conceal
themselves, and move as if to hide behind the opening door.

As he did so Howard appeared, a little tray in one hand and his heavy face
downcast. He started, looked up, the door slammed behind him, the tray
tilted sideways, and the steel wedge struck him behind the ear. He went
down like a felled tree, and lay as he fell athwart the floor of the outer
room. The man who had struck him bent hastily, studied his face for a
moment, rose, and returned to his work at the door.

"Your poison!" said a voice in Graham's ear.

Then abruptly they were in darkness. The innumerable cornice lights had
been extinguished. Graham saw the aperture of the ventilator with ghostly
snow whirling above it and dark figures moving hastily. Three knelt on the
van. Some dim thing-a ladder was being lowered through the opening, and a
hand appeared holding a fitful yellow light.

He had a moment of hesitation. But the manner of these men, their swift
alacrity, their words, marched so completely with his own fears of the
Council, with his idea and hope of a rescue, that it lasted not a moment.
And his people awaited him!

"I do not understand," he said, "I trust. Tell me what to do."

The man with the cut brow gripped Graham's arm.

"Clamber up the ladder," he whispered. "Quick. They will have heard-"

Graham felt for the ladder with extended hands, put his foot on the lower
rung, and, turning his head, saw over the shoulder of the nearest man, in
the yellow flicker of the light, the first-comer astride over Howard and
still working at the door. Graham turned to the ladder again, and was
thrust by his conductor and helped up by those above, and then he was
standing on something hard and cold and slippery outside the ventilating
funnel.

He shivered. He was aware of a great difference in the temperature. Half a
dozen men stood about him, and light flakes of snow touched hands and face
and melted. For a moment it was dark, then for a flash a ghastly violet
white, and then everything was dark again.

He saw he had come out upon the roof of the vast city structure which had