when the world shook-第51章

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

turned；　and；　smiling　in　her　dazzling　way；　said：



〃So；　Bickley；　as　usual；　you　did　not　believe？　Because　you　did

not　see　him；　therefore　the　Lord　Oro；　my　father；　never　spoke　with

Humphrey。　As　though　the　Lord　Oro　could　not　pass　you　without　your

knowledge；　or；　perchance；　send　thoughts　clothed　in　his　own　shape

to　work　his　errand。〃



〃How　do　you　know　that　I　did　not　believe　Arbuthnot's　story？〃

Bickley　asked　in　a　rather　cross　voice　and　avoiding　the　direct

issue。　〃Do　you　also　send　thoughts　to　work　your　errands　clothed　in

your　own　shape；　Lady　Yva？〃



〃Alas！　not　so；　though　perhaps　I　could　if　I　might。　It　is　very

simple；　Bickley。　Standing　here；　I　heard　you　say　that　although　the

sun　was　well　down　there　was　no　one　to　meet　you　as　Humphrey　had

expected；　and　from　those　words　and　your　voice　I　guessed　the

rest。〃



〃Your　knowledge　of　the　English　language　is　improving　fast；　Lady

Yva。　Also；　when　I　spoke；　you　were　not　here。〃



〃At　least　I　was　very　near；　Bickley；　and　these　walls　are　thinner

than　you　think；〃　she　answered；　contemplating　what　seemed　to　be

solid　rock　with　eyes　that　were　full　of　innocence。　〃Oh！　friend；〃

she　went　on　suddenly；　〃I　wonder　what　there　is　which　will　cause

you　to　believe　that　you　do　not　know　all；　that　there　exist　many

things　beyond　the　reach　of　your　learning　and　imagination？　Well；

in　a　day　or　two；　perhaps；　even　you　will　admit　as　much；　and

confess　it　to　meelsewhere；〃　and　she　sighed。



〃I　am　ready　to　confess　now　that　much　happens　which　I　do　not

understand　at　present；　because　I　have　not　the　key　to　the　trick；〃

he　replied。



Yva　shook　her　head　at　him　and　smiled　again。　Then　she　motioned

to　all　of　us　to　stand　close　to　her；　and；　stooping；　lifted　Tommy

in　her　arms。　Next　moment　that　marvel　happened　which　I　have

described　already；　and　we　were　whirling　downwards　through　space；

to　find　ourselves　in　a　very　little　time　standing　safe　in　the

caves　of　Nyo；　breathless　with　the　swiftness　of　our　descent。　How

and　on　what　we　descended　neither　I　nor　the　others　ever　learned。

It　was　and　must　remain　one　of　the　unexplained　mysteries　of　our

great　experience。



〃Whither　now；　Yva？〃　I　asked；　staring　about　me　at　the　radiant

vastness。



〃The　Lord　Oro　would　speak　with　you；　Humphrey。　Follow。　And　I

pray　you　all　do　not　make　him　wrath；　for　his　mood　is　not　gentle。〃



So　once　more　we　proceeded　down　the　empty　streets　of　that

underground　abode　which；　except　that　it　was　better　illuminated；

reminded　me　of　the　Greek　conception　of　Hades。　We　came　to　the

sacred　fountain　over　which　stood　the　guardian　statue　of　Life；

pouring　from　the　cups　she　held　the　waters　of　Good　and　Ill　that

mingled　into　one　health…giving　wine。



〃Drink；　all　of　you；〃　she　said；　〃for　I　think　before　the　sun　sets

again　upon　the　earth　we　shall　need　strength；　every　one　of　us。〃



So　we　drank；　and　she　drank　herself；　and　once　more　felt　the

blood　go　dancing　through　our　veins　as　though　the　draught　had　been

some　nectar　of　the　gods。　Then；　having　extinguished　the　lanterns

which　we　still　carried；　for　here　they　were　needless；　and　we

wished　to　save　our　oil；　we　followed　her　through　the　great　doors

into　the　vast　hall　of　audience　and　advanced　up　it　between　the

endless；　empty　seats。　At　its　head；　on　the　dais　beneath　the

arching　shell；　sat　Oro　on　his　throne。　As　before；　he　wore　the

jewelled　cap　and　the　gorgeous；　flowing　robes；　while　the　table　in

front　of　him　was　still　strewn　with　sheets　of　metal　on　which　he

wrote　with　a　pen；　or　stylus；　that　glittered　like　a　diamond　or　his

own　fierce　eyes。　Then　he　lifted　his　head　and　beckoned　to　us　to

ascend　the　dais。



〃You　are　here。　It　is　well；〃　he　said；　which　was　all　his

greeting。　Only　when　Tommy　ran　up　to　him　he　bent　down　and　patted

the　dog's　head　with　his　long；　thin　hand；　and；　as　he　did　so；　his

face　softened。　It　was　evident　to　me　that　Tommy　was　more　welcome

to　him　than　were　the　rest　of　us。



There　was　a　long　silence　while；　one　by　one；　he　searched　us　with

his　piercing　glance。　It　rested　on　me；　the　last　of　the　three　of

us；　and　from　me　travelled　to　Yva。



〃I　wonder　why　I　have　sent　for　you？〃　he　said　at　length；　with　a

mirthless　laugh。　〃I　think　it　must　be　that　I　may　convince　Bickley；

the　sceptic；　that　there　are　powers　which　he　does　not　understand；

but　that　I　have　the　strength　to　move。　Also；　perhaps；　that　your

lives　may　be　spared　for　my　own　purposes　in　that　which　is　about　to

happen。　Hearken！　My　labours　are　finished；　my　calculations　are

complete；〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　sheets　of　metal　before　him　that

were　covered　with　cabalistic　signs。　〃Tomorrow　I　am　about　to　do

what　once　before　I　did　and　to　plunge　half　the　world　in　the　deeps

of　ocean　and　lift　again　from　the　depths　that　which　has　been

buried　for　a　quarter　of　a　million　years。〃



〃Which　half？〃　asked　Bickley。



〃That　is　my　secret；　Physician；　and　the　answer　to　it　lies

written　here　in　signs　you　cannot　read。　Certain　countries　will

vanish；　others　will　be　spared。　I　say　that　it　is　my　secret。〃



〃Then；　Oro；　if　you　could　do　what　you　threaten；　you　would　drown

hundreds　of　millions　of　people。〃



〃If　I　could　do！　If　I　could　do！〃　he　exclaimed；　glaring　at

Bickley。　〃Well；　tomorrow　you　shall　see　what　I　can　do。　Oh！　why　do

I　grow　angry　with　this　fool？　For　the　rest；　yes；　they　must　drown。

What　does　it　matter？　Their　end　will　be　swift；　some　few　minutes　of

terror；　that　is　all；　and　in　one　short　century　every　one　of　them


would　have　been　dead。〃



An　expression　of　horror　gathered　on　Bastin's　face。



〃Do　you　really　mean　to　murder　hundreds　of　millions　of　people？〃

he　asked；　in　a　thick；　slow　voice。



〃I　have　said　that　I　intend　to　send　them　to　that　heaven　or　that

hell　of　which　you　are　so　fond　of　talking；　Preacher；　somewhat　more

quickly　than　otherwise　they　would　have　found　their　way　thither。

They　have　disappointed　me；　they　have　failed；　therefore；　let　them

go　and　make　room　for　others　who　will　succeed。〃



〃Then　you　are　a　greater　assassin　than　any　that　the　world　has

bred；　or　than　all　of　them　put　together。　There　is　nobody　as　bad；

even　in　the　Book　of　Revelation！〃　shouted　Bastin；　in　a　kind　of

fury。　〃Moreover；　I　am　not　like　Bickley。　I　know　enough　of　you　and

your　hellish　powers　to　believe　that　what　you　plan；　that　you　can

do。〃



〃I　believe　it　also；〃　sneered　Oro。　〃But　how　comes　it　that　the

Great　One　whom　you　worship　does　not　prevent　the　deed；　if　He

exists；　and　it　be　evil？〃



〃He　will　prevent　it！〃　raved　Bastin。　〃Even　now　He　commands　me　to

prevent　it；　and　I　obey！〃　Then；　drawing　the　revolver　from　his

pocket；　he　pointed　it　at　Oro's　breast；　adding：　〃Swear　not　to

commit　this　crime；　or　I　will　kill　you！〃



〃So　the　man　of　peace　would　become　a　man　of　blood；〃　mused　Oro；

〃and　kill　that　I　may　not　kill　for　the　good　of　the　world？　Why；

what　is　the　matter　with　that　toy　of　yours；　Preacher？〃　and　he

pointed　to　the　pistol。



Well　might　he　ask；　for　as　he　spoke　the　revolver　flew　out　of

Bastin's　hand。　High　into　the　air　it　flew；　and　as　it　went

discharged　itself；　all　the　six　chambers　of　it；　in　rapid

succession；　while　Bastin　stood　staring　at　his　arm　and　hand　which

he　seemed　unable　to　withdraw。



〃Do　you　still　threaten　me　with　that　outstretched　hand；

Preacher？〃　mocked　Oro。



〃I　can't　move　it；〃　said　Bastin；　〃it　seems　turned　to　stone。〃



〃Be　thankful　that　you　also　are　not　turned　to　stone。　But；

because　your　courage　pleases　me；　I　will　spare　you；　yes；　and　will

advance　you　in　my　New　Kingdom。　What　shall　you　be？　Controller　of

Religions；　I　think；　since　all　the　qualities　that　a　high　priest

should　have　are　yoursfaith；　fanaticism　and　folly。〃



〃It　is　very　strange；〃　said　Bastin；　〃but　all　of　a　sudden　my　arm

and　hand　are　quite　well　again。　I　suppose　it　must　have　been　'pins

and　needles'　or　something　of　that　sort　which　made　me　throw　away

the　pistol　and　pull　the　trigger　when　I　didn't　mean　to　do　so。〃



Then　he　went　to　fetch　that　article　which　had　fallen　beyond　the

dais；　and　quite　forgot　his　intention　of　executing　Oro　in　the

interest　of　testing　its　mechanism；　which　proved　to　be　destroyed。

To　his　proposed　appointment　he　made　no　illusion。　If　he

comprehended　what　was　meant；　which　I　doubt；　he　took　it　as　a　joke。



〃Hearken　all　of　you；〃　said　Oro；　lifting　his　head　suddenly；　for

while　Bastin　recovered　the　revolver　he　had　been　brooding。　〃The

great　thing　which　I　shall　do　tomorrow　must　be　witnessed　by　you

because　thereby　only　can　you　come　to　understand　my　powers。　Also

yonder　where　I　bring　it　about　in　the　bowels　of　the　earth；　you

will　be　safer　than　elsewhere；　since　when　and　perhaps　before　it

happens；　the　whole　world　will　heave　and　shake　and　tremble；　and　I

know　not　what　may　chance；　even　in　these　caves。　For　this　reason

also；　do　not　forget　to　bring　the　little　hound　with　you；　since　him

least　of　all　of　you　would　I　see　come　to　harm；　perhaps　because

once；　hundreds　of　generations　ago　as　you　reckon　time；　I　had　a　dog

very　like　to　him。　Your　mother　loved　him　much；　Yva；　and　when　she

died；　this　dog　died　also。　He　lies　embalmed　with　her　on　her　coffin

yonder　in　the　temple；　and　yesterday　I　went　to　look　at　both　of

them。　The　beasts　are　wonderfully　alike；　which　shows　the

everlastingness　of　blood。〃



He　paused　a　while；　lost　in　thought；　then　continued：　〃After　the

deed　is　done　I'll　speak　with　you　and　you　shall　choose；　Strangers；

whether　you　will　die　your　own　masters；　or　live　on　to　serve　me。

Now　there　is　one　problem　that　is　left　to　me　to　solvewhether　I

can　save　a　certain　landdo　not　ask　which　it　is；　Humphrey；　though

I　see　the　question　in　your　eyesor　must　let　it　go　with　the　rest。

I　only　answer　you　that　I　will　do　my　best　because　you　love　it。　So

farewell　for　a　while；　and；　Preacher；　be　advised　by　me　and　do　not

aim　too　high　again。〃



〃It　doesn't　matter　where　I　aim；〃　answered　Bastin　sturdily；　〃or

whether　I　hit　or　miss；　since　there　is　something　much　bigger　than

me　waiting　to　deal　with　you。　The　countries　that　you　think　you　are

going　to　destroy　will　sleep　quite　as　well　tomorrow　as　they　do

tonight；　Oro。〃



〃Much　better；　I　think；　Preacher；　since　by　then　they　will　have

left　sorrow　and　pain　and　wickedness　and　war　far　behind　them。〃



〃Where　are　we　to　go？〃　I　asked。



〃The　Lady　Yva　will　show　you；〃　he　answered；　waving　his　hand；　and

once　more　bent　over　his　endless　calculations。



Yva　beckoned　to　us　and　we　turned　and　followed　her　down　the

hall。　She　led　us　to　a　street　near　the　gateway　of　the　temple　and

thence　into　one　of　the　houses。　There　was　a　portico　to　it　leading

to　a　court　out　of　which　opened　rooms　somewhat　in　the　Pompeian

fashion。　We　did　not　enter　the　rooms；　for　at　the　end　of　the　court

were　a　metal　table　and　three　couches　also　of　metal；　on　which　were

spread　rich…looking　rugs。　Whence　these　came　I　do　not　know　and

never　asked；　but　I　remember　that　they　were　very　beautiful　and

soft　as　velvet。



〃Here　you　may　sleep；〃　she　said；　〃if　sleep　you　can；　and　eat　of

the　food　that　you　have　brought　with　you。　Tomorrow　early　I　will

call　you　when　it