when the world shook-第31章

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contrary　to　experience；　also　that　Tommy　in　a　general　way　was

rather　a　greedy　little　dog。



〃You；　too；　like　to　eat；　Bickley〃　（this　was　true；　he　had　an

excellent　appetite）；　〃but　when　you　have　drunk　the　Life…water　you

will　care　much　less。〃



〃I　am　glad　to　hear　it；〃　interrupted　Bastin；　〃for　Bickley　wants

a　lot　of　cooking　done；　and　I　find　it　tedious。〃



〃You　eat　also；　Lady；〃　said　Bickley。



〃Yes；　I　eat　sometimes　because　I　like　it；　but　I　can　go　weeks　and

not　eat；　when　I　have　the　Life…water。　Just　now；　after　so　long　a

sleep；　I　am　hungry。　Please　give　me　some　of　that　fruit。　No；　not

the　flesh；　flesh　I　hate。〃



We　handed　it　to　her。　She　took　two　plantains；　peeled　and　ate

them　with　extraordinary　grace。　Indeed　she　reminded　me；　I　do　not

know　why；　of　some　lovely　butterfly　drawing　its　food　from　a

flower。



While　she　ate　she　observed　us　closely；　nothing　seemed　to　escape

the　quick　glances　of　those　beautiful　eyes。　Presently　she　said：



〃What；　O　Humphrey；　is　that　with　which　you　fasten　your

neckdress？〃　and　she　pointed　to　the　little　gold　statue　of　Osiris

that　I　used　as　a　pin。



I　told　her　that　it　was　a　statuette　of　a　god　named　Osiris　and

very；　very　ancient；　probably　quite　five　thousand　years　old；　a

statement　at　which　she　smiled　a　little；　also　that　it　came　from

Egypt。



〃Ah！〃　she　answered；　〃is　it　so？　I　asked　because　we　have　figures

that　are　very　like　to　that　one；　and　they　also　hold　in　their　hands

a　staff　surmounted　by　a　loop。　They　are　figures　of　Sleep's

brotherDeath。〃



〃So　is　this；〃　I　said。　〃Among　the　Egyptians　Osiris　was　the　god

of　Death。〃



She　nodded　and　replied　that　doubtless　the　symbol　had　come　down

to　them。



〃One　day　you　shall　take　me　to　see　this　land　which　you　call　so

very　old。　Or　I　will　take　you；　which　would　be　quicker；〃　she　added。



We　all　bowed　and　said　we　should　be　delighted。　Even　Bastin

appeared　anxious　to　revisit　Egypt　in　such　company；　though　when　he

was　there　it　seemed　to　bore　him。　But　what　she　meant　about　taking

us　I　could　not　guess。　Nor　had　we　time　to　ask　her；　for　she　went

on；　watching　our　faces　as　she　spoke。



〃The　Lord　Oro　sends　you　a　message；　Strangers。　He　asks　whether

it　is　your　wish　to　see　where　we　dwell。　He　adds　that　you　are　not

to　come　if　you　do　not　desire；　or　if　you　fear　danger。〃



We　all　answered　that　there　was　nothing　we　should　like　better；

but　Bastin　added　that　he　had　already　seen　the　tomb。



〃Do　you　think；　Bastin；　that　we　live　in　a　tomb　because　we　slept

there　for　a　while；　awaiting　the　advent　of　you　wanderers　at　the

appointed　hour？〃



〃I　don't　see　where　else　it　could　be；　unless　it　is　further　down

that　cave；〃　said　Bastin。　〃The　top　of　the　mountain　would　not　be

convenient　as　a　residence。〃



〃It　has　not　been　convenient　for　many　an　age；　for　reasons　that　I

will　show　you。　Think　now；　before　you　come。　You　have　naught　to

fear　from　us；　and　I　believe　that　no　harm　will　happen　to　you。　But

you　will　see　many　strange　things　that　will　anger　Bickley　because

he　cannot　understand　them；　and　perhaps　will　weary　Bastin　because

his　heart　turns　from　what　is　wondrous　and　ancient。　Only　Humphrey

will　rejoice　in　them　because　the　doors　of　his　soul　are　open　and

he　longswhat　do　you　long　for；　Humphrey？〃



〃That　which　I　have　lost　and　fear　I　shall　never　find　again；〃　I

answered　boldly。



〃I　know　that　you　have　lost　many　thingslast　night；　for

instance；　you　lost　Tommy；　and　when　he　slept　with　me　he　told　me

much　about　you　andothers。〃



〃This　is　ridiculous；〃　broke　in　Bastin。　〃Can　a　dog　talk？〃



〃Everything　can　talk；　if　you　understand　its　language；　Bastin。

But　keep　a　good　heart；　Humphrey；　for　the　bold　seeker　finds　in　the

end。　Oh！　foolish　man；　do　you　not　understand　that　all　is　yours　if

you　have　but　the　soul　to　conceive　and　the　will　to　grasp？　All；

all；　below；　between；　above！　Even　I　know　that；　I　who　have　so　much

to　learn。〃



So　she　spoke　and　became　suddenly　magnificent。　Her　face　which

had　been　but　that　of　a　super…lovely　woman；　took　on　grandeur。　Her

bosom　swelled；　her　presence　radiated　some　subtle　power；　much　as

her　hair　radiated　light。



In　a　moment　it　was　gone　and　she　was　smiling　and　jesting。



〃Will　you　come；　Strangers；　where　Tommy　was　not　afraid　to　go；

down　to　the　Under…world？　Or　will　you　stay　here　in　the　sun？

Perhaps　you　will　do　better　to　stay　here　in　the　sun；　for　the

Under…world　has　terrors　for　weak　hearts　that　were　born　but

yesterday；　and　feeble　feet　may　stumble　in　the　dark。〃



〃I　shall　take　my　electric　torch；〃　said　Bastin　with　decision；

〃and　I　advise　you　fellows　to　do　the　same。　I　always　hated　cellars；

and　the　catacombs　at　Rome　are　worse；　though　full　of　sacred

interest。〃



Then　we　started；　Tommy　frisking　on　ahead　in　a　most　provoking

way　as　though　he　were　bored　by　a　visit　to　a　strange　house　and

going　home；　and　Yva　gliding　forward　with　a　smile　upon　her　face

that　was　half　mystic　and　half　mischievous。　We　passed　the　remains

of　the　machines；　and　Bickley　asked　her　what　they　were。



〃Carriages　in　which　once　we　travelled　through　the　skies；　until

we　found　a　better　way；　and　that　the　uninstructed　used　till　the

end；〃　she　answered　carelessly；　leaving　me　wondering　what　on　earth

she　meant。



We　came　to　the　statue　and　the　sepulchre　beneath　without

trouble；　for　the　glint　of　her　hair；　and　I　may　add　of　Tommy's

back；　were　quite　sufficient　to　guide　us　through　the　gloom。　The

crystal　coffins　were　still　there；　for　Bastin　flashed　his　torch

and　we　saw　them；　but　the　boxes　of　radium　had　gone。



〃Let　that　light　die；〃　she　said　to　Bastin。　〃Humphrey；　give　me

your　right　hand　and　give　your　left　to　Bickley。　Let　Bastin　cling

to　him　and　fear　nothing。〃



We　passed　to　the　end　of　the　tomb　and　stood　against　what

appeared　to　be　a　rock　wall；　all　close　together；　as　she　directed。



〃Fear　nothing；〃　she　said　again；　but　next　second　I　was　never

more　full　of　fear　in　my　life；　for　we　were　whirling　downwards　at　a

speed　that　would　have　made　an　American　elevator　attendant　turn

pale。



〃Don't　choke　me；〃　I　heard　Bickley　say　to　Bastin；　and　the

latter's　murmured　reply　of：



〃I　never　could　bear　these　moving　staircases　and　tubelifts。　They

always　make　me　feel　sick。〃



I　admit　that　for　my　part　I　also　felt　rather　sick　and　clung

tightly　to　the　hand　of　the　Glittering　Lady。　She；　however；　placed

her　other　hand　upon　my　shoulder；　saying　in　a　low　voice：



〃Did　I　not　tell　you　to　have　no　fear？〃



Then　I　felt　comforted；　for　somehow　I　knew　that　it　was　not　her

desire　to　harm　and　much　less　to　destroy　me。　Also　Tommy　was　seated

quite　at　his　ease　with　his　head　resting　against　my　leg；　and　his

absence　of　alarm　was　reassuring。　The　only　stoic　of　the　party　was

Bickley。　I　have　no　doubt　that　he　was　quite　as　frightened　as　we

were；　but　rather　than　show　it　he　would　have　died。



〃I　presume　this　machinery　is　pneumatic；〃　he　began　when　suddenly

and　without　shock；　we　arrived　at　the　end　of　our　journey。　How　far

we　had　fallen　I　am　sure　I　do　not　know；　but　I　should　judge　from

the　awful　speed　at　which　we　travelled；　that　it　must　have　been

several　thousand　feet；　probably　four　or　five。



〃Everything　seems　steady　now；〃　remarked　Bastin；　〃so　I　suppose

this　luggage　lift　has　stopped。　The　odd　thing　is　that　I　can't　see

anything　of　it。　There　ought　to　be　a　shaft；　but　we　seem　to　be

standing　on　a　level　floor。〃



〃The　odd　thing　is；〃　said　Bickley；　〃that　we　can　see　at　all。

Where　the　devil　does　the　light　come　from　thousands　of　feet

underground？〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　answered　Bastin；　〃unless　there　is　natural　gas

here；　as　I　am　told　there　is　at　a　town　called　Medicine　Hat　in

Canada。〃



〃Natural　gas　be　blowed；〃　said　Bickley。　〃It　is　more　like

moonlight　magnified　ten　times。〃



So　it　was。　The　whole　place　was　filled　with　a　soft　radiance；

equal　to　that　of　the　sun　at　noon；　but　gentler　and　without　heat。



〃Where　does　it　come　from？〃　I　whispered　to　Yva。



〃Oh！〃　she　replied；　as　I　thought　evasively。　〃It　is　the　light　of

the　Under…world　which　we　know　how　to　use。　The　earth　is　full　of

light；　which　is　not　wonderful；　is　it；　seeing　that　its　heart　is

fire？　Now　look　about　you。〃



I　looked　and　leant　on　her　harder　than　ever；　since　amazement

made　me　weak。　We　were　in　some　vast　place　whereof　the　roof　seemed

almost　as　far　off　as　the　sky　at　night。　At　least　all　that　I　could

make　out　was　a　dim　and　distant　arch　which　might　have　been　one　of

cloud。　For　the　rest；　in　every　direction　stretched　vastness；

illuminated　far　as　the　eye　could　reach　by　the　soft　light　of　which

I　have　spoken；　that　is；　probably　for　several　miles。　But　this

vastness　was　not　empty。　On　the　contrary　it　was　occupied　by　a

great　city。　There　were　streets　much　wider　than　Piccadilly；　all

bordered　by　houses；　though　these；　I　observed；　were　roofless；　very

fine　houses；　some　of　them；　built　of　white　stone　or　marble。　There

were　roadways　and　pavements　worn　by　the　passage　of　feet。　There；

farther　on；　were　market…places　or　public　squares；　and　there；

lastly；　was　a　huge　central　enclosure　one　or　two　hundred　acres　in

extent；　which　was　filled　with　majestic　buildings　that　looked　like

palaces；　or　town…halls；　and；　in　the　midst　of　them　all；　a　vast

temple　with　courts　and　a　central　dome。　For　here；　notwithstanding

the　lack　of　necessity；　its　builders　seemed　to　have　adhered　to　the

Over…world　tradition；　and　had　roofed　their　fane。



And　now　came　the　terror。　All　of　this　enormous　city　was　dead。

Had　it　stood　upon　the　moon　it　could　not　have　been　more　dead。　None

paced　its　streets；　none　looked　from　its　window…places。　None

trafficked　in　its　markets；　none　worshipped　in　its　temple。　Swept；

garnished；　lighted；　practically　untouched　by　the　hand　of　Time；

here　where　no　rains　fell　and　no　winds　blew；　it　was　yet　a　howling

wilderness。　For　what　wilderness　is　there　to　equal　that　which　once

has　been　the　busy　haunt　of　men？　Let　those　who　have　stood　among

the　buried　cities　of　Central　Asia；　or　of　Anarajapura　in　Ceylon；

or　even　amid　the　ruins　of　Salamis　on　the　coast　of　Cyprus；　answer

the　question。　But　here　was　something　infinitely　more　awful。　A

huge　human　haunt　in　the　bowels　of　the　earth　utterly　devoid　of

human　beings；　and　yet　as　perfect　as　on　the　day　when　these　ceased

to　be。



〃I　do　not　care　for　underground　localities；〃　remarked　Bastin；

his　gruff　voice　echoing　strangely　in　that　terrible　silence；　〃but

it　does　seem　a　pity　that　all　these　fine　buildings　should　be

wasted。　I　suppose　their　inhabitants　left　them　in　search　of　fresh

air。〃



〃Why　did　they　leave　them？〃　I　asked　of　Yva。



〃Because　death　took　them；〃　she　answered　solemnly。　〃Even　those

who　live　a　thousand　years　die　at　last；　and　if　they　have　no

children；　with　them　dies　the　race。〃



〃Then　were　you　the　last　of　your　people？〃　I　asked。



〃Inquire　of　my　father；〃　she　replied；　and　led　the　way　through

the　massive　arch　of　a　great　building。



It　led　into　a　walled　courtyard　in　the　centre　of　which　was　a

plain　cupola　of　marble　with　a　gate　of　some　pale　metal　that

looked　like　platinum　mixed　with　gold。　This　gate　stood　open。