when the world shook-第42章

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plant　his　dirty　paws　upon　that　terrific　person's　gorgeous　robe。

Moreover　Oro　liked　him；　for　several　times　I　observed　him　pat　the

dog　upon　the　head；　as　I　think　I　have　said；　the　only　human　touch

that　I　had　perceived　about　him。　So　we　gave　up　searching　and

calling　in　the　hope　that　he　was　safe　with　our　supernatural

friends。



The　next　morning　quite　early　the　Lady　Yva　appeared　alone；　no；

not　alone；　for　with　her　came　our　lost　Tommy　looking　extremely

spry　and　well　at　ease。　The　faithless　little　wretch　just　greeted

us　in　a　casual　fashion　and　then　went　and　sat　by　Yva。　In　fact　when

the　awkward　Bastin　managed　to　stumble　over　the　end　of　her　dress

Tommy　growled　at　him　and　showed　his　teeth。　Moreover　the　do　was

changed。　He　was　blessed　with　a　shiny　black　coat；　but　now　this

coat　sparkled　in　the　sunlight；　like　the　Lady　Yva's　hair。



〃The　Glittering　Lady　is　all　very　well；　but　I'm　not　sure　that　I

care　for　a　glittering　dog。　It　doesn't　look　quite　natural；〃　said

Bastin；　contemplating　him。



〃Why　does　Tommy　shine；　Lady？〃　I　asked。



〃Because　I　washed　him　in　certain　waters　that　we　have；　so　that

now　he　looks　beautiful　and　smells　sweet；〃　she　answered；　laughing。



It　was　true；　the　dog　did　smell　sweet；　which　I　may　add　had　not

always　been　the　case　with　him；　especially　when　there　were　dead

fish　about。　Also　he　appeared　to　have　been　fed；　for　he　turned　up

his　nose　at　the　bits　we　had　saved　for　his　breakfast。



〃He　has　drunk　of　the　Life…water；〃　explained　Yva；　〃and　will　want

no　food　for　two　days。〃



Bickley　pricked　up　his　ears　at　this　statement　and　looked

incredulous。



〃You　do　not　believe；　O　Bickley；〃　she　said；　studying　him

gravely。　〃Indeed；　you　believe　nothing。　You　think　my　father　and　I

tell　you　many　lies。　Bastin　there；　he　believes　all。　Humphrey？　He

is　not　sure；　he　thinks　to　himself；　I　will　wait　and　find　out

whether　or　ho　these　funny　people　cheat　me。〃



Bickley　coloured　and　made　some　remark　about　things　which　were

contrary　to　experience；　also　that　Tommy　in　a　general　way　was

rather　a　greedy　little　dog。



〃You；　too；　like　to　eat；　Bickley〃　（this　was　true；　he　had　an

excellent　appetite）；　〃but　when　you　have　drunk　the　Life…water　you

will　care　much　less。〃



〃I　am　glad　to　hear　it；〃　interrupted　Bastin；　〃for　Bickley　wants

a　lot　of　cooking　done；　and　I　find　it　tedious。〃



〃You　eat　also；　Lady；〃　said　Bickley。



〃Yes；　I　eat　sometimes　because　I　like　it；　but　I　can　go　weeks　and

not　eat；　when　I　have　the　Life…water。　Just　now；　after　so　long　a

sleep；　I　am　hungry。　Please　give　me　some　of　that　fruit。　No；　not

the　flesh；　flesh　I　hate。〃



We　handed　it　to　her。　She　took　two　plantains；　peeled　and　ate

them　with　extraordinary　grace。　Indeed　she　reminded　me；　I　do　not

know　why；　of　some　lovely　butterfly　drawing　its　food　from　a

flower。



While　she　ate　she　observed　us　closely；　nothing　seemed　to　escape

the　quick　glances　of　those　beautiful　eyes。　Presently　she　said：



〃What；　O　Humphrey；　is　that　with　which　you　fasten　your

neckdress？〃　and　she　pointed　to　the　little　gold　statue　of　Osiris

that　I　used　as　a　pin。



I　told　her　that　it　was　a　statuette　of　a　god　named　Osiris　and

very；　very　ancient；　probably　quite　five　thousand　years　old；　a

statement　at　which　she　smiled　a　little；　also　that　it　came　from

Egypt。



〃Ah！〃　she　answered；　〃is　it　so？　I　asked　because　we　have　figures

that　are　very　like　to　that　one；　and　they　also　hold　in　their　hands

a　staff　surmounted　by　a　loop。　They　are　figures　of　Sleep's

brotherDeath。〃



〃So　is　this；〃　I　said。　〃Among　the　Egyptians　Osiris　was　the　god

of　Death。〃



She　nodded　and　replied　that　doubtless　the　symbol　had　come　down

to　them。



〃One　day　you　shall　take　me　to　see　this　land　which　you　call　so

very　old。　Or　I　will　take　you；　which　would　be　quicker；〃　she　added。



We　all　bowed　and　said　we　should　be　delighted。　Even　Bastin

appeared　anxious　to　revisit　Egypt　in　such　company；　though　when　he

was　there　it　seemed　to　bore　him。　But　what　she　meant　about　taking

us　I　could　not　guess。　Nor　had　we　time　to　ask　her；　for　she　went

on；　watching　our　faces　as　she　spoke。



〃The　Lord　Oro　sends　you　a　message；　Strangers。　He　asks　whether

it　is　your　wish　to　see　where　we　dwell。　He　adds　that　you　are　not

to　come　if　you　do　not　desire；　or　if　you　fear　danger。〃



We　all　answered　that　there　was　nothing　we　should　like　better；

but　Bastin　added　that　he　had　already　seen　the　tomb。



〃Do　you　think；　Bastin；　that　we　live　in　a　tomb　because　we　slept

there　for　a　while；　awaiting　the　advent　of　you　wanderers　at　the

appointed　hour？〃



〃I　don't　see　where　else　it　could　be；　unless　it　is　further　down

that　cave；〃　said　Bastin。　〃The　top　of　the　mountain　would　not　be

convenient　as　a　residence。〃



〃It　has　not　been　convenient　for　many　an　age；　for　reasons　that　I

will　show　you。　Think　now；　before　you　come。　You　have　naught　to

fear　from　us；　and　I　believe　that　no　harm　will　happen　to　you。　But

you　will　see　many　strange　things　that　will　anger　Bickley　because

he　cannot　understand　them；　and　perhaps　will　weary　Bastin　because

his　heart　turns　from　what　is　wondrous　and　ancient。　Only　Humphrey

will　rejoice　in　them　because　the　doors　of　his　soul　are　open　and

he　longswhat　do　you　long　for；　Humphrey？〃



〃That　which　I　have　lost　and　fear　I　shall　never　find　again；〃　I

answered　boldly。



〃I　know　that　you　have　lost　many　thingslast　night；　for

instance；　you　lost　Tommy；　and　when　he　slept　with　me　he　told　me

much　about　you　andothers。〃



〃This　is　ridiculous；〃　broke　in　Bastin。　〃Can　a　dog　talk？〃



〃Everything　can　talk；　if　you　understand　its　language；　Bastin。

But　keep　a　good　heart；　Humphrey；　for　the　bold　seeker　finds　in　the

end。　Oh！　foolish　man；　do　you　not　understand　that　all　is　yours　if

you　have　but　the　soul　to　conceive　and　the　will　to　grasp？　All；

all；　below；　between；　above！　Even　I　know　that；　I　who　have　so　much

to　learn。〃



So　she　spoke　and　became　suddenly　magnificent。　Her　face　which

had　been　but　that　of　a　super…lovely　woman；　took　on　grandeur。　Her

bosom　swelled；　her　presence　radiated　some　subtle　power；　much　as

her　hair　radiated　light。



In　a　moment　it　was　gone　and　she　was　smiling　and　jesting。



〃Will　you　come；　Strangers；　where　Tommy　was　not　afraid　to　go；

down　to　the　Under…world？　Or　will　you　stay　here　in　the　sun？

Perhaps　you　will　do　better　to　stay　here　in　the　sun；　for　the

Under…world　has　terrors　for　weak　hearts　that　were　born　but

yesterday；　and　feeble　feet　may　stumble　in　the　dark。〃



〃I　shall　take　my　electric　torch；〃　said　Bastin　with　decision；

〃and　I　advise　you　fellows　to　do　the　same。　I　always　hated　cellars；

and　the　catacombs　at　Rome　are　worse；　though　full　of　sacred

interest。〃



Then　we　started；　Tommy　frisking　on　ahead　in　a　most　provoking

way　as　though　he　were　bored　by　a　visit　to　a　strange　house　and

going　home；　and　Yva　gliding　forward　with　a　smile　upon　her　face

that　was　half　mystic　and　half　mischievous。　We　passed　the　remains

of　the　machines；　and　Bickley　asked　her　what　they　were。



〃Carriages　in　which　once　we　travelled　through　the　skies；　until

we　found　a　better　way；　and　that　the　uninstructed　used　till　the

end；〃　she　answered　carelessly；　leaving　me　wondering　what　on　earth

she　meant。



We　came　to　the　statue　and　the　sepulchre　beneath　without

trouble；　for　the　glint　of　her　hair；　and　I　may　add　of　Tommy's

back；　were　quite　sufficient　to　guide　us　through　the　gloom。　The

crystal　coffins　were　still　there；　for　Bastin　flashed　his　torch

and　we　saw　them；　but　the　boxes　of　radium　had　gone。



〃Let　that　light　die；〃　she　said　to　Bastin。　〃Humphrey；　give　me

your　right　hand　and　give　your　left　to　Bickley。　Let　Bastin　cling

to　him　and　fear　nothing。〃



We　passed　to　the　end　of　the　tomb　and　stood　against　what

appeared　to　be　a　rock　wall；　all　close　together；　as　she　directed。



〃Fear　nothing；〃　she　said　again；　but　next　second　I　was　never

more　full　of　fear　in　my　life；　for　we　were　whirling　downwards　at　a

speed　that　would　have　made　an　American　elevator　attendant　turn

pale。



〃Don't　choke　me；〃　I　heard　Bickley　say　to　Bastin；　and　the

latter's