when the world shook-第61章

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hold　that　it　is　better　to　heal　souls　than　bodies；　because；　as

even　you　will　have　learned　out　there　in　Orofena；　they　last　so

much　longer。〃



〃I　am　not　certain　that　I　learned　anything　of　the　sort；〃　said

Bickley；　〃or　even　that　Oro　was　more　than　an　ordinary　old　man。　He

said　that　he　had　lived　a　thousand　years；　but　what　was　there　to

prove　this　except　his　word；　which　is　worth　nothing？〃



〃There　was　the　Lady　Yva's　word　also；　which　is　worth　a　great

deal；　Bickley。〃



〃Yes；　but　she　may　have　meant　a　thousand　moons。　Further；　as

according　to　her　own　showing　she　was　still　quite　young；　how　could

she　know　her　father's　age？〃



〃Quite　so；　Bickley。　But　all　she　actually　said　was　that　she　was

of　the　same　age　as　one　of　our　women　of　twenty…seven；　which　may

have　meant　two　hundred　and　seventy　for　all　I　know。　However；

putting　that　aside　you　will　admit　that　they　had　both　slept　for

two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　years。〃



〃I　admit　that　they　slept；　Bastin；　because　I　helped　to　awaken

them；　but　for　how　long　there　is　nothing　to　show；　except　those

star　maps　which　are　probably　quite　inaccurate。〃



〃They　are　not　inaccurate；〃　I　broke　in；　〃for　I　have　had　them

checked　by　leading　astronomers　who　say　that　they　show　a

marvelous　knowledge　of　the　heavens　as　these　were　two　hundred　and

fifty　thousand　years　ago；　and　are　today。〃



Here　I　should　state　that　those　two　metal　maps　and　the　ring

which　I　gave　to　Yva　and　found　again　after　the　catastrophe；　were

absolutely　the　only　things　connected　with　her　or　with　Oro　that　we

brought　away　with　us。　The　former　I　would　never　part　with；　feeling

their　value　as　evidence。　Therefore；　when　we　descended　to　the　city

Nyo　and　the　depths　beneath；　I　took　them　with　me　wrapped　in　cloth

in　my　pocket。　Thus　they　were　preserved。　Everything　else　went　when

the　Rock　of　Offerings　and　the　cave　mouth　sank　beneath　the　waters

of　the　lake。



This　may　have　happened　either　in　the　earth　tremor；　which　no

doubt　was　caused　by　the　advance　of　the　terrific　world…balance；　or

when　the　electric　power；　though　diffused　and　turned　by　Yva's

insulated　body；　struck　the　great　gyroscope's　travelling　foot　with

sufficient　strength；　not　to　shift　it　indeed　on　to　the　right…hand

path　as　Oro　had　designed；　but　still　to　cause　it　to　stagger　and

even　perhaps　to　halt　for　the　fraction　of　a　second。　Even　this

pause　may　have　been　enough　to　cause　convulsions　of　the　earth

above；　indeed；　I　gathered　from　Marama　and　other　Orofenans　that

such　convulsions　had　occurred　on　and　around　the　island　at　what

must　have　corresponded　with　that　moment　of　the　loosing　of　the

force。



This　loss　of　our　belongings　in　the　house　of　the　Rock　of

Offerings　was　the　more　grievous　because　among　them　were　some

Kodak　photographs　which　I　had　taken；　including　portraits　of　Oro

and　one　of　Yva　that　was　really　excellent；　to　say　nothing　of

pictures　of　the　mouth　of　the　cave　and　of　the　ruins　and　crater

lake　above。　How　bitterly　I　regret　that　I　did　not　keep　these

photographs　in　my　pocket　with　the　map…plates。



〃Even　if　the　star…maps　are　correct；　still　it　proves　nothing；〃

said　Bickley；　〃since　possibly　Oro's　astronomical　skill　might　have

enabled　him　to　draw　that　of　the　sky　at　any　period；　though　I　allow

this　is　impossible。〃



〃I　doubt　his　taking　so　much　trouble　merely　to　deceive　three

wanderers　who　lacked　the　knowledge　even　to　check　them；〃　I　said。

〃But　all　this　misses　the　point；　Bickley。　However　long　they　had

slept；　that　man　and　woman　did　arise　from　seeming　death。　They　did

dwell　in　those　marvelous　caves　with　their　evidences　of　departed

civilisations；　and　they　did　show　us　that　fearful；　world…wandering

gyroscope。　These　things　we　saw。〃



〃I　admit　that　we　saw　them；　Arbuthnot；　and　I　admit　that　they　are

one　and　all　beyond　human　comprehension。　To　that　extent　I　am

converted；　and；　I　may　add；　humbled；〃　said　Bickley。



〃So　you　ought　to　be；〃　exclaimed　Bastin；　〃seeing　that　you　always

swore　that　there　was　nothing　in　the　world　that　is　not　capable　of

a　perfectly　natural　explanation。〃



〃Of　which　all　these　things　may　be　capable；　Bastin；　if　only　we

held　the　key。〃



〃Very　well；　Bickley；　but　how　do　you　explain　what　the　Lady　Yva

did？　I　may　tell　you　now　what　she　commanded　me　to　conceal　at　the

time；　namely；　that　she　became　a　Christian；　so　much　so　that　by　her

own　will；　I　baptised　and　confirmed　her　on　the　very　morning　of　her

sacrifice。　Doubtless　it　was　this　that　changed　her　heart　so　much

that　she　became　willing；　of　course　without　my　knowledge；　to　leave

everything　she　cared　for；〃　here　he　looked　hard　at　me；　〃and　lay

down　her　life　to　save　the　world；　half　of　which　she　believed　was

about　to　be　drowned　by　Oro。　Now；　considering　her　history　and

upbringing；　I　call　this　a　spiritual　marvel；　much　greater　than　any

you　now　admit；　and　one　you　can't　explain；　Bickley。〃



〃No；　I　cannot　explain；　or；　at　any　rate；　I　will　not　try；〃　he

answered；　also　staring　hard　at　me。　〃Whatever　she　believed；　or　did

not　believe；　and　whatever　would　or　would　not　have　happened；　she

was　a　great　and　wonderful　woman　whose　memory　I　worship。〃



〃Quite　so；　Bickley；　and　now　perhaps　you　see　my　point；　that　what

you　describe　as　mere　vain　words　may　also　be　helpful　to　mankind；

more　so；　indeed；　than　your　surgical　instruments　and　pills。〃



〃You　couldn't　convert　Oro；　anyway；〃　exclaimed　Bickley；　with

irritation。



〃No；　Bickley；　but　then　I　have　always　understood　that　the　devil

is　beyond　conversion　because　he　is　beyond　repentance。　You　see；　I

think　that　if　that　old　scoundrel　was　not　the　devil　himself；　at

any　rate　he　was　a　bit　of　him；　and；　if　I　am　right；　I　am　not

ashamed　to　have　failed　in　his　case。〃



〃Even　Oro　was　not　utterly　bad；　Bastin；〃　I　said；　reflecting　on

certain　traits　of　mercy　that　he　had　shown；　or　that　I　dreamed　him

to　have　shown　in　the　course　of　our　mysterious　midnight　journeys

to　various　parts　of　the　earth。　Also　I　remembered　that　he　had

loved　Tommy　and　for　his　sake　had　spared　our　lives。　Lastly；　I　do

not　altogether　wonder　that　he　came　to　certain　hasty　conclusions

as　to　the　value　of　our　modern　civilisations。



〃I　am　very　glad　to　hear　it；　Humphrey；　since　while　there　is　a

spark　left　the　whole　fire　may　burn　up　again；　and　I　believe　that

to　the　Divine　mercy　there　are　no　limits；　though　Oro　will　have　a

long　road　to　travel　before　he　finds　it。　And　now　I　have　something

to　say。　It　has　troubled　me　very　much　that　I　was　obliged　to　leave

those　Orofenans　wandering　in　a　kind　of　religious　twilight。〃



〃You　couldn't　help　that；〃　said　Bickley；　〃seeing　that　if　you　had

stopped；　by　now　you　would　have　been　wandering　in　religious

light。〃



〃Still；　I　am　not　sure　that　I　ought　not　to　have　stopped。　I　seem

to　have　deserted　a　field　that　was　open　to　me。　However；　it　can't

be　helped；　since　it　is　certain　that　we　could　never　find　that

island　again；　even　if　Oro　has　not　sunk　it　beneath　the　sea；　as　he

is　quite　capable　of　doing；　to　cover　his　tracks；　so　to　speak。　So　I

mean　to　do　my　best　in　another　field　by　way　of　atonement。〃



〃You　are　not　going　to　become　a　missionary？〃　I　said。



〃No；　but　with　the　consent　of　the　Bishop；　who；　I　think；　believes

that　my　locum　got　on　better　in　the　parish　than　I　do；　as　no　doubt

was　the　case；　I；　too；　have　volunteered　for　the　Front；　and　been

accepted　as　a　chaplain　of　the　201st　Division。〃



〃Why；　that's　mine！〃　said　Bickley。



〃Is　it？　I　am　very　glad；　since　now　we　shall　be　able　to　pursue

our　pleasant　arguments　and　to　do　our　best　to　open　each　other's

minds。〃



〃You　fellows　are　more　fortunate　than　I　am；〃　I　remarked。　〃I　also

volunteered；　but　they　wouldn't　take　me；　even　as　a　Tommy；　although

I　misstated　my　age。　They　told　me；　or　at　least　a　specialist　whom　I

saw　did　afterwards；　that　the　blow　I　got　on　the　head　from　that

sorcerer's　boy〃



〃I　know；　I　know！〃　broke　in　Bickley　almost　roughly。　〃Of　course；

things　might　go　wrong　at　any　time。　But　with　care　you　may　live　to

old　age。〃



〃I　am　sorry　to　hear　it；〃　I　said　with　a　sigh；　〃at　least　I　think

I　am。　Meanwhile；　fortunately　there　is　much　that　I　can　do　at　home；

indeed　a　course　of　action　has　been　suggested　to　me　by　an　old

friend　who　is　now　in　authority。〃





Once　more　Bickley　and　Bastin　in　their　war…stained　uniforms　were

dining　at　my　table　and　on　the　very　night　of　their　return　from　the

Front；　which　was　unexpected。　Indeed　Tommy　nearly　died　of　joy　on

hearing　their　voices　in　the　hall。　They；　who　played　a　worthy　part

in　the　great　struggle；　had　much　to　tell　me；　and　naturally　their

more　recent　experiences　had　overlaid　to　some　extent　those　which

we　shared　in　the　mysterious　island　of　Orofena。　Indeed　we　did　not

speak　of　these　until；　just　as　they　were　going　away；　Bastin　paused

beneath　a　very　beautiful　portrait　of　my　late　wife；　the　work　of　an

artist　famous　for　his　power　of　bringing　out　the　inner　character；

or　what　some　might　call　the　soul；　of　the　sitter。　He　stared　at　it

for　a　while　in　his　short…sighted　way；　then　said：　〃Do　you　know；

Arbuthnot；　it　has　sometimes　occurred　to　me；　and　never　more　than

at　this　moment；　that　although　they　were　different　in　height　and

so　on；　there　was　a　really　curious　physical　resemblance　between

your　late　wife　and　the　Lady　Yva。〃



〃Yes；〃　I　answered。　〃I　think　so　too。〃



Bickley　also　examined　the　portrait　very　carefully；　and　as　he

did　so　I　saw　him　start。　Then　he　turned　away；　saying　nothing。



Such　is　the　summary　of　all　that　has　been　important　in　my　life。

It　is；　I　admit；　an　odd　story　and　one　which　suggests　problems　that

I　cannot　solve。　Bastin　deals　with　such　things　by　that　acceptance

which　is　the　privilege　and　hall…mark　of　faith；　Bickley　disposes；

or　used　to　dispose；　of　them　by　a　blank　denial　which　carries　no

conviction；　and　least　of　all　to　himself。



What　is　life　to　most　of　us　who；　like　Bickley；　think　ourselves

learned？　A　round；　short　but　still　with　time　and　to　spare　wherein

to　be　dull　and　lonesome；　a　fateful　treadmill　to　which　we　were

condemned　we　know　not　how；　but　apparently　through　the　casual

passions　of　those　who　went　before　us　and　are　now　forgotten；

causing　us；　as　the　Bible　says；　to　be　born　in　sin；　up　which　we

walk　wearily　we　know　not　why；　seeming　never　to　make　progress；　off

which　we　fall　outworn　we　know　not　when　or　whither。



Such　upon　the　surface　it　appears　to　be；　nor　in　fact　does　our

ascertained　knowledge；　as　Bickley　would　sum　it　up；　take　us　much

further。　No　prophet　has　yet　arisen　who　attempted　to　define　either

the　origin　or　the　reasons　of　life。　Even　the　very　Greatest　of　them

Himself　is　quite　silent　on　this　matter。　We　are　tempted　to　wonder

why。　Is　it　because　life　as　expressed　in　the　higher　of　human

beings；　is；　or　will　be　too　vast；　too　multiform　and　too　glorious

for　any　definition　which　we　could　understand？　Is　it　because　in

the　end　it　will　involve　for　some；　if　not　for　all；　majesty　on

unfathomed　majesty；　and　glory　upon　unimaginable　glory　such　as　at

present　far　outpass　the　limits　of　our　thought？



The　experiences　which　I　have　recorded　in　these　pages　awake　in

my　heart　a　hope　that　this　may　be　so。