when the world shook-第57章

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back　to　the　spot　where　the　one　groove　began　to　be　two　grooves；

that　is；　a　mile　or　so　away　from　the　razor…edged　cliff。



〃This；　Humphrey；〃　he　answered。　〃That　which　travels　along　yonder

road；　when　it　reaches　this　spot　on　which　we　stand；　follows　the

left…hand　path　which　is　made　bright　with　its　passage。　Yet；　could

a　giant　at　that　moment　of　its　touching　this　exact　spot　on　which　I

lay　my　hand；　thrust　it　with　sufficient　strength；　it　would　leave

the　left…hand　road　and　take　the　right…hand　road。〃



〃And　if　it　did；　what　then；　Lord　Oro？〃



〃Then　within　an　hour　or　so；　when　it　had　travelled　far　enough

upon　its　way；　the　balance　of　the　earth　would　be　changed；　and

great　things　would　happen　in　the　world　above；　as　once　they

happened　in　bygone　days。　Now　do　you　understand；　Humphrey？〃



〃Good　Heavens！　Yes；　I　understand　now；〃　I　answered。　〃But

fortunately　there　is　no　such　giant。〃



Oro　broke　into　a　mocking　laugh　and　his　grey　old　face　lit　up

with　a　fiendish　exultation；　as　he　cried：



〃Fool！　I；　Oro；　am　that　giant。　Once　in　the　dead　days　I　turned

the　balance　of　the　world　from　the　right…hand　road　which　now　is

dull　with　disuse；　to　the　left…hand　road　which　glitters　so

brightly　to　your　eyes；　and　the　face　of　the　earth　was　changed。　Now

again　I　will　turn　it　from　the　left…hand　road　to　the　right…hand

road　in　which　for　millions　of　years　it　was　wont　to　run；　and　once

more　the　face　of　the　earth　shall　change；　and　those　who　are　left

living　upon　the　earth；　or　who　in　the　course　of　ages　shall　come　to

live　upon　the　new　earth；　must　bow　down　to　Oro　and　take　him　and

his　seed　to　be　their　gods　and　kings。〃



When　I　heard　this　I　was　overwhelmed　and　could　not　answer。　Also

I　remembered　a　certain　confused　picture　which　Yva　had　shown　to　us

in　the　Temple　of　Nyo。　But　supported　by　his　disbelief；　Bickley

asked：



〃And　how　often　does　the　balance　of　which　you　speak　come　this

way；　Lord　Oro？〃



〃Once　only　in　many　years；　the　number　is　my　secret；　Bickley；〃　he

replied。



〃Then　there　is　every　reason　to　hope　that　it　will　not　trouble

us；〃　remarked　Bickley　with　a　suspicion　of　mockery　in　his　voice。



〃Do　you　think　so；　you　learned　Bickley？〃　asked　Oro。　〃If　so；　I　do

not。　Unless　my　skill　has　failed　me　and　my　calculations　have　gone

awry；　that　Traveller　of　which　I　tell　should　presently　be　with　us。

Hearken　now！　What　is　that　sound　we　hear？〃



As　he　spoke　there　reached　our　ears　the　first；　far…off　murmurs

of　a　dreadful　music。　I　cannot　describe　it　in　words　because　that

is　impossible；　but　it　was　something　like　to　the　buzz　of　a

thousand　humming…tops　such　as　are　loved　by　children　because　of

their　weird　song。



〃Back　to　the　wall！〃　cried　Oro　triumphantly。　〃The　time　is

short！〃



So　back　we　went；　Oro　pausing　a　while　behind　and　overtaking　us

with　long；　determined　strides。　Yva　led　us；　gliding　at　my　side

and；　as　I　thought；　now　and　again　glanced　at　my　face　with　a　look

that　was　half　anxious　and　half　pitiful。　Also　twice　she　stooped

and　patted　Tommy。



We　reached　the　wall；　though　not　quite　at　the　spot　whence　we　had

started　to　examine　the　grooved　roads。　at　least　I　think　this　was

so；　since　now　for　the　first　time　observed　a　kind　of　little　window

in　its　rocky　face。　It　stood　about　five　feet　from　its　floor　level；

and　was　perhaps　ten　inches　square；　not　more。　In　short；　except　for

its　shape　it　resembled　a　ship's　porthole　rather　than　a　window。

Its　substance　appeared　to　be　talc；　or　some　such　material；　and

inches　thick；　yet　through　it；　after　Oro　had　cast　aside　some　sort

of　covering；　came　a　glare　like　that　of　a　search…light。　In　fact　it

was　a　search…light　so　far　as　concerned　one　of　its　purposes。



By　this　window　or　porthole　lay　a　pile　of　cloaks；　also　four

objects　which　looked　like　Zulu　battle　shields　cut　in　some　unknown

metal　or　material。　Very　deftly；　very　quietly；　Yva　lifted　these

cloaks　and　wrapped　one　of　them　about　each　of　us；　and　while　she

was　thus　employed　I　noticed　that　they　were　of　a　substance　very

similar　to　that　of　the　gown　she　wore；　which　I　have　described；　but

harder。　Next　she　gave　one　of　the　metal…like　shields　to　each　of

us；　bidding　us　hold　them　in　front　of　our　bodies　and　heads；　and

only　to　look　through　certain　slits　in　them　in　which　were

eyepieces　that　appeared　to　be　of　the　same　horny　stuff　as　the

searchlight　window。　Further；　she　commanded　us　to　stand　in　a　row

with　our　backs　against　the　rock　wall；　at　certain　spots　which　she

indicated　with　great　precision；　and　whatever　we　saw　or　heard　on

no　account　to　move。



So　there　we　stood；　Bickley　next　to　me；　and　beyond　him　Bastin。

Then　Yva　took　the　fourth　shield；　as　I　noted　a　much　larger　one

than　ours；　and　placed　herself　between　me　and　the　search…light　or

porthole。　On　the　other　side　of　this　was　Oro　who　had　no　shield。



These　arrangements　took　some　minutes　and　during　that　time

occupied　all　our　attention。　When　they　were　completed；　however；

our　curiosity　and　fear　began　to　reassert　themselves。　I　looked

about　me　and　perceived　that　Oro　had　his　right　hand　upon　what

seemed　to　be　a　rough　stone　rod；　in　shape　not　unlike　that　with

which　railway　points　are　moved。　He　shouted　to　us　to　stand　still

and　keep　the　shields　over　our　faces。　Then　very　gently　he　pressed

upon　the　lever。　The　porthole　sank　the　fraction　of　an　inch；　and

instantly　there　leapt　from　it　a　most　terrific　blaze　of　lightning；

which　shot　across　the　blackness　in　front　and；　as　lightning　does；

revealed　far；　far　away　another　wall；　or　rather　cliff；　like　that

against　which　we　leant。



〃All　works　well；〃　exclaimed　Oro　in　a　satisfied　voice；　lifting

his　hand　from　the　rod；　〃and　the　strength　which　I　have　stored　will

be　more　than　enough。〃



Meanwhile　the　humming　noise　came　nearer　and　grew　in　volume。



〃I　say；〃　said　Bickley；　〃as　you　know；　I　have　been　sceptical；　but

I　don't　like　this　business。　Oro；　what　are　you　going　to　do？〃



〃Sink　half　the　world　beneath　the　seas；〃　said　Oro；　〃and　raise　up

that　which　I　drowned　more　than　two　thousand　centuries　ago。　But　as

you　do　not　believe　that　I　have　this　power；　Bickley；　why　do　you

ask　such　questions？〃



〃I　believe　that　you　have　it；　which　was　why　I　tried　to　shoot　you

yesterday；〃　said　Bastin。　〃For　your　soul's　sake　I　beg　you　to

desist　from　an　attempt　which　I　am　sure　will　not　succeed；　but

which　will　certainly　involve　your　eternal　damnation；　since　the

failure　will　be　no　fault　of　yours。〃



Then　I　spoke　also；　saying：



〃I　implore　you；　Lord　Oro；　to　let　this　business　be。　I　do　not

know　exactly　how　much　or　how　little　you　can　do；　but　I　understand

that　your　object　is　to　slay　men　by　millions　in　order　to　raise　up

another　world　of　which　you　will　be　the　absolute　king；　as　you　were

of　some　past　empire　that　has　been　destroyed；　either　through　your

agency　or　otherwise。　No　good　can　come　of　such　ambitions。　Like

Bastin；　for　your　soul's　sake　I　pray　you　to　let　them　be。〃



〃What　Humphrey　says　I　repeat；〃　said　Yva。　〃My　Father；　although

you　know　it　not；　you　seek　great　evil；　and　from　these　hopes　you

sow　you　will　harvest　nothing　save　a　loss　of　which　you　do　not

dream。　Moreover；　your　plans　will　fail。　Now　I　who　am；　like

yourself；　of　the　Children　of　Wisdom；　have　spoken；　for　the　first

and　last　time；　and　my　words　are　true。　I　pray　you　give　them

weight；　my　Father。〃



Oro　heard；　and　grew　furious。



〃What！〃　he　said。　〃Are　you　against　me；　every　one；　and　my　own

daughter　also？　I　would　lift　you　up；　I　would　make　you　rulers　of　a

new　world；　I　would　destroy　your　vile　civilisations　which　I　have

studied　with　my　eyes；　that　I　may　build　better！　To　you；　Humphrey；

I　would　give　my　only　child　in　marriage　that　from　you　may　spring　a

divine　race　of　kings！　And　yet　you　are　against　me　and　set　up　your

puny　scruples　as　a　barrier　across　my　path　of　wisdom。　Well；　I

tread　them　down；　I　go　on　my　appointed　way。　But　beware　how　you　try

to　hold　me　back。　If　any　one　of　you　should　attempt　to　come　between

me　and　my　ends；　know　that　I　will　destroy　you　all。　Obey　or　die。〃



〃Well；　he　has　had　his　chance　and　he　won't　take　it；〃　said　Bastin

in　the　silence　that　followed。　〃The　man　must　go　to　the　devil　his

own　way　and　there　is　nothing　more　to　be　said。〃



I　say　the　silence；　but　it　was　no　more　silent。　The　distant

humming　grew　to　a　roar；　the　roar　to　a　hellish　hurricane　of　sound

which　presently　drowned　all　attempts　at　ordinary　speech。



Then　bellowing　like　ten　millions　of　bulls；　at　length　far　away

there　appeared　something　terrible。　I　can　only　describe　its

appearance　as　that　of　an　attenuated　mountain　on　fire。　When　it

drew　nearer　I　perceived　that　it　was　more　like　a　ballet…dancer

whirling　round　and　round　upon　her　toes；　or　rather　all　the

ballet…dancers　in　the　world　rolled　into　one　and　then　multiplied　a

million　times　in　size。　No；　it　was　like　a　mushroom　with　two

stalks；　one　above　and　one　below；　or　a　huge　top　with　a　point　on

which　it　spun；　a　swelling　belly　and　another　point　above。　But　what

a　top！　It　must　have　been　two　thousand　feet　high；　if　it　was　an

inch；　and　its　circumference　who　could　measure？



On　it　came；　dancing；　swaying　and　spinning　at　a　rate

inconceivable；　so　that　it　looked　like　a　gigantic　wheel　of　fire。

Yet　it　was　not　fire　that　clothed　it　but　rather　some

phosphorescence；　since　from　it　came　no　heat。　Yes；　a

phosphorescence　arranged　in　bands　of　ghastly　blue　and　lurid　red；

with　streaks　of　other　colours　running　up　between；　and　a　kind　of

waving　fringe　of　purple。



The　fire…mountain　thundered　on　with　a　voice　like　to　that　of

avalanches　or　of　icebergs　crashing　from　their　parent　glaciers　to

the　sea。　Its　terrific　aspect　was　appalling；　and　its　weight　caused

the　solid　rock　to　quiver　like　a　leaf。　Watching　it；　we　felt　as

ants　might　feel　at　the　advent　of　the　crack　of　doom；　for　its　mere

height　and　girth　and　size　overwhelmed　us。　We　could　not　even

speak。　The　last　words　I　heard　were　from　the　mouth　of　Oro　who

screamed　out：



〃Behold　the　balance　of　the　World；　you　miserable；　doubting　men；

and　behold　me　change　its　pathturning　it　as　the　steersman　turns

a　ship！〃



Then　he　made　certain　signs　to　Yva；　who　in　obedience　to　them

approached　the　porthole　or　search…light　to　which　she　did

something　that　I　could　not　distinguish。　The　effect　was　to　make

the　beam　of　light　much　stronger　and　sharper；　also　to　shift　it　on

to　the　point　or　foot　of　the　spinning　mountain　and；　by　an　aiming

of　the　lens　from　time　to　time；　to　keep　it　there。



This　went　on　for　a　while；　since　the　dreadful　thing　did　not

travel　fast　notwithstanding　the　frightful　speed　of　its

revolutions。　I　should　doubt　indeed　if　it　advanced　more　quickly

than　a　man　could　walk；　at　any　rate　so　it　seemed　to　us。　But　we　had

no　means　of　judging　its　real　rate　of　progress　whereof　we　knew　as

little　as　we　did　of　the　course　it　followed　in　the　bowels　of　the

earth。　Perhaps　that　was　spiral；　from　the　world's　deep　heart

upwards；　and　this　was　the　highest　point　it　reached。　Or　perhaps　it

remained　stationary；　but　still　spinning；　for　scores　or　hundreds

of　years　in　some　central　powerhouse　of　its　own；　whence；　in

obedience　to　unkno