when the world shook-第74章

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and　forgotten　as　are　those　who　went　before　me；　while　my　crown　of

Power　shines　on　younger　brows。　Alas！　I　grow　old；　since　aeons　of

sleep　have　not　renewed　my　strength。　My　time　is　short　and　yet　I

would　not　die　as　mortals　must。　Oh！　God　of　my　people；　whom　I　have

served　so　well；　save　me　from　the　death　I　dread。　For　I　would　not

die。　Give　me　a　sign；　give　me　the　ancient；　sacred　sign！〃



So　he　spoke；　lifting　his　proud　and　splendid　head　and　watching

the　statue　with　wide；　expectant　eyes。



〃Thou　dost　not　answer；〃　he　cried　again。　〃Wouldst　thou　desert

me；　Fate？　Then　beware　lest　I　set　up　some　new　god　against　thee　and

hurl　thee　from　thine　immemorial　throne。　While　I　live　I　still　have

powers；　I　who　am　the　last　of　thy　worshippers；　since　it　seems　that

my　daughter　turns　her　back　on　thee。　I　will　get　me　to　the

sepulchre　of　the　kings　and　take　counsel　with　the　dust　of　that

wizard　who　first　taught　me　wisdom。　Even　from　the　depths　of　death

he　must　come　to　my　call　clad　in　a　mockery　of　life；　and　comfort

me。　A　little　while　yet　I　will　wait；　and　if　thou　answer　not；　then

Fate；　soon　I'll　tear　the　sceptre　from　thy　hand；　and　thou　shalt

join　the　company　of　dead　gods。〃　And　throwing　aside　the　sword；

again　Oro　laid　down　his　head　upon　the　ground　and　stretched　out

his　arms　in　the　last　abasement　of　supplication。



〃Come；〃　whispered　Yva；　〃while　there　is　yet　time。　Presently　he

will　seek　this　place　to　descend　to　the　sepulchre；　and　if　he

learns　that　we　have　read　his　heart　and　know　him　for　a　coward

deserted　of　his　outworn　god；　surely　he　will　blot　us　out。　Come；

and　be　swift　and　silent。〃



We　crept　out　of　the　chapel；　Yva　leading；　and　along　the　circle

of　the　great　dome　till　we　reached　the　gates。　Here　I　glanced　back

and　perceived　that　Oro；　looking　unutterably　small　in　that

vastness；　looking　like　a　dead　man；　still　lay　outstretched　before

the　stern…faced；　unanswering　Effigy　which；　with　all　his　wisdom；　he

believed　to　be　living　and　divine。　Perhaps　once　it　was；　but　if

so　its　star　had　set　for　ever；　like　those　of　Amon；　Jupiter　and

Baal；　and　he　was　its　last　worshipper。



Now　we　were　safe；　but　still　we　sped　on　till　we　reached　the

portico　of　our　sleeping　place。　Then　Yva　turned　and　spoke。



〃It　is　horrible；〃　she　said；　〃and　my　soul　sickens。　Oh；　I　thank

the　Strength　which　made　it　that　I　have　no　desire　to　rule　the

earth；　and；　being　innocent　of　death；　do　not　fear　to　die　and　cross

his　threshold。〃



〃Yes；　it　is　horrible；〃　I　answered。　〃Yet　all　men　fear　death。〃



〃Not　when　they　have　found　love；　Humphrey；　for　that　I　think　is

his　true　name；　and；　with　it　written　on　his　brow；　he　stands　upon

the　neck　of　Fate　who　is　still　my　father's　god。〃



〃Then　he　is　not　yours；　Yva？〃



〃Nay。　Once　it　was　so；　but　now　I　reject　him；　he　is　no　longer

mine。　As　Oro　threatens；　and　perchance　dare　do　in　his　rage；　I　have

broken　his　chain；　though　in　another　fashion。　Ask　me　no　more；

perhaps　one　day　you　will　learn　the　path　I　trod　to　freedom。〃



Then　before　I　could　speak；　she　went　off：



〃Rest　now；　for　within　a　few　hours　I　must　come　to　lead　you　and

your　companions　to　a　terrible　place。　Yet　whatever　you　may　see　or

hear；　be　not　afraid；　Humphrey；　for　I　think　that　Oro's　god　has　no

power　over　you；　strong　though　he　was；　and　that　Oro's　plans　will

fail；　while　I；　who　too　have　knowledge；　shall　find　strength　to

save　the　world。〃



Then　of　a　sudden；　once　again　she　grew　splendid；　almost　divine；

no　more　a　woman　but　as　it　were　an　angel。　Some　fire　of　pure

purpose　seemed　to　burn　up　in　her　and　to　shine　out　of　her　eyes。

Yet　she　said　little。　Only　this　indeed：



〃To　everyone；　I　think；　there　comes　the　moment　of　opportunity

when　choice　must　be　made　between　what　is　great　and　what　is　small；

between　self　and　its　desires　and　the　good　of　other　wanderers　in

the　way。　This　day　that　moment　may　draw　near　to　you　or　me；　and　if

so；　surely　we　shall　greet　it　well。　Such　is　Bastin's　lesson；　which

I　have　striven　to　learn。〃



Then　she　flung　her　arms　about　me　and　kissed　me　on　the　brow　as　a

mother　might；　and　was　gone。





Strangely　enough；　perhaps　because　of　my　mental　exhaustion；　for

what　I　had　passed　through　seemed　to　overwhelm　me　so　that　I　could

no　longer　so　much　as　think　with　clearness；　even　after　all　that　I

have　described　I　slept　like　a　child　and　awoke　refreshed　and　well。



I　looked　at　my　watch　to　find　that　it　was　now　eight　o'clock　in

the　morning　in　this　horrible　place　where　there　was　neither　morn；

nor　noon；　nor　night；　but　only　an　eternal　brightness　that　came　I

knew　not　whence；　and　never　learned。



I　found　that　I　was　alone；　since　Bickley　and　Bastin　had　gone　to

fill　our　bottles　with　the　Life…water。　Presently　they　returned　and

we　ate　a　little；　with　that　water　to　drink　one　did　not　need　much

food。　It　was　a　somewhat　silent　meal；　for　our　circumstances　were　a

check　on　talk；　moreover；　I　thought　that　the　others　looked　at　me

rather　oddly。　Perhaps　they　guessed　something　of　my　midnight　visit

to　the　temple；　but　if　so　they　thought　it　wisest　to　say　nothing。

Nor　did　I　enlighten　them。



Shortly　after　we　had　finished　Yva　appeared。　She　was　wonderfully

quiet　and　gentle　in　her　manner；　calm　also；　and　greeted　all　of　us

with　much　sweetness。　Of　our　experiences　during　the　night　she　said

no　word　to　me；　even　when　we　were　alone。　One　difference　I　noticed

about　her；　however；　that　she　was　clothed　in　garments　such　as　I

had　never　seen　her　wear　before。　They　were　close　fitting；　save　for

a　flowing　cape；　and　made　of　some　grey　material；　not　unlike　a

coarse　homespun　or　even　asbestos　cloth。　Still　they　became　her

very　well；　and　when　I　remarked　upon　them；　all　she　answered　was

that　part　of　our　road　would　be　rough。　Even　her　feet　were　shod

with　high　buskins　of　this　grey　stuff。



Presently　she　touched　Bastin　on　the　shoulder　and　said　that　she

would　speak　with　him　apart。　They　went　together　into　one　of　the

chambers　of　that　dwelling　and　there　remained　for　perhaps　the　half

of　an　hour。　It　was　towards　the　end　of　this　time　that　in　the

intense　silence　I　heard　a　crash　from　the　direction　of　the　temple；

as　though　something　heavy　had　fallen　to　the　rocky　floor。　Bickley

also　heard　this　sound。　When　the　two　reappeared　I　noticed　that

though　still　quite　calm；　Yva　looked　radiant；　and；　if　I　may　say

so；　even　more　human　and　womanly　than　I　had　ever　seen　her；　while

Bastin　also　seemed　very　happy。



〃One　has　strange　experiences　in　life；　yes；　very　strange；〃　he

remarked；　apparently　addressing　the　air；　which　left　me　wondering

to　what　particular　experience　he　might　refer。　Well；　I　thought

that　I　could　guess。



〃Friends；〃　said　Yva；　〃it　is　time　for　us　to　be　going　and　I　am

your　guide。　You　will　meet　the　Lord　Oro　at　the　end　of　your

journey。　I　pray　you　to　bring　those　lamps　of　yours　with　you；　since

all　the　road　is　not　lightened　like　this　place。〃



〃I　should　like　to　ask；〃　said　Bickley；　〃whither　we　go　and　for

what　object；　points　on　which　up　to　the　present　we　have　had　no

definite　information。〃



〃We　go；　friend　Bickley；　deep　into　the　bowels　of　the　world；　far

deeper；　I　think；　than　any　mortal　men　have　gone　hitherto；　that　is；

of　your　race。〃



〃Then　we　shall　perish　of　heat；〃　said　Bickley；　〃for　with　every

thousand　feet　the　temperature　rises　many　degrees。〃



〃Not　so。　You　will　pass　through　a　zone　of　heat；　but　so　swiftly

that　if　you　hold　your　breath　you　will　not　suffer　overmuch。　Then

you　will　come　to　a　place　where　a　great　draught　blows　which　will

keep　you　cool；　and　thence　travel　on　to　the　end。〃



〃Yes；　but　to　what　end；　Lady　Yva？〃



〃That　you　will　see　for　yourselves；　and　with　it　other　wondrous

things。〃



Here　some　new　idea　seemed　to　strike　her；　and　after　a　little

hesitation　she　added：



〃Yet　why　should　you　go？　Oro　has　commanded　it；　it　is　true；　but　I

think　that　at　the　last　he　will　forget。　It　must　be　decided

swiftly。　There　is　yet　time。　I　can　place　you　in　safety　in　the

sepulchre　of　Sleep　where　you　found　us。　Thence　cross　to　the　main

island　and　sail　away　quickly　in　your　boat　out　into　the　great　sea；

where　I　believe　you　will　fi