the cone-第3章

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For　a　moment　the　two　men　stood　swaying。　　Then　suddenly；　with　a

violent　jerk；　Horrocks　had　twisted　him　from　his　hold。　　He　clutched

at　Horrocks　and　missed；　his　foot　went　back　into　empty　air；　in

mid…air　he　twisted　himself；　and　then　cheek　and　shoulder　and　knee

struck　the　hot　cone　together。



He　clutched　the　chain　by　which　the　cone　hung；　and　the　thing

sank　an　infinitesimal　amount　as　he　struck　it。　　A　circle　of　glowing

red　appeared　about　him；　and　a　tongue　of　flame；　released　from　the

chaos　within；　flickered　up　towards　him。　　An　intense　pain　assailed

him　at　the　knees；　and　he　could　smell　the　singeing　of　his　hands。　　He

raised　himself　to　his　feet；　and　tried　to　climb　up　the　chain；　and

then　something　struck　his　head。　　Black　and　shining　with　the

moonlight；　the　throat　of　the　furnace　rose　about　him。



Horrocks；　he　saw；　stood　above　him　by　one　of　the　trucks　of　fuel

on　the　rail。　　The　gesticulating　figure　was　bright　and　white　in　the

moonlight；　and　shouting；　〃Fizzle；　you　fool！　　Fizzle；　you　hunter　of

women！　　You　hot…blooded　hound！　　Boil！　boil！　boil！〃



Suddenly　he　caught　up　a　handful　of　coal　out　of　the　truck；　and

flung　it　deliberately；　lump　after　lump；　at　Raut。



〃Horrocks！〃　cried　Raut。　　〃Horrocks！〃



He　clung　crying　to　the　chain；　pulling　himself　up　from　the

burning　of　the　cone。　　Each　missile　Horrocks　flung　hit　him。　　His

clothes　charred　and　glowed；　and　as　he　struggled　the　cone　dropped；

and　a　rush　of　hot　suffocating　gas　whooped　out　and　burned　round　him

in　a　swift　breath　of　flame。



His　human　likeness　departed　from　him。　　When　the　momentary　red

had　passed；　Horrocks　saw　a　charred；　blackened　figure；　its　head

streaked　with　blood；　still　clutching　and　fumbling　with　the　chain；

and　writhing　in　agonya　cindery　animal；　an　inhuman；　monstrous

creature　that　began　a　sobbing　intermittent　shriek。



Abruptly；　at　the　sight；　the　ironmaster's　anger　passed。　　A

deadly　sickness　came　upon　him。　　The　heavy　odour　of　burning　flesh

came　drifting　up　to　his　nostrils。　　His　sanity　returned　to　him。



〃God　have　mercy　upon　me！〃　he　cried。　　〃O　God！　what　have　I

done？〃



He　knew　the　thing　below　him；　save　that　it　still　moved　and

felt；　was　already　a　dead　manthat　the　blood　of　the　poor　wretch

must　be　boiling　in　his　veins。　　An　intense　realisation　of　that　agony

came　to　his　mind；　and　overcame　every　other　feeling。　　For　a　moment

he　stood　irresolute；　and　then；　turning　to　the　truck；　he　hastily

tilted　its　contents　upon　the　struggling　thing　that　had　once　been　a

man。　　The　mass　fell　with　a　thud；　and　went　radiating　over　the　cone。　

With　the　thud　the　shriek　ended；　and　a　boiling　confusion　of　smoke；

dust；　and　flame　came　rushing　up　towards　him。　　As　it　passed；　he　saw

the　cone　clear　again。



Then　he　staggered　back；　and　stood　trembling；　clinging　to　the

rail　with　both　hands。　　His　lips　moved；　but　no　words　came　to　them。



Down　below　was　the　sound　of　voices　and　running　steps。　　The

clangour　of　rolling　in　the　shed　ceased　abruptly。