when the world shook-第59章

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

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

have　reminded　you；　as　it　did　me；　of　that　of　Elijah。　She　had

exactly　the　appearance　of　a　person　going　up　to　Heaven　in　a

vehicle　of　fire。　The　destination　was　certainly　the　same；　and　even

the　cloak　she　wore　added　a　familiar　touch　and　increased　the

similarity。〃



〃At　any　rate　it　did　not　fall　upon　you；〃　answered　Bickley　with

something　like　a　sob；　in　a　voice　of　mingled　awe　and　exasperation。

〃For　goodness'　sake！　Bastin；　stop　your　Biblical　parallels　and　let

us　adore；　yes；　let　us　adore　the　divinest　creature　that　the　earth

has　borne！〃



Never　have　I　loved　Bickley　more　than　when　I　heard　him　utter

those　words。



〃'Divinest'　is　a　large　term；　Bickley；　and　one　to　which　I

hesitate　to　subscribe；　remembering　as　I　do　certain　of　the

prophets　and　the　Early　Fathers　with　all　their　faults；　not　of

course　to　mention　the　Apostles。　But〃　here　he　paused；　for

suddenly　all　three　of　us　became　aware　of　Oro。



He　also　has　been　thrown　to　the　ground　by　the　strength　of　the

prisoned　forces　which　he　gathered　and　loosed　upon　their　unholy

errand；　but；　as　I　rejoiced　to　observe；　had　suffered　from　them

much　more　than　ourselves。　Doubtless　this　was　owing　to　the　fact

that　he　had　sprung　forward　in　a　last　wild　effort　to　save　his

daughter；　or　to　prevent　her　from　interfering　with　his　experiment；

I　know　not　which。　As　a　result　his　right　cheek　was　much　scorched；

his　right　arm　was　withered　and　helpless；　and　his　magnificent

beard　was　half　burnt　off　him。　Further；　very　evidently　he　was

suffering　from　severe　shock；　for　he　rocked　upon　his　feet　and

shook　like　an　aspen　leaf。　All　this；　however；　did　not　interfere

with　the　liveliness　of　his　grief　and　rage。



There　he　stood；　a　towering　shape；　like　a　lightning…smitten

statue；　and　cursed　us；　especially　Bastin。



〃My　daughter　has　gone！〃　he　cried；　〃burned　up　by　the　fiery　power

that　is　my　servant。　Nothing　remains　of　her　but　dust；　and；　Priest；

this　is　your　doing。　You　poisoned　her　heart　with　your　childish

doctrines　of　mercy　and　sacrifice；　and　the　rest；　so　that　she　threw

herself　into　the　path　of　the　flash　to　save　some　miserable　races

that　she　had　never　even　known。〃



He　paused　exhausted；　whereon　Bastin　answered　him　with　spirit：



〃Yes；　Oro；　she　being　a　holy　woman；　has　gone　where　you　will

never　follow　her。　Also　it　is　your　own　fault　since　you　should　have

listened　to　her　entreaties　instead　of　boxing　her　ears　like　the

brute　you　are。〃



〃My　daughter　is　gone；〃　went　on　Oro；　recovering　his　strength；

〃and　my　great　designs　are　ruined。　Yet　only　for　a　while；〃　he

added；　〃for　the　world…balance　will　return　again；　if　not　till　long

after　your　life…spans　are　done。〃



　〃If　you　don't　doctor　yourself；　Lord　Oro；〃　said　Bickley；　also

rising；　〃I　may　tell　you　as　one　who　understands　such　things；　that

most　likely　it　will　be　after　your　life…span　is　done　also。　Although

their　effect　may　be　delayed；　severe　shocks　from　burns　and　over…

excitement　are　apt　to　prove　fatal　to　the　aged。〃



Oro　snarled　at　him；　no　other　word　describes　it。



〃And　there　are　other　things；　Physician；〃　he　said；　〃which　are

apt　to　prove　fatal　to　the　young。　At　least　now　you　will　no　longer

deny　my　power。〃



〃I　am　not　so　sure；〃　answered　Bickley；　〃since　it　seems　that

there　is　a　greater　Power；　namely　that　of　a　woman's　love　and

sacrifice。〃



〃And　a　greater　still；〃　interrupted　Bastin；　〃Which　put　those

ideas　into　her　head。〃



〃As　for　you；　Humphrey；〃　went　on　Oro；　〃I　rejoice　to　think　that

you　at　least　have　lost　two　things　that　man　desires　above　all

other　thingsthe　woman　you　sought　and　the　future　kingship　of　the

world。〃



I　stood　up　and　faced　him。



〃The　first　I　have　gained；　although　how；　you　do　not　understand；

Oro；〃　I　answered。　〃And　of　the　second；　seeing　that　it　would　have

come　through　you；　on　your　conditions；　I　am　indeed　glad　to　be　rid。

I　wish　no　power　that　springs　from　murder；　and　no　gifts　from　one

who　answered　his　daughter's　prayer　with　blows。〃



For　a　moment　he　seemed　remorseful。



〃She　vexed　me　with　her　foolishness；〃　he　said。　Then　his　rage

blazed　up　again：



〃And　it　was　you　who　taught　it　to　her；〃　he　went　on。　〃You　are

guilty；　all　three　of　you；　and　therefore　I　am　left　with　none　to

serve　me　in　my　age；　therefore　also　my　mighty　schemes　are

overthrown。〃



〃Also；　Oro；　if　you　speak　truth；　therefore　half　the　world　is

saved；〃　I　added　quietly；　〃and　one　has　left　it　of　whom　it　was

unworthy。〃



〃You　think　that　these　civilisations　of　yours；　as　you　are

pleased　to　call　them；　are　saved；　do　you？〃　he　sneered。　〃Yet；　even

if　Bickley　were　right　and　I　should　die　and　become　powerless；　I

tell　you　that　they　are　already　damned。　I　have　studied　them　in

your　books　and　seen　them　with　my　eyes；　and　I　say　that　they　are

rotten　before　ever　they　are　ripe；　and　that　their　end　shall　be　the

end　of　the　Sons　of　Wisdom；　to　die　for　lack　of　increase。　That　is

why　I　would　have　saved　the　East；　because　in　it　alone　there　is

increase；　and　thence　alone　can　rise　the　great　last　race　of　man

which　I　would　have　given　to　your　children　for　an　heritage。

Moreover；　think　not　that　you　Westerners　have　done　with　wars。　I

tell　you　that　they　are　but　begun　and　that　the　sword　shall　eat　you

up；　and　what　the　sword　spares　class　shall　snatch　from　class　in

the　struggle　for　supremacy　and　ease。〃



Thus　he　spoke　with　extraordinary　and　concentrated　bitterness

that　I　confess　would　have　frightened　me；　had　I　been　capable　of

fear；　which　at　the　moment　I　was　not。　Who　is　afraid　when　he　has

lost　all？



Nor　was　Bastin　alarmed；　if　for　other　reasons。



〃I　think　it　right　to　tell　you；　Oro；〃　he　said；　〃that　the　only

future　you　need　trouble　about　is　your　own。　God　Almighty　will　look

after　the　western　civilisations　in　whatever　way　He　may　think

best；　as　you　may　remember　He　did　just　now。　Only　I　am　sure　you

won't　be　here　to　see　how　it　is　done。〃



Again　fury　blazed　in　Oro's　eyes。



〃At　least　I　will　look　after　you；　you　half…bred　dogs；　who　yap

out　ill…omened　prophecies　of　death　into　my　face。　Since　the　three

of　you　loved　my　daughter　whom　you　brought　to　her　doom；　and　were

by　her　beloved；　if　differently；　I　think　it　best　that　you　should

follow　on　her　road。　How？　That　is　the　question？　Shall　I　leave　you

to　starve　in　these　great　caves？Nay；　look　not　towards　the　road

of　escape　which　doubtless　she　pointed　out　to　you；　for；　as

Humphrey　knows；　I　can　travel　swiftly　and　I　will　make　sure　that

you　find　it　blocked。　Or　shall　I〃　and　he　glanced　upwards　at　the

great　globes　of　wandering　fire；　as　though　he　purposed　to　summon

them　to　be　our　death；　as　doubtless　he　could　have　done。



〃I　do　not　care　what　you　do；〃　I　answered　wearily。　〃Only　I　would

beg　you　to　strike　quickly。　Yet　for　my　friends　I　am　sorry；　since

it　was　I　who　led　them　on　this　quest；　and　for　you；　too；　Tommy；〃　I

added；　looking　at　the　poor　little　hound。　〃You　were　foolish；

Tommy；〃　I　went　on；　〃when　you　scented　out　that　old　tyrant　in　his

coffin；　at　least　for　our　own　sake。〃



Indeed　the　dog　was　terribly　scared。　He　whined　continually　and

from　time　to　time　ran　a　little　way　and　then　returned　to　us；

suggesting　that　we　should　go　from　this　horror…haunted　spot。

Lastly；　as　though　he　understood　that　it　was　Oro　who　kept　us

there；　he　went　to　him　and　jumping　up；　licked　his　hand　in　a

beseeching　fashion。



The　super…man　looked　at　the　dog　and　as　he　looked　the　rage　went

out　of　his　face　and　was　replaced　by　something　resembling　pity。



〃I　do　not　wish　the　beast　to　die；〃　he　muttered　to　himself　in

low　reflective　tones；　as　though　he　thought　aloud；　〃for　of　them

all　it　alone　liked　and　did　not　fear　me。　I　might　take　it　with　me

but　still　it　would　perish　of　grief　in　the　loneliness　of　the

caves。　Moreover；　she　loved　it　whom　I　shall　see　no　more；　yes；

Yva〃　as　he　spoke　the　name　his　voice　broke　a　little。　〃Yet　if　I

suffer　them　to　escape　they　will　tell　my　story　to　the　world　and

make　me　a　laughingstock。　Well；　if　they　do；　what　does　it　matter？

None　of　those　Western　fools　would　believe　it；　thinking　that　they

knew　all；　like　Bickley　they　would　mock　and　say　that　they　were

mad；　or　liars。〃



Again　Tommy　licked　his　hand；　but　more　confidently；　as　though

instinct　told　him　something　of　what　was　passing　in　Oro's　mind。　I

watched　with　an　idle　wonder；　marvelling　whether　it　were　possible

that　this　merciless　being　would　after　all　spare　us　for　the　sake

of　the　dog。



So；　strange　to　say；　it　came　about；　for　suddenly　Oro　looked　up

and　said：



〃Get　you　gone；　and　quickly；　before　my　mood　changes。　The　hound

has　saved　you。　For　its　sake　I　give　you　your　lives；　who　otherwise

should　certainly　have　died。　She　who　has　gone　pointed　out　to　you；

I　doubt　not；　a　road　that　runs　to　the　upper　air。　I　think　that　it

is　still　open。　Indeed；〃　he　added；　closing　his　eyes　for　a　moment；

〃I　see　that　it　is　still　open；　if　long　and　difficult。　Follow　it；

and　should　you　win　through；　take　your　boat　and　sail　away　as

swiftly　as　you　can。　Whether　you　die　or　live　I　care　nothing；　but

my　hands　will　be　clean　of　your　blood；　although　yours　are　stained

with　Yva's。　Begone！　and　my　curse　go　with　you。〃



Without　waiting　for　further　words　we　went　to　fetch　our

lanterns；　water…bottles　and　bag　of　food　which　we　had　laid　down　at

a　little　distance。　As　we　approached　them　I　looked　up　and　saw　Oro

standing　some　way　off。　The　light　from　one　of　the　blue　globes　of

fire　which　passed　close　above　his　head；　shone　upon　him　and　made

him　ghastly。　Moreover；　it　seemed　to　me　as　though　approaching

death　had　written　its　name　upon　his　malevolent　countenance。



I　turned　my　head　away；　for　about　his　aspect　in　those　sinister

surroundings　there　was　something　horrible；　something　menacing　and

repellent　to　man　and　of　him　I　wished　to　see　no　more。　Nor　indeed

did　I；　for　when　I　glanced　in　that　direction　again　Oro　was　gone。　I

suppose　that　he　had　retreated　into　the　shadows　where　no　light

played。





We　gathered　up　our　gear；　and　while　the　others　were　relighting

the　lanterns；　I　walked　a　few　paces　forward　to　the　spot　where　Yva

had　been　dissolved　in　the　devouring　fire。　Something　caught　my　eye

upon　the　rocky　floor。　I　picked　it　up。　It　was　the　ring；　or　rather

the　remains　of　the　ring　that　I　had　given　her　on　that　night　when

we　declared　our　love　amidst　the　ruins　by　the　crater　lake。　She　had

never　worn　it　on　her　hand　but　for　her　own　reasons；　as　she　told

me；　suspended　it　upon　her　breast　beneath　her　robe。　It　was　an

ancient　ring　that　I　had　bought　in　Egypt；　fashioned　of　gold　in

which　was　set　a　very　hard　basalt　or　other　black　stone。　On　this

was　engraved　the　ank　or　looped　cross；　which　was　the　Egyptian

symbol　of　Life；　and　round　it　a　snake；　the　symbol　of　Eternity。　The

gold　was　for　the　most　part　melted；　but　the　stone；　being　so　hard

and　protected　by　the　shield　and　asbestos　cloak；　for　such　I

suppose　it　was；　had　resisted　the　fury　of　the　flash。　Only　now　it

was　white　instead　of　black；　like　a　burnt　onyx　that　had　known　the

funera