when the world shook-第55章

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gates　I　started；　for　there；　in　the　centre　of　that　glorious

building；　I　perceived　a　change。　The　statue　of　Fate　was　no　more！

It　lay　broken　upon　the　pavement　among　those　fragments　of　its　two

worshippers　which　I　had　seen　shaken　down　some　hours　before。



〃What　does　this　mean？〃　I　whispered　to　Yva。　〃I　have　felt　no

other　earthquake。〃



〃I　do　not　know；〃　she　answered；　〃or　if　I　know　I　may　not　say。　Yet

learn　that　no　god　can　live　on　without　a　single　worshipper；　and；

in　a　fashion；　that　idol　was　alive；　though　this　you　will　not

believe。〃



〃How　very　remarkable；〃　said　Bastin；　contemplating　the　ruin。　〃If

I　were　superstitious；　which　I　am　not；　I　should　say　that　this

occurrence　was　an　omen　indicating　the　final　fall　of　a　false　god。

At　any　rate　it　is　dead　now；　and　I　wonder　what　caused　it？〃



〃I　felt　an　earth　tremor　last　night；〃　said　Bickley；　〃though　it

is　odd　that　it　should　only　have　affected　this　particular　statue。

A　thousand　pities；　for　it　was　a　wonderful　work　of　art。〃



Then　I　remembered　and　reminded　Bickley　of　the　crash　which　we

had　heard　while　Yva　and　Bastin　were　absent　on　some　secret

business　in　the　chamber。



Walking　the　length　of　the　great　church；　if　so　it　could　be

called；　we　came　to　an　apse　at　the　head　of　it　where；　had　it　been

Christian；　the　altar　would　have　stood。　In　this　apse　was　a　little

open　door　through　which　we　passed。　Beyond　it　lay　a　space　of　rough

rock　that　looked　as　though　it　had　been　partially　prepared　for　the

erection　of　buildings　and　then　abandoned。　All　this　space　was

lighted；　however；　like　the　rest　of　the　City　of　Nyo；　and　in　the

same　mysterious　way。　Led　by　Yva；　we　threaded　our　path　between　the

rough　stones；　following　a　steep　downward　slope。　Thus　we　walked

for　perhaps　half　a　mile；　till　at　length　we　came　to　the　mouth　of　a

huge　pit　that　must；　I　imagine；　have　lain　quite　a　thousand　feet

below　the　level　of　the　temple。



I　looked　over　the　edge　of　this　pit　and　shrank　back　terrified。

It　seemed　to　be　bottomless。　Moreover；　a　great　wind　rushed　up　it

with　a　roaring　sound　like　to　that　of　an　angry　sea。　Or　rather

there　were　two　winds；　perhaps　draughts　would　be　a　better　term；　if

I　may　apply　it　to　an　air　movement　of　so　fierce　and　terrible　a

nature。　One　of　these　rushed　up　the　pit；　and　one　rushed　down。　Or

it　may　have　been　that　the　up　rush　alternated　with　the　down　rush。

Really　it　is　impossible　to　say。



〃What　is　this　place？〃　I　asked；　clinging　to　the　others　and

shrinking　back　in　alarm　from　its　sheer　edge　and　bottomless　depth；

for　that　this　was　enormous　we　could　see　by　the　shaft　of　light

which　flowed　downwards　farther　than　the　eye　could　follow。



〃It　is　a　vent　up　and　down　which　air　passes　from　and　to　the

central　hollows　of　the　earth；〃　Yva　answered。　〃Doubtless　in　the

beginning　through　it　travelled　that　mighty　force　which　blew　out

these　caves　in　the　heated　rocks；　as　the　craftsman　blows　out

glass。〃



〃I　understand；〃　said　Bastin。　〃Just　like　one　blows　out　a　bubble

on　a　pipe；　only　on　a　larger　scale。　Well；　it　is　very　interesting；

but　I　have　seen　enough　of　it。　Also　I　am　afraid　of　being　blown

away。〃



〃I　fear　that　you　must　see　more；〃　answered　Yva　with　a　smile；

〃since　we　are　about　to　descend　this　pit。〃



〃Do　you　mean　that　we　are　to　go　down　that　hole；　and　if　so；　how？

I　don't　see　any　lift；　or　moving　staircase；　or　anything　of　that

sort。〃



〃Easily　and　safely　enough；　Bastin。　See。〃



As　she　spoke　a　great　flat　rock　of　the　size　of　a　small　room

appeared；　borne　upwards；　as　I　suppose；　by　the　terrific　draught

which　roared　past　us　on　its　upward　course。　When　it　reached　the

lip　of　the　shaft；　it　hung　a　little　while；　then　moved　across　and

began　to　descend　with　such　incredible　swiftness　that　in　a　few

seconds　it　had　vanished　from　view。



〃Oh！〃　said　Bastin；　with　his　eyes　almost　starting　out　of　his

head；　〃that's　the　lift；　is　it？　Well；　I　tell　you　at　once　I　don't

like　the　look　of　the　thing。　It　gives　me　the　creeps。　Suppose　it

tilted。〃



〃It　does　not　tilt；〃　answered　Yva；　still　smiling。　〃I　tell　you；

Bastin；　that　there　is　naught　to　fear。　Only　yesterday；　I　rode　this

rock　and　returned　unharmed。〃



〃That　is　all　very　well；　Lady　Yva；　but　you　may　know　how　to

balance　it；　also　when　to　get　on　and　off。〃



〃If　you　are　afraid；　Bastin；　remain　here　until　your　companions

return。　They；　I　think；　will　make　the　journey。〃



Bickley　and　I　intimated　that　we　would；　though　to　tell　the

truth；　if　less　frank　we　were　quite　as　alarmed　as　Bastin。



〃No；　I'll　come　too。　I　suppose　one　may　as　well　die　this　way　as

any　other；　and　if　anything　were　to　happen　to　them　and　I　were　left

alone；　it　would　be　worse　still。〃



〃Then　be　prepared；〃　said　Yva；　〃for　presently　this　air…chariot

of　ours　will　return。　When　it　appears　and　hangs　upon　the　edge；

step　on　to　it　and　throw　yourselves　upon　your　faces　and　all　will

be　well。　At　the　foot　of　the　shaft　the　motion　lessens　till　it

almost　stops；　and　it　is　easy　to　spring；　or　even　crawl　to　the　firm

earth。〃



Then　she　stooped　down　and　lifted　Tommy　who　was　sniffing

suspiciously　at　the　edge　of　the　pit；　his　long　ears　blown　straight

above　his　head；　holding　him　beneath　her　left　arm　and　under　her

cloak；　that　he　might　not　see　and　be　frightened。



We　waited　a　while　in　silence；　perhaps　for　five　or　six　minutes；

among　the　most　disagreeable；　I　think；　that　I　ever　passed。　Then

far　down　in　the　brightness　below　appeared　a　black　speck　that

seemed　to　grow　in　size　as　it　rushed　upwards。



〃It　comes；〃　said　Yva。　〃Prepare　and　do　as　I　do。　Do　not　spring；

or　run；　lest　you　should　go　too　far。　Step　gently　on　to　the　rock

and　to　its　centre；　and　there　lie　down。　Trust　in　me；　all　of　you。〃



〃There's　nothing　else　to　do；〃　groaned　Bastin。



The　great　stone　appeared　and；　as　before；　hung　at　the　edge　of

the　pit。　Yva　stepped　on　to　it　quietly；　as　she　did　so；　catching

hold　of　my　wrist　with　her　disengaged　hand。　I　followed　her　feeling

very　sick；　and　promptly　sat　down。　Then　came　Bickley　with　the　air

of　the　virtuous　hero　of　a　romance　walking　a　pirate's　plank；　and

also　sat　down。　Only　Bastin　hesitated　until　the　stone　began　to

move　away。　Then　with　an　ejaculation　of　〃Here　goes！〃　he　jumped

over　the　intervening　crack　of　space　and　landed　in　the　middle　of

us　like　a　sack　of　coal。　Had　I　not　been　seated　really　I　think　he

would　have　knocked　me　off　the　rock。　As　it　was；　with　one　hand　he

gripped　me　by　the　beard　and　with　the　other　grasped　Yva's　robe；　of

neither　of　which　would　he　leave　go　for　quite　a　long　time；

although　we　forced　him　on　to　his　face。　The　lantern　which　he　held

flew　from　his　grasp　and　descended　the　shaft　on　its　own　account。



〃You　silly　fool！〃　exclaimed　Bickley　whose　perturbation　showed

itself　in　anger。　〃There　goes　one　of　our　lamps。〃



〃Hang　the　lamp！〃　muttered　the　prostrate　Bastin。　〃We　shan't　want

it　in　Heaven；　or　the　other　place　either。〃



Now　the　stone　which　had　quivered　a　little　beneath　the　impact　of

Bastin；　steadied　itself　again　and　with　a　slow　and　majestic

movement　sailed　to　the　other　side　of　the　gulf。　There　it　felt　the

force　of　gravity；　or　perhaps　the　weight　of　the　returning　air

pressed　on　it；　which　I　do　not　know。　At　any　rate　it　began　to　fall；

slowly　at　first；　then　more　swiftly；　and　afterwards　at　an

incredible　pace；　so　that　in　a　few　seconds　the　mouth　of　the　pit

above　us　grew　small　and　presently　vanished　quite　away。　I　looked

up　at　Yva　who　was　standing　composedly　in　the　midst　of　our

prostrate　shapes。　She　bent　down　and　called　in　my　ear：



〃All　is　well。　The　heat　begins；　but　it　will　not　endure　for

long。〃



I　nodded　and　glanced　over　the　edge　of　the　stone　at　Bastin's

lantern　which　was　sailing　alongside　of　us；　till　presently　we

passed　it。　Bastin　had　lit　it　before　we　started；　I　think　in　a

moment　of　aberration；　and　it　burned　for　quite　a　long　while；

showing　like　a　star　when　the　shaft　grew　darker　as　it　did　by

degrees；　a　circumstance　that　testifies　to　the　excellence　of　the

make；　which　is　one　advertised　not　to　go　out　in　any　wind。　Not　that

we　felt　wind；　or　even　draught；　perhaps　because　we　were　travelling

with　it。



Then　we　entered　the　heat　zone。　About　this　there　was　no　doubt；

for　the　perspiration　burst　out　all　over　me　and　the　burning　air

scorched　my　lungs。　Also　Tommy　thrust　his　head　from　beneath　the

cloak　with　his　tongue　hanging　out　and　his　mouth　wide　open。



〃Hold　your　breaths！〃　cried　Yva；　and　we　obeyed　until　we　nearly

burst。　At　least　I　did；　but　what　happened　to　the　others　I　do　not

know。



Fortunately　it　was　soon　over　and　the　air　began　to　grow　cool

again。　By　now　we　had　travelled　an　enormous　distance；　it　seemed　to

be　miles　on　miles；　and　I　noticed　that　our　terrific　speed　was

slackening；　also　that　the　shaft　grew　more　narrow；　till　at　length

there　were　only　a　few　feet　between　the　edge　of　the　stone　and　its

walls。　The　result　of　this；　or　so　I　supposed；　was　that　the

compressed　air　acted　as　a　buffer；　lessening　our　momentum；　till　at

length　the　huge　stone　moved　but　very　slowly。



〃Be　ready　to　follow　me；〃　cried　Yva　again；　and　we　rose　to　our

feet；　that　is；　Bickley　and　I　did；　but　poor　Bastin　was　semi…

comatose。　The　stone　stopped　and　Yva　sprang　from　it　to　a　rock

platform　level　with　which　it　lay。　We　followed；　dragging　Bastin

between　us。　As　we　did　so　something　hit　me　gently　on　the　head。　It

was　Bastin's　lamp；　which　I　seized。



〃We　are　safe。　Sit　down　and　rest；〃　said　Yva；　leading　us　a　few

paces　away。



We　obeyed　and　presently　by　the　dim　light　saw　the　stone　begin　to

stir　again；　this　time　upwards。　In　another　twenty　seconds　it　was

away　on　its　never…ending　journey。



〃Does　it　always　go　on　like　that？〃　said　Bastin；　sitting　up　and

staring　after　it。



〃Tens　of　thousands　of　years　ago　it　was　journeying　thus；　and

tens　of　thousands　of　years　hence　it　will　still　be　journeying；　or

so　I　think；〃　she　replied。　〃Why　not；　since　the　strength　of　the

draught　never　changes　and　there　is　nothing　to　wear　it　except　the

air？〃



Somehow　the　vision　of　this　huge　stone；　first　loosed　and　set　in

motion　by　heaven　knows　what　agency；　travelling　from　aeon　to　aeon

up　and　down　that　shaft　in　obedience　to　some　law　I　did　not

understand；　impressed　my　imagination　like　a　nightmare。　Indeed　I

often　dream　of　it　to　this　day。



I　looked　about　me。　We　were　in　some　cavernous　place　that　could

be　but　dimly　seen；　for　here　the　light　that　flowed　down　the　shaft

from　the　upper　caves　where　it　was　mysteriously　created；　scarcely

shone；　and　often　indeed　was　entirely　cut　off；　when　the　ever…

journeying　stone　was　in　the　narrowest　parts　of　the　passage。　I

could　see；　however；　that　this　cavern　stretched　away　both　to　right

and　left　of　us；　while　I　felt　that　from　the　left；　as　we　sat　facing

the　shaft；　there　drew　down　a　strong　blast　of　fresh　air　which

suggested　that　somewhere；　however　far　away；　it　must　open　on　to

the　upper　world。　For　the　rest　its　bottom　and　walls　seemed　to　be

smooth　as　though　they　had　been　planed　in　the　past　ages　by　the

action　of　cosmic　forces。　Bickley　noticed　this　the　first　and

pointed　it　out　to　me。　We　had　little　time