when the world shook-第40章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



destroyed　the　image　of　the　god　of　the　Grove　and　borne　away　its

head　whence　he　had　sucked　magic　and　power？



Thus　argued　Marama；　disbelieving　the　tale　of　the　frightened

sorcerers；　for　he　admitted　as　much　to　me　in　after　days。



Marama　departed　in　a　great　hurry；　fearing　lest　the　〃god　of　the

Mountain；〃　or　Bastin；　whose　new　and　splendid　garb　he　regarded

with　much　suspicion；　might　develop　some　evil　energy　against　him。

Then　we　went　back　to　our　camp；　leaving　the　industrious　Bastin；

animated　by　a　suggestion　from　Bickley　that　the　fruit　and　food

might　spoil　if　left　in　the　sun；　to　carry　it　into　the　shade　of　the

cave。　Owing　to　the　terrors　of　the　Orofenans　the　supply　was　so

large　that　to　do　this　he　must　make　no　fewer　than　seven　journeys；

which　he　did　with　great　good　will　since　Bastin　loved　physical

exercise。　The　result　on　his　clerical　garments；　however；　was

disastrous。　His　white　tie　went　awry；　squashed　fruit　and　roast　pig

gravy　ran　down　his　waistcoat　and　trousers；　and　his　high　collar

melted　into　limp　crinkles　in　the　moisture　engendered　by　the

tropical　heat。　Only　his　long　coat　escaped；　since　that　Bickley

kindly　carried　for　him。



It　was　just　as　he　arrived　with　the　seventh　load　in　this

extremely　dishevelled　condition　that　Oro　and　his　daughter　emerged

from　the　cave。　Indeed　Bastin；　who；　being　shortsighted；　always

wore　spectacles　that；　owing　to　his　heated　state　were　covered　with

mist；　not　seeing　that　dignitary；　dumped　down　the　last　basket　on

to　his　toes；　exclaiming：



〃There；　you　lazy　beggar；　I　told　you　I　would　bring　it　all；　and　I

have。〃



In　fact　he　thought　he　was　addressing　Bickley　and　playing　off　on

him　a　troglodytic　practical　joke。



Oro；　however；　who　at　his　age　did　not　appreciate　jokes；　resented

it　and　was　about　to　do　something　unpleasant　when　with

extraordinary　tact　his　daughter　remarked：



〃Bastin　the　priest　makes　you　offerings。　Thank　him；　O　Lord　my

father。〃



So　Oro　thanked　him；　not　too　cordially　for　evidently　he　still

had　feeling　in　his　toes；　and　once　more　Bastin　escaped。　Becoming

aware　of　his　error；　he　began　to　apologise　profusely　in　English；

while　the　lady　Yva　studied　him　carefully。



〃Is　that　the　costume　of　the　priests　of　your　religion；　O

Bastin？〃　she　asked；　surveying　his　dishevelled　form。　〃If　so；　you

were　better　without　it。〃



Then　Bastin　retired　to　straighten　his　tie；　and　grabbing　his

coat　from　Bickley；　who　handed　it　to　him　with　a　malicious　smile；

forced　his　perspiring　arms　into　it　in　a　peculiarly　awkward　and

elephantine　fashion。



Meanwhile　Bickley　and　I　produced　two　camp　chairs　which　we　had

made　ready；　and　on　these　the　wondrous　pair　seated　themselves　side

by　side。



〃We　have　come　to　learn；〃　said　Oro。　〃Teach！〃



〃Not　so；　Father；〃　interrupted　Yva；　who；　I　noted；　was　clothed　in

yet　a　third　costume；　though　whence　these　came　I　could　not

imagine。　〃First　I　would　ask　a　question。　Whence　are　you；

Strangers；　and　how　came　you　here？〃



〃We　are　from　the　country　called　England　and　a　great　storm

shipwrecked　us　here；　that；　I　think；　which　raised　the　mouth　of　the

cave　above　the　level　of　this　rock；〃　I　answered。



〃The　time　appointed　having　come　when　it　should　be　raised；〃　said

Oro　as　though　to　himself。



〃Where　is　England？〃　asked　Yva。



Now　among　the　books　we　had　with　us　was　a　pocket　atlas；　quite　a

good　one　of　its　sort。　By　way　of　answer　I　opened　it　at　the　map　of

the　world　and　showed　her　England。　Also　I　showed；　to　within　a

thousand　miles　or　so；　that　spot　on　the　earth's　surface　where　we

spoke　together。



The　sight　of　this　atlas　excited　the　pair　greatly。　They　had　not

the　slightest　difficulty　in　understanding　everything　about　it　and

the　shape　of　the　world　with　its　division　into　hemispheres　seemed

to　be　quite　familiar　to　them。　What　appeared　chiefly　to　interest

them；　and　especially　Oro；　were　the　relative　areas　and　positions

of　land　and　sea。



〃Of　this；　Strangers；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　the　map；　〃I　shall

have　much　to　say　to　you　when　I　have　studied　the　pictures　of　your

book　and　compared　them　with　others　of　my　own。〃



〃So　he　has　got　maps；〃　said　Bickley　in　English；　〃as　well　as　star

charts。　I　wonder　where　he　keeps　them。〃



〃With　his　clothes；　I　expect；〃　suggested　Bastin。



Meanwhile　Oro　had　hidden　the　atlas　in　his　ample　robe　and

motioned　to　his　daughter　to　proceed。



〃Why　do　you　come　here　from　England　so　far　away？〃　the　Lady　Yva

asked；　a　question　to　which　each　of　us　had　an　answer。



〃To　see　new　countries；〃　I　said。



〃Because　the　cyclone　brought　us；〃　said　Bickley。



〃To　convert　the　heathen　to　my　own　Christian　religion；〃　said

Bastin；　which　was　not　strictly　true。



It　was　on　this。　last　reply　that　she　fixed。



〃What　does　your　religion　teach？〃　she　asked。



〃It　teaches　that　those　who　accept　it　and　obey　its　commands　will

live　again　after　death　for　ever　in　a　better　world　where　is

neither　sorrow　nor　sin；〃　he　answered。



When　he　heard　this　saying　I　saw　Oro　start　as　though　struck　by　a

new　thought　and　look　at　Bastin　with　a　curious　intentness。



〃Who　are　the　heathen？〃　Yva　asked　again　after　a　pause；　for　she

also　seemed　to　be　impressed。



〃All　who　do　not　agree　with　Bastin's　spiritual　views；〃　answered

Bickley。



〃Those　who；　whether　from　lack　of　instruction　or　from　hardness

of　heart；　do　not　follow　the　true　faith。　For　instance；　I　suppose

that　your　father　and　you　are　heathen；〃　replied　Bastin　stoutly。



This　seemed　to　astonish　them；　but　presently　Yva　caught　his

meaning　and　smiled；　while　Oro　said：



〃Of　this　great　matter　of　faith　we　will　talk　later。　It　is　an　old

question　in　the　world。〃



〃Why；〃　went　on　Yva；　〃if　you　wished　to　travel　so　far　did　you

come　in　a　ship　that　so　easily　is　wrecked？　Why　did　you　not　journey

through　the　air；　or　better　still；　pass　through　space；　leaving

your　bodies　asleep；　as；　being　instructed；　doubtless　you　can　do？〃



〃As　regards　your　first　question；〃　I　answered；　〃there　are　no

aircraft　known　that　can　make　so　long　a　journey。〃



〃And　as　regards　the　second；〃　broke　in　Bickley；　〃we　did　not　do

so　because　it　is　impossible　for　men　to　transfer　themselves　to

other　places　through　space　either　with　or　without　their　bodies。〃。



At　this　information　the　Glittering　Lady　lifted　her　arched

eyebrows　and　smiled　a　little；　while　Oro　said：



〃I　perceive　that　the　new　world　has　advanced　but　a　little　way　on

the　road　of　knowledge。〃



Fearing　that　Bastin　was　about　to　commence　an　argument；　I　began

to　ask　questions　in　my　turn。



〃Lord　Oro　and　Lady　Yva；〃　I　said；　〃we　have　told　you　something　of

ourselves　and　will　tell　you　more　when　you　desire　it。　But　pardon

us　if　first　we　pray　you　to　tell　us　what　we　burn　to　know。　Who　are

you？　Of　what　race　and　country？　And　how　came　it　that　we　found　you

sleeping　yonder？〃



〃If　it　be　your　pleasure；　answer；　my　Father；〃　said　Yva。



Oro　thought　a　moment；　then　replied　in　a　calm　voice：



〃I　am　a　king　who　once　ruled　most　of　the　world　as　it　was　in　my

day；　though　it　is　true　that　much　of　it　rebelled　against　me；　my

councillors　and　servants。　Therefore　I　destroyed　the　world　as　it

was　then；　save　only　certain　portions　whence　life　might　spread　to

the　new　countries　that　I　raised　up。　Having　done　this　I　put　myself

and　my　daughter　to　sleep　for　a　space　of　two　hundred　and　fifty

thousand　years；　that　there　might　be　time　for　fresh　civilisations

to　arise。　Now　I　begin　to　think　that　I　did　not　allot　a　sufficiency

of　ages；　since　I　perceive　from　what　you　tell　me；　that　the

learning　of　the　new　races　is　as　yet　but　small。〃



Bickley　and　I　looked　at　each　other　and　were　silent。　Mentally　we

had　collapsed。　Who　could　begin　to　discuss　statements　built　upon

such　a　foundation　of　gigantic　and　paralysing　falsehoods？



Well；　Bastin　could　for　one。　With　no　more　surprise　in　his　voice

than　if　he　were　talking　about　last　night's　dinner；　he　said：



〃There　must　be　a　mistake　somewhere；　or　perhaps　I　misunderstand

you。　It　is　obvious　that　you；　being　a　man；　could　not　have

destroyed　the　world。　That　could　only　be　done　by　th