when the world shook-第36章

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

with　him；　and　that　because　of　his　love　he　fears　nothing。　She

swoons。　The　Lord　Oro　motions　with　his　hand　to　the　guard。　They

lift　their　death…rods。　Fire　leaps　from　them。　The　Prince　and　his

companions；　all　save　those　who　were　afraid　and　would　have　sworn

the　oath；　twist　and　writhe。　They　turn　black；　they　die。　The　Lord

Oro　commands　those　who　are　left　to　enter　their　flying　ships　and

bear　to　the　Nations　of　the　Earth　tidings　of　what　befalls　those

who　dare　to　defy　and　insult　him；　to　warn　them　also　to　eat　and

drink　and　be　merry　while　they　may；　since　for　their　wickedness

they　are　about　to　perish。〃





The　scene　faded　and　there　followed　another　which　really　I

cannot　describe。　It　represented　some　vast　underground　place　and

what　appeared　to　be　a　huge　mountain　of　iron　clothed　in　light；

literally　a　thing　like　an　alp；　rocking　and　spinning　down　a

declivity；　which　farther　on　separated　into　two　branches　because

of　a　huge　razor…edge　precipice　that　rose　between。　There　in　the

middle　of　this　vast　space　with　the　dazzling　mountain　whirling

towards　him；　stood　Oro　encased　in　some　transparent　armour；　as

though　to　keep　off　heat；　and　with　him　his　daughter　who　under　his

direction　was　handling　something　in　the　rock　behind　her。　Then

there　was　a　blinding　flash　and　everything　vanished。　All　of　this

picture　passed　so　swiftly　that　we　could　not　grasp　its　details；

only　a　general　impression　remained。



〃The　Lord　Oro；　using　the　strength　that　is　in　the　world　whereof

he　alone　has　the　secret；　changes　the　world's　balance　causing　that

which　was　land　to　become　sea　and　that　which　was　sea　to　become

land；〃　said　Yva　in　her　chanting；　unnatural　voice。



Another　scene　of　stupendous　and　changing　awfulness。　Countries

were　sinking；　cities　crashing　down；　volcanoes　were　spouting　fire；

the　end　of　the　earth　seemed　to　be　at　hand。　We　could　see　human

beings　running　to　and　fro　in　thousands　like　ants。　Then　in　huge

waves　hundreds　and　hundreds　of　feet　high；　the　ocean　flowed　in　and

all　was　troubled；　yeasty　sea。



〃Oro　carries　out　his　threat　to　destroy　the　Nations　who　had

rebelled　against　him；〃　said　Yva。　〃Much　of　the　world　sinks　beneath

the　waves；　but　in　place　of　it　other　lands　arise　above　the　waves；

to　be　inhabited　by　the　seed　of　those　who　remain　living　in　those

portions　of　the　Earth　that　the　deluge　spared。〃



This　horrible　vision　passed　and　was　succeeded　by　one　more；　that

of　Oro　standing　in　the　sepulchre　of　the　cave　by　the　side　of　the

crystal　coffin　which　contained　what　appeared　to　be　the　body　of

his　daughter。　He　gazed　at　her；　then　drank　some　potion　and　laid

himself　down　in　the　companion　coffin；　that　in　which　we　had　found

him。





All　vanished　away　and　Yva；　appearing　to　wake　from　some　kind　of

trance；　smiled；　and　in　her　natural　voice　asked　if　we　had　seen

enough。



〃Quite；〃　I　answered　in　a　tone　that　caused　her　to　say：



〃I　wonder　what　you　have　seen；　Humphrey。　Myself　I　do　not　know；

since　it　is　through　me　that　you　see　at　all　and　when　you　see　I　am

in　you　who　see。〃



〃Indeed；〃　I　replied。　〃Well；　I　will　tell　you　about　it　later。〃



〃Thank　you　so　much；〃　exclaimed　Bastin；　recovering　suddenly　from

his　amazement。　〃I　have　heard　a　great　deal　of　these　moving…picture

shows　which　are　becoming　so　popular；　but　have　always　avoided

attending　them　because　their　influence　on　the　young　is　supposed

to　be　doubtful；　and　a　priest　must　set　a　good　example　to　his

congregation。　Now　I　see　that　they　can　have　a　distinct　educational

value；　even　if　it　is　presented　in　the　form　of　romance。〃



〃How　is　it　done？〃　asked　Bickley；　almost　fiercely。



〃I　do　not　altogether　know；〃　she　answered。　〃This　I　do　know；

however；　that　everything　which　has　happened　on　this　world　can　be

seen　from　moment　to　moment　at　some　point　in　the　depths　of　space；

for　thither　the　sun's　light　takes　it。　There；　too；　it　can　be

caught　and　thence　in　an　instant　returned　to　earth　again；　to　be

reflected　in　the　mirror　of　the　present　by　those　who　know　how　that

mirror　should　be　held。　Ask　me　no　more；　one　so　wise　as　you；　O

Bickley；　can　solve　such　problems　for　himself。〃



〃If　you　don't　mind；　Lady　Yva；〃　said　Bastin；　〃I　think　I　should

like　to　get　out　of　this　place；　interesting　as　it　is。　I　have　food

to　cook　up　above　and　lots　of　things　to　attend　to；　especially　as　I

understand　I　am　to　come　back　here　tomorrow。　Would　you　mind

showing　me　the　way　to　that　lift　or　moving　staircase？〃



〃Come；〃　she　said；　smiling。



So　we　went　past　the　image　of　Fate；　out　of　the　temple；　down　the

vast　and　lonely　streets　so　unnaturally　illuminated；　to　the　place

where　we　had　first　found　ourselves　on　arrival　in　the　depths。

There　we　stood。



A　moment　later　and　we　were　whirling　up　as　we　had　whirled　down。

I　suppose　that　Yva　came　with　us　though　I　never　saw　her　do　so；　and

the　odd　thing　was　that　when　we　arrived　in　the　sepulchre；　she

seemed　already　to　be　standing　there　waiting　to　direct　us。



〃Really；〃　remarked　Bastin；　〃this　is　exactly　like　Maskelyne　and

Cook。　Did　you　ever　see　their　performance；　Bickley？　If　so；　it　must

have　given　you　lots　to　explain　for　quite　a　long　while。〃



〃Jugglery　never　appealed　to　me；　whether　in　London　or　in

Orofena；〃　replied　Bickley　in　a　sour　voice　as　he　extracted　from

his　pocket　an　end　of　candle　to　which　he　set　light。



〃What　is　jugglery？〃　asked　Bastin；　and　they　departed　arguing；

leaving　me　alone　with　Yva　in　the　sepulchre。



〃What　have　I　seen？〃　I　asked　her。



〃I　do　not　know；　Humphrey。　Everyone　sees　different　things；　but

perhaps　something　of　the　truth。〃



〃I　hope　not；　Yva；　for　amongst　other　things　I　seemed　to　see　you

swear　yourself　to　a　man　for　ever。〃



〃Yes；　and　this　I　did。　What　of　it？〃



〃Only　that　it　might　be　hard　for　another　man。〃



〃Yes；　for　another　man　it　might　be　hard。　You　were　once　married；

were　you　not；　Humphrey；　to　a　wife　who　died？〃



〃Yes；　I　was　married。〃



〃And　did　you　not　swear　to　that　wife　that　you　would　never　look

in　love　upon　another　woman？〃



〃I　did；〃　I　answered　in　a　shamed　voice。　〃But　how　do　you　know？　I

never　told　you　so。〃



〃Oh！　I　know　you　and　therefore　guessed。〃



〃Well；　what　of　it；　Yva？〃



〃Nothing；　except　that　you　must　find　your　wife　before　you　love

again；　and　before　I　love　again　I　must　find　him　whom　I　wish　to　be

my　husband。〃



〃How　can　that　happen；〃　I　asked；　〃when　both　are　dead？〃



〃How　did　all　that　you　have　seen　to…day　in　Nyo　happen？〃　she

replied；　laughing　softly。　〃Perhaps　you　are　very　blind；　Humphrey；

or　perhaps　we　both　are　blind。　If　so；　mayhap　light　will　come　to

us。　Meanwhile　do　not　be　sad。　Tomorrow　I　will　meet　you　and　you

shall　teach　meyour　English　tongue；　Humphrey；　and　other　things。〃



〃Then　let　it　be　in　the　sunlight；　Yva。　I　do　not　love　those

darksome　halls　of　Nyo　that　glow　like　something　dead。〃



〃It　is　fitting；　for　are　they　not　dead？〃　she　answered；　with　a

little　laugh。　〃So　be　it。　Bastin　shall　teach　my　father　down　below；

since　sun　and　shade　are　the　same　to　him　who　only　thinks　of　his

religion；　and　you　shall　teach　me　up　above。〃



〃I　am　not　so　certain　about　Bastin　and　of　what　he　thinks；〃　I

said　doubtfully。　〃Also　will　the　Lord　Oro　permit　you　to　come？〃



〃Yes；　for　in　such　matters　I　rule　myself。　Also；〃　she　added

meaningly；　〃he　remembers　my　oath　that　I　will　wed　no　mansave　one

who　is　dead。　Now　farewell　a　while　and　bid　Bastin　be　here　when　the

sun　is　three　hours　high；　not　before　or　after。〃



Then　I　left　her。







Chapter　XVII



Yva　Explains





When　I　reached　the　rock　I　was　pleased　to　find　Marama　and　about

twenty　of　his　people　engaged　in　erecting　the　house　that　we　had

ordered　them　to　build　for　our　accommodation。　Indeed；　it　was

nearly　finished；　since　house…building　in　Orofena　is　a　simple

business。　The　framework　of　poles　let　into　palm　trunks；　since　they

could　not　be　driven　into　the　rock；　had　been　put　together　on　the

further　shore　and　towed　over　bodily　by　canoes。　The　overhanging

rock　formed　one　side　of　the　house；　the　ends　were　of　palm　leaves

tied　to　the　poles；　and　the　roof　was　of　the　same　material。　The

other　side　was　left　open　for　the　present；　which　in　that　equable

and　balmy　clime　was　no　disadvantage。　The　whole　edifice　was　about

thirty　feet　long　by　fifteen　deep　and　divided　into　two　portions；

one　for　sleeping　and　one　for　living；　by　a　palm　leaf　partition。

Really；　it　was　quite　a　comfortable　abode；　cool　and　rainproof；

especially　after　Bastin　had　built　his　hut　in　which　to　cook。



Marama　and　his　people　were　very　humble　in　their　demeanour　and

implored　us　to　visit　them　on　the　main　island。　I　answered　that

perhaps　we　would　later　on；　as　we　wished　to　procure　certain　things

from　the　wreck。　Also；　he　requested　Bastin　to　continue　his

ministrations　as　the　latter　greatly　desired　to　do。　But　to　this

proposal　I　would　not　allow　him　to　give　any　direct　answer　at　the

moment。　Indeed；　I　dared　not　do　so　until　I　was　sure　of　Oro's

approval。



Towards　evening　they　departed　in　their　canoes；　leaving　behind

them　the　usual　ample　store　of　provisions。



We　cooked　our　meal　as　usual；　only　to　discover　that　what　Yva　had

said　about　the　Life…water　was　quite　true；　since　we　had　but　little

appetite　for　solid　food；　though　this　returned　upon　the　following

day。　The　same　thing　happened　upon　every　occasion　after　drinking

of　that　water　which　certainly　was　a　most　invigorating　fluid。

Never　for　years　had　any　of　us　felt　so　well　as　it　caused　us　to　do。



So　we　lit　our　pipes　and　talked　about　our　experiences　though　of

these；　indeed；　we　scarcely　knew　what　to　say。　Bastin　accepted　them

as　something　out　of　the　common；　of　course；　but　as　facts　which

admitted　of　no　discussion。　After　all；　he　said；　the　Old　Testament

told　much　the　same　story　of　people　called　the　Sons　of　God　who

lived　very　long　lives　and　ran　after　the　daughters　of　men　whom

they　should　have　left　alone；　and　thus　became　the　progenitors　of　a

remarkable　race。　Of　this　race；　he　presumed　that　Oro　and　his

daughter　were　survivors；　especially　as　they　spoke　of　their　family

as　〃Heaven　born。〃　How　they　came　to　survive　was　more　than　he　could

understand　and　really　scarcely　worth　bothering　over；　since　there

they　were。



It　was　the　same　about　the　Deluge；　continued　Bastin；　although

naturally　Oro　spoke　falsely；　or；　at　any　rate；　grossly

exaggerated；　when　he　declared　that　he　had　caused　this

catastrophe；　unless　indeed　he　was　talking　about　a　totally

different　deluge；　though　even　then　he　could　not　have　brought　it

about。　It　was　curious；　however；　that　the　people　drowned　were　said

to　have　been　wicked；　and　Oro　had　the　same　opinion　about　those

whom　he　claimed　to　have　drowned；　though　for　the　matter　of　that；

he　could　not　conceive　anyone　more　wicked　than　Oro　himself。　On　his

own　showing　he　was　a　most　revengeful　person　and　one　who　declined

to　agree　to　a　quite　suitable　alliance；　apparently　desired　by　both

parties；　merely　because　it　offended　his　family　pride。　No；　on

reflection　he　might　be　unjust　to　Oro　in　this　particular；　since　he