when the world shook-第16章

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representation　of　a　ring　whereof；　unfortunately；　the　bezel　had

been　destroyed。



I　put　the　hand　in　my　pocket；　but　as　darkness　was　coming　on；　I

could　not　pursue　the　research　and　disinter　the　block。　When　I

wished　to　return　the　next　day；　I　was　informed　politely　by　Marama

that　it　would　not　be　safe　for　me　to　do　so　as　the　priests　of　Oro

declared　that　if　I　sought　to　meddle　with　the　〃buried　things　the

god　would　grow　angry　and　bring　disaster　on　me。〃



When　I　persisted　he　said　that　at　least　I　must　go　alone　since　no

native　would　accompany　me；　and　added　earnestly　that　he　prayed　me

not　to　go。　So　to　my　great　regret　and　disappointment　I　was　obliged

to　give　up　the　idea。







Chapter　VIII



Bastin　Attempts　the　Martyr's　Crown





That　carved　stone　and　the　marble　hand　took　a　great　hold　of　my

imagination。　What　did　they　mean？　How　could　they　have　come　to　the

bottom　of　that　hole；　unless　indeed　they　were　part　of　some

building　and　its　ornaments　which　had　been　destroyed　in　the

neighbourhood？　The　stone　of　which　we　had　only　uncovered　a　corner

seemed　far　too　big　to　have　been　carried　there　from　any　ship；　it

must　have　weighed　several　tons。　Besides；　ships　do　not　carry　such

things　about　the　world；　and　none　had　visited　this　island　during

the　last　two　centuries　at　any　rate；　or　local　tradition　would　have

recorded　so　wonderful　a　fact。　Were　there；　then；　once　edifices

covered　with　elegant　carving　standing　on　this　place；　and　were

they　adorned　with　lovely　statues　that　would　not　have　disgraced

the　best　period　of　Greek　art？　The　thing　was　incredible　except　on

the　supposition　that　these　were　relics　of　an　utterly　lost

civilisation。



Bickley　was　as　much　puzzled　as　myself。　All　he　could　say　was

that　the　world　was　infinitely　old　and　many　things　might　have

happened　in　it　whereof　we　had　no　record。　Even　Bastin　was　excited

for　a　little　while；　but　as　his　imagination　was　represented　by

zero；　all　he　could　say　was：



〃I　suppose　someone　left　them　there；　and　anyhow　it　doesn't

matter　much；　does　it？〃



But　I；　who　have　certain　leanings　towards　the　ancient　and

mysterious；　could　not　be　put　off　in　this　fashion。　I　remembered

that　unapproachable　mountain　in　the　midst　of　the　lake　and　that　on

it　appeared　to　be　something　which　looked　like　ruins　as　seen　from

the　top　of　the　cliff　through　glasses。　At　any　rate　this　was　a

point；　that　I　might　clear　up。



Saying　nothing　to　anybody；　one　morning　I　slipped　away　and

walked　to　the　edge　of　the　lake；　a　distance　of　five　or　six　miles

over　rough　country。　Having　arrived　there　I　perceived　that　the

cone…shaped　mountain　in　the　centre；　which　was　about　a　mile　from

the　lake　shore；　was　much　larger　than　I　had　thought；　quite　three

hundred　feet　high　indeed；　and　with　a　very　large　circumference。

Further；　its　sides　evidently　once　had　been　terraced；　and　it　was

on　one　of　these　broad　terraces；　half…way　up　and　facing　towards

the　rising　sun；　that　the　ruin…like　remains　were　heaped。　I

examined　them　through　my　glasses。　Undoubtedly　it　was　a　cyclopean

ruin　built　of　great　blocks　of　coloured　stone　which　seemed　to　have

been　shattered　by　earthquake　or　explosion。　There　were　the　pillars

of　a　mighty　gateway　and　the　remains　of　walls。



I　trembled　with　excitement　as　I　stared　and　stared。　Could　I　not

get　to　the　place　and　see　for　myself？　I　observed　that　from　the

flat　bush…clad　land　at　the　foot　of　the　mountain；　ran　out　what

seemed　to　be　the　residue　of　a　stone　pier　which　ended　in　a　large

table…topped　rock　between　two　and　three　hundred　feet　across。　But

even　this　was　too　far　to　reach　by　swimming；　besides　for　aught　I

knew　there　might　be　alligators　in　that　lake。　I　walked　up　and　down

its　borders；　till　presently　I　came　to　a　path　which　led　into　a

patch　of　some　variety　of　cotton　palm。



Following　this　path　I　discovered　a　boat…house　thatched　over

with　palm　leaves。　Inside　it　were　two　good　canoes　with　their

paddles；　floating　and　tied　to　the　stumps　of　trees　by　fibre　ropes。

Instantly　I　made　up　my　mind　that　I　would　paddle　to　the　island　and

investigate。　Just　as　I　was　about　to　step　into　one　of　the　canoes

the　light　was　cut　off。　Looking　up　I　saw　that　a　man　was　crouching

in　the　door…place　of　the　boat…house　in　order　to　enter；　and　paused

guiltily。



〃Friend…from…the…Sea〃　（that　was　the　name　that　these　islanders

had　given　to　me）；　said　the　voice　of　Marama；　〃saywhat　are　you

doing　here？〃



〃I　am　about　to　take　a　row　on　the　lake；　Chief；〃　I　answered

carelessly。



〃Indeed；　Friend。　Have　we　then　treated　you　so　badly　that　you　are

tired　of　life？〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　I　asked。



〃Come　out　into　the　sunlight；　Friend；　and　I　will　explain　to

you。〃



I　hesitated　till　I　saw　Marama　lifting　the　heavy　wooden　spear　he

carried　and　remembered　that　I　was　unarmed。　Then　I　came　out。



〃What　does　all　this　mean；　Chief？〃　I　asked　angrily　when　we　were

clear　of　the　patch　of　cotton　palm。



〃I　mean；　Friend；　that　you　have　been　very　near　to　making　a

longer　journey　than　you　thought。　Have　patience　now　and　listen　to

me。　I　saw　you　leaving　the　village　this　morning　and　followed；

suspecting　your　purpose。　Yes；　I　followed　alone；　saying　nothing　to

the　priests　of　Oro　who　fortunately　were　away　watching　the

Bellower　for　their　own　reasons。　I　saw　you　searching　out　the

secrets　of　the　mountain　with　those　magic　tubes　that　make　things

big　that　are　small；　and　things　that　are　far　off　come　near；　and　I

followed　you　to　the　canoes。〃



〃All　that　is　plain　enough；　Marama。　But　why？〃



〃Have　I　not　told　you；　Friend…from…the…Sea；　that　yonder　hill

which　is　called　Orofena；　whence　this　island　takes　its　name；　is

sacred？〃



〃You　said　so；　but　what　of　it？〃



〃This：　to　set　foot　thereon　is　to　die　and；　I　suppose；　great　as

you　are；　you；　too；　can　die　like　others。　At　least；　although　I　love

you；　had　you　not　come　away　from　that　canoe　I　was　about　to

discover　whether　this　is　so。〃



〃Then　for　what　are　the　canoes　used？〃　I　asked　with　irritation。



〃You　see　that　flat　rock；　Friend；　with　the　hole　beyond；　which　is

the　mouth　of　a　cave　that　appeared　only　in　the　great　storm　that

brought　you　to　our　land？　They　are　used　to　convey　offerings　which

are　laid　upon　the　rock。　Beyond　it　no　man　may　go；　and　since　the

beginning　no　man　has　ever　gone。〃



〃Offerings　to　whom？〃



〃To　the　Oromatuas；　the　spirits　of　the　great　dead　who　live

there。〃



〃Oromatuas？　Oro！　It　is　always　something　to　do　with　Oro。　Who　and

what　is　Oro？〃



〃Oro　is　a　god；　Friend；　though　it　is　true　that　the　priests　say

that　above　him　there　is　a　greater　god　called　Degai；　the　Creator；

the　Fate　who　made　all　things　and　directs　all　things。〃



〃Very　well；　but　why　do　you　suppose　that　Oro；　the　servant　of

Degai；　lives　in　that　mountain？　I　thought　that　he　lived　in　a　grove

yonder　where　your　priests；　as　I　am　told；　have　an　image　of　him。〃



〃I　do　not　know；　Friend…from…the…Sea；　but　so　it　has　been　held

from　the　beginning。　The　image　in　the　grove　is　only　visited　by　his

spirit　from　time　to　time。　Now；　I　pray　you；　come　back　and　before

the　priests　discover　that　you　have　been　here；　and　forget　that

there　are　any　canoes　upon　this　lake。〃



So；　thinking　it　wisest；　I　turned　the　matter　with　a　laugh　and

walked　away　with　him　to　the　village。　On　our　road　I　tried　to

extract　some　more　information　but　without　success。　He　did　not

know　who　built　the　ruin　upon　the　mountain；　or　who　destroyed　it。

He　did　not　know　how　the　terraces　came　there。　All　he　knew　was　that

during　the　convulsion　of　Nature　which　resulted　in　the　tidal　wave

that　had　thrown　our　ship　upon　the　island；　the　mountain　had　been

seen　to　quiver　like　a　tree　in　the　wind　as　though　within　it　great

forces　were　at　work。　Then　it　was　observed　to　have　risen　a　good

many　more　feet　above　the　surface　of　the　lake；　as　might　be　noted

by　the　water　mark　upon　the　shore；　and　then　also　the　mouth　of　the

cave　had　appeared。　The　priests　said　that　all　this　was　because　the

Oromatuas　who　dwelt　there　were　stirring；　which　portended　great

things。　Indeed　great　things　had　happenedfor　had　we　not　arrived

in　their　land？



I　thanked　him　for　what　he　had　told　me；　and；　as　there　was

nothing　more　to　be　learned；　dropped　the　subject　which　was　never

mentioned　between　us　again；　at　least　not　for　a　long　while。　But　in

my　heart　I　determined　that　I　would　reach　that　mountain　even

though　to　do　so　I　must　risk　my　life。　Something　seemed　to　call　me

to　the　place；　it　was　as　though　I　were　being　drawn　by　a　magnet。



As　it　happened；　before　so　very　long　I　did　go　to　the　mountain；

not　of　my　own　will　but　because　I　was　obliged。　It　came　about　thus。

One　night　I　asked　Bastin　how　he　was　getting　on　with　his

missionary　work。　He　replied：　Very　well　indeed；　but　there　was　one

great　obstacle　in　his　path；　the　idol　in　the　Grove。　Were　it　not

for　this　accursed　image　he　believed　that　the　whole　island　would

become　Christian。　I　asked　him　to　be　more　plain。　He　explained　that

all　his　work　was　thwarted　by　this　idol；　since　his　converts

declared　that　they　did　not　dare　to　be　baptised　while　it　sat　there

in　the　Grove。　If　they　did；　the　spirit　that　was　in　it　would

bewitch　them　and　perhaps　steal　out　at　night　and　murder　them。



〃The　spirit　being　our　friends　the　sorcerers；〃　I　suggested。



〃That's　it；　Arbuthnot。　Do　you　know；　I　believe　those　devilish

men　sometimes　offer　human　sacrifices　to　this　satanic　fetish；　when

there　is　a　drought　or　anything　of　that　sort。〃



〃I　can　quite　believe　it；〃　I　answered；　〃but　as　they　will

scarcely　remove　their　god　and　with　it　their　own　livelihood　and

authority；　I　am　afraid　that　as　we　don't　want　to　be　sacrificed；

there　is　nothing　to　be　done。〃



At　this　moment　I　was　called　away。　As　I　went　I　heard　Bastin

muttering　something　about　martyrs；　but　paid　no　attention。　Little

did　I　guess　what　was　going　on　in　his　pious　but　obstinate　mind。　In

effect　it　was　thisthat　if　no　one　else　would　remove　that　idol　he

was　quite　ready　to　do　it　himself。



However；　he　was　very　cunning　over　that　business；　almost

Jesuitical　indeed。　Not　one　word　did　he　breathe　of　his　dark　plans

to　me；　and　still　less　to　Bickley。　He　just　went　on　with　his

teaching；　lamenting　from　time　to　time　the　stumbling…block　of　the

idol　and　expressing　wonder　as　to　how　it　might　be　circumvented　by

a　change　in　the　hearts　of　the　islanders；　or　otherwise。　Sad　as　it

is　to　record；　in　fact；　dear　old　Bastin　went　as　near　to　telling　a

fib　in　connection　with　this　matter　as　I　suppose　he　had　ever　done

in　his　life。　It　happened　thus。　One　day　Bickley's　sharp　eye　caught

sight　of　Bastin　walking　about　with　what　looked　like　a　bottle　of

whisky　in　his　pocket。



〃Hallo；　old　fellow；〃　he　said；　〃has　the　self…denying　ordinance

broken　down？　I　didn't　know　that　you　took　pegs　on　the　sly；〃　and　he

pointed　to　the　bottle。



〃If　you　are　insinuating；　Bickley；　that　I　absorb　spirits

surreptitiously；　you　are　more　mistaken　than　usual；　which　is

saying　a　good　deal。　This　bottle　contains；　not　Scotch　whisky　but

paraffin；　although　I　admit　that　its　label　may　have　misled　you；

unintentionally；　so　far　as　I　am　con