The Cone by H.G. Wells
Section [1 | 2]
the cone

by H .G .Wells

the night was hot and overcast, the sky red-rimmed with_the lingering sunset of midsummer . they sat at_the open window, trying to fancy the air was fresher there . the trees and shrubs of_the garden stood stiff and dark; beyond in_the roadway a gas- lamp burnt, bright orange against the hazy blue of_the evening . farther were the three lights of_the railway signal against the lowering sky . the man and woman spoke to one another in low tones .

" he_does_not suspect ? " said the man, a little nervously .

" not he," she said peevishly, as_though that too irritated her ." he thinks of nothing but the works and_the prices of fuel . he has no imagination, no poetry ."

" none of_these men of iron have," he_said sententiously ." they_have no hearts ."

"_He has_not," she said . she turned her discontented face towards the window . the distant sound of aroaring and rushing drew nearer and grew in volume; the house quivered; one heard the metallic rattle of_the tender . as_the train passed, there_was a glare of light above the cutting and adriving tumult of smoke; one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight black oblongs--eight trucks-- passed across the dim grey of_the embankment, and were suddenly extinguished one by one in_the throat of_the tunnel, which, with_the last, seemed to swallow down train, smoke, and sound in one abrupt gulp .

" this country was all fresh and beautiful once," he_said; " and now-- it_is Gehenna . down that way-- nothing but pot-banks and chimneys belching fire and dust into_the face of heaven .. . but what does it matter ? an end comes, an end to all this cruelty .. . to- morrow ." he spoke the last word in a whisper .

"_To- morrow," she said, speaking in a whisper too, and still staring out_of_the window .

" dear ! " he_said, putting his hand on hers .

she turned with a start, and their eyes searched one another's . hers softened to_his gaze ." my dear one ! " she said, and then: " it seems so strange-- that you_should_have come into my life like this-- to open--" she paused .

" to open ? " he_said .

" all this wonderful world"-- she hesitated, and spoke still more softly-- " this world of love to_me ."

then suddenly the door clicked and closed . they turned their heads, and he started violently back . in_the shadow of_the room stood a great shadowy figure- silent . they saw the face dimly in_the half- light, with unexpressive dark patches under the pent- house brows . every muscle in Raut's body suddenly became tense . when could the door have opened ? what had he heard ? had he heard all ? what had he seen ? a tumult of questions .

the new-comer's voice came at last, after a pause that seemed interminable ." well ? " he_said .

" i_was afraid I had missed you, Horrocks," said the man at_the window, gripping the window- ledge with_his hand . his voice was unsteady .

the clumsy figure of Horrocks came forward out_of_the shadow . he_made no answer to Raut's remark . for a moment he stood above them .

the woman's heart was cold within her ." i_told Mr Raut it_was just possible you_might come back," she said in a voice that never quivered .

Horrocks, still silent, sat down abruptly in_the chair by her little work- table . his big hands were clenched; one saw now the fire of_his eyes under the shadow of_his brows . he_was trying to_get his breath . his eyes went from_the woman he had trusted to_the friend he had trusted, and then back to_the woman .

by_this_time and for_the moment all three half understood one another . yet none dared say a word to ease the pent- up things that choked them .

it was_the husband's voice that broke the silence at last .

" you_wanted to_see me ? " he_said to Raut .

Raut started as he spoke ." I_came to_see you," he_said, resolved to lie to_the last .

" yes," said Horrocks .

" you promised," said Raut, " to show me some fine effects of moonlight and smoke ."

"I promised to show you some fine effects of moonlight and smoke," repeated Horrocks in acolourless voice .

" and i_thought I_might catch you to- night before_you went down to_the works," proceeded Raut, " and come with_you ."

there_was another pause . did the man mean to take_the thing coolly ? did he, after all, know ? how long had he been in_the room ? yet even at_the moment when_they heard the door, their attitudes .. .Horrocks glanced at_the profile of_the woman, shadowy pallid in_the half- light . then he glanced at Raut, and seemed to recover himself suddenly ." of_course," he_said, "I promised to show you the works under their proper dramatic conditions . it's odd how I_could_have forgotten ."

" if I_am troubling you--" began Raut .

Horrocks started again .a new light had suddenly come into_the sultry gloom of_his eyes ." not in_the least ." he_said .

" have_you been telling Mr Raut of all these contrasts of flame and shadow you_think so splendid ? " said the woman, turning now to her husband for_the first time, her confidence creeping back again, her voice just one half- note too high--" that dreadful theory of yours that machinery is beautiful, and everything else in_the_world ugly . i_thought he_would_not spare you, Mr Raut . it's his great theory, his one discovery in art ."

" I_am slow to_make discoveries," said Horrocks grimly, damping her suddenly ." but what I discover .. ." he stopped .

" well ? " she said .

" nothing;" and suddenly he rose to_his feet .

"I promised to show you the works," he_said to Raut, and put his big, clumsy hand on_his friend's shoulder ." and you_are ready to_go ? "

" quite," said Raut, and stood up also .

there_was another pause . each of_them peered through_the indistinctness of_the dusk at_the other two .

Horrocks' hand still rested on Raut's shoulder .Raut half fancied still that_the incident was trivial after all . but Mrs Horrocks knew her husband better, knew that grim quiet in_his voice, and_the confusion in her mind took a vague shape of physical evil ." very_well," said Horrocks, and, dropping his hand, turned towards the door .

" my hat ? " Raut looked round in_the half- light .

" that's my work- basket," said Mrs Horrocks with a gust of hysterical laughter . their hands came together on_the back of_the chair ." here it_is ! " he_said . she had an impulse to warn him in an undertone, but she_could_not frame a word ."Don't go ! " and " beware of him ! " struggled in her mind, and_the swift moment passed .

" got it ? " said Horrocks, standing with_the door half open .

Raut stepped towards him ." better say goodbye to Mrs Horrocks," said the ironmaster, even more grimly quiet in_his tone than before .

Raut started and turned ." good- evening, Mrs Horrocks," he_said, and their hands touched .

Horrocks held the door open with a ceremonial politeness unusual in him towards men .Raut went out, and then, after a wordless look at her, her husband followed . she stood motionless while Raut's light footfall and her husband's heavy tread, like bass and treble, passed down the passage together . the front door slammed heavily . she went to_the window, moving slowly, and stood watching, leaning forward . the two men appeared for a moment at_the gateway in_the road, passed under the street lamp, and were hidden by_the black masses of_the shrubbery . the lamplight fell for a moment on their faces, showing only unmeaning pale patches, telling nothing of what she still feared, and doubted, and craved vainly to_know . then she sank down into acrouching attitude in_the big arm- chair, her eyes- wide open and staring out at_the red lights from_the furnaces that flickered in_the sky . an hour after she was still there, her attitude scarcely changed .

the oppressive stillness of_the evening weighed heavily upon Raut . they went side by side down the road in silence, and in silence turned into_the cinder- made byway that presently opened out the prospect of_the valley .

a blue haze, half dust, half mist, touched the long valley with mystery . beyond were Hanley and Etruria, grey and dark masses, outlined thinly by_the rare golden dots of_the street lamps, and here and there a gas-lit window, or the yellow glare of some late-working factory or crowded public- house . out_of_the masses, clear and slender against the evening sky, rose a multitude of tall chimneys, many_of_them reeking, a few smokeless during a season of " play ." here and there a pallid patch and ghostly stunted beehive shapes showed the position of a pot- bank or a wheel, black and sharp against the hot lower sky, marked some colliery where they raise the iridescent coal of_the place . nearer at hand was_the broad stretch of railway, and half- invisible trains shunted--a steady puffing and rumbling, with every run aringing concussion and arhymthic series of impacts, and a passage of intermittent puffs of white steam across the further view . and to_the left, between_the railway and_the dark mass of_the low hill beyond, dominating the whole view, colossal, inky- black, and crowned with smoke and fitful flames, stood the great cylinders of_the Jeddah company blast Furnaces, the central edifices of_the big ironworks of_which Horrocks was_the manager . they stood heavy and threatening, full of an incessant turmoil of flames and seething molten iron, and about_the feet of_them rattled the rolling-mills, and_the steam- hammer beat heavily and splashed the white iron Sparks hither and thither . even as_they looked, atruckful of fuel was shot into one_of_the giants, and_the red flames gleamed out, and a confusion of smoke and black dust came boiling upwards towards the sky .

" certainly you get some colour with your furnaces," said Raut, breaking a silence that had become apprehensive .

Horrocks grunted . he stood with_his hands in_his pockets, frowning down at_the dim steaming railway and_the busy ironworks beyond, frowning as_if he were thinking out some knotty problem .

Raut glanced at him and away again ." at present your moonlight effect is hardly ripe," he continued, looking upward; " the moon is still smothered by_the vestiges of daylight ."

Horrocks stared at him with_the expression of a man who has suddenly awakened ."Vestiges of daylight ? .. . of_course, of_course ." he too looked up at_the moon, pale still in_the midsummer sky ." come along," he_said suddenly, and gripping Raut's arm in_his hand, made a move towards the path that dropped from_them to_the railway .

Raut hung back . their eyes met and saw a thousand things in a moment that their lips came near to_say .Horrocks's hand tightened and then relaxed . he let go, and before Raut was aware of it, they were arm in arm, and walking, one unwillingly enough, down the path .

" you_see the fine effect of_the railway signals towards Burslem," said Horrocks, suddenly breaking into loquacity, striding fast and tightening the grip of_his elbow the while--" little green lights and red and white lights, all against the haze . you_have an eye for effect, Raut . it's fine . and look at those furnaces of_mine, how they rise upon us as_we come down the hill . that to_the right is my pet--seventy feet of him .I packed him myself, and he's boiled away cheerfully with iron in_his guts for five long years .I've a particular fancy for him . that line of red there--a lovely bit of warm orange you'd call it, Raut-- that's the puddlers' furnaces, and there, in_the hot light, three black figures-- did you_see the white splash of_the steam- hammer then ? -- that's the rolling mills . come along ! clang, clatter, how it goes rattling across the floor ! sheet tin, Raut,--amazing stuff . glass mirrors are_not in_it when_that stuff comes from_the mill . and, squelch ! there goes the hammer again . come along ! "

he had to stop talking to catch at his breath . his arm twisted into Raut's with benumbing tightness . he had come striding down the black path towards the railway as_though he_was possessed .Raut had_not spoken a word, had simply hung back against Horrocks's pull with all his strength .

" I_say," he_said now, laughing nervously, but with an undertone of snarl in_his voice, " why on earth are_you nipping my arm off, Horrocks, and dragging me along like this ? "

at_length Horrocks released him . his manner changed again ."Nipping your arm off ? " he_said ." sorry . but it's you taught me the trick of walking in_that friendly way ."

" you haven't learnt the refinements of it yet then," said Raut, laughing artificially again ." by Jove ! I'm black and blue ." Horrocks offered no apology . they stood now near the bottom of_the hill, close to_the fence that bordered the railway . the ironworks had grown larger and spread out with their approach . they looked up_to_the blast furnaces now instead of down; the further view of Etruria and Hanley had dropped out of sight with their descent . before them, by_the stile, rose a notice- board, bearing, still dimly visible, the words, " beware of_the TRAINS," half hidden by splashes of coaly mud .

" fine effects," said Horrocks, waving his arm ." here comes a train . the puffs of smoke, the orange glare, the round eye of light in front of it, the melodious rattle . fine effects ! but these furnaces of_mine used to_be finer, before we shoved cones in their throats, and saved the gas ."

" how ? " said Raut ."Cones ? "

"Cones, my

Section [1 | 2]