when the world shook-第28章

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to　the　edge　of　the　volcano　and　found；　as　we　expected；　the　usual

depression　out　of　which　fire　and　lava　had　once　been　cast；　as　from

Hecla　or　Vesuvius。　It　was　now　a　lake　more　than　a　quarter　of　a

mile　across。　Indeed　it　had　been　thus　in　the　ancient　days　when　the

buildings　stood　upon　the　terraces；　for　we　saw　the　remains　of

steps　leading　down　to　the　water。　Perhaps　it　had　served　as　the

sacred　lake　of　the　temple。



We　gazed　with　wonderment　and　then；　wearied　out；　scrambled　back

through　the　ruins；　which；　by　the　way；　were　of　a　different　stone

from　the　lava　of　the　mountain；　to　the　mouth　of　the　great　cave。







Chapter　X



The　Dwellers　in　the　Tomb





By　now　it　was　drawing　towards　sunset；　so　we　made　such

preparations　as　we　could　for　the　night。　One　of　these　was　to

collect　dry　driftwood；　of　which　an　abundance　lay　upon　the　shore；

to　serve　us　for　firing；　though　unfortunately　we　had　nothing　that

we　could　cook　for　our　meal。



While　we　were　thus　engaged　we　saw　a　canoe　approaching　the

table…rock　and　perceived　that　in　it　were　the　chief　Marama　and　a

priest。　After　hovering　about　for　a　while　they　paddled　the　canoe

near　enough　to　allow　of　conversation　which；　taking　no　notice　of

their　presence；　we　left　it　to　them　to　begin。



〃O；　Friend…from…the…Sea；〃　called　Marama；　addressing　myself；　〃we

come　to　pray　you　and　the　Great　Healer　to　return　to　us　to　be　our

guests　as　before。　The　people　are　covered　with　darkness　because　of

the　loss　of　your　wisdom；　and　the　sick　cry　aloud　for　the　Healer；

indeed　two　of　those　whom　he　has　cut　with　knives　are　dying。〃



〃And　what　of　the　Bellower？〃　I　asked；　indicating　Bastin。



〃We　should　like　to　see　him　back　also；　Friend…from…the…Sea；　that

we　may　sacrifice　and　eat　him；　who　destroyed　our　god　with　fire　and

caused　the　Healer　to　kill　his　priest。〃



〃That　is　most　unjust；〃　exclaimed　Bastin。　〃I　deeply　regret　the

blood　that　was　shed　on　the　occasion；　unnecessarily　as　I　think。〃



〃Then　go　and　atone　for　it　with　your　own；〃　said　Bickley；　〃and

everybody　will　be　pleased。〃



Waving　to　them　to　be　silent；　I　said：



〃Are　you　mad；　Marama；　that　you　should　ask　us　to　return　to

sojourn　among　people　who　tried　to　kill　us；　merely　because　the

Bellower　caused　fire　to　burn　an　image　of　wood　and　its　head　to　fly

from　its　shoulders；　just　to　show　you　that　it　had　no　power　to　hold

itself　together；　although　you　call　it　a　god？　Not　so；　we　wash　our

hands　of　you；　we　leave　you　to　go　your　own　way　while　we　go　ours；

till　perchance　in　a　day　to　come；　after　many　misfortunes　have

overtaken　you；　you　creep　about　our　feet　and　with　prayers　and

offerings　beg　us　to　return。〃



I　paused　to　observe　the　effect　of　my　words。　It　was　excellent；

for　both　Marama　and　the　priest　wrung　their　hands　and　groaned。

Then　I　went　on：



〃Meanwhile　we　have　something　to　tell　you。　We　have　entered　the

cave　where　you　said　no　man　might　set　a　foot；　and　have　seen　him

who　sits　within；　the　true　god。〃　（Here　Bastin　tried　to　interrupt；

but　was　suppressed　by　Bickley。）



They　looked　at　each　other　in　a　frightened　way　and　groaned　more

loudly　than　before。



〃He　sends　you　a　message；　which；　as　he　told　us　of　your　approach；

we　came　to　the　shore　to　deliver　to　you。〃



〃How　can　you　say　that？〃　began　Bastin；　but　was　again　violently

suppressed　by　Bickley。



〃It　is　that　he；　the　real　Oro；　rejoices　that　the　false　Oro；

whose　face　is　copied　from　his　face；　has　been　destroyed。　It　is

that　he　commands　you　day　by　day　to　bring　food　in　plenty　and　lay

it　upon　the　Rock　of　Offerings；　not　forgetting　a　supply　of　fresh

fish　from　the　sea；　and　with　it　all　those　things　that　are　stored

in　the　house　wherein　we；　the　strangers　from　the　sea；　deigned　to

dwell　awhile　until　we　left　you　because　in　your　wickedness　you

wished　to　murder　us。〃



〃And　if　we　refusewhat　then？〃　asked　the　priest；　speaking　for

the　first　time。



〃Then　Oro　will　send　death　and　destruction　upon　you。　Then　your

food　shall　fail　and　you　shall　perish　of　sickness　and　want；　and

the　Oromatuas；　the　spirits　of　the　great　dead；　shall　haunt　you　in

your　sleep；　and　Oro　shall　eat　up　your　souls。〃



At　these　horrible　threats　both　of　them　uttered　a　kind　of　wail；

after　which；　Marama　asked：



〃And　if　we　consent；　what　then；　Friend…from…the…Sea？〃



〃Then；　perchance；〃　I　answered；　〃in　some　day　to　come　we　may

return　to　you；　that　I　may　give　you　of　my　wisdom　and　the　Great

Healer　may　cure　your　sick　and　the　Bellower　may　lead　you　through

his　gate；　and　in　his　kindness　make　you　to　see　with　his　eyes。〃



This　last　clause　of　my　ultimatum　did　not　seem　to　appeal　to　the

priest；　who　argued　a　while　with　Marama；　though　what　he　said　we

could　not　hear。　In　the　end　he　appeared　to　give　way。　At　any　rate

Marama　called　out　that　all　should　be　done　as　we　wished；　and　that

meanwhile　they　prayed　us　to　intercede　with　Oro　in　the　cave；　and

to　keep　back　the　ghosts　from　haunting　them；　and　to　protect　them

from　misfortune。　I　replied　that　we　would　do　our　best；　but　could

guarantee　nothing　since　their　offence　was　very　great。



Then；　to　show　that　the　conversation　was　at　an　end；　we　walked

away　with　dignity；　pushing　Bastin　in　front　of　us；　lest　he　should

spoil　the　effect　by　some　of　his　ill…timed　and　often　over…true

remarks。



〃That's　capital；〃　said　Bickley；　when　we　were　out　of　hearing。

〃The　enemy　has　capitulated。　We　can　stop　here　as　long　as　we　like；

provisioned　from　the　mainland；　and　if　for　any　reason　we　wish　to

leave；　be　sure　of　our　line　of　retreat。〃



〃I　don't　know　what　you　call　capital；〃　exclaimed　Bastin。　〃It

seems　to　me　that　all　the　lies　which　Arbuthnot　has　just　told　are

sufficient　to　bring　a　judgment　upon　us。　Indeed；　I　think　that　I

will　go　back　with　Marama　and　explain　the　truth。〃



〃I　never　before　knew　anybody　who　was　so　anxious　to　be　cooked

and　eaten；〃　remarked　Bickley。　〃Moreover；　you　are　too　late；　for

the　canoe　is　a　hundred　yards　away　by　now；　and　you　shan't　have

ours。　Remember　the　Pauline　maxims；　old　fellow；　which　you　are　so

fond　of　quoting；　and　be　all　things　to　all　men；　and　another　that

is　more　modern；　that　when　you　are　at　Rome；　you　must　do　as　the

Romans　do；　also　a　third；　that　necessity　has　no　law；　and　for　the

matter　of　that；　a　fourth；　that　all　is　fair　in　love　and　war。〃



〃I　am　sure；　Bickley；　that　Paul　never　meant　his　words　to　bear

the　debased　sense　which　you　attribute　to　them〃　began　Bastin；

but　at　this　point　I　hustled　him　off　to　light　a　firea　process　at

which　I　pointed　out　he　had　shown　himself　an　expert。



We　slept　that　night　under　the　overhanging　rock　just　to　one　side

of　the　cave；　not　in　the　mouth；　because　of　the　draught　which　drew

in　and　out　of　the　great　place。　In　that　soft　and　balmy　clime　this

was　no　hardship；　although　we　lacked　blankets。　And　yet；　tired

though　I　was；　I　could　not　rest　as　I　should　have　done。　Bastin

snored　away　contentedly；　quite　unaffected　by　his　escape　which　to

him　was　merely　an　incident　in　the　day's　work；　and　so；　too；

slumbered　Bickley；　except　that　he　did　not　snore。　But　the

amazement　and　the　mystery　of　all　that　we　had　discovered　and　of

all　that　might　be　left　for　us　to　discover；　held　me　back　from

sleep。



What　did　it　mean？　What　could　it　mean？　My　nerves　were　taut　as

harp　strings　and　seemed　to　vibrate　to　the　touch　of　invisible

fingers；　although　I　could　not　interpret　the　music　that　they　made。

Once　or　twice　also　I　thought　I　heard　actual　music　with　my

physical　ears；　and　that　of　a　strange　quality。　Soft　and　low　and

dreamful；　it　appeared　to　well　from　the　recesses　of　the　vast　cave；

a　wailing　song　in　an　unknown　tongue　from　the　lips　of　women；　or　of

a　woman；　multiplied　mysteriously　by　echoes。　This；　however；　must

have　been　pure　fancy；　since　there　was　no　singer　there。



Presently　I　dozed　off；　to　be　awakened　by　the　sudden　sound　of　a

great　fish　leaping　in　the　lake。　I　sat　up　and　stared；　fearing　lest

it　might　be　the　splash　of　a　paddle；　for　I　could　not　put　from　my

mind　the　possibility　of　attack。　All　I　saw；　however；　was　the　low

line　of　the　distant　shore；　and　above　it　the　bright　and　setting

stars