when the world shook-第53章

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

knowledge　which　your　people　will　acquire　in　days　to　come；　that

is；　if　Oro　spares　them。　Surely　you　above　all　should　know　that　I

am　only　woman；〃　she　added　very　slowly　and　searching　my　face　with

her　eyes。



〃Why；　Yva？　During　the　little　while　that　we　have　been　together　I

have　seen　much　which　makes　me　doubt。　Even　Bickley　the　sceptic

doubts　also。〃



〃I　will　tell　you；　though　I　am　not　sure　that　you　will　believe

me。〃　She　glanced　about　her　as　though　she　were　frightened　lest

someone　should　overhear　her　words　or　read　her　thoughts。　Then　she

stretched　out　her　hands　and　drawing　my　head　towards　her；　put　her

lips　to　my　ear　and　whispered：



〃Because　once　you　saw　me　die；　as　women　often　diegiving　life

for　life。〃



〃I　saw　you　die？〃　I　gasped。



She　nodded；　then　continued　to　whisper　in　my　ear；　not　in　her　own

voice；　but　another's：



〃Go　where　you　seem　called　to　go；　far　away。　Oh！　the　wonderful

place　in　which　you　will　find　me；　not　knowing　that　you　have　found

me。　Good…bye　for　a　little　while；　only　for　a　little　while；　my　own；

my　own！〃



I　knew　the　voice　as　I　knew　the　words；　and　knowing；　I　think　that

I　should　have　fallen　to　the　ground；　had　she　not　supported　me　with

her　strong　arms。



〃Who　told　you？〃　I　stammered。　〃Was　it　Bickley　or　Bastin？　They

knew；　though　neither　of　them　heard　those　holy　words。〃



〃Not　Bickley　nor　Bastin；〃　she　answered；　shaking　her　head；　〃no；

nor　you　yourself；　awake　or　sleeping；　though　once；　by　the　lake

yonder；　you　said　to　me　that　when　a　certain　one　lay　dying；　she

bade　you　seek　her　elsewhere；　for　certainly　you　would　find　her。

Humphrey；　I　cannot　say　who　told　me　those　words　because　I　do　not

know。　I　think　they　are　a　memory；　Humphrey！〃



〃That　would　mean　that　you；　Yva；　are　the　same　as　one　who　was

not　called　Yva。〃



〃The　same　as　one　who　was　called　Natalie；　Humphrey；〃　she　replied

in　solemn　accents。　〃One　whom　you　loved　and　whom　you　lost。〃



〃Then　you　think　that　we　live　again　upon　this　earth？〃



〃Again　and　yet　again；　until　the　time　comes　for　us　to　leave　the

earth　for　ever。　Of　this；　indeed；　I　am　sure；　for　that　knowledge

was　part　of　the　secret　wisdom　of　my　people。〃



〃But　you　were　not　dead。　You　only　slept。〃



〃The　sleep　was　a　death…sleep　which　went　by　like　a　flash；　yes；

in　an　instant；　or　so　it　seemed。　Only　the　shell　of　the　body

remained　preserved　by　mortal　arts；　and　when　the　returning　spirit

and　the　light　of　life　were　poured　into　it　again；　it　awoke。　But

during　this　long　death…sleep；　that　spirit　may　have　spoken　through

other　lips　and　that　light　may　have　shone　through　other　eyes；

though　of　these　I　remember　nothing。〃



〃Then　that　dream　of　our　visit　to　a　certain　star　may　be　no

dream？〃



〃I　think　no　dream；　and　you；　too；　have　thought　as　much。〃



〃In　a　way；　yes；　Yva。　But　I　could　not　believe　and　turned　from

what　I　held　to　be　a　phantasy。〃



〃It　was　natural；　Humphrey；　that　you　should　not　believe。

Hearken！　In　this　temple　a　while　ago　I　showed　you　a　picture　of

myself　and　of　a　man　who　loved　me　and　whom　I　loved；　and　of　his

death　at　Oro's　hands。　Did　you　note　anything　about　that　man？〃



〃Bickley　did；〃　I　answered。　〃Was　he　right？〃



〃I　think　that　he　was　right；　since　otherwise　I　should　not　have

loved　you；　Humphrey。〃



〃I　remember　nothing　of　that　man；　Yva。〃



〃It　is　probable　that　you　would　not；　since　you　and　he　are　very

far　apart；　while　between　you　and　him　flow　wide　seas　of　death；

wherein　are　set　islands　of　life；　perhaps　many　of　them。　But　I

remember　much　who　seem　to　have　left　him　but　a　very　little　while

ago。〃



〃When　you　awoke　in　your　coffin　and　threw　your　arms　about　me；

what　did　you　think；　Yva？〃



〃I　thought　you　were　that　man；　Humphrey。〃



There　was　silence　between　us　and　in　that　silence　the　truth　came

home　to　me。　Then　there　before　the　effigy　of　Fate　and　in　the

desolate；　glowing　temple　we　plighted　anew　our　troth　made　holy　by

a　past。　that　thus　so　wonderfully　lived　again。



Of　this　consecrated　hour　I　say　no　more。　Let　each　picture　it　as

he　will。　A　glory　as　of　heaven　fell　upon　us　and　in　it　we　dwelt　a

space。





〃Beloved；〃　she　whispered　at　length　in　a　voice　that　was　choked

as　though　with　tears；　〃if　it　chances　that　we　should　be　separated

again　for　a　little　while；　you　will　not　grieve　over　much？〃



〃Knowing　all　I　should　try　not　to　grieve；　Yva；　seeing　that　in

truth　we　never　can　be　parted。　But　do　you　mean　that　I　shall　die？〃



〃Being　mortal　either　of　us　might　seem　to　die；　Humphrey；〃　and

she　bent　her　head　as　though　to　hide　her　face。　〃You　know　we　go

into　dangers　this　day。〃



〃Does　Oro　really　purpose　to　destroy　much　of　the　world　and　has

he　in　truth　the　power；　Yva？〃



〃He　does　so　purpose　and　most　certainly　he　has　the　power；

unlessunless　some　other　Power　should　stay　his　hand。〃



〃What　other　power；　Yva？〃



〃Oh！　perhaps　that　which　you　worship；　that　which　is　called　Love。

The　love　of　man　may　avert　the　massacre　of　men。　I　hope　so　with　all

my　heart。　Hist！　Oro　comes。　I　feel；　I　know　that　he　comes；　though

not　in　search　of　us　who　are　very　far　from　his　thought　tonight。

Follow　me。　Swiftly。〃



She　sped　across　the　temple　to　where　a　chapel　opened　out　of　it；

which　was　full　of　the　statues　of　dead　kings；　for　here　was　the

entrance　to　their　burial　vault。　We　reached　it　and　hid　behind　the

base　of　one　of　these　statues。　By　standing　to　our　full　height；

without　being　seen　we　still　could　see　between　the　feet　of　the

statue　that　stood　upon　a　pedestal。



Then　Oro　came。







Chapter　XXIV



The　Chariot　of　the　Pit





Oro　came　and　of　necessity　alone。　Yet　there　was　that　in　his　air

as　he　advanced　into　the　temple；　which　suggested　a　monarch

surrounded　by　the　pomp　and　panoply　of　a　great　court。　He　marched；

his　head　held　high；　as　though　heralds　and　pursuivants　went　in

front　of　him；　as　though　nobles　surrounded　him　and　guards　or

regiments　followed　after　him。　Let　it　be　admitted　that　he　was　a

great　figure　in　his　gorgeous　robes；　with　his　long　white　beard；

his　hawk…like　features；　his　tall　shape　and　his　glittering　eyes；

which　even　at　that　distance　I　could　see。　Indeed　once　or　twice　I

thought　that　he　glanced　out　of　the　corners　of　them　towards　the

chapel　where　we　were　hid。　But　this　I　think　was　fancy。　For　as　Yva

said；　his　thoughts　were　set　elsewhere。



He　reached　the　statue　of　Fate　and　stood　for　a　while

contemplating　it　and　the　suppliant　figures　on　either　side；　as

though　he　were　waiting　for　his　invisible　court　to　arrange　itself。

Then　he　doffed　his　jewelled　cap　to　the　effigy；　and　knelt　before

it。　Yes；　Oro　the　Ancient；　the　Super…man；　the　God；　as　the　early

peoples　of　the　earth　fancied　such　a　being；　namely；　one　full　of

wrath；　revenge；　jealousy；　caprice　and　power；　knelt　in

supplication　to　this　image　of　stone　which　he　believed　to　be　the

home　of　a　spirit；　thereby　showing　himself　to　be　after　all　not　so

far　removed　from　the　savages　whose　idol　Bastin　had　destroyed。

More；　in　a　clear　and　resonant　voice　which　reached　us　even　across

that　great　space；　he　put　up　his　prayer。　It　ran　something　as

follows；　for　although　I　did　not　understand　the　language　in　which

he　spoke　Yva　translated　it　to　me　in　a　whisper：



〃God　of　the　Sons　of　Wisdom；　God　of　the　whole　earth；　only　God　to

whom　must　bow　every　other　Power　and　Dominion；　to　thee　I；　Oro　the

Great　King；　make　prayer　and　offer　sacrifice。　Twenty　times　ten

thousand　years　and　more　have　gone　by　since　I；　Oro；　visited　this；

thy　temple　and　knelt　before　this；　thy　living　effigy；　yet　thou；

ruler　of　the　world；　dost　remember　the　prayer　I　made　and　the

sacrifice　I　offered。　The　prayer　was　for　triumph　over　my　enemies

and　the　sacrifice　a　promise　of　the　lives　of　half　of　those　who　in

that　day　dwelt　upon　the　earth。　Thou　heardest　the　prayer；　thou

didst　bow　thy　head　and　accept　the　sacrifice。　Yea；　the　prayer　was

granted　and　the　sacrifice　was　made；　and　in　it　were　counted　the

number　of　my　foes。



〃Then　I　slept。　Through　countless　generations　I　slept　on　and　at

my　side　was　the　one　child　of　my　body　that　was　left　to　me。　What

chanced　to　my　spirit　and　to　hers　during　that　sleep；　thou　knowest

alone；　but　doubtless　they　went　forth　to　work　thy　ends。



〃At　the　appointed　time　which　thou　didst　decree；　I　awoke　again

and　found　in　my　house　strangers　from　another　land。　In　the　company

of　one　of　those　whose　spirit　I　drew　forth；　I　visited　the　peoples

of　the　new　earth；　and　found　them　even　baser　and　more　evil　than

those　whom　I　had　known。　Therefore；　since　they　cannot　be　bettered。

I　purpose　to　destroy　them　also；　and　on　their　wreck　to　rebuild　a

glorious　empire；　such　as　was　that　of　the　Sons　of　Wisdom　at　its

prime。



〃A　sign！　O　Fate；　ruler　of　the　world；　give　me　a　sign　that　my

desire　shall　be　fulfilled。〃



He　paused；　stretching　out　his　arms　and　staring　upwards。　While

he　waited　I　felt　the　solid　rock　on　which　I　stood　quiver　and　sway

beneath　my　feet　so　that　Yva　and　I　clung　to　each　other　lest　we

should　fall。　This　chanced　also。　The　shock　of　the　earth　tremor；

for　such　without　doubt　it　was；　threw　down　the　figures　of　the

ancient　man　and　the　lovely　woman　which　knelt　as　though　making

prayers　to　Fate；　and　shook　the　marble　sword　from　off　its　knees。

As　it　fell　Oro　caught　it　by　the　hilt；　and；　rising；　waved　it　in

triumph。



〃I　thank　thee；　God　of　my　people　from　the　beginning；〃　he　cried。

〃Thou　hast　given　to　me；　thy　last　servant；　thine　own　sword　and　I

will　use　it　well。　For　these　worshippers　of　thine　who　have　fallen；

thou　shalt　have　others；　yes；　all　those　who　dwell　in　the　new　world

that　is　to　be。　My　daughter　and　the　man　whom　she　has　chosen　to　be

the　father　of　the　kings　of　the　earth；　and　with　him　his

companions；　shall　be　the　first　of　the　hundreds　of　millions　that

are　to　follow；　for　they　shall　kiss　thy　feet　or　perish。　Thou　shalt

set　thy　foot　upon　the　necks　of　all　other　gods；　thou　shalt　rule

and　thou　alone；　and；　as　of　old；　Oro　be　thy　minister。〃



Still　holding　the　sword；　he　flung　himself　down　as　though　in　an

ecstasy；　and　was　silent。



〃I　read　the　omen　otherwise；〃　whispered　Yva。　〃The　worshippers　of

Fate　are　overthrown。　His　sword　of　power　is　fallen；　but　not　into

the　hands　that　clasped　it；　and　he　totters　on　his　throne。　A

greater　God　asserts　dominion　of　the　world　and　this　Fate　is　but

his　instrument。〃



Oro　rose　again。



〃One　prayer　more；〃　he　cried。　〃Give　me　life；　long　life；　that　I

may　execute　thy　decrees。　By　word　or　gesture　show　me　a　sign　that　I

shall　be　satisfied　with　life；　a　year　for　every　year　that　I　have

lived；　or　twain！〃



He　waited；　staring　about　him；　but　no　token　came；　the　idol　did

not　speak　or　bow　its　head；　as　Yva　had　told　me　it　was　wont　to　do

in　sign　of　accepted　prayer；　how；　she　knew　not。　Only　I　thought　I

heard　the　echo　of　Oro's　cries　run　in　a　whisper　of　mockery　round

the　soaring　dome。



Once　more　Oro　flung　himself　upon　his　knees　and　began　to　pray　in

a　veritable　agony。



〃God　of　my　forefathers；　God　of　my　lost　people；　I　will　hide

naught　from　thee；〃　h