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top is shut by a cone。 You'll be interested in that cone。〃
〃But every now and then；〃 said Raut； 〃you get a burst of fire
and smoke up there。〃
〃The cone's not fixed； it's hung by a chain from a lever； and
balanced by an equipoise。 You shall see it nearer。 Else； of
course； there'd be no way of getting fuel into the thing。 Every
now and then the cone dips； and out comes the flare。〃
〃I see；〃 said Raut。 He looked over his shoulder。 〃The moon
gets brighter；〃 he said。
〃Come along；〃 said Horrocks abruptly； gripping his shoulder
again； and moving him suddenly towards the railway crossing。 And
then came one of those swift incidents； vivid； but so rapid that
they leave one doubtful and reeling。 Halfway across； Horrocks'
hand suddenly clenched upon him like a vice； and swung him backward
and through a half…turn； so that he looked up the line。 And there
a chain of lamp…lit carriage…windows telescoped swiftly as it came
towards them； and the red and yellow lights of an engine grew
larger and larger； rushing down upon them。 As he grasped what this
meant； he turned his face to Horrocks； and pushed with all
his strength against the arm that held him back between the rails。
The struggle did not last a moment。 Just as certain as it was that
Horrocks held him there； so certain was it that he had been
violently lugged out of danger。
〃Out of the way；〃 said Horrocks； with a gasp； as the train
came rattling by； and they stood panting by the gate into the
ironworks。
〃I did not see it coming；〃 said Raut； still； even in spite of
his own apprehensions； trying to keep up an appearance of ordinary
intercourse。
Horrocks answered with a grunt。 〃The cone；〃 he said； and
then； as one who recovers himself； 〃I thought you did not hear。〃
〃I didn't；〃 said Raut。
〃I wouldn't have had you run over then for the world；〃 said
Horrocks。
〃For a moment I lost my nerve；〃 said Raut。
Horrocks stood for half a minute； then turned abruptly towards
the ironworks again。 〃See how fine these great mounds of mine；
these clinker…heaps； look in the night！ That truck yonder； up
above there！ Up it goes； and out…tilts the slag。 See the
palpitating red stuff go sliding down the slope。 As we get nearer；
the heap rises up and cuts the blast furnaces。 See the quiver up
above the big one。 Not that way！ This way； between the heaps。
That goes to the puddling furnaces； but I want to show you the
canal first。〃 He came and took Raut by the elbow； and so they went
along side by side。 Raut answered Horrocks vaguely。 What； he
asked himself； had really happened on the line？ Was he deluding
himself with his own fancies； or had Horrocks actually held him
back in the way of the train？ Had he just been within an ace of
being murdered？
Suppose this slouching； scowling monster DID know
anything？ For a minute or two then Raut was really afraid for his
life； but the mood passed as he reasoned with himself。 After all；
Horrocks might have heard nothing。 At any rate； he had pulled him
out of the way in time。 His odd manner might be due to the mere
vague jealousy he had shown once before。 He was talking now of the
ash…heaps and the canal。 〃Eigh？〃 said Horrocks。
〃What？〃 said Raut。 〃Rather！ The haze in the moonlight。
Fine！〃
〃Our canal；〃 said Horrocks； stopping suddenly。 〃Our canal by
moonlight and firelight is an immense effect。 You've never seen
it？ Fancy that！ You've spent too many of your evenings
philandering up in Newcastle there。 I tell you； for real florid
effectsBut you shall see。 Boiling water 。 。 。 〃
As they came out of the labyrinth of clinker…heaps and mounds
of coal and ore； the noises of the rolling…mill sprang upon them
suddenly； loud； near； and distinct。 Three shadowy workmen went by
and touched their caps to Horrocks。 Their faces were vague in the
darkness。 Raut felt a futile impulse to address them； and before
he could frame his words； they passed into the shadows。 Horrocks
pointed to the canal close before them now： a weird…looking place
it seemed； in the blood…red reflections of the furnaces。 The hot
water that cooled the tuyeres came into it； some fifty yards up
a tumultuous； almost boiling affluent； and the steam rose up from
the water in silent white wisps and streaks； wrapping damply about
them； an incessant succession of ghosts coming up from the black
and red eddies； a white uprising that made the head swim。 The
shining black tower of the larger blast…furnace rose overhead out
of the mist； and its tumultuous riot filled their ears。 Raut kept
away from the edge of the water； and watched Horrocks。
〃Here it is red；〃 said Horrocks； 〃blood…red vapour as red and
hot as sin； but yonder there； where the moonlight falls on it； and
it drives across the clinker…heaps； it is as white as death。〃
Raut turned his head for a moment； and then came back hastily
to his watch on Horrocks。 〃Come along to the rolling…mills；〃 said
Horrocks。 The threatening hold was not so evident that time； and
Raut felt a little reassured。 But all the same； what on earth did
Horrocks mean about 〃white as death〃 and 〃red as sin？〃
Coincidence； perhaps？
They went and stood behind the puddlers for a little while；
and then through the rolling…mills； where amidst an incessant din
the deliberate steam…hammer beat the juice out of the succulent
iron； and black； half…naked Titans rushed the plastic bars； like
hot sealing…wax； between the wheels。 〃Come on；〃 said Horrocks in
Raut's ear； and they went and peeped through the little glass hole
behind the tuyeres； and saw the tumbled fire writhing in the pit of
the blast…furnace。 It left one eye blinded for a while。 Then；
with green and blue patches dancing across the dark； they went to
the lift by which the trucks of ore and fuel and lime were raised
to the top of the big cylinder。
And out upon the narrow rail that overhung the furnace； Raut's
doubts came upon him again。 Was it wise to be here？ If Horrocks
did knoweverything！ Do what he would； he could not resist a
violent trembling。 Right under foot was a sheer depth of seventy
feet。 It was a dangerous place。 They pushed by a truck of fuel to
get to the railing that crowned the place。 The reek of the
furnace； a sulphurous vapor streaked with pungent bitterness；
seemed to make the distant hillside of Hanley quiver。 The moon was
riding out now from among a drift of clouds； halfway up the sky
above the undulating wooded outlines of Newcastle。 The steaming
canal ran away from below them under an indistinct bridge； and
vanished into the dim haze of the flat fields towards Burslem。
〃That's the cone I've been telling you of；〃 shouted Horrocks；
〃and； below that； sixty feet of fire and molten metal； with the air
of the blast frothing through it like gas in soda…water。〃
Raut gripped the hand…rail tightly； and stared down at the
cone。 The heat was intense。 The boilin