when the world shook-第61章

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and　at　my　side　was　Oro。



〃Is　this　the　climate　of　your　wonderful　city？〃　he　asked；　or

seemed　to　ask；　in　an　aggrieved　tone。



I　replied　that　it　was；　for　about　three　months　in　the　year；　and

began　to　look　about　me。



Soon　I　found　my　bearings。　In　front　of　me　were　great　piles　of

buildings；　looking　dim　and　mysterious　in　the　fog；　in　which　I

recognised　the　Houses　of　Parliament　and　Westminster　Abbey；　for

both　could　be　seen　from　where　we　stood　in　front　of　the

Westminster　Bridge　Station。　I　explained　their　identity　to　Oro。



〃Good；〃　he　said。　〃Let　us　enter　your　Place　of　Talk。〃



〃But　I　am　not　a　member；　and　we　have　no　passes　for　the

Strangers'　Gallery；〃　I　expostulated。



〃We　shall　not　need　any；〃　he　replied　contemptuously。　〃Lead　on。〃



Thus　adjured；　I　crossed　the　road；　Oro　following　me。　Looking

round；　to　my　horror　I　saw　him　right　in　the　path　of　a　motor…bus

which　seemed　to　go　over　him。



〃There's　an　end　to　Oro；〃　thought　I　to　myself。　〃Well；　at　any

rate；　I　have　got　home。〃



Next　instant　he　was　at　my　side　quite　undisturbed　by　the

incident　of　the　bus。　We　came　to　a　policeman　at　the　door　and　I

hesitated；　expecting　to　be　challenged。　But　the　policeman　seemed

absolutely　indifferent　to　our　presence；　even　when　Oro　marched

past　him　in　his　flowing　robes。　So　I　followed　with　a　like　success。

Then　I　understood　that　we　must　be　invisible。



We　passed　to　the　lobby；　where　members　were　hurrying　to　and　fro；

and　constituents　and　pressmen　were　gathered；　and　so　on　into　the

House。　Oro　walked　up　its　floor　and　took　his　stand　by　the　table；

in　front　of　the　Speaker。　I　followed　him；　none　saying　us　No。



As　it　chanced　there　was　what　is　called　a　scene　in　progressI

think　it　was　over　Irish　matters；　the　details　are　of　no　account。

Members　shouted；　Ministers　prevaricated　and　grew　angry；　the

Speaker　intervened。　On　the　whole；　it　was　rather　a　degrading

spectacle。　I　stood；　or　seemed　to　stand；　and　watched　it　all。　Oro；

in　his　sweeping　robes；　which　looked　so　incongruous　in　that　place；

stepped；　or　seemed　to　step；　up　to　the　principal　personages　of　the

Government　and　Opposition；　whom　I　indicated　to　him；　and　inspected

them　one　by　one；　as　a　naturalist　might　examine　strange　insects。

Then；　returning　to　me；　he　said：



〃Come　away；　I　have　seen　and　heard　enough。　Who　would　have

thought　that　this　nation　of　yours　was　struggling　for　its　life　in

war？〃



We　passed　out　of　the　House　and　somehow　came　to　Trafalgar

Square。　A　meeting　was　in　progress　there；　convened；　apparently；　to

advocate　the　rights　of　Labour；　also　those　of　women；　also　to

protest　against　things　in　general；　especially　the　threat　of

Conscription　in　the　service　of　the　country。



Here　the　noise　was　tremendous；　and；　the　fog　having　lifted

somewhat；　we　could　see　everything。　Speakers　bawled　from　the　base

of　Nelson's　column。　Their　supporters　cheered；　their　adversaries

rushed　at　them；　and　in　one　or　two　instances　succeeded　in　pulling

them　down。　A　woman　climbed　up　and　began　to　scream　out　something

which　could　only　be　heard　by　a　few　reporters　gathered　round　her。

I　thought　her　an　unpleasant…looking　person；　and　evidently　her

remarks　were　not　palatable　to　the　majority　of　her　auditors。　There

was　a　rush；　and　she　was　dragged　from　the　base　of　one　of

Landseer's　lions　on　which　she　stood。　Her　skirt　was　half　rent　off

her　and　her　bodice　split　down　the　back。　Finally；　she　was　conveyed

away；　kicking；　biting；　and　scratching；　by　a　number　of　police。　It

was　a　disgusting　sight；　and　tumult　ensued。



〃Let　us　go；〃　said　Oro。　〃Your　officers　of　order　are　good；　the

rest　is　not　good。〃



Later　we　found　ourselves　opposite　to　the　doors　of　a　famous

restaurant　where　a　magnificent　and　gigantic　commissionaire　helped

ladies　from　motor…cars；　receiving　in　return　money　from　the　men

who　attended　on　them。　We　entered；　it　was　the　hour　of　dinner。　The

place　sparkled　with　gems；　and　the　naked　backs　of　the　women

gleamed　in　the　electric　light。　Course　followed　upon　course；

champagne　flowed；　a　fine　band　played；　everything　was　costly；

everything　was；　in　a　sense；　repellent。



〃These　are　the　wealthy　citizens　of　a　nation　engaged　in　fighting

for　its　life；〃　remarked　Oro　to　me；　stroking　his　long　beard。　〃It

is　interesting；　very　interesting。　Let　us　go。〃



We　went　out　and　on；　passing　a　public…house　crowded　with　women

who　had　left　their　babies　in　charge　of　children　in　the　icy

street。　It　was　a　day　of　Intercession　for　the　success　of　England

in　the　war。　This　was　placarded　everywhere。　We　entered；　or；

rather；　Oro　did；　I　following　him；　one　of　the　churches　in　the

Strand　where　an　evening　service　was　in　progress。　The　preacher　in

the　pulpit；　a　very　able　man；　was　holding　forth　upon　the　necessity

for　national　repentance　and　self…denial；　also　of　prayer。　In　the

body　of　the　church　exactly　thirty…two　people；　most　of　them

elderly　women；　were　listening　to　him　with　an　air　of　placid

acceptance。



〃The　priest　talks　well；　but　his　hearers　are　not　many；　said　Oro。

〃Let　us　go。〃



We　came　to　the　flaunting　doors　of　a　great　music…hall　and　passed

through　them；　though　to　others　this　would　have　been　impossible；

for　the　place　was　filled　from　floor　to　roof。　In　its　promenades

men　were　drinking　and　smoking；　while　gaudy　women；　painted　and

low…robed；　leered　at　them。　On　the　stage　girls　danced；　throwing

their　legs　above　their　heads。　Then　they　vanished　amidst　applause；

and　a　woman　in　a　yellow　robe；　who　pretended　to　be　tipsy；　sang　a

horrible　and　vulgar　song　full　of　topical　allusions；　which　was

received　with　screams　of　delight　by　the　enormous　audience。



〃Here　the　hearers　are　very　many；　but　those　to　whom　they　listen

do　not　talk　well。　Let　us　go；〃　said　Oro；　and　we　went。



At　a　recruiting　station　we　paused　a　moment　to　consider　posters

supposed　to　be　attractive；　the　very　sight　of　which　sent　a　thrill

of　shame　through　me。　I　remember　that　the　inscription　under　one　of

them　was：　〃What　will　your　best　girl　say？〃



〃Is　that　how　you　gather　your　soldiers？　Later　it　will　be

otherwise；〃　said　Oro；　and　passed　on。



We　reached　Blackfriars　and　entered　a　hall　at　the　doors　of　which

stood　women　in　poke…bonnets；　very　sweet…faced；　earnest…looking

women。　Their　countenances　seemed　to　strike　Oro；　and　he　motioned

me　to　follow　him　into　the　hall。　It　was　quite　full　of　a　miserable…

looking　congregation　of　perhaps　a　thousand　people。　A　man　in　the

blue　and　red　uniform　of　the　Salvation　Army　was　preaching　of　duty

to　God　and　country；　of　self…denial；　hope　and　forgiveness。　He

seemed　a　humble　person；　but　his　words　were　earnest；　and　love

flowed　from　him。　Some　of　his　miserable　congregation　wept；　others

stared　at　him　open…mouthed；　a　few；　who　were　very　weary；　slept。　He

called　them　up　to　receive　pardon；　and　a　number；　led　by　the　sweet…

faced　women；　came　and　knelt　before　him。　He　and　others　whispered

to　them；　then　seemed　to　bless　them；　and　they　rose　with　their

faces　changed。



〃Let　us　go；〃　said　Oro。　〃I　do　not　understand　these　rites；　but　at

last　in　your　great　and　wonderful　city　I　have　seen　something　that

is　pure　and　noble。〃



We　went　out。　In　the　streets　there　was　great　excitement。　People

ran　to　and　fro　pointing　upwards。　Searchlights；　like　huge　fingers

of　flame；　stole　across　the　sky；　guns　boomed。　At　last；　in　the

glare　of　a　searchlight；　we　saw　a　long　and　sinister　object

floating　high　above　us　and　gleaming　as　though　it　were　made　of

silver。　Flashes　came　from　it　followed　by　terrible　booming　reports

that　grew　nearer　and　nearer。　A　house　collapsed　with　a　crash　just

behind　us。



〃Ah！〃　said　Oro；　with　a　smile。　〃I　know　thisit　is　war；　war　as

it　was　when　the　world　was　different　and　yet　the　same。〃



As　he　spoke；　a　motor…bus　rumbled　past。　Another　flash　and

explosion。　A　man；　walking　with　his　arms　round　the　waist　of　a　girl

just　ahead　of　us；　seemed　to　be　tossed　up　and　to　melt。　The　girl

fell　in　a　heap　on　the　pavement；　somehow　her　head　and　her　feet　had

come　quite　close　together　and　yet　she　appeared　to　be　sitting

down。　The　motor…bus　burst　into　fragments　and　its　passengers

hurtled　thr