when the world shook-第69章

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〃I　have　considered　that　possibility；〃　answered　Bastin；　〃and

therefore；　although　it　is　a　dangerous　weapon　to　carry　loaded；　I

am　determined　to　take　my　revolver。　If　necessary　I　shall　consider

myself　quite　justified　in　shooting　him　to　save　our　lives　and

those　of　thousands　of　others。〃



At　this　we　both　laughed；　somehow　the　idea　of　Bastin　trying　to

shoot　Oro　struck　us　as　intensely　ludicrous。　Yet　that　very　thing

was　to　happen。





It　was　a　peculiarly　beautiful　sunset　over　the　southern　seas。　To

the　west　the　great　flaming　orb　sank　into　the　ocean；　to　the　east

appeared　the　silver　circle　of　the　full　moon。　To　my　excited　fancy

they　were　like　scales　hanging　from　the　hand　of　a　materialised

spirit　of　calm。　Over　the　volcano　and　the　lake；　over　the　island

with　its　palm　trees；　over　the　seas　beyond；　this　calm　brooded。

Save　for　a　few　travelling　birds　the　sky　was　empty；　no　cloud

disturbed　its　peace；　the　world　seemed　steeped　in　innocence　and

quiet。



All　these　things　struck　me；　as　I　think　they　did　the　others；

because　by　the　action　of　some　simultaneous　thought　it　came　to　our

minds　that　very　probably　we　were；　looking　on　them　for　the　last

time。　It　is　all　very　well　to　talk　of　the　Unknown　and　the　Infinite

whereof　we　are　assured　we　are　the　heirs；　but　that　does　not　make

it　any　easier　for　us　to　part　with　the　Known　and　the　Finite。　The

contemplation　of　the　wonders　of　Eternity　does　not　conceal　the

advantages　of　actual　and　existent　Time。　In　short　there　is　no　one

of　us；　from　a　sainted　archbishop　down　to　a　sinful　suicide；　who

does　not　regret　the　necessity　of　farewell　to　the　pleasant　light

and　the　kindly　race　of　men　wherewith　we　are　acquainted。



For　after　all；　who　can　be　quite　certain　of　the　Beyond？　It　may

be　splendid；　but　it　will　probably　be　strange；　and　from

strangeness；　after　a　certain　age；　we　shrink。　We　know　that　all

things　will　be　different　there；　that　our　human　relationships　will

be　utterly　changed；　that　perhaps　sex　which　shapes　so　many　of

them；　will　vanish　to　be　replaced　by　something　unknown；　that

ambitions　will　lose　their　hold　of　us；　and　that；　at　the　best；　the

mere　loss　of　hopes　and　fears　will　leave　us　empty。　So　at　least　we

think；　who　seek　not　variation　but　continuance；　since　the　spirit

must　differ　from　the　body　and　that　thought　alarms　our

intelligence。



At　least　some　of　us　think　so；　others；　like　Bickley；　write　down

the　future　as　a　black　and　endless　night；　which　after　all　has　its

consolations　since；　as　has　been　wisely　suggested；　perhaps

oblivion　is　better　than　any　memories。　Others　again；　like　Bastin；

would　say　of　it　with　the　Frenchman；　plus　ca　change；　plus　c'est　la

meme　chose。　Yet　others；　like　Oro；　consider　it　as　a　realm　of

possibilities；　probably　unpleasant　and　perhaps　non…existent；　just

this　and　nothing　more。　Only　one　thing　is　certain；　that　no

creature　which　has　life　desires　to　leap　into　the　fire　and　from

the　dross　of　doubts；　to　resolve　the　goldor　the　leadof

certainty。



〃It　is　time　to　be　going；〃　said　Bastin。　〃In　these　skies　the　sun

seems　to　tumble　down；　not　to　set　decently　as　it　does　in　England；

and　if　we　wait　any　longer　we　shall　be　late　for　our　appointment　in

the　sepulchre。　I　am　sorry　because　although　I　don't　often　notice

scenery；　everything　looks　rather　beautiful　this　evening。　That

star；　for　instance；　I　think　it　is　called　Venus。〃



〃And　therefore　one　that　Arbuthnot　should　admire；〃　broke　in

Bickley；　attempting　to　lighten　matters　with　a　joke。　〃But　come　on

and　let　us　be　rid　of　this　fool's　errand。　Certainly　the　world　is　a

lovely　place　after　all；　and　for　my　part　I　hope　that　we　haven't

seen　the　last　of　it；〃　he　added　with　a　sigh。



〃So　do　I；〃　said　Bastin；　〃though　of　course；　Faith　teaches　us

that　there　are　much　better　ones　beyond。　It　is　no　use　bothering

about　what　they　are　like；　but　I　hope　that　the　road　to　them

doesn't　run　through　the　hole　that　the　old　reprobate；　Oro；　calls

Nyo。〃



A　few　minutes　later　we　started；　each　of　us　carrying　his　share

of　the　impedimenta。　I　think　that　Tommy　was　the　only　really

cheerful　member　of　the　party；　for　he　skipped　about　and　barked；

running　backwards　and　forwards　into　the　mouth　of　the　cave；　as

though　to　hurry　our　movements。



〃Really；〃　said　Bastin；　〃it　is　quite　unholy　to　see　an　animal

going　on　in　that　way　when　it　knows　that　it　is　about　to　descend

into　the　bowels　of　the　earth。　I　suppose　it　must　like　them。〃



〃Oh！　no；〃　commented　Bickley；　〃it　only　likes　what　is　in　them

like　Arbuthnot。　Since　that　little　beast　came　in　contact　with　the

Lady　Yva；　it　has　never　been　happy　out　of　her　company。〃



〃I　think　that　is　so；〃　said　Bastin。　〃At　any　rate　I　have　noticed

that　it　has　been　moping　for　the　last　two　days；　as　it　always　does

when　she　is　not　present。　It　even　seems　to　like　Oro　who　gives　me

the　creeps；　perhaps　because　he　is　her　father。　Dogs　must　be　very

charitable　animals。〃



By　now　we　were　in　the　cave　marching　past　the　wrecks　of　the

half…buried　flying…machines；　which　Bickley；　as　he　remarked

regretfully；　had　never　found　time　thoroughly　to　examine。　Indeed；

to　do　so　would　have　needed　more　digging　than　we　could　do　without

proper　instruments；　since　the　machines　were　big　and　deeply

entombed　in　dust。



We　came　to　the　sepulchre　and　entered。



〃Well；〃　said　Bickley；　seating　himself　on　the　edge　of　one　of　the

coffins　and　holding　up　his　lamp　to　look　about　him；　〃this　place

seems　fairly　empty。　No　one　is　keeping　the　assignation；　Arbuthnot；

although　the　sun　is　well　down。〃



As　he　spoke　the　words　Yva　stood　before　us。　Whence　she　came　we

did　not　see；　for　all　our　backs　were　turned　at　the　moment　of　her

arrival。　But　there　she　was；　calm；　beautiful；　radiating　light。









Chapter　XXIII



In　the　Temple　of　Fate





Yva　glanced　at　me；　and　in　her　eyes　I　read　tenderness　and

solicitude；　also　something　of　inquiry。　It　seemed　to　me　as　though

she　were　wondering　what　I　should　do　under　circumstances　that

might；　or　would；　arise；　and　in　some　secret　fashion　of　which　I　was

but　half　conscious；　drawing　an　answer　from　my　soul。　Then　she

turned；　and；　smiling　in　her　dazzling　way；　said：



〃So；　Bickley；　as　usual；　you　did　not　believe？　Because　you　did

not　see　him；　therefore　the　Lord　Oro；　my　father；　never　spoke　with

Humphrey。　As　though　the　Lord　Oro　could　not　pass　you　without　your

knowledge；　or；　perchance；　send　thoughts　clothed　in　his　own　shape

to　work　his　errand。〃



〃How　do　you　know　that　I　did　not　believe　Arbuthnot's　story？〃

Bickley　asked　in　a　rather　cross　voice　and　avoiding　the　direct

issue。　〃Do　you　also　send　thoughts　to　work　your　errands　clothed　in

your　own　shape；　Lady　Yva？〃



〃Alas！　not　so；　though　perhaps　I　could　if　I　might。　It　is　very

simple；　Bickley。　Standing　here；　I　heard　you　say　that　although　the

sun　was　well　down　there　was　no　one　to　meet　you　as　Humphrey　had

expected；　and　from　those　words　and　your　voice　I　guessed　the

rest。〃



〃Your　knowledge　of　the　English　language　is　improving　fast；　Lady

Yva。　Also；　when　I　spoke；　you　were　not　here。〃



〃At　least　I　was　very　near；　Bickley；　and　these　walls　are　thinner

than　you　think；〃　she　answered；　contemplating　what　seemed　to　be

solid　rock　with　eyes　that　were　full　of　innocence。　〃Oh！　friend；〃

she　went　on　suddenly；　〃I　wonder　what　there　is　which　will　cause

you　to　believe　that　you　do　not　know　all；　that　there　exist　many

things　beyond　the　reach　of　your　learning　and　imagination？　Well；

in　a　day　or　two；　perhaps；　even　you　will　admit　as　much；　and

confess　it　to　meelsewhere；〃　and　she　sighed。



〃I　am　ready　to　confess　now　that　much　happens　which　I　do　not

understand　at　present；　because　I　have　not　the　key　to　the　trick；〃

he　replied。



Yva　shook　her　head　at　him　and　smiled　again。　Then　she　motioned

to　all　of　us　to　stand　close　to　her；　and；　stooping；　lifted　Tommy

in　her　arms。　Next　moment　that　marvel　happened　which　I　have

described　already；　and　we　were　whirling　downwards　through　space；

to　find　ourselves　in　a　very　little　time　standing　safe　in　the

caves　of　Nyo；　breathless　with　the　swiftness　of　our　descent。　How

and　on　wha