when the world shook-第50章

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my　reach。　Be　in　the　sepulchre　at　the　hour　of　sundown　on　the

second　day　from　this；　all　three　of　you；　if　you　would　continue　to

live　upon　the　earth。　Afterwards　you　shall　learn　my　will　and　make

your　choice　between　Yva　with　majesty　and　her　loss　with　death。〃



Then　suddenly　he　was　gone。





Next　morning　I　told　the　others　what　had　passed；　and　we　talked

the　matter　over。　The　trouble　was；　of　course；　that　Bickley　did　not

believe　me。　He　had　no　faith　in　my　alleged　interviews　with　Oro；

which　he　set　down　to　delusions　of　a　semi…mesmeric　character。　This

was　not　strange；　since　it　appeared　that　on　the　previous　night　he

had　watched　the　door　of　my　sleeping…place　until　dawn　broke；　which

it　did　long　after　Oro　had　departed；　and　he　had　not　seen　him

either　come　or　go；　although　the　moon　was　shining　brightly。



When　he　told　me　this　I　could　only　answer　that　all　the　same　he

had　been　there　as；　if　he　could　speak；　Tommy　would　have　been　able

to　certify。　As　it　chanced　the　dog　was　sleeping　with　me　and　at　the

first　sound　of　the　approach　of　someone；　woke　up　and　growled。　Then

recognising　Oro；　he　went　to　him；　wagged　his　tail　and　curled

himself　up　at　his　feet。



Bastin　believed　my　story　readily　enough；　saying　that　Oro　was　a

peculiar　person　who　no　doubt　had　ways　of　coming　and　going　which

we　did　not　understand。　His　point　was；　however；　that　he　did　not　in

the　least　wish　to　visit　Nyo　any　more。　The　wonders　of　its

underground　palaces　and　temples　had　no　charms　for　him。　Also　he

did　not　think　he　could　do　any　good　by　going；　since　after　〃sucking

him　as　dry　as　an　orange〃　with　reference　to　religious　matters

〃that　old　vampire…bat　Oro　had　just　thrown　him　away　like　the

rind；〃　and；　he　might　add；　〃seemed　no　better　for　the　juice　he　had

absorbed。〃



〃I　doubt；〃　continued　Bastin；　〃whether　St。　Paul　himself　could

have　converted　Oro；　even　if　he　performed　miracles　before　him。

What　is　the　use　of　showing　miracles　to　a　man　who　could　always

work　a　bigger　one　himself？〃



In　short；　Bastin's　one　idea；　and　Bickley's　also　for　the　matter

of　that；　was　to　get　away　to　the　main　island　and　thence　escape　by

means　of　the　boat；　or　in　some　other　fashion。



I　pointed　out　that　Oro　had　said　we　must　obey　at　the　peril　of

our　lives；　indeed　that　he　had　put　it　even　more　strongly；　using

words　to　the　effect　that　if　we　did　not　he　would　kill　us。



〃I'd　take　the　risk；〃　said　Bickley；　〃since　I　believe　that

you　dreamt　it　all；　Arbuthnot。　However；　putting　that

aside；　there　is　a　natural　reason　why　you　should　wish　to

go；　and　for　my　own　part；　so　do　I　in　a　way。　I　want　to　see

what　that　old　fellow　has　up　his　extremely　long　sleeve；　if

there　is　anything　there　at　all。〃



〃Well；　if　you　ask　me；　Bickley；〃　I　answered；　〃I　believe　it　is

the　destruction　of　half　the　earth；　or　some　little　matter　of　that

sort。〃



At　this　suggestion　Bickley　only　snorted；　but　Bastin　said

cheerfully：



〃I　dare　say。　He　is　bad　enough　even　for　that。　But　as　I　am　quite

convinced　that　it　will　never　be　allowed；　his　intentions　do　not

trouble　me。〃



I　remarked　that　he　seemed　to　have　carried　them　out　once　before。



〃Oh！　you　mean　the　Deluge。　Well；　no　doubt　there　was　a　deluge；

but　I　am　sure　that　Oro　had　no　more　to　do　with　it　than　you　or　I；

as　I　think　I　have　said　already。　Anyhow　it　is　impossible　to　leave

you　to　descend　into　that　hole　alone。　I　suggest；　therefore；　that

we　should　go　into　the　sepulchre　at　the　time　which　you　believe　Oro

appointed；　and　see　what　happens。　If　you　are　not　mistaken；　the

Glittering　Lady　will　come　there　to　fetch　us；　since　it　is　quite

certain　that　we　cannot　work　the　lift　or　whatever　it　is；　alone。　If

you　are　mistaken　we　can　just　go　back　to　bed　as　usual。〃



〃Yes；　that's　the　best　plan；〃　said　Bickley；　shortly；　after　which

the　conversation　came　to　an　end。



All　that　day　and　the　next　I　watched　and　waited　in　vain　for　the

coming　of　Yva；　but　no　Yva　appeared。　I　even　went　as　far　as　the

sepulchre；　but　it　was　as　empty　as　were　the　two　crystal　coffins；

and　after　waiting　a　while　I　returned。　Although　I　did　not　say　so

to　Bickley；　to　me　it　was　evident　that　Oro；　as　he　had　said；　was

determined　to　cut　off　all　communication　between　us。



The　second　day　drew　to　its　close。　Our　simple　preparations　were

complete。　They　consisted　mainly　in　making　ready　our　hurricane

lamps　and　packing　up　a　little　food；　enough　to　keep　us　for　three

or　four　days　if　necessary；　together　with　some　matches　and　a　good

supply　of　oil；　since；　as　Bastin　put　it；　he　was　determined　not　to

be　caught　like　the　foolish　virgins　in　the　parable。



〃You　see；〃　he　added；　〃one　never　knows　when　it　might　please　that

old　wretch　to　turn　off　the　incandescent　gas　or　electric　light；　or

whatever　it　is　he　uses　to　illumine　his　family　catacombs；　and　then

it　would　be　awkward　if　we　had　no　oil。〃



〃For　the　matter　of　that　he　might　steal　our　lamps；〃

suggested　Bickley；　〃in　which　case　we　should　be　where

Moses　was　when　the　light　went　out。〃



〃I　have　considered　that　possibility；〃　answered　Bastin；　〃and

therefore；　although　it　is　a　dangerous　weapon　to　carry　loaded；　I

am　determined　to　take　my　revolver。　If　necessary　I　shall　consider

myself　quite　justified　in　shooting　him　to　save　our　lives　and

those　of　thousands　of　others。〃



At　this　we　both　laughed；　somehow　the　idea　of　Bastin　trying　to

shoot　Oro　struck　us　as　intensely　ludicrous。　Yet　that　very　thing

was　to　happen。





It　was　a　peculiarly　beautiful　sunset　over　the　southern　seas。　To

the　west　the　great　flaming　orb　sank　into　the　ocean；　to　the　east

appeared　the　silver　circle　of　the　full　moon。　To　my　excited　fancy

they　were　like　scales　hanging　from　the　hand　of　a　materialised

spirit　of　calm。　Over　the　volcano　and　the　lake；　over　the　island

with　its　palm　trees；　over　the　seas　beyond；　this　calm　brooded。

Save　for　a　few　travelling　birds　the　sky　was　empty；　no　cloud

disturbed　its　peace；　the　world　seemed　steeped　in　innocence　and

quiet。



All　these　things　struck　me；　as　I　think　they　did　the　others；

because　by　the　action　of　some　simultaneous　thought　it　came　to　our

minds　that　very　probably　we　were；　looking　on　them　for　the　last

time。　It　is　all　very　well　to　talk　of　the　Unknown　and　the　Infinite

whereof　we　are　assured　we　are　the　heirs；　but　that　does　not　make

it　any　easier　for　us　to　part　with　the　Known　and　the　Finite。　The

contemplation　of　the　wonders　of　Eternity　does　not　conceal　the

advantages　of　actual　and　existent　Time。　In　short　there　is　no　one

of　us；　from　a　sainted　archbishop　down　to　a　sinful　suicide；　who

does　not　regret　the　necessity　of　farewell　to　the　pleasant　light

and　the　kindly　race　of　men　wherewith　we　are　acquainted。



For　after　all；　who　can　be　quite　certain　of　the　Beyond？　It　may

be　splendid；　but　it　will　probably　be　strange；　and　from

strangeness；　after　a　certain　age；　we　shrink。　We　know　that　all

things　will　be　different　there；　that　our　human　relationships　will

be　utterly　changed；　that　perhaps　sex　which　shapes　so　many　of

them；　will　vanish　to　be　replaced　by　something　unknown；　that

ambitions　will　lose　their　hold　of　us；　and　that；　at　the　best；　the

mere　loss　of　hopes　and　fears　will　leave　us　empty。　So　at　least　we

think；　who　seek　not　variation　but　continuance；　since　the　spirit

must　differ　from　the　body　and　that　thought　alarms　our

intelligence。



At　least　some　of　us　think　so；　others；　like　Bickley；　write　down

the　future　as　a　black　and　endless　night；　which　after　all　has　its

consolations　since；　as　has　been　wisely　suggested；　perhaps

oblivion　is　better　than　any　memories。　Others　again；　like　Bastin；

would　say　of　it　with　the　Frenchman；　plus　ca　change；　plus　c'est　la

meme　chose。　Yet　others；　like　Oro；　consider　it　as　a　realm　of

possibilities；　probably　unpleasant　and　perhaps　non…existent；　just

this　and　nothing　more。　Only　one　thing　is　certain；　that　no

creature　which　has　life　desires　to　leap　into　the　fire　and　from

the　dross　of　doubts；　to　resolve　the　goldor　the　leadof

certainty。



〃It　is　time　to　be　going；〃　said　Bastin。　〃In　these　skies　the　sun

seems　to　tumble　down；　not　to　set　decently　as　it　does　in　England；

and　if　we　wait　any　longer　we　shall　be　late　for　our　appointment　in

the　sepulchre。　I　am　sorry　because　although　I　don't　often　notice

scenery；　everything　looks　rather　beautiful　this　evening。　That

star；　for　instance；　I　think　it　is　called　Venus。〃



〃And　therefore　one　that　Arbuthnot　should　admire；〃　broke　in

Bickley；　attempting　to　lighten　matters　with　a　joke。　〃But　come　on

and　let　us　be　rid　of　this　fool's　errand。　Certainly　the　world　is　a

lovely　place　after　all；　and　for　my　part　I　hope　that　we　haven't

seen　the　last　of　it；〃　he　added　with　a　sigh。



〃So　do　I；〃　said　Bastin；　〃though　of　course；　Faith　teaches　us

that　there　are　much　better　ones　beyond。　It　is　no　use　bothering

about　what　they　are　like；　but　I　hope　that　the　road　to　them

doesn't　run　through　the　hole　that　the　old　reprobate；　Oro；　calls

Nyo。〃



A　few　minutes　later　we　started；　each　of　us　carrying　his　share

of　the　impedimenta。　I　think　that　Tommy　was　the　only　really

cheerful　member　of　the　party；　for　he　skipped　about　and　barked；

running　backwards　and　forwards　into　the　mouth　of　the　cave；　as

though　to　hurry　our　movements。



〃Really；〃　said　Bastin；　〃it　is　quite　unholy　to　see　an　animal

going　on　in　that　way　when　it　knows　that　it　is　about　to　descend

into　the　bowels　of　the　earth。　I　suppose　it　must　like　them。〃



〃Oh！　no；〃　commented　Bickley；　〃it　only　likes　what　is　in　them

like　Arbuthnot。　Since　that　little　beast　came　in　contact　with　the

Lady　Yva；　it　has　never　been　happy　out　of　her　company。〃



〃I　think　that　is　so；〃　said　Bastin。　〃At　any　rate　I　have　noticed

that　it　has　been　moping　for　the　last　two　days；　as　it　always　does

when　she　is　not　present。　It　even　seems　to　like　Oro　who　gives　me

the　creeps；　perhaps　because　he　is　her　father。　Dogs　must　be　very

charitable　animals。〃



By　now　we　were　in　the　cave　marching　past　the　wrecks　of　the

half…buried　flying…machines；　which　Bickley；　as　he　remarked

regretfully；　had　never　found　time　thoroughly　to　examine。　Indeed；

to　do　so　would　have　needed　more　digging　than　we　could　do　without

proper　instruments；　since　the　machines　were　big　and　deeply

entombed　in　dust。



We　came　to　the　sepulchre　and　entered。



〃Well；〃　said　Bickley；　seating　himself　on　the　edge　of　one　of　the

coffins　and　holding　up　his　lamp　to　look　about　him；　〃this　place

seems　fairly　empty。　No　one　is　keeping　the　assignation；　Arbuthnot；

although　the　sun　is　well　down。〃



As　he　spoke　the　words　Yva　stood　before　us。　Whence　she　came　we

did　not　see；　for　all　our　backs　were　turned　at　the　moment　of　her

arrival。　But　there　she　was；　calm；　beautiful；　radiating　light。









Chapter　XXIII



In　the　Temple　of　Fate





Yva　glanced　at　me；　and　in　her　eyes　I　read　tenderness　and

solicitude；　also　something　of　inquiry。　It　seemed　to　me　as　though

she　were　wondering　what　I　should　do　under　circumstances　that

might；　or　would；　arise；　and　in　some　secret　fashion　of　which　I　was

but　half　conscious；　drawing　an　answer　from　my　soul。　Then　she

turned；　and；　smilin