when the world shook-第35章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



ordered　squadrons；　with　outpost　and　officer　ships　and　an　exact

distance　kept　between　craft　and　craft。　None　of　them　seemed　to　be

very　large　or　to　carry　more　than　four　or　five　men；　but　they　were

extraordinarily　swift　and　as　agile　as　swallows。　Moreover　they

flew　as　birds　do　by　beating　their　wings；　but　again　we　could　not

guess　whence　came　their　motive　power。



The　review　vanished；　and　next　appeared　a　scene　of　festivity　in

a　huge；　illuminated　hall。　The　Great　King　sat　upon　a　dais　and

behind　him　was　that　statue　of　Fate；　or　one　very　similar　to　it；

beneath　which　we　stood。　Below　him　in　the　hall　were　the　feasters

seated　at　long　tables；　clad　in　the　various　costumes　of　their

countries。　He　rose　and；　turning；　knelt　before　the　statue　of　Fate。

Indeed　he　prostrated　himself　thrice　in　prayer。　Then　taking　his

seat　again；　he　lifted　a　cup　of　wine　and　pledged　that　vast

company。　They　drank　back　to　him　and　prostrated　themselves　before

him　as　he　had　done　before　the　image　of　Fate。　Only　I　noted　that

certain　men　clad　in　sacerdotal　garments　not　at　all　unlike　those

which　are　worn　in　the　Greek　Church　to…day；　remained　standing。



Now　all　this　exhibition　of　terrestrial　pomp　faded。　The　next

scene　was　simple；　that　of　the　death…bed　of　this　same　kingwe

knew　him　by　his　wizened　features。　There　he　lay；　terribly　old　and

dying。　Physicians；　women；　courtiers；　all　were　there　watching　the

end。　The　tableau　vanished　and　in　place　of　it　appeared　that　of　the

youthful　successor　amidst　cheering　crowds；　with　joy　breaking

through　the　clouds　of　simulated　grief　upon　his　face。　It　vanished

also。



〃Thus　did　great　king　succeed　great　king　for　ages　upon　ages；〃

said　Yva。　〃There　were　eighty　of　them　and　the　average　of　their

reigns　was　700　years。　They　ruled　the　earth　as　it　was　in　those

days。　They　gathered　up　learning；　they　wielded　power；　their　wealth

was　boundless。　They　nurtured　the　arts；　they　discovered　secrets。

They　had　intercourse　with　the　stars；　they　were　as　gods。　But　like

the　gods　they　grew　jealous。　They　and　their　councillors　became　a

race　apart　who　alone　had　the　secret　of　long　life。　The　rest　of　the

world　and　the　commonplace　people　about　them　suffered　and　died。

They　of　the　Household　of　Wisdom　lived　on　in　pomp　for　generations

till　the　earth　was　mad　with　envy　of　them。



〃Fever　and　fewer　grew　the　divine　race　of　the　Sons　of　Wisdom

since　children　are　not　given　to　the　aged　and　to　those　of　an

ancient；　outworn　blood。　Then　the　World　said：



〃'They　are　great　but　they　are　not　many；　let　us　make　an　end　of

them　by　numbers　and　take　their　place　and　power　and　drink　of　their

Life…water；　that　they　will　not　give　to　us。　If　myriads　of　us

perish　by　their　arts；　what　does　it　matter；　since　we　are

countless？'　So　the　World　made　war　upon　the　Sons　of　Wisdom。　See！〃



Again　a　picture　formed。　The　sky　was　full　of　aircraft　which

rained　down　fire　like　flashes　of　lightning　upon　cities　beneath。

From　these　cities　leapt　up　other　fires　that　destroyed　the　swift…

travelling　things　above；　so　that　they　fell　in　numbers　like　gnats

burned　by　a　lamp。　Still　more　and　more　of　them　came　till　the

cities　crumbled　away　and　the　flashes　that　darted　from　them　ceased

to　rush　upwards。　The　Sons　of　Wisdom　were　driven　from　the　face　of

the　earth。



Again　the　scene　changed。　Now　it　showed　this　subterranean　hall

in　which　we　stood。　There　was　pomp　here；　yet　it　was　but　a　shadow

of　that　which　had　been　in　the　earlier　days　upon　the　face　of　the

earth。　Courtiers　moved　about　the　palace　and　there　were　people　in

the　radiant　streets　and　the　houses；　for　most　of　them　were

occupied；　but　rarely　did　the　vision　show　children　coming　through

their　gates。



Of　a　sudden　this　scene　shifted。　Now　we　saw　that　same　hall　in

which　we　had　visited　Oro　not　an　hour　before。　There　he　sat；　yes；

Oro　himself；　upon　the　dais　beneath　the　overhanging　marble　shell。

Round　him　were　some　ancient　councillors。　In　the　body　of　the　hall

on　either　side　of　the　dais　were　men　in　military　array；　guards

without　doubt　though　their　only　weapon　was　a　black　rod　not　unlike

a　ruler；　if　indeed　it　were　a　weapon　and　not　a　badge　of　office。





Yva；　whose　face　had　suddenly　grown　strange　and　fixed；　began　to

detail　to　us　what　was　passing　in　this　scene；　in　a　curious

monotone　such　as　a　person　might　use　who　was　repeating　something

learned　by　heart。　This　was　the　substance　of　what　she　said：



〃The　case　of　the　Sons　of　Wisdom　is　desperate。　But　few　of　them

are　left。　Like　other　men　they　need　food　which　is　hard　to　come　by；

since　the　foe　holds　the　upper　earth　and　that　which　their　doctors

can　make　here　in　the　Shades　does　not　satisfy　them；　even　though

they　drink　the　Life…water。　They　die　and　die。　There　comes　an

embassy　from　the　High　King　of　the　confederated　Nations　to　talk　of

terms　of　peace。　See；　it　enters。〃



As　she　spoke；　up　the　hall　advanced　the　embassy。　At　the　head　of

it　walked　a　young　man；　tall；　dark；　handsome　and　commanding；　whose

aspect　seemed　in　some　way　to　be　familiar　to　me。　He　was　richly

clothed　in　a　purple　cloak　and　wore　upon　his　head　a　golden　circlet

that　suggested　royal　rank。　Those　who　followed　him　were　mostly　old

men　who　had　the　astute　faces　of　diplomatists；　but　a　few　seemed　to

be　generals。　Yva　continued　in　her　monotonous　voice：



〃Comes　the　son　of　the　King　of　the　confederated　Nations；　the

Prince　who　will　be　king。　He　bows　before　the　Lord　Oro。　He　says

'Great　and　Ancient　Monarch　of　the　divine　blood；　Heaven…born　One；

your　strait；　and　that　of　those　who　remain　to　you；　is　sore。　Yet　on

behalf　of　the　Nations　I　am　sent　to　offer　terms　of　peace；　but　this

I　may　only　do　in　the　presence　of　your　child　who　is　your　heiress

and　the　Queen…to…be　of　the　Sons　of　Wisdom。'〃



Here；　in　the　picture；　Oro　waved　his　hand　and　from　behind　the

marble　shell　appeared　Yva　herself；　gloriously　apparelled；　wearing

royal　ornaments　and　with　her　train　held　by　waiting　ladies。　She

bowed　to　the　Prince　and　his　company　and　they　bowed　back　to　her。

More；　we　saw　a　glance　of　recognition　pass　between　her　and　the

Prince。



Now　the　real　Yva　by　our　side　pointed　to　the　shadow　Yva　of　the

vision　or　the　picture；　whichever　it　might　be　called；　a　strange

thing　to　see　her　do；　and　went　on：



〃The　daughter　of　the　Lord　Oro　comes。　The　Prince　of　the　Nations

salutes　her。　He　says　that　the　great　war　has　endured　for　hundreds

of　years　between　the　Children　of　Wisdom　fighting　for　absolute

rule　and　the　common　people　of　the　earth　fighting　for　liberty。　In

that　war　many　millions　of　the　Sons　of　the　Nations　had　perished；

brought　to　their　death　by　fearful　arts；　by　wizardries　and　by

plagues　sown　among　them　by　the　Sons　of　Wisdom。　Yet　they　were

winning；　for　the　glorious　cities　of　the　Sons　of　Wisdom　were

destroyed　and　those　who　remained　of　them　were　driven　to　dwell　in

the　caves　of　the　earth　where　with　all　their　strength　and　magic

they　could　not　increase；　but　faded　like　flowers　in　the　dark。



〃The　Lord　Oro　asks　what　are　the　terms　of　peace　proposed　by　the

Nations。　The　Prince　answers　that　they　are　these：　That　the　Sons　of

Wisdom　shall　teach　all　their　wisdom　to　the　wise　men　among　the

Nations。　That　they　shall　give　them　to　drink　of　the　Life…water；　so

that　their　length　of　days　also　may　be　increased。　That　they　shall

cease　to　destroy　them　by　sickness　and　their　mastery　of　the　forces

which　are　hid　in　the　womb　of　the　world。　If　they　will　do　these

things；　then　the　Nations　on　their　part　will　cease　from　war；　will

rebuild　the　cities　they　have　destroyed　by　means　of　their　flying

ships　that　rain　down　death；　and　will　agree　that　the　Lord　Oro　and

his　seed　shall　rule　them　for　ever　as　the　King　of　kings。



〃The　Lord　Oro　asks　if　that　be　all。　The　Prince　answers　that　it

is　not　all。　He　says　that　when　he　dwelt　a　hostage　at　the　court　of

the　Sons　of　Wisdom　he　and　the　divine　Lady；　the　daughter　of　the

Lord　Oro；　and　his　only　living　child；　learned　to　love　each　other。

He　demands；　and　the　Nations　demand；　that　she　shall　be　given　to

him　to　wife；　that　in　a　day　to　come　he　may　rule　with　her　and　their

children　after　them。



〃See！〃　went　on　Yva　in　her　chanting；　dreamy　voice；　〃the　Lord　Oro

asks　his　daughter　if　this　be　true。　She　says；〃　here　the　real　Yva

at　my　side　turned　and　looked　me　straight　in　the　eyes；　〃that　it　is

true；　that　she　loves　the　Prince　of　the　Nations　and　that　if　she

lives　a　million　years　she　will　wed　no　other　man；　since　she　who　is

her　father's　slave　in　all　else　is　still　the　mistress　of　herself；

as　has　ever　been　the　right　of　her　royal　mothers。



〃See　again！　The　Lord　Oro；　the　divine　King；　the　Ancient；　grows

wroth。　He　says　that　it　is　enough　and　more　than　enough　that　the

Barbarians　should　ask　to　eat　of　the　bread　of　hidden　learning　and

to　drink　of　the　Life…water　of　the　Sons　of　Wisdom；　gifts　that　were

given　to　them　of　old　by　Heaven　whence　they　sprang　in　the

beginning。　But　that　one　of　them；　however　highly　placed；　should

dare　to　ask　to　mix　his　blood　with　that　of　the　divine　Lady；　the

Heiress；　the　Queen　of　the　Earth　to　be；　and　claim　to　share　her

imperial　throne　that　had　been　held　by　her　pure　race　from　age　to

age；　was　an　insult　that　could　only　be　purged　by　death。　Sooner

would　he　give　his　daughter　in　marriage　to　an　ape　than　to　a　child

of　the　Barbarians　who　had　worked　on　them　so　many　woes　and　striven

to　break　the　golden　fetters　of　their　rule。



〃Look　again！〃　continued　Yva。　〃The　Lord　Oro；　the　divine；　grows

angrier　still〃　（which　in　truth　he　did；　for　never　did　I　see　such

dreadful　rage　as　that　which　the　picture　revealed　in　him）。　〃He

warns；　he　threatens。　He　says　that　hitherto　out　of　gentle　love　and

pity　he　has　held　his　hand；　that　he　has　strength　at　his　command

which　will　slay　them；　not　by　millions　in　slow　war；　but　by　tens

of　millions　at　one　blow；　that　will　blot　them　and　their　peoples

from　the　face　of　earth　and　that　will　cause　the　deep　seas　to　roll

where　now　their　pleasant　lands　are　fruitful　in　the　sun。　They

shrink　before　his　fury；　behold；　their　knees　tremble　because　they

know　that　he　has　this　power。　He　mocks　them；　does　the　Lord　Oro。　He

asks　for　their　submission　here　and　now；　and　that　in　the　name　of

the　Nations　they　should　take　the　great　oath　which　may　not　be

broken；　swearing　to　cease　from　war　upon　the　Sons　of　Wisdom　and　to

obey　them　in　all　things　to　the　ends　of　the　earth。　Some　of　the

ambassadors　would　yield。　They　look　about　them　like　wild　things

that　are　trapped。　But　madness　takes　the　Prince。　He　cries　that　the

oath　of　an　ape　is　of　no　account；　but　that　he　will　tear　up　the

Children　of　Wisdom　as　an　ape　tears　leaves；　and　afterwards　take

the　divine　Lady　to　be　his　wife。



〃Look　on　the　Lord　Oro！〃　continued　the　living　Yva；　〃his　wrath

leaves　him。　He　grows　cold　and　smiles。　His　daughter　throws　herself

upon　her　knees　and　pleads　with　him。　He　thrusts　her　away。　She

would　spring　to　the　side　of　the　Prince；　he　commands　his

councillors　to　hold　her。　She　cries　to　the　Prince　that　she　loves

him　and　him　only；　and　that　in　a　day　to　come　him　she　will　wed　and

no　other。　He　thanks　her；　saying　that　as　it　is　with　her；　so　it　is

with　him；　and　that