when the world shook-第58章

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

obedience　to　unknown　laws；　from　time　to　time　it　made　these

terrific　journeys。



No　one　knows；　unless　perhaps　Oro　did；　in　which　case　he　kept　the

information　to　himself；　and　no　one　will　ever　know。　At　any　rate

there　it　was；　travelling　towards　us　on　its　giant　butt；　the　peg　of

the　top　as　it　were；　which；　hidden　in　a　cloud　of　friction…born

sparks　that　enveloped　it　like　the　cup　of　a　curving　flower　of

fire；　whirled　round　and　round　at　an　infinite　speed。　It　was　on

this　flaming　flower　that　the　search…light　played　steadily；

doubtless　that　Oro　might　mark　and　measure　its　monstrous　progress。



〃He　is　going　to　try　to　send　the　thing　down　the　right…hand

path；〃　I　shouted　into　Bickley's　ear。



〃Can't　be　done！　Nothing　can　shift　a　travelling　weight　of　tens

of　millions　of　tons　one　inch；〃　Bickley　roared　back；　trying　to

look　confident。



Clearly；　however；　Yva　thought　that　it　could　be　done；　for　of　a

sudden　she　cast　down　her　shield　and；　throwing　herself　upon　her

knees；　stretched　out　her　hands　in　supplication　to　her　father。　I

understood；　as　did　we　all；　that　she　was　imploring　him　to　abandon

his　hellish　purpose。　He　glared　at　her　and　shook　his　head。　Then；

as　she　still　went　on　praying；　he　struck　her　across　the　face　with

his　hand　and　pushed　her　to　her　feet　again。　My　blood　boiled　as　I

saw　it　and　I　think　I　should　have　sprung　at　him；　had　not　Bickley

caught　hold　of　me；　shouting；　〃Don't；　or　he　will　kill　her　and　us

too。〃



Yva　lifted　her　shield　and　returned　to　her　station；　and　in　the

blue　discharges　which　now　flashed　almost　continuously；　and　the

phosphorescent　glare　of　the　advancing　mountain；　I　saw　that　though

her　beautiful　face　worked　beneath　the　pain　of　the　blow；　her　eyes

remained　serene　and　purposeful。　Even　then　I　wonderedwhat　was

the　purpose　shining　through　them。　Also　I　wondered　if　I　was　about

to　be　called　upon　to　make　that　sacrifice　of　which　she　had　spoken；

and　if　so；　how。　Of　one　thing　I　was　determinedthat　if　the　call

came　it　should　not　find　me　deaf。　Yet　all　the　while　I　was　horribly

afraid。



At　another　sign　from　Oro；　Yva　did　something　more　to　the　lens

again；　being　alongside　of　her；　I　could　not　see　what　it　was。　The

beam　of　light　shifted　and　wandered　till；　far　away；　it　fell

exactly　upon　that　spot　where　the　rock　began　to　rise　into　the

ridge　which　separated　the　two　grooves　or　roads　and　ended　in　the

razor…edged　cliff。　Moreover　I　observed　that　Oro；　who　left　it　the

last　of　us；　had　either　placed　something　white　to　mark　this　first

infinitesimal　bulging　of　the　floor　of　the　groove；　or　had　smeared

it　with　chalk　or　shining　pigment。　I　observed　also　what　I　had　not

been　able　to　see　before；　that　a　thin　white　line　ran　across　the

floor；　no　doubt　to　give　the　precise　direction　of　this　painted

rise　of　rock；　and　that　the　glare　of　the　search…light　now　lay

exactly　over　that　line。



The　monstrous；　flaming　gyroscope　fashioned　in　Nature's

workshop；　for　such　without　doubt　it　was；　was　drawing　near；

emitting　as　it　came　a　tumult　of　sounds　which；　with　the　echoes

that　they　caused；　almost　over…whelmed　our　senses。　Poor　little

Tommy；　already　cowed；　although　he　was　a　bold…natured　beast；　broke

down　entirely；　and　I　could　see　from　his　open　mouth　that　he　was

howling　with　terror。　He　stared　about　him；　then　ran　to　Yva　and

pawed　at　her；　evidently　asking　to　be　taken　into　her　arms。　She

thrust　him　away；　almost　fiercely；　and　made　signs　to　me　to　lift

him　up　and　hold　him　beneath　my　shield。　This　I　did；　reflecting

sadly　that　if　I　was　to　be　sacrificed；　Tommy　must　share　my　fate。　I

even　thought　of　passing　him　on　to　Bickley；　but　had　no　time。

Indeed　I　could　not　attract　his　attention；　for　Bickley　was　staring

with　all　his　eyes　at　the　nightmare…like　spectacle　which　was　in

progress　about　us。　Indeed　no　nightmare；　no　wild　imagination　of

which　the　mind　of　man　is　capable；　could　rival　the　aspect　of　its

stupendous　facts。



Think　of　them！　The　unmeasured　space　of　blackness　threaded　by

those　globes　of　ghastly　incandescence　that　now　hung　a　while　and

now　shot　upwards；　downwards；　across；　apparently　without　origin　or

end；　like　a　stream　of　meteors　that　had　gone　mad。　Then　the

travelling　mountain；　two　thousand　feet　in　height；　or　more；　with

its　enormous　saucer…like　rim　painted　round　with　bands　of　lurid

red　and　blue；　and　about　its　grinding　foot　the　tulip　bloom　of

emitted　flame。　Then　the　fierce…faced　Oro　at　his　post；　his　hand

upon　the　rod；　waiting；　remorseless；　to　drown　half　of　this　great

world；　with　the　lovely　Yva　standing　calm…eyed　like　a　saint　in

hell　and　watching　me　above　the　edge　of　the　shield　which　such　a

saint　might　bear　to　turn　aside　the　fiery　darts　of　the　wicked。　And

lastly　we　three　men　flattened　terror…stricken；　against　the　wall。



Nightmare！　Imagination！　No；　these　pale　before　that　scene　which

it　was　given　to　our　human　eyes　to　witness。



And　all　the　while；　bending；　bowing　towards　usaway　from　us

making　obeisance　to　the　path　in　front　as　though　in　greeting；　to

the　path　behind　as　though　in　farewell；　instinct　with　a　horrible

life；　with　a　hideous　and　gigantic　grace；　that　titanic　Terror

whirled　onwards　to　the　mark　of　fate。



At　the　moment　nothing　could　persuade　me　that　it　was　not　alive

and　did　not　know　its　awful　mission。　Visions　flashed　across　my

mind。　I　thought　of　the　peoples　of　the　world　sleeping　in　their

beds；　or　going　about　their　business；　or　engaged　even　in　the　work

of　war。　I　thought　of　the　ships　upon　the　seas　steaming　steadily

towards　their　far…off　ports。　Then　I　thought　of　what　presently

might　happen　to　them；　of　the　tremors　followed　by　convulsions；　of

the　sudden　crashing　down　of　cities；　such　as　we　had　seen　in　the

picture　Yva　showed　us　in　the　Temple；　of　the　inflow　of　the　waters

of　the　deep　piled　up　in　mighty　waves；　of　the　woe　and　desolation

as　of　the　end　of　the　world；　and　of　the　quiet；　following　death。　So

I　thought　and　in　my　heart　prayed　to　the　great　Arch…Architect　of

the　Universe　to　stretch　out　His　Arm　to　avert　this　fearsome　ruin

of　His　handiwork。



Oro　glared；　his　thin　fingers　tightened　their　grip　upon　the　rod；

his　hair　and　long　beard　seemed　to　bristle　with　furious　and

delighted　excitement。　The　purple…fringed　rim　of　the　Monster　had

long　overshadowed　the　whited　patch　of　rock；　its　grinding　foot　was

scarce　ten　yards　away。　Oro　made　more　signs　to　Yva　who；　beneath

the　shelter　of　her　shield；　again　bent　down　and　did　something　that

I　could　not　see。　Then；　as　though　her　part　were　played；　she　rose；

drew　the　grey　hood　of　her　cloak　all　about　her　face　so　that　her

eyes　alone　remained　visible；　took　one　step　towards　me　and　in　the

broken　English　we　had　taught　her；　called　into　my　ear。



〃Humphrey；　God　you　bless！　Humphrey；　we　meet　soon。　Forget　not

me！〃



She　stepped　back　again　before　I　could　attempt　to　answer；　and

next　instant　with　a　hideous；　concentrated　effort；　Oro　bending

himself　double；　thrust　upon　the　rod；　as　I　could　see　from　his　open

mouth；　shouting　while　he　thrust。



At　the　same　moment；　with　a　swift　spring；　Yva　leapt　immediately

in　front　of　the　lens　or　window；　so　that　the　metallic　shield　with

which　she　covered　herself　pressed　against　its　substance。



Simultaneously　Oro　flung　up　his　arms　as　though　in　horror。



Too　late！　The　shutter　fell　and　from　behind　it　there　sprang　out

a　rush　of　living　flame。　It　struck　on　Yva's　shield　and　expanded　to

right　and　left。　The　insulated　shield　and　garments　that　she　wore

seemed　to　resist　it。　For　a　fraction　of　time　she　stood　there　like

a　glowing　angel；　wrapped　in　fire。



Then　she　was　swept　outwards　and　upwards　and　at　a　little

distance　dissolved　like　a　ghost　and　vanished　from　our　sight。



Yva　was　ashes！　Yva　was　gone！　The　sacrifice　was　consummated！





And　not　in　vain！　Not　in　vain！　On　her　poor　breast　she　had

received　the　full　blast　of　that　hellish　lightning　flash。　Yet

whilst　destroying；　it　turned　away　from　her；　seeking　the　free

paths　of　the　air。　So　it　came　about　that　its　obstructed　strength

struck　the　foot　of　the　travelling　gyroscope；　diffused　and　did　not

suffice　to　thrust　it　that　one　necessary　inch　on　which　depended

the　fate　of　half　the　world；　or　missing　it　altogether；　passed　away

on　either　side。　Even　so　the　huge；　gleaming　mountain　rocked　and

trembled。　Once；　twice；　thrice；　it　bowed　itself　towards　us　as

though　in　majestic　homage　to　greatness　passed　away。　For　a　second；

too；　its　course　was　checked；　and　at　the　check　the　earth　quaked

and　trembled。　Yes；　then　the　world　shook；　and　the　blue　globes　of

fire　went　out；　while　I　was　thrown　to　the　ground。



When　they　returned　again；　the　flaming　monster　was　once　more

sailing　majestically　upon　its　way　and　down　the　accustomed

left…hand　path！





Indeed　the　sacrifice　was　not　in　vain。　The　world　shookbut　Yva

had　saved　the　world！







Chapter　XXVI



Tommy





I　lay　still　a　while；　on　my　back　as　I　had　fallen；　and　beneath

the　shield…like　defence　which　Yva　had　given　to　me。

Notwithstanding　the　fire…resisting；　metalised　stuff　of　which　it

was　made；　I　noted　that　it　was　twisted　and　almost　burnt　through。

Doubtless　the　stored…up　electricity　or　earth　magnetism；　or

whatever　it　may　have　been　that　had　leapt　out　of　that　hole；　being

diffused　by　the　resistance　with　which　it　was　met；　had　grazed　me

with　its　outer　edge；　and　had　it　not　been　for　the　shield　and

cloak；　I　also　should　have　been　burned　up。　I　wished；　oh！　how　I

wished　that　it　had　been　so。　Then；　by　now　all　must　have　finished

and　I　should　have　known　the　truth　as　to　what　awaits　us　beyond　the

change：　sleep；　or　dreams；　or　perchance　the　fullest　life。　Also　I

should　not　have　learned　alone。



Lying　there　thus；　idly；　as　though　in　a　half…sleep；　I　felt　Tommy

licking　my　face；　and　throwing　my　arm　about　the　poor　little

frightened　beast；　I　watched　the　great　world…balance　as　it

retreated　on　its　eternal　journey。　At　one　time　its　vast　projecting

rim　had　overshadowed　us　and　almost　seemed　to　touch　the　cliff　of

rock　against　which　we　leant。　I　remember　that　the　effect　of　that

shining　arch　a　thousand　feet　or　so　above　our　heads　was　wonderful。

It　reminded　me　of　a　canopy　of　blackest　thunder　clouds　supported

upon　a　framework　of　wheeling　rainbows；　while　beneath　it　all　the

children　of　the　devil　shouted　together　in　joy。　I　noted　this

effect　only　a　few　seconds　before　Yva　spoke　to　me　and　leapt　into

the　path　of　the　flash。



Now；　however；　it　was　far　away；　a　mere　flaming　wheel　that　became

gradually　smaller；　and　its　Satanic　voices　were　growing　faint。　As

I　have　said；　I　watched　its　disappearance　idly；　reflecting　that　I

should　never　look　upon　its　like　again；　also　that　it　was　something

well　worth　going　forth　to　see。　Then　I　became　aware　that　the

humming；　howling　din　had　decreased　sufficiently　to　enable　me　to

hear　human　voices　without　effort。　Bastin　was　addressing　Bickley

like　myself　they　were　both　upon　the　ground。



〃Her　translation；　as　you　may　have　noticed；　Bickley；　if　you　were

not　too　frightened；　was　really　very　remarkable。　No　doubt　it　will

have　remind