when the world shook-第45章

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champagne　flowed；　a　fine　band　played；　everything　was　costly；

everything　was；　in　a　sense；　repellent。



〃These　are　the　wealthy　citizens　of　a　nation　engaged　in　fighting

for　its　life；〃　remarked　Oro　to　me；　stroking　his　long　beard。　〃It

is　interesting；　very　interesting。　Let　us　go。〃



We　went　out　and　on；　passing　a　public…house　crowded　with　women

who　had　left　their　babies　in　charge　of　children　in　the　icy

street。　It　was　a　day　of　Intercession　for　the　success　of　England

in　the　war。　This　was　placarded　everywhere。　We　entered；　or；

rather；　Oro　did；　I　following　him；　one　of　the　churches　in　the

Strand　where　an　evening　service　was　in　progress。　The　preacher　in

the　pulpit；　a　very　able　man；　was　holding　forth　upon　the　necessity

for　national　repentance　and　self…denial；　also　of　prayer。　In　the

body　of　the　church　exactly　thirty…two　people；　most　of　them

elderly　women；　were　listening　to　him　with　an　air　of　placid

acceptance。



〃The　priest　talks　well；　but　his　hearers　are　not　many；　said　Oro。

〃Let　us　go。〃



We　came　to　the　flaunting　doors　of　a　great　music…hall　and　passed

through　them；　though　to　others　this　would　have　been　impossible；

for　the　place　was　filled　from　floor　to　roof。　In　its　promenades

men　were　drinking　and　smoking；　while　gaudy　women；　painted　and

low…robed；　leered　at　them。　On　the　stage　girls　danced；　throwing

their　legs　above　their　heads。　Then　they　vanished　amidst　applause；

and　a　woman　in　a　yellow　robe；　who　pretended　to　be　tipsy；　sang　a

horrible　and　vulgar　song　full　of　topical　allusions；　which　was

received　with　screams　of　delight　by　the　enormous　audience。



〃Here　the　hearers　are　very　many；　but　those　to　whom　they　listen

do　not　talk　well。　Let　us　go；〃　said　Oro；　and　we　went。



At　a　recruiting　station　we　paused　a　moment　to　consider　posters

supposed　to　be　attractive；　the　very　sight　of　which　sent　a　thrill

of　shame　through　me。　I　remember　that　the　inscription　under　one　of

them　was：　〃What　will　your　best　girl　say？〃



〃Is　that　how　you　gather　your　soldiers？　Later　it　will　be

otherwise；〃　said　Oro；　and　passed　on。



We　reached　Blackfriars　and　entered　a　hall　at　the　doors　of　which

stood　women　in　poke…bonnets；　very　sweet…faced；　earnest…looking

women。　Their　countenances　seemed　to　strike　Oro；　and　he　motioned

me　to　follow　him　into　the　hall。　It　was　quite　full　of　a　miserable…

looking　congregation　of　perhaps　a　thousand　people。　A　man　in　the

blue　and　red　uniform　of　the　Salvation　Army　was　preaching　of　duty

to　God　and　country；　of　self…denial；　hope　and　forgiveness。　He

seemed　a　humble　person；　but　his　words　were　earnest；　and　love

flowed　from　him。　Some　of　his　miserable　congregation　wept；　others

stared　at　him　open…mouthed；　a　few；　who　were　very　weary；　slept。　He

called　them　up　to　receive　pardon；　and　a　number；　led　by　the　sweet…

faced　women；　came　and　knelt　before　him。　He　and　others　whispered

to　them；　then　seemed　to　bless　them；　and　they　rose　with　their

faces　changed。



〃Let　us　go；〃　said　Oro。　〃I　do　not　understand　these　rites；　but　at

last　in　your　great　and　wonderful　city　I　have　seen　something　that

is　pure　and　noble。〃



We　went　out。　In　the　streets　there　was　great　excitement。　People

ran　to　and　fro　pointing　upwards。　Searchlights；　like　huge　fingers

of　flame；　stole　across　the　sky；　guns　boomed。　At　last；　in　the

glare　of　a　searchlight；　we　saw　a　long　and　sinister　object

floating　high　above　us　and　gleaming　as　though　it　were　made　of

silver。　Flashes　came　from　it　followed　by　terrible　booming　reports

that　grew　nearer　and　nearer。　A　house　collapsed　with　a　crash　just

behind　us。



〃Ah！〃　said　Oro；　with　a　smile。　〃I　know　thisit　is　war；　war　as

it　was　when　the　world　was　different　and　yet　the　same。〃



As　he　spoke；　a　motor…bus　rumbled　past。　Another　flash　and

explosion。　A　man；　walking　with　his　arms　round　the　waist　of　a　girl

just　ahead　of　us；　seemed　to　be　tossed　up　and　to　melt。　The　girl

fell　in　a　heap　on　the　pavement；　somehow　her　head　and　her　feet　had

come　quite　close　together　and　yet　she　appeared　to　be　sitting

down。　The　motor…bus　burst　into　fragments　and　its　passengers

hurtled　through　the　air；　mere　hideous　lumps　that　had　been　men　and

women。　The　head　of　one　of　them　came　dancing　down　the　pavement

towards　us；　a　cigar　still　stuck　in　the　corner　of　its　mouth。



〃Yes；　this　is　war；〃　said　Oro。　〃It　makes　me　young　again　to　see

it。　But　does　this　city　of　yours　understand？〃



We　watched　a　while。　A　crowd　gathered。　Policemen　ran　up；

ambulances　came。　The　place　was　cleared；　and　all　that　was　left

they　carried　away。　A　few　minutes　later　another　man　passed　by　with

his　arm　round　the　waist　of　another　girl。　Another　motor…bus

rumbled　up；　and；　avoiding　the　hole　in　the　roadway；　travelled　on；

its　conductor　keeping　a　keen　look…out　for　fares。



The　street　was　cleared　by　the　police；　the　airship　continued　its

course；　spawning　bombs　in　the　distance；　and　vanished。　The

incident　was　closed。



〃Let　us　go　home；〃　said　Oro。　〃I　have　seen　enough　of　your　great

and　wonderful　city。　I　would　rest　in　the　quiet　of　Nyo　and　think。〃



The　next　thing　that　I　remember　was　the　voice　of　Bastin；　saying：



〃If　you　don't　mind；　Arbuthnot；　I　wish　that　you　would　get　up。

The　Glittering　Lady　（he　still　called　her　that）　is　coming　here　to

have　a　talk　with　me　which　I　should　prefer　to　be　private。　Excuse

me　for　disturbing　you；　but　you　have　overslept　yourself；　indeed；　I

think　it　must　be　nine　o'clock；　so　far　as　I　can　judge　by　the　sun；

for　my　watch　is　very　erratic　now；　ever　since　Bickley　tried　to

clean　it。〃



〃I　am　sorry；　my　dear　fellow；〃　I　said　sleepily；　〃but　do　you　know

I　thought　I　was　in　Londonin　fact；　I　could　swear　that　I　have

been　there。〃



〃Then；〃　interrupted　Bickley；　who　had　followed　Bastin　into　the

hut；　giving　me　that　doubtful　glance　with　which　I　was　now

familiar；　〃I　wish　to　goodness　that　you　had　brought　back　an

evening　paper　with　you。〃



A　night　or　two　later　I　was　again　suddenly　awakened　to　feel　that

Oro　was　approaching。　He　appeared　like　a　ghost　in　the　bright

moonlight；　greeted　me；　and　said：



〃Tonight；　Humphrey；　we　must　make　another　journey。　I　would　visit

the　seat　of　the　war。〃



〃I　do　not　wish　to　go；〃　I　said　feebly。



〃What　you　wish　does　not　matter；〃　he　replied。　〃I　wish　that　you

should　go；　and　therefore　you　must。〃



〃Listen；　Oro；〃　I　exclaimed。　〃I　do　not　like　this　business；　it

seems　dangerous　to　me。〃



〃There　is　no　danger　if　you　are　obedient；　Humphrey。〃



〃I　think　there　is。　I　do　not　understand　what　happens。　Do　you

make　use　of　what　the　Lady　Yva　called　the　Fourth　Dimension；　so

that　our　bodies　pass　over　the　seas　and　through　mountains；　like

the　vibrations　of　our　Wireless；　of　which　I　was　speaking　to　you？〃



〃No；　Humphrey。　That　method　is　good　and　easy；　but　I　do　not　use

it　because　if　I　did　we　should　be　visible　in　the　places　which　we

visit；　since　there　all　the　atoms　that　make　a　man　would　collect

together　again　and　be　a　man。〃



〃What；　then；　do　you　do？〃　I　asked；　exasperated。



〃Man；　Humphrey；　is　not　one；　he　is　many。　Thus；　amongst　other

things　he　has　a　Double；　which　can　see　and　hear；　as　he　can　in　the

flesh；　if　it　is　separated　from　the　flesh。〃



〃The　old　Egyptians　believed　that；〃　I　said。



〃Did　they？　Doubtless　they　inherited　the　knowledge　from　us；　the

Sons　of　Wisdom。　The　cup　of　our　learning　was　so　full　that；　keep　it

secret　as　we　would；　from　time　to　time　some　of　it　overflowed　among

the　vulgar；　and　doubtless　thus　the　light　of　our　knowledge　still

burns　feebly　in　the　world。〃



I　reflected　to　myself　that　whatever　might　be　their　other

characteristics；　the　Sons　of　Wisdom　had　lost　that　of　modesty；　but

I　only　asked　how　he　used　his　Double；　supposing　that　it　existed。



〃Very　easily；〃　he　answered。　〃In　sleep　it　can　be　drawn　from　the

body　and　sent　upon　its　mission　by　one　that　is　its　master。〃



〃Then　while　you　were　asleep　for　all　those　thousands　of　years

your　Double　must　have　made　many　journeys。〃



〃Perhaps；〃　he　replied　quietly；　〃and　my　spirit　also；　which　is

another　part　of　me　that　may　have　dwelt　in　the　bodies　of　other

men。　But　unhappily；　if　so　I　forget；　and　that　is　why　I　have　so

much　to　learn　and　must　even　make　use　of　such　poor　instruments　as

you；　Humphrey。〃



〃Then　if　I　sleep　and　you　distil　my　Double　out　of　me；　I　suppose

that　you　sleep　too。　In　that　case　who　distils　your　Double　out　of

you；　Lord　Oro？〃



He　grew　angry　and　answered：



〃Ask　no　more　questions；　blind　and　ignorant　as　you　are。　It　is

your　part　not　to　examine；　but　to　obey。　Sleep　now；〃　and　again　he

waved　his　hand　over　me。





In　an　instant；　as　it　seemed；　we　were　standing　in　a　grey　old

town　that　I　judged　from　its　appearance　must　be　either　in　northern

France　or　Belgium。　It　was　much　shattered　by　bombardment；　the

church；　for　instance；　was　a　ruin；　also　many　of　the　houses　had

been　burnt。　Now；　however；　no　firing　was　going　on　for　the　town　had

been　taken。　The　streets　were　full　of　armed　men　wearing　the　German

uniform　and　helmet。　We　passed　down　them　and　were　able　to　see　into

the　houses。　In　some　of　these　were　German　soldiers　engaged　in

looting　and　in　other　things　so　horrible　that　even　the　unmoved　Oro

turned　away　his　head。



We　came　to　the　market…place。　It　was　crowded　with　German　troops；

also　with　a　great　number　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　town；　most　of

them　elderly　men　and　women　with　children；　who　had　fallen　into

their　power。　The　Germans；　under　the　command　of　officers；　were

dragging　the　men　from　the　arms　of　their　wives　and　children　to　one

side；　and　with　rifle…butts　beating　back　the　screaming　women。　Among

the　men　I　noticed　two　or　three　priests　who　were　doing　their　best

to　soothe　their　companions　and　even　giving　them　absolution　in

hurried　whispers。



At　length　the　separation　was　effected；　whereon　at　a　hoarse　word

of　command；　a　company　of　soldiers　began　to　fire　at　the　men　and

continued　doing　so　until　all　had　fallen。　Then　petty　officers　went

among　the　slaughtered　and　with　pistols　blew　out　the　brains　of　any

who　still　moved。



〃These　butchers；　you　say；　are　Germans？〃　asked　Oro　of　me。



〃Yes；〃　I　answered；　sick　with　horror；　for　though　I　was　in　the

mind　and　not　in　the　body；　I　could　feel　as　the　mind　does。　Had　I

been　in　the　body　also；　I　should　have　fainted。



〃Then　we　need　not　waste　time　in　visiting　their　country。　It　is

enough；　let　us　go　on。〃



We　passed　out　into　the　open　land　and　came　to　a　village。　It　was

in　the　occupation　of　German　cavalry。　Two　of　them　held　a　little

girl　of　nine　or　ten；　one　by　her　body；　the　other　by　her　right

hand。　An　officer　stood　between　them　with　a　drawn　sword　fronting

the　terrified　child。　He　was　a　horrible；　coarse…faced　man　who

looked　to　me　as　though　he　had　been　drinking。



〃I'll　teach　the　young　devil　to　show　us　the　wrong　road　and　let

those　French　swine　escape；〃　he　shouted；　and　struck　with　the

sword。　The　girl's　right　hand　fell　to　the　ground。



〃War　as　practised　by　the　Germans！〃　remarked　Oro。　Then　he

stepped；　or　seemed　to　step　up　to　the　man　and　whispered；　or　seemed

to　whisper；　in　his　ear。



I　do　not　know　what　tongue　or　w