when the world shook-第52章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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

call　you　when　it　is　time　for　us　to　start　upon　our　journey　into

the　bowels　of　the　earth。〃



〃I　don't　want　to　go　any　deeper　than　we　are；〃　said　Bastin

doubtfully。



〃I　think　that　none　of　us　want　to　go；　Bastin；〃　she　answered　with

a　sigh。　〃Yet　go　we　must。　I　pray　of　you；　anger　the　Lord　Oro　no

more　on　this　or　any　other　matter。　In　your　folly　you　tried　to　kill

him；　and　as　it　chanced　he　bore　it　well　because　he　loves　courage。

But　another　time　he　may　strike　back；　and　then；　Bastin〃



〃I　am　not　afraid　of　him；〃　he　answered；　〃but　I　do　not　like

tunnels。　Still；　perhaps　it　would　be　better　to　accompany　you　than

to　be　left　in　this　place　alone。　Now　I　will　unpack　the　food。〃



Yva　turned　to　go。



〃I　must　leave　you；〃　she　said；　〃since　my　father　needs　my　help。

The　matter　has　to　do　with　the　Force　that　he　would　let　loose

tomorrow；　and　its　measurements；　also　with　the　preparation　of　the

robes　that　we　must　wear　lest　it　should　harm　us　in　its　leap。〃



Something　in　her　eyes　told　me　that　she　wished　me　to　follow　her；

and　I　did　so。　Outside　the　portico　where　we　stood　in　the　desolate；

lighted　street；　she　halted。



〃If　you　are　not　afraid；〃　she　said；　〃meet　me　at　midnight　by　the

statue　of　Fate　in　the　great　temple；　for　I　would　speak　with　you；

Humphrey；　where；　if　anywhere；　we　may　be　alone。〃



〃I　will　come；　Yva。〃



〃You　know　the　road；　and　the　gates　are　open；　Humphrey。〃



Then　she　gave　me　her　hand　to　kiss　and　glided　away。　I　returned

to　the　others　and　we　ate；　somewhat　sparingly；　for　we　wished　to

save　our　food　in　case　of　need；　and　having　drunk　of　the　Life…

water；　were　not　hungry。　Also　we　talked　a　little；　but　by　common

consent　avoided　the　subject　of　the　morrow　and　what　it　might　bring

forth。



We　knew　that　terrible　things　were　afoot；　but　lacking　any

knowledge　of　what　these　might　be；　thought　it　useless　to　discuss

them。　Indeed　we　were　too　depressed；　so　much　so　that　even　Bastin

and　Bickley　ceased　from　arguing。　The　latter　was　so　overcome　by

the　exhibition　of　Oro's　powers　when　he　caused　the　pistol　to　leap

into　the　air　and　discharge　itself；　that　he　could　not　even　pluck

up　courage　to　laugh　at　the　failure　of　Bastin's　efforts　to　do

justice　on　the　old　Super…man；　or　rather　to　prevent　him　from

attempting　a　colossal　crime。



At　length　we　lay　down　on　the　couches　to　rest；　Bastin　remarking

that　he　wished　he　could　turn　off　the　light；　also　that　he　did　not

in　the　least　regret　having　tried　to　kill　Oro。　Sleep　seemed　to

come　to　the　others　quickly；　but　I　could　only　doze；　to　wake　up

from　time　to　time。　Of　this　I　was　not　sorry；　since　whenever　I

dropped　off　dreams　seemed　to　pursue　me。　For　the　most　part　they

were　of　my　dead　wife。　She　appeared　to　be　trying　to　console　me　for

some　loss；　but　the　strange　thing　was　that　sometimes　she　spoke

with　her　own　voice　and　sometimes　with　Yva's；　and　sometimes　looked

at　me　with　her　own　eyes　and　sometimes　with　those　of　Yva。　I

remember　nothing　else　about　these　dreams；　which　were　very

confused。



After　one　of　them；　the　most　vivid　of　all；　I　awoke　and　looked　at

my　watch。　It　was　half…past　eleven；　almost　time　for　me　to　be

starting。　The　other　two　seemed　to　be　fast　asleep。　Presently　I

rose　and　crept　down　the　court　without　waking　them。　Outside　the

portico；　which　by　the　way　was　a　curious　example　of　the　survival

of　custom　in　architecture；　since　none　was　needed　in　that

weatherless　place；　I　turned　to　the　right　and　followed　the　wide

street　to　the　temple　enclosure。　Through　the　pillared　courts　I

went；　my　footsteps；　although　I　walked　as　softly　as　I　could；

echoing　loudly　in　that　intense　silence；　through　the　great　doors

into　the　utter　solitude　of　the　vast　and　perfect　fane。



Words　can　not　tell　the　loneliness　of　that　place。　It　flowed　over

me　like　a　sea　and　seemed　to　swallow　up　my　being；　so　that　even　the

wildest　and　most　dangerous　beast　would　have　been　welcome　as　a

companion。　I　was　as　terrified　as　a　child　that　wakes　to　find

itself　deserted　in　the　dark。　Also　an　uncanny　sense　of　terrors　to

come　oppressed　me；　till　I　could　have　cried　aloud　if　only　to　hear

the　sound　of　a　mortal　voice。　Yonder　was　the　grim　statue　of　Fate；

the　Oracle　of　the　Kings　of　the　Sons　of　Wisdom；　which　was　believed

to　bow　its　stony　head　in　answer　to　their　prayers。　I　ran　to　it；

eager　for　its　terrible　shelter；　for　on　either　side　of　it　were

figures　of　human　beings。　Even　their　cold　marble　was　company　of　a

sort；　though　alas！　over　all　frowned　Fate。



Let　anyone　imagine　himself　standing　alone　beneath　the　dome　of

St。　Paul's；　in　the　centre　of　that　cathedral　brilliant　with

mysterious　light；　and　stretched　all　about　it　a　London　that　had

been　dead　and　absolutely　unpeopled　for　tens　of　thousands　of

years。　If　he　can　do　this　he　will　gather　some　idea　of　my　physical

state。　Let　him　add　to　his　mind…picture　a　knowledge　that　on　the

following　day　something　was　to　happen　not　unlike　the　end　of　the

world；　as　prognosticated　by　the　Book　of　Revelation　and　by　most

astronomers；　and　he　will　have　some　idea　of　my　mental

perturbations。　Add　to　the　mixture　a　most　mystic　yet　very　real

love　affair　and　an　assignation　before　that　symbol　of　the　cold

fate　which　seems　to　sway　the　universes　down　to　the　tiniest　detail

of　individual　lives；　and　he　may　begin　to　understand　what　I；

Humphrey　Arbuthnot；　experienced　during　my　vigil　in　this　sanctuary

of　a　vanished　race。



It　seemed　long　before　Yva　came；　but　at　last　she　did　come。　I

caught　sight　of　her　far　away　beyond　the　temple　gate；　flitting

through　the　unholy　brightness　of　the　pillared　courts　like　a　white

moth　at　night　and　seeming　quite　as　small。　She　approached；　now　she

was　as　a　ghost；　and　then　drawing　near；　changed　into　a　living；

breathing；　lovely　woman。　I　opened　my　arms；　and　with　something

like　a　sob　she　sank　into　them　and　we　kissed　as　mortals　do。



〃I　could　not　come　more　quickly；〃　she　said。　〃The　Lord　Oro　needed

me；　and　those　calculations　were　long　and　difficult。　Also　twice　he

must　visit　the　place　whither　we　shall　go　tomorrow；　and　that　took

time。〃



〃Then　it　is　close　at　hand？〃　I　said。



〃Humphrey；　be　not　foolish。　Do　you　not　remember；　who　have

travelled　with　him；　that　Oro　can　throw　his　soul　afar　and　bring　it

back　again　laden　with　knowledge；　as　the　feet　of　a　bee　are　laden

with　golden　dust？　Well；　he　went　and　went　again；　and　I　must　wait。

And　then　the　robes　and　shields；　they　must　be　prepared　by　his　arts

and　mine。　Oh！　ask　not　what　they　are；　there　is　no　time　to　tell；

and　it　matters　nothing。　Some　folk　are　wise　and　some　are　foolish；

but　all　which　matters　is　that　within　them　flows　the　blood　of　life

and　that　life　breeds　love；　and　that　love；　as　I　believe；　although

Oro　does　not；　breeds　immortality。　And　if　so；　what　is　Time　but　as

a　grain　of　sand　upon　the　shore？〃



〃This；　Yva；　it　is　ours；　who　can　count　on　nothing　else。〃



〃Oh！　Humphrey；　if　I　thought　that；　no　more　wretched　creature

would　breathe　tonight　upon　this　great　world。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　I　asked；　growing　fearful；　more　at　her

manner　and　her　look　than　at　her　words。



〃Nothing；　nothing；　except　that　Time　is　so　very　short。　A　kiss；　a

touch；　a　little　light　and　a　little　darkness；　and　it　is　gone。　Ask

my　father　Oro　who　has　lived　a　thousand　years　and　slept　for　tens

of　thousands；　as　I　have；　and　he　will　say　the　same。　It　is　against

Time　that　he　fights；　he　who；　believing　in　nothing　beyond；　will

inherit　nothing；　as　Bastin　says；　he　to　whom　Time　has　brought

nothing　save　a　passing；　blood…stained　greatness；　and　triumph

ending　in　darkness　and　disaster；　and　hope　that　will　surely　suffer

hope's　eclipse；　and　power　that　must　lay　down　its　coronet　in

dust。〃



〃And　what　has　it　brought　to　you；　Yva；　beyond　a　fair　body　and　a

soul　of　strength？〃



〃It　has　brought　a　spirit；　Humphrey。　Between　them　the　body　and

the　soul　have　bred　a　spirit；　and　in　the　fires　of　tribulation　from

that　spirit　has　been　distilled　the　essence　of　eternal　love。　That

is　Time's　gift　to　me；　and　therefore；　although　still　he　rules　me

here；　I　mock　at　Fate；〃　and　she　waved　her　hand　with　a　gesture　of

defiance　at　the　stern…faced；　sexless　effigy　which　sat　above　us；

the　sword　across　its　knees。



〃Look！　Look！〃　she　went　on　in　a　swelling　voice　of　music；

pointing　to　the　statues　of　the　dotard　and　the　beauteous　woman。

〃They　implore　Fate；　they　worship　Fate。　I　do　not　implore；　I　do　not

worship　or　ask　a　sign　as　even　Oro　does　and　as　did　his

forefathers。　I　rise　above　and　triumph。　As　Fate；　the　god　of　my

people；　sets　his　foot　upon　the　sun；　so　I　set　my　foot　upon　Fate；

and　thence；　like　a　swimmer　from　a　rock；　leap　into　the　waters　of

Immortality。〃



I　looked　at　her　whose　presence；　as　happened　from　time　to　time；

had　grown　majestic　beyond　that　of　woman；　I　studied　her　deep　eyes

which　were　full　of　lights；　not　of　this　world；　and　I　grew　afraid。



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　I　asked。　〃Yva；　you　talk　like　one　who　has

finished　with　life。〃



〃It　passes；〃　she　answered　quickly。　〃Life　passes　like　breath

fading　from　a　mirror。　So　should　all　talk　who　breathe　beneath　the

sun。〃



〃Yes；　Yva；　but　if　you　went　and　left　me　still　breathing　on　that

mocking　glass〃



〃If　so；　what　of　it？　Will　not　your　breath　fade　also　and　join

mine　where　all　vapours　go？　Or　if　it　were　yours　that　faded　and

mine　that　remained　for　some　few　hours；　is　it　not　the　same？　I

think；　Humphrey；　that　already　you　have　seen　a　beloved　breath　melt

from　the　glass　of　life；〃　she　added；　looking　at　me　earnestly。



I　bowed　my　head　and　answered：



〃Yes；　and　therefore　I　am　ashamed。〃



〃Oh！　why　should　you　be　ashamed；　Humphrey；　who　are　not　sure　but

that　two　breaths　may　yet　be　one　breath？　How　do　you　know　that

there　is　a　difference　between　them？〃



〃You　drive　me　mad；　Yva。　I　cannot　understand。〃



〃Nor　can　I　altogether；　Humphrey。　Why　should　I；　seeing　that　I　am

no　more　than　woman；　as　you　are　no　more　than　man？　I　would　always

have　you　remember；　Humphrey；　that　I　am　no　spirit　or　sorceress；

but　just　a　womanlike　her　you　lost。〃



I　looked　at　her　doubtfully　and　answered：



〃Women　do　not　sleep　for　two　hundred　thousand　years。　Women　do

not　take　dream　journeys　to　the　stars。　Women　do　not　make　the　dead

past　live　again　before　the　watcher's　eyes。　Their　hair　does　not

glimmer　in　the　dusk　nor　do　their　bodies　gleam；　nor　have　they　such

strength　of　soul　or　eyes　so　wonderful；　or　loveliness　so　great。〃



These　words　appeared　to　distress　her　who；　as　it　seemed　to　me；

was　above　all　things　anxious　to　prove　herself　woman　and　no　more。



〃All　these　qualities　are　nothing；　Humphrey；〃　she　cried。　〃As　for

the　beauty；　such　as　it　is；　it　comes　to　me　with　my　blood；　and　with

it　the　glitter　of　my　hair　which　is　the　heritage　of　those　who　for

generations　have　drunk　of　the　Life…water。　My　mother　was　lovelier

than　I；　as　was　her　mother；　or　so　I　have　heard；　since　only　the

fairest　were　the　wives　of　the　Kings　of　the　Children　of　Wisdom。

For　the　rest；　such　arts　as　I　have　spring　not　from　magic；　but　from

knowledge　which　your　people　will　acquire　in　day