when the world shook-第29章

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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　that　heralded　the　coming　of　the　sun。　Then　I　woke　the

others；　and　we　washed　and　ate；　since　once　the　sun　rose　time　would

be　precious。



At　length　it　appeared；　splendid　in　a　cloudless　sky；　and；　as　I

had　hoped；　directly　opposite　to　the　mouth　of　the　cave。　Taking　our

candles　and　some　stout　pieces　of　driftwood　which；　with　our

knives；　we　had　shaped　on　the　previous　evening　to　serve　us　as

levers　and　rough　shovels；　we　entered　the　cave。　Bickley　and　I　were

filled　with　excitement　and　hope　of　what　we　knew　not；　but　Bastin

showed　little　enthusiasm　for　our　quest。　His　heart　was　with　his

half…converted　savages　beyond　the　lake；　and　of　them；　quite

rightly　I　have　no　doubt；　he　thought　more　than　he　did　of　all　the

archaeological　treasures　in　the　whole　earth。　Still；　he　came；

bearing　the　blackened　head　of　Oro　with　him　which；　with

unconscious　humour；　he　had　used　as　a　pillow　through　the　night

because；　as　he　said；　〃it　was　after　all　softer　than　stone。〃　Also；

I　believe　that　in　his　heart　he　hoped　that　he　might　find　an

opportunity　of　destroying　the　bigger　and　earlier　edition　of　Oro

in　the　cave；　before　it　was　discovered　by　the　natives　who　might

wish　to　make　it　an　object　of　worship。　Tommy　came　also；　with

greater　alacrity　than　I　expected；　since　dogs　do　not　as　a　rule

like　dark　places。　When　we　reached　the　statue　I　learned　the

reason；　he　remembered　the　smell　he　had　detected　at　its　base　on

the　previous　day；　which　Bastin　supposed　to　proceed　from　a　rat；

and　was　anxious　to　continue　his　investigations。



We　went　straight　to　the　statue；　although　Bickley　passed　the

half…buried　machines　with　evident　regret。　As　we　had　hoped；　the

strong　light　of　the　rising　sun　fell　upon　it　in　a　vivid　ray；

revealing　all　its　wondrous　workmanship　and　the　majestyfor　no

other　word　describes　itof　the　somewhat　terrifying　countenance

that　appeared　above　the　wrappings　of　the　shroud。　Indeed；　I　was

convinced　that　originally　this　monument　had　been　placed　here　in

order　that　on　certain　days　of　the　year　the　sun　might　fall　upon　it

thus；　when　probably　worshippers　assembled　to　adore　their　hallowed

symbol。　After　all；　this　was　common　in　ancient　days：　witness　the

instance　of　the　awful　Three　who　sit　in　the　deepest　recesses　of

the　temple　of　Abu　Simbel；　on　the　Nile。



We　gazed　and　gazed　our　fill；　at　least　Bickley　and　I　did；　for

Bastin　was　occupied　in　making　a　careful　comparison　between　the

head　of　his　wooden　Oro　and　that　of　the　statue。



〃There　is　no　doubt　that　they　are　very　much　alike；〃　he　said。

〃Why；　whatever　is　that　dog　doing？　I　think　it　is　going　mad；〃　and

he　pointed　to　Tommy　who　was　digging　furiously　at　the　base　of　the

lowest　step；　as　at　home　I　have　seen　him　do　at　roots　that

sheltered　a　rabbit。



Tommy's　energy　was　so　remarkable　that　at　length　it　seriously

attracted　our　attention。　Evidently　he　meant　that　it　should　do　so；

for　occasionally　he　sprang　back　to　me　barking；　then　returned　and

sniffed　and　scratched。　Bickley　knelt　down　and　smelt　at　the　stone。



〃It　is　an　odd　thing；　Humphrey；〃　he　said；　〃but　there　is　a

strange　odour　here；　a　very　pleasant　odour　like　that　of

sandal…wood　or　attar　of　roses。〃



〃I　never　heard　of　a　rat　that　smelt　like　sandal…wood　or　attar　of

roses；〃　said　Bastin。　〃Look　out　that　it　isn't　a　snake。〃



I　knelt　down　beside　Bickley；　and　in　clearing　away　the　deep　dust

from　what　seemed　to　be　the　bottom　of　the　step；　which　was　perhaps

four　feet　in　height；　by　accident　thrust　my　amateur　spade　somewhat

strongly　against　its　base　where　it　rested　upon　the　rocky　floor。



Next　moment　a　wonder　came　to　pass。　The　whole　massive　rock

began　to　turn　outwards　as　though　upon　a　pivot！　I　saw　it　coming

and　grabbed　Bickley　by　the　collar；　dragging　him　back　so　that　we

just　rolled　clear　before　the　great　block；　which　must　have　weighed

several　tons；　fell　down　and　crushed　us。　Tommy　saw　it　too；　and

fled；　though　a　little　late；　for　the　edge　of　the　block　caught　the

tip　of　his　tail　and　caused　him　to　emit　a　most　piercing　howl。　But

we　did　not　think　of　Tommy　and　his　woes；　we　did　not　think　of　our

own　escape　or　of　anything　else　because　of　the　marvel　that

appeared　to　us。　Seated　there　upon　the　ground；　after　our　backward

tumble；　we　could　see　into　the　space　which　lay　behind　the　fallen

step；　for　there　the　light　of　the　sun　penetrated。



The　first　idea　it　gave　me　was　that　of　the　jewelled　shrine　of

some　mediaeval　saint　which；　by　good　fortune；　had　escaped　the

plunderers；　there　are　still　such　existing　in　the　world。　It　shone

and　glittered；　apparently　with　gold　and　diamonds；　although；　as　a

matter　of　fact；　there　were　no　diamonds；　nor　was　it　gold　which

gleamed；　but　some　ancient　metal；　or　rather　amalgam；　which　is　now

lost　to　the　world；　the　same　that　was　used　in　the　tubes　of　the

air…machines。　I　think　that　it　contained　gold；　but　I　do　not　know。

At　any　rate；　it　was　equally　lasting　and　even　more　beautiful；

though　lighter　in　colour。



For　the　rest　this　adorned　recess　which　resembled　that　of　a

large　funeral　vault；　occupying　the　whole　space　beneath　the　base

of　the　statue　that　was　supported　on　its　arch；　was　empty　save　for

two　flashing　objects　that　lay　side　by　side　but　with　nearly　the

whole　width　of　the　vault　between　them。



I　pointed　at　them　to　Bickley　with　my　finger；　for　really　I　could

not　speak。



〃Coffins；　by　Jove！〃　he　whispered。　〃Glass　or　crystal　coffins　and

people　in　them。　Come　on！〃



A　few　seconds　later　we　were　crawling　into　that　vault　while

Bastin；　still　nursing　the　head　of　Oro　as　though　it　were　a　baby；

stood　confused　outside　muttering　something　about　desecrating

hallowed　graves。



Just　as　we　reached　the　interior；　owing　to　the　heightening　of

the　sun；　the　light　passed　away；　leaving　us　in　a　kind　of　twilight。

Bickley　produced　carriage　candles　from　his　pocket　and　fumbled　for

matches。　While　he　was　doing　so　I　noticed　two　thingsfirstly；

that　the　place　really　did　smell　like　a　scent…shop；　and；　secondly；

that　the　coffins　seemed　to　glow　with　a　kind　of　phosphorescent

light　of　their　own；　not　very　strong；　but　sufficient　to　reveal

their　outlines　in　the　gloom。　Then　the　candles　burnt　up　and　we

saw。



Within　the　coffin　that　stood　on　our　left　hand　as　we　entered；

for　this　crystal　was　as　transparent　as　plate　glass；　lay　a　most

wonderful　old　man；　clad　in　a　gleaming；　embroidered　robe。　His　long

hair；　which　was　parted　in　the　middle；　as　we　could　see　beneath　the

edge　of　the　pearl…sewn　and　broidered　cap　he　wore；　also　his　beard

were　snowy　white。　The　man　was　tall；　at　least　six　feet　four　inches

in　height；　and　rather　spare。　His　hands　were　long　and　thin；　very

delicately　made；　as　were　his　sandalled　feet。



But　it　was　his　face　that　fixed　our　gaze；　for　it　was　marvelous；

like　the　face　of　a　god；　and；　as　we　noticed　at　once；　with　some

resemblance　to　that　of　the　statue　above。　Thus　the　brow　was　broad

and　massive；　the　nose　straight　and　long；　the　mouth　stern　and

clear…cut；　while　the　cheekbones　were　rather　high；　and　the

eyebrows　arched。　Such　are　the　characteristics　of　many　handsome

old　men　of　good　blood；　and　as　the　mummies　of　Seti　and　others　show

us；　such　they　have　been　for　thousands　of　years。　Only　this　man

differed　from　all　others　because　of　the　fearful　dignity　stamped

upon　his　features。　Looking　at　him　I　began　to　think　at　once　of　the

prophet　Elijah　as　he　must　have　appeared　rising　to　heaven；

enhanced　by　the　more　earthly　glory　of　Solomon；　for　although　the

appearance　of　these　patriarchs　is　unknown；　of　them　one　conceives

ideas。　Only　it　seemed　probable　that　Elijah　may　have　looked　more

benign。　Here　there　was　no　benignity；　only　terrible　force　and

infinite　wisdom。



Contemplating　him　I　shivered　a　little　and　felt　thankful　that　he

was　dead。　For　to　tell　the　truth　I　was　afraid　of　that　awesome

countenance　which；　I　should　add；　was　of　the　whiteness　of　paper；

although　the　cheeks　still　showed　tinges　of　colour；　so　perfect　was

the　preservation　of　the　corpse。



I　was　stil