when the world shook-第40章

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old　liar　in　the　world；　repeat　his　offence　and　send　Europe　to　the

bottom　of　the　sea。〃



〃That　did　occur　to　me；　but　it　doesn't　much　matter　as　I　am　quite

certain　that　such　a　thing　would　never　be　allowed。　Of　course　there

was　a　real　deluge　once；　but　Oro　had　no　more　to　do　with　it　than　I

had。　Don't　you　agree；　Arbuthnot？〃



〃I　think　so；〃　I　answered　cautiously；　〃but　really　in　this　place

I　am　beginning　to　lose　count　of　what　is　or　is　not　possible。　Also；

of　course；　there　may　have　been　many　deluges；　indeed　the　history

of　the　world　shows　that　this　was　so；　it　is　written　in　its

geological　strata。　What　was　the　end　of　it？〃



〃The　end　was　that　he　took　the　South　Sea　Bible　and；　after　I　had

explained　a　little　about　our　letters；　seemed　to　be　able　to　read

it　at　once。　I　suppose　he　was　acquainted　with　the　art　of　printing

in　his　youth。　At　any　rate　he　said　that　he　would　study　it；　I　don't

know　how；　unless　he　can　read；　and　that　in　two　days'　time　he　would

let　me　know　what　he　thought　about　the　matter　of　my　religion。　Then

he　told　me　to　go。　I　said　that　I　did　not　know　the　way　and　was

afraid　of　losing　myself。　Thereupon　he　waved　his　hand；　and　I

really　can't　say　what　happened。〃



〃Did　you　levitate　up　here；〃　asked　Bickley；　〃like　the　late

lamented　Mr。　Home　at　the　spiritualistic　seances？〃



〃No；　I　did　not　exactly　levitate；　but　something　or　someone

seemed　to　get　a　hold　of　me；　and　I　was　just　rushed　along　in　a　most

tumultuous　fashion。　The　next　thing　I　knew　was　that　I　was　standing

at　the　door　of　that　sepulchre；　though　I　have　no　recollection　of

going　up　in　the　lift；　or　whatever　it　is。　I　believe　those　beastly

caves　are　full　of　ghosts；　or　devils；　and　the　worst　of　it　is　that

they　have　kept　my　solar…tope；　which　I　put　on　this　morning

forgetting　that　it　would　be　useless　there。〃



〃The　Lady　Yva's　Fourth　Dimension　in　action；〃　I　suggested；　〃only

it　wouldn't　work　on　solar…topes。〃



〃I　don't　know　what　you　are　talking　about；〃　said　Bastin；　〃but　if

my　hat　had　to　be　left；　why　not　my　boots　and　other　garments？

Please　stop　your　nonsense　and　pass　the　tea。　Thank　goodness　I

haven't　got　to　go　down　there　tomorrow；　as　he　seems　to　have　had

enough　of　me　for　the　present；　so　I　vote　we　all　pay　a　visit　to　the

ship。　It　will　be　a　very　pleasant　change。　I　couldn't　stand　two

days　running　with　that　old　fiend；　and　his　ghosts　or　devils　in　the

cave。〃





Next　morning　accordingly；　fearing　no　harm　from　the　Orofenans；

we　took　the　canoe　and　rowed　to　the　main　island。　Marama　had

evidently　seen　us　coming；　for　he　and　a　number　of　his　people　met

us　with　every　demonstration　of　delight；　and　escorted　us　to　the

ship。　Here　we　found　things　just　as　we　had　left　them；　for　there

had　been　no　attempt　at　theft　or　other　mischief。



While　we　were　in　the　cabin　a　fit　of　moral　weakness　seemed　to

overcome　Bickley；　the　first　and　I　may　add　the　last　from　which　I

ever　saw　him　suffer。



〃Do　you　know；〃　he　said；　addressing　us；　〃I　think　that　we　should

do　well　to　try　to　get　out　of　this　place。　Eliminating　a　great　deal

of　the　marvelous　with　which　we　seem　to　have　come　in　touch　here；

it　is　still　obvious　that　we　find　ourselves　in　very　peculiar　and

unhealthy　surroundings。　I　mean　mentally　unhealthy；　indeed　I　think

that　if　we　stay　here　much　longer　we　shall　probably　go　off　our

heads。　Now　that　boat　on　the　deck　remains　sound　and　seaworthy。　Why

should　not　we　provision　her　and　take　our　chance？　We　know　more　or

less　which　way　to　steer。〃



Bastin　and　I　looked　at　each　other。　It　was　he　who　spoke　first。



〃Wouldn't　it　be　rather　a　risky　job　in　an　open　boat？〃　he　asked。

〃However；　that　doesn't　matter　much　because　I　don't　take　any

account　of　risks；　knowing　that　I　am　of　more　value　than　a　sparrow

and　that　the　hairs　of　my　head　are　all　numbered。〃



〃They　might　be　numbered　under　water　as　well　as　above　it；〃

muttered　Bickley；　〃and　I　feel　sure　that　on　your　own　showing；　you

would　be　as　valuable　dead　as　alive。〃



〃What　I　seem　to　feel；〃　went　on　Bastin；　〃is　that　I　have　work　to

my　hand　here。　Also；　the　locum　tenens　at　Fulcombe　no　doubt　runs

the　parish　as　well　as　I　could。　Indeed　I　consider　him　a　better　man

for　the　place　than　I　am。　That　old　Oro　is　a　tough　proposition；　but

I　do　not　despair　of　him　yet；　and　besides　him　there　is　the

Glittering　Lady；　a　most　open…minded　person；　whom　I　have　not　yet

had　any　real　opportunity　of　approaching　in　a　spiritual　sense。

Then　there　are　all　these　natives　who　cannot　learn　without　a

teacher。　So　on　the　whole　I　think　I　would　rather　stay　where　I　am

until　Providence　points　out　some　other　path。〃



〃I　am　of　the　same　opinion；　if　for　somewhat　different　reasons；〃

I　said。　〃I　do　not　suppose　that　it　has　often　been　the　fortune　of

men　to　come　in　touch　with　such　things　as　we　have　found　upon　this

island。　They　may　be　illusions；　but　at　least　they　are　very

interesting　illusions。　One　might　live　ten　lifetimes　and　find

nothing　else　of　the　sort。　Therefore　I　should　like　to　see　the　end

of　the　dream。〃



Bickley　reflected　a　little；　then　said：



〃On　the　whole　I　agree　with　you。　Only　my　brain　totters　and　I　am

terribly　afraid　of　madness。　I　cannot　believe　what　I　seem　to　hear

and　see；　and　that　way　madness　lies。　It　is　better　to　die　than　to

go　mad。〃



〃You'll　do　that　anyway　when　your　time　comes；　Bickley；　I　mean

decease；　of　course；〃　interrupted　Bastin。　〃And　who　knows；　perhaps

all　this　is　an　opportunity　given　by　Providence　to　open　your　eyes；

which；　I　must　say；　are　singularly　blind。　You　think　you　know

everything　there　is　to　learn；　but　the　fact　is　that　like　the　rest

of　us；　you　know　nothing　at　all；　and　good　man　though　you　are；

obstinately　refuse　to　admit　the　truth　and　to　seek　support

elsewhere。　For　my　part　I　believe　that　you　are　afraid　of　falling

in　love　with　that　Glittering　Lady　and　of　being　convinced　by　her

that　you　are　wrong　in　your　most　unsatisfactory　conclusions。〃



〃I　am　out…voted　anyway；〃　said　Bickley；　〃and　for　the　rest；

Bastin；　look　after　yourself　and　leave　me　alone。　I　will　add　that

on　the　whole　I　think　you　are　both　right；　and　that　it　is　wisest

for　us　to　stop　where　we　are；　for　after　all　we　can　only　die　once。〃



〃I　am　not　so　sure；　Bickley。　There　is　a　thing　called　the　second

death；　which　is　what　is　troubling　that　old　scoundrel；　Oro。　Now　I

will　go　and　look　for　those　books。〃



So　the　idea　of　flight　was　abandoned；　although　I　admit　that　even

to　myself　it　had　attractions。　For　I　felt　that　I　was　being　wrapped

in　a　net　of　mysteries　from　which　I　saw　no　escape。　Yes；　and　of

more　than　mysteries；　I　who　had　sworn　that　I　would　never　look　upon

another　woman；　was　learning　to　love　this　sweet　and　wondrous　Yva；

and　of　that　what　could　be　the　end？





We　collected　all　we　had　come　to　seek；　and　started　homewards

escorted　by　Marama　and　his　people；　including　a　number　of　young

women　who　danced　before　us　in　a　light　array　of　flowers。



Passing　our　old　house；　we　came　to　the　grove　where　the　idol　Oro

had　stood　and　Bastin　was　so　nearly　sacrificed。　There　was　another

idol　there　now　which　he　wished　to　examine；　but　in　the　end　did　not

as　the　natives　so　obviously　objected。　Indeed　Marama　told　me　that

notwithstanding　the　mysterious　death　of　the　sorcerers　on　the　Rock

of　Offerings；　there　was　still　a　strong　party　in　the　island　who

would　be　glad　to　do　us　a　mischief　if　any　further　affront　were

offered　to　their　hereditary　god。



He　questioned　us　also　tentatively　about　the　apparition；　for

such　he　conceived　it　to　be；　which　had　appeared　upon　the　rock　and

killed　the　sorcerers；　and　I　answered　him　as　I　thought　wisest；

telling　him　that　a　terrible　Power　was　afoot　in　the　land；　which　he

would　do　well　to　obey。



〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃the　God　of　the　Mountain　of　whom　the　tradition

has　come　down　to　us　from　our　forefathers。　He　is　awake　again；　he

sees；　he　hears　and　we　are　afraid。　Plead　with　him　for　us；　O

Friend…from…the…Sea。〃



As　he　spoke　we　were　passing　through　a　little　patch　of　thick

bush。　Suddenly　from　out　of　this　bush；　I　saw　a　lad　appear。　He　wore

a　mask　upon　his　face；　but　from　his　shape　could　not　have　been　more

than　thirteen　or　fourteen　years　of　age。　In　his　hand　was　a　wooden

club。　He　ran　forward；　stopped；　and　with　a　yell　of　hate　hurled　it；

I　think　at　Bastin；　but　it　hit　me。　At　any　rate　I　felt　a　shock　and

remembered　no　more。



Dreams。　Dreams。　Endless　dreams！　What　were　they　all　about？　I　do

not　know。　It　seemed　to　me　that　through　them　continually　I　saw　the

stately　figure　of　old　Oro　contemplating　me　gravely；　as　though　he

were　making　up　his　mind　about　something　in　which　I　must　play　a

part。　Then　there　was　another　figure；　that　of　the　gracious　but

imperial　Yva；　who　from　time　to　time；　as　I　thought；　leant　over　me

and　whispered　in　my　ear　words　of　rest　and　comfort。　Nor　was　this

all；　since　her　shape　had　a　way　of　changing　suddenly　into　that　of

my　lost　wife　who　would　speak　with　her　voice。　Or　perhaps　my　wife

would　speak　with　Yva's　voice。　To　my　disordered　sense　it　was　as

though　they　were　one　personality；　having　two　shapes；　either　of

which　could　be　assumed　at　will。　It　was　most　strange　and　yet　to　me

most　blessed；　since　in　the　living　I　seemed　to　have　found　the

dead；　and　in　the　dead　the　living。　More；　I　took　journeys；　or

rather　some　unknown　part　of　me　seemed　to　do　so。　One　of　these　I

remember；　for　its　majestic　character　stamped　itself　upon　my　mind

in　such　a　fashion　that　all　the　waters　of　delirium　could　not　wash

it　out　nor　all　its　winds　blow　away　that　memory。



I　was　travelling　through　space　with　Yva　a　thousand　times　faster

than　light　can　flash。　We　passed　sun　after　sun。　They　drew　near；

they　grew　into　enormous；　flaming　Glories　round　which　circled

world　upon　world。　They　became　small；　dwindled　to　points　of　light

and　disappeared。



We　found　footing　upon　some　far　land　and　passed　a　marvelous

white　city　wherein　were　buildings　with　domes　of　crystal　and

alabaster；　in　the　latter　of　which　were　set　windows　made　of　great

jewels；　sapphires　or　rubies　they　seemed　to　me。　We　went　on　up　a

lovely　valley。　To　the　left　were　hills；　down　which　tumbled

waterfalls；　to　the　right　was　a　river　broad　and　deep　that　seemed

to　overflow　its　banks　as　does　the　Nile。　Behind　were　high

mountains　on　the　slopes　of　which　grew　forests　of　glorious　trees；

some　of　them　aflame　with　bloom；　while　far　away　up　their　crests

stood　colossal　golden　statues　set　wide　apart。　They　looked　like

guardian　angels　watching　that　city　and　that　vale。　The　land　was

lit　with　a　light　such　as　that　of　the　moon；　only　intensified　and

of　many　colours。　Indeed　looking　up；　I　saw　that　above　us　floated

three　moons；　each　of　them　bigger　than　our　own　at　the　full；　and

gathered　that　here　it　was　night。



We　came　to　a　house　set　amid　scented　gardens　and　having　in　front

of　it　terraces　of　flowers。　It　seemed　not　unlike　my　own　house　at

home；　but　I　took　little　note　of　it；　because　of　a　woman　who　sat

upon　the　verandah；　if　I　may　call　it　so。　She　was　clad　in　garments

of　white　silk　fastened　about　her　middle　with　a　jewelled　girdle。

On　her　neck　also　was　a　collar　of　jewels。　I　forget　the　colour；

indeed