when the world shook-第43章

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pale。



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

latter's　murmured　reply　of：



〃I　never　could　bear　these　moving　staircases　and　tubelifts。　They

always　make　me　feel　sick。〃



I　admit　that　for　my　part　I　also　felt　rather　sick　and　clung

tightly　to　the　hand　of　the　Glittering　Lady。　She；　however；　placed

her　other　hand　upon　my　shoulder；　saying　in　a　low　voice：



〃Did　I　not　tell　you　to　have　no　fear？〃



Then　I　felt　comforted；　for　somehow　I　knew　that　it　was　not　her

desire　to　harm　and　much　less　to　destroy　me。　Also　Tommy　was　seated

quite　at　his　ease　with　his　head　resting　against　my　leg；　and　his

absence　of　alarm　was　reassuring。　The　only　stoic　of　the　party　was

Bickley。　I　have　no　doubt　that　he　was　quite　as　frightened　as　we

were；　but　rather　than　show　it　he　would　have　died。



〃I　presume　this　machinery　is　pneumatic；〃　he　began　when　suddenly

and　without　shock；　we　arrived　at　the　end　of　our　journey。　How　far

we　had　fallen　I　am　sure　I　do　not　know；　but　I　should　judge　from

the　awful　speed　at　which　we　travelled；　that　it　must　have　been

several　thousand　feet；　probably　four　or　five。



〃Everything　seems　steady　now；〃　remarked　Bastin；　〃so　I　suppose

this　luggage　lift　has　stopped。　The　odd　thing　is　that　I　can't　see

anything　of　it。　There　ought　to　be　a　shaft；　but　we　seem　to　be

standing　on　a　level　floor。〃



〃The　odd　thing　is；〃　said　Bickley；　〃that　we　can　see　at　all。

Where　the　devil　does　the　light　come　from　thousands　of　feet

underground？〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　answered　Bastin；　〃unless　there　is　natural　gas

here；　as　I　am　told　there　is　at　a　town　called　Medicine　Hat　in

Canada。〃



〃Natural　gas　be　blowed；〃　said　Bickley。　〃It　is　more　like

moonlight　magnified　ten　times。〃



So　it　was。　The　whole　place　was　filled　with　a　soft　radiance；

equal　to　that　of　the　sun　at　noon；　but　gentler　and　without　heat。



〃Where　does　it　come　from？〃　I　whispered　to　Yva。



〃Oh！〃　she　replied；　as　I　thought　evasively。　〃It　is　the　light　of

the　Under…world　which　we　know　how　to　use。　The　earth　is　full　of

light；　which　is　not　wonderful；　is　it；　seeing　that　its　heart　is

fire？　Now　look　about　you。〃



I　looked　and　leant　on　her　harder　than　ever；　since　amazement

made　me　weak。　We　were　in　some　vast　place　whereof　the　roof　seemed

almost　as　far　off　as　the　sky　at　night。　At　least　all　that　I　could

make　out　was　a　dim　and　distant　arch　which　might　have　been　one　of

cloud。　For　the　rest；　in　every　direction　stretched　vastness；

illuminated　far　as　the　eye　could　reach　by　the　soft　light　of　which

I　have　spoken；　that　is；　probably　for　several　miles。　But　this

vastness　was　not　empty。　On　the　contrary　it　was　occupied　by　a

great　city。　There　were　streets　much　wider　than　Piccadilly；　all

bordered　by　houses；　though　these；　I　observed；　were　roofless；　very

fine　houses；　some　of　them；　built　of　white　stone　or　marble。　There

were　roadways　and　pavements　worn　by　the　passage　of　feet。　There；

farther　on；　were　market…places　or　public　squares；　and　there；

lastly；　was　a　huge　central　enclosure　one　or　two　hundred　acres　in

extent；　which　was　filled　with　majestic　buildings　that　looked　like

palaces；　or　town…halls；　and；　in　the　midst　of　them　all；　a　vast

temple　with　courts　and　a　central　dome。　For　here；　notwithstanding

the　lack　of　necessity；　its　builders　seemed　to　have　adhered　to　the

Over…world　tradition；　and　had　roofed　their　fane。



And　now　came　the　terror。　All　of　this　enormous　city　was　dead。

Had　it　stood　upon　the　moon　it　could　not　have　been　more　dead。　None

paced　its　streets；　none　looked　from　its　window…places。　None

trafficked　in　its　markets；　none　worshipped　in　its　temple。　Swept；

garnished；　lighted；　practically　untouched　by　the　hand　of　Time；

here　where　no　rains　fell　and　no　winds　blew；　it　was　yet　a　howling

wilderness。　For　what　wilderness　is　there　to　equal　that　which　once

has　been　the　busy　haunt　of　men？　Let　those　who　have　stood　among

the　buried　cities　of　Central　Asia；　or　of　Anarajapura　in　Ceylon；

or　even　amid　the　ruins　of　Salamis　on　the　coast　of　Cyprus；　answer

the　question。　But　here　was　something　infinitely　more　awful。　A

huge　human　haunt　in　the　bowels　of　the　earth　utterly　devoid　of

human　beings；　and　yet　as　perfect　as　on　the　day　when　these　ceased

to　be。



〃I　do　not　care　for　underground　localities；〃　remarked　Bastin；

his　gruff　voice　echoing　strangely　in　that　terrible　silence；　〃but

it　does　seem　a　pity　that　all　these　fine　buildings　should　be

wasted。　I　suppose　their　inhabitants　left　them　in　search　of　fresh

air。〃



〃Why　did　they　leave　them？〃　I　asked　of　Yva。



〃Because　death　took　them；〃　she　answered　solemnly。　〃Even　those

who　live　a　thousand　years　die　at　last；　and　if　they　have　no

children；　with　them　dies　the　race。〃



〃Then　were　you　the　last　of　your　people？〃　I　asked。



〃Inquire　of　my　father；〃　she　replied；　and　led　the　way　through

the　massive　arch　of　a　great　building。



It　led　into　a　walled　courtyard　in　the　centre　of　which　was　a

plain　cupola　of　marble　with　a　gate　of　some　pale　metal　that

looked　like　platinum　mixed　with　gold。　This　gate　stood　open。

Within　it　was　the　statue　of　a　woman　beautifully　executed　in　white

marble　and　set　in　a　niche　of　some　black　stone。　The　figure　was

draped　as　though　to　conceal　the　shape；　and　the　face　was　stern　and

majestic　rather　than　beautiful。　The　eyes　of　the　statue　were

cunningly　made　of　some　enamel　which　gave　them　a　strange　and

lifelike　appearance。　They　stared　upwards　as　though　looking　away

from　the　earth　and　its　concerns。　The　arms　were　outstretched。　In

the　right　hand　was　a　cup　of　black　marble；　in　the　left　a　similar

cup　of　white　marble。　From　each　of　these　cups　trickled　a　thin

stream　of　sparkling　water；　which　two　streams　met　and　mingled　at　a

distance　of　about　three　feet　beneath　the　cups。　Then　they　fell

into　a　metal　basin　which；　although　it　must　have　been　quite　a　foot

thick；　was　cut　right　through　by　their　constant　impact；　and

apparently　vanished　down　some　pipe　beneath。　Out　of　this　metal

basin　Tommy；　who　gambolled　into　the　place　ahead　of　us；　began　to

drink　in　a　greedy　and　demonstrative　fashion。



〃The　Life…water？〃　I　said；　looking　at　our　guide。



She　nodded　and　asked　in　her　turn：



〃What　is　the　statue　and　what　does　it　signify；　Humphrey？〃



I　hesitated；　but　Bastin　answered：



〃Just　a　rather　ugly　woman　who　hid　up　her　figure　because　it　was

bad。　Probably　she　was　a　relation　of　the　artist　who　wished　to　have

her　likeness　done　and　sat　for　nothing。〃



〃The　goddess　of　Health；〃　suggested　Bickley。　〃Her　proportions

are　perfect；　a　robust；　a　thoroughly　normal　woman。〃



〃Now；　Humphrey；〃　said　Yva。



I　stared　at　the　work　and　had　not　an　idea。　Then　it　flashed　on　me

with　such　suddenness　and　certainity　that　I　am　convinced　the

answer　to　the　riddle　was　passed　to　me　from　her　and　did　not

originate　in　my　own　mind。



〃It　seems　quite　easy；〃　I　said　in　a　superior　tone。　〃The　figure

symbolises　Life　and　is　draped　because　we　only　see　the　face　of

Life；　the　rest　is　hidden。　The　arms　are　bare　because　Life　is　real

and　active。　One　cup　is　black　and　one　is　white　because　Life　brings

both　good　and　evil　gifts；　that　is　why　the　streams　mingle；　to　be

lost　beneath　in　the　darkness　of　death。　The　features　are　stern　and

even　terrifying　rather　than　lovely；　because　such　is　the　aspect　of

Life。　The　eyes　look　upward　and　far　away　from　present　things；

because　the　real　life　is　not　here。〃



〃Of　course　one　may　say　anything；〃　said　Bastin；　〃but　I　don't

understand　all　that。〃



〃Imagination　goes　a　long　way；〃　broke　in　Bickley；　who　was　vexed

that　he　had　not　thought　of　this　interpretation　himself。　But　Yva

said：



〃I　begin　to　think　that　you　are　quite　clever；　Humphrey。　I　wonder

whence　the　truth　came　to　you；　for　such　is　the　meaning　of　the

figure　and　the　cups。　Had　I　told　it　to　you　myself；　it　could　not

have　been　better　said；〃　and　she　glanced　at　me　out　of　the　corners

of　her　eyes。　〃Now；　Strangers；　will　you　drink？　Once　that　gate　was

guarded；　and　only　at　a　great　price　or　as　a　great　reward　were

certain　of　the　Highest　Blood　given　the　freedom　of　this　fountain

which　might　touch