when the world shook-第32章

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and　licked　the　man's　face。　At　the　touch　of　the　dog's　red　tongue；

he　opened　his　eyes　for　the　second　time。　Now　he　sawnot　us　but

Tommy；　for　after　contemplating　him　for　a　few　seconds；　something

like　a　smile　appeared　upon　his　fierce　but　noble　face。　More；　he

lifted　his　hand　and　laid　it　on　the　dog's　head；　as　though　to　pat

it　kindly。　Half　a　minute　or　so　later　his　awakening　senses

appreciated　our　presence。　The　incipient　smile　vanished　and　was

replaced　by　a　somewhat　terrible　frown。



Meanwhile　Bickley　had　poured　out　some　of　the　hot　coffee　laced

with　brandy　into　the　cup　that　was　screwed　on　the　top　of　the

thermos　flask。　Advancing　to　the　man　whom　I　supported；　he　put　it

to　his　lips。　He　tasted　and　made　a　wry　face；　but　presently　he

began　to　sip；　and　ultimately　swallowed　it　all。　The　effect　of　the

stimulant　was　wonderful；　for　in　a　few　minutes　he　came　to　life

completely　and　was　even　able　to　sit　up　without　support。



For　quite　a　long　while　he　gazed　at　us　gravely；　talking　us　in　and

everything　connected　with　us。　For　instance；　Bickley's　medicine…

case　which　lay　open　showing　the　little　vulcanite　tubes；　a　few

instruments　and　other　outfit；　engaged　his　particular　attention；

and　I　saw　at　once　that　he　understood　what　it　was。　Thus　his　arm

still　smarted　where　the　needle　had　been　driven　in　and　on　the

blanket　lay　the　syringe。　He　looked　at　his　arm；　then　looked　at　the

syringe；　and　nodded。　The　paraffin　hurricane　lamps　also　seemed　to

interest　and　win　his　approval。　We　two　men；　as　I　thought；

attracted　him　least　of　all；　he　just　summed　us　up　and　our

garments；　more　especially　the　garments；　with　a　few　shrewd

glances；　and　then　seemed　to　turn　his　thoughts　to　Tommy；　who　had

seated　himself　quite　contentedly　at　his　side；　evidently　accepting

him　as　a　new　addition　to　our　party。



I　confess　that　this　behaviour　on　Tommy's　part　reassured　me　not

a　little。　I　am　a　great　believer　in　the　instincts　of　animals；

especially　of　dogs；　and　I　felt　certain　that　if　this　man　had　not

been　in　all　essentials　human　like　ourselves；　Tommy　would　not　have

tolerated　him。　In　the　same　way　the　sleeper's　clear　liking　for

Tommy；　at　whom　he　looked　much　oftener　and　with　greater　kindness

than　he　did　at　us；　suggested　that　there　was　goodness　in　him

somewhere；　since　although　a　dog　in　its　wonderful　tolerance　may

love　a　bad　person　in　whom　it　smells　out　hidden　virtue；　no　really

bad　person　ever　loved　a　dog；　or；　I　may　add；　a　child　or　a　flower。



As　a　matter　of　fact；　the　〃old　god；〃　as　we　had　christened　him

while　he　was　in　his　coffin；　during　all　our　association　with　him；

cared　infinitely　more　for　Tommy　than　he　did　for　any　of　us；　a

circumstance　that　ultimately　was　not　without　its　influence　upon

our　fortunes。　But　for　this　there　was　a　reason　as　we　learned

afterwards；　also　he　was　not　really　so　amiable　as　I　hoped。



When　we　had　looked　at　each　other　for　a　long　while　the　sleeper

began　to　arrange　his　beard；　of　which　the　length　seemed　to

surprise　him；　especially　as　Tommy　was　seated　on　one　end　of　it。

Finding　this　out　and　apparently　not　wishing　to　disturb　Tommy；　he

gave　up　the　occupation；　and　after　one　or　two　attempts；　for　his

tongue　and　lips　still　seemed　to　be　stiff；　addressed　us　in　some

sonorous　and　musical　language；　unlike　any　that　we　had　ever　heard。

We　shook　our　heads。　Then　by　an　afterthought　I　said　〃Good　day〃　to

him　in　the　language　of　the　Orofenans。　He　puzzled　over　the　word　as

though　it　were　more　or　less　familiar　to　him；　and　when　I　repeated

it；　gave　it　back　to　me　with　a　difference　indeed；　but　in　a　way

which　convinced　us　that　he　quite　understood　what　I　meant。　The

conversation　went　no　further　at　the　moment　because　just　then　some

memory　seemed　to　strike　him。



He　was　sitting　with　his　back　against　the　coffin　of　the

Glittering　Lady；　whom　therefore　he　had　not　seen。　Now　he　began　to

turn　round；　and　being　too　weak　to　do　so；　motioned　me　to　help　him。

I　obeyed；　while　Bickley；　guessing　his　purpose；　held　up　one　of　the

hurricane　lamps　that　he　might　see　better。　With　a　kind　of　fierce

eagerness　he　surveyed　her　who　lay　within　the　coffin；　and　after　he

had　done　so；　uttered　a　sigh　as　of　intense　relief。



Next　he　pointed　to　the　metal　cup　out　of　which　he　had　drunk。

Bickley　filled　it　again　from　the　thermos　flask；　which　I　observed

excited　his　keen　interest；　for；　having　touched　the　flask　with　his

hand　and　found　that　it　was　cool；　he　appeared　to　marvel　that　the

fluid　coming　from　it　should　be　hot　and　steaming。　Presently　he

smiled　as　though　he　had　got　the　clue　to　the　mystery；　and

swallowed　his　second　drink　of　coffee　and　spirit。　This　done；　he

motioned　to　us　to　lift　the　lid　of　the　lady's　coffin；　pointing　out

a　certain　catch　in　the　bolts　which　at　first　we　could　not　master；

for　it　will　be　remembered　that　on　this　coffin　these　were　shot。



In　the　end；　by　pursuing　the　same　methods　that　we　had　used　in

the　instance　of　his　own；　we　raised　the　coffin　lid　and　once　more

were　driven　to　retreat　from　the　sepulchre　for　a　while　by　the

overpowering　odour　like　to　that　of　a　whole　greenhouse　full　of

tuberoses；　that　flowed　out　of　it；　inducing　a　kind　of　stupefaction

from　which　even　Tommy　fled。



When　we　returned　it　was　to　find　the　man　kneeling　by　the　side　of

the　coffin；　for　as　yet　he　could　not　stand；　with　his　glowing　eyes

fixed　upon　the　face　of　her　who　slept　therein　and　waving　his　long

arms　above　her。



〃Hypnotic　business！　Wonder　if　it　will　work；〃　whispered　Bickley。

Then　he　lifted　the　syringe　and　looked　inquiringly　at　the　man；　who

shook　his　head；　and　went　on　with　his　mesmeric　passes。



I　crept　round　him　and　took　my　stand　by　the　sleeper's　head；　that

I　might　watch　her　face；　which　was　well　worth　watching；　while

Bickley；　with　his　medicine　at　hand；　remained　near　her　feet；　I

think　engaged　in　disinfecting　the　syringe　in　some　spirit　or　acid。

I　believe　he　was　about　to　make　an　attempt　to　use　it　when

suddenly；　as　though　beneath　the　influence　of　the　hypnotic　passes；

a　change　appeared　on　the　Glittering　Lady's　face。　Hitherto；

beautiful　as　it　was；　it　had　been　a　dead　face　though　one　of　a

person　who　had　suddenly　been　cut　off　while　in　full　health　and

vigour　a　few　hours；　or　at　the　most　a　day　or　so　before。　Now　it

began　to　live　again；　it　was　as　though　the　spirit　were　returning

from　afar；　and　not　without　toil　and　tribulation。



Expression　after　expression　flitted　across　the　features；　indeed

these　seemed　to　change　so　much　from　moment　to　moment　that　they

might　have　belonged　to　several　different　individuals；　though　each

was　beautiful。　The　fact　of　these　remarkable　changes　with　the

suggestion　of　multiform　personalities　which　they　conveyed

impressed　both　Bickley　and　myself　very　much　indeed。　Then　the

breast　heaved　tumultuously；　it　even　appeared　to　struggle。　Next

the　eyes　opened。　They　were　full　of　wonder；　even　of　fear；　but　oh！

what　marvelous　eyes。　I　do　not　know　how　to　describe　them；　I

cannot　even　state　their　exact　colour；　except　that　it　was　dark；

something　like　the　blue　of　sapphires　of　the　deepest　tint；　and　yet

not　black；　large；　too；　and　soft　as　a　deer's。　They　shut　again　as

though　the　light　hurt　them；　then　once　more　opened　and　wandered

about；　apparently　without　seeing。



At　length　they　found　my　face；　for　I　was　still　bending　over　her；

and；　resting　there；　appeared　to　take　it　in　by　degrees。　More；　it

seemed　to　touch　and　stir　some　human　spring　in　the　still…sleeping

heart。　At　least　the　fear　passed　from　her　features　and　was

replaced　by　a　faint　smile；　such　as　a　patient　sometimes　gives　to

one　known　and　well　loved；　as　the　effects　of　chloroform　pass　away。

For　a　while　she　looked　at　me　with　an　earnest；　searching　gaze；

then　suddenly；　for　the　first　time　moving　her　arms；　lifted　them

and　threw　them　round　my　neck。



The　old　man　stared；　bending　his　imperial　brows　into　a　little

frown；　but　did　nothing。　Bickley　stared　also　through　his　glasses

and　sniffed　as　though　in　disapproval；　while　I　remained　quite

still；　fighting　with　a　wild　impulse　to　kiss　her　on　the　lips　as

one　would　an　awakening　and　beloved　child。　I　doubt　if　I　could　have

do