when the world shook-第79章

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〃Well；　he　has　had　his　chance　and　he　won't　take　it；〃　said　Bastin

in　the　silence　that　followed。　〃The　man　must　go　to　the　devil　his

own　way　and　there　is　nothing　more　to　be　said。〃



I　say　the　silence；　but　it　was　no　more　silent。　The　distant

humming　grew　to　a　roar；　the　roar　to　a　hellish　hurricane　of　sound

which　presently　drowned　all　attempts　at　ordinary　speech。



Then　bellowing　like　ten　millions　of　bulls；　at　length　far　away

there　appeared　something　terrible。　I　can　only　describe　its

appearance　as　that　of　an　attenuated　mountain　on　fire。　When　it

drew　nearer　I　perceived　that　it　was　more　like　a　ballet…dancer

whirling　round　and　round　upon　her　toes；　or　rather　all　the

ballet…dancers　in　the　world　rolled　into　one　and　then　multiplied　a

million　times　in　size。　No；　it　was　like　a　mushroom　with　two

stalks；　one　above　and　one　below；　or　a　huge　top　with　a　point　on

which　it　spun；　a　swelling　belly　and　another　point　above。　But　what

a　top！　It　must　have　been　two　thousand　feet　high；　if　it　was　an

inch；　and　its　circumference　who　could　measure？



On　it　came；　dancing；　swaying　and　spinning　at　a　rate

inconceivable；　so　that　it　looked　like　a　gigantic　wheel　of　fire。

Yet　it　was　not　fire　that　clothed　it　but　rather　some

phosphorescence；　since　from　it　came　no　heat。　Yes；　a

phosphorescence　arranged　in　bands　of　ghastly　blue　and　lurid　red；

with　streaks　of　other　colours　running　up　between；　and　a　kind　of

waving　fringe　of　purple。



The　fire…mountain　thundered　on　with　a　voice　like　to　that　of

avalanches　or　of　icebergs　crashing　from　their　parent　glaciers　to

the　sea。　Its　terrific　aspect　was　appalling；　and　its　weight　caused

the　solid　rock　to　quiver　like　a　leaf。　Watching　it；　we　felt　as

ants　might　feel　at　the　advent　of　the　crack　of　doom；　for　its　mere

height　and　girth　and　size　overwhelmed　us。　We　could　not　even

speak。　The　last　words　I　heard　were　from　the　mouth　of　Oro　who

screamed　out：



〃Behold　the　balance　of　the　World；　you　miserable；　doubting　men；

and　behold　me　change　its　pathturning　it　as　the　steersman　turns

a　ship！〃



Then　he　made　certain　signs　to　Yva；　who　in　obedience　to　them

approached　the　porthole　or　search…light　to　which　she　did

something　that　I　could　not　distinguish。　The　effect　was　to　make

the　beam　of　light　much　stronger　and　sharper；　also　to　shift　it　on

to　the　point　or　foot　of　the　spinning　mountain　and；　by　an　aiming

of　the　lens　from　time　to　time；　to　keep　it　there。



This　went　on　for　a　while；　since　the　dreadful　thing　did　not

travel　fast　notwithstanding　the　frightful　speed　of　its

revolutions。　I　should　doubt　indeed　if　it　advanced　more　quickly

than　a　man　could　walk；　at　any　rate　so　it　seemed　to　us。　But　we　had

no　means　of　judging　its　real　rate　of　progress　whereof　we　knew　as

little　as　we　did　of　the　course　it　followed　in　the　bowels　of　the

earth。　Perhaps　that　was　spiral；　from　the　world's　deep　heart

upwards；　and　this　was　the　highest　point　it　reached。　Or　perhaps　it

remained　stationary；　but　still　spinning；　for　scores　or　hundreds

of　years　in　some　central　powerhouse　of　its　own；　whence；　in

obedience　to　unknown　laws；　from　time　to　time　it　made　these

terrific　journeys。



No　one　knows；　unless　perhaps　Oro　did；　in　which　case　he　kept　the

information　to　himself；　and　no　one　will　ever　know。　At　any　rate

there　it　was；　travelling　towards　us　on　its　giant　butt；　the　peg　of

the　top　as　it　were；　which；　hidden　in　a　cloud　of　friction…born

sparks　that　enveloped　it　like　the　cup　of　a　curving　flower　of

fire；　whirled　round　and　round　at　an　infinite　speed。　It　was　on

this　flaming　flower　that　the　search…light　played　steadily；

doubtless　that　Oro　might　mark　and　measure　its　monstrous　progress。



〃He　is　going　to　try　to　send　the　thing　down　the　right…hand

path；〃　I　shouted　into　Bickley's　ear。



〃Can't　be　done！　Nothing　can　shift　a　travelling　weight　of　tens

of　millions　of　tons　one　inch；〃　Bickley　roared　back；　trying　to

look　confident。



Clearly；　however；　Yva　thought　that　it　could　be　done；　for　of　a

sudden　she　cast　down　her　shield　and；　throwing　herself　upon　her

knees；　stretched　out　her　hands　in　supplication　to　her　father。　I

understood；　as　did　we　all；　that　she　was　imploring　him　to　abandon

his　hellish　purpose。　He　glared　at　her　and　shook　his　head。　Then；

as　she　still　went　on　praying；　he　struck　her　across　the　face　with

his　hand　and　pushed　her　to　her　feet　again。　My　blood　boiled　as　I

saw　it　and　I　think　I　should　have　sprung　at　him；　had　not　Bickley

caught　hold　of　me；　shouting；　〃Don't；　or　he　will　kill　her　and　us

too。〃



Yva　lifted　her　shield　and　returned　to　her　station；　and　in　the

blue　discharges　which　now　flashed　almost　continuously；　and　the

phosphorescent　glare　of　the　advancing　mountain；　I　saw　that　though

her　beautiful　face　worked　beneath　the　pain　of　the　blow；　her　eyes

remained　serene　and　purposeful。　Even　then　I　wonderedwhat　was

the　purpose　shining　through　them。　Also　I　wondered　if　I　was　about

to　be　called　upon　to　make　that　sacrifice　of　which　she　had　spoken；

and　if　so；　how。　Of　one　thing　I　was　determinedthat　if　the　call

came　it　should　not　find　me　deaf。　Yet　all　the　while　I　was　horribly

afraid。



At　another　sign　from　Oro；　Yva　did　something　more　to　the　lens

again；　being　alongside　of　her；　I　could　not　see　what　it　was。　The

beam　of　light　shifted　and　wandered　till；　far　away；　it　fell

exactly　upon　that　spot　where　the　rock　began　to　rise　into　the

ridge　which　separated　the　two　grooves　or　roads　and　ended　in　the

razor…edged　cliff。　Moreover　I　observed　that　Oro；　who　left　it　the

last　of　us；　had　either　placed　something　white　to　mark　this　first

infinitesimal　bulging　of　the　floor　of　the　groove；　or　had　smeared

it　with　chalk　or　shining　pigment。　I　observed　also　what　I　had　not

been　able　to　see　before；　that　a　thin　white　line　ran　across　the

floor；　no　doubt　to　give　the　precise　direction　of　this　painted

rise　of　rock；　and　that　the　glare　of　the　search…light　now　lay

exactly　over　that　line。



The　monstrous；　flaming　gyroscope　fashioned　in　Nature's

workshop；　for　such　without　doubt　it　was；　was　drawing　near；

emitting　as　it　came　a　tumult　of　sounds　which；　with　the　echoes

that　they　caused；　almost　over…whelmed　our　senses。　Poor　little

Tommy；　already　cowed；　although　he　was　a　bold…natured　beast；　broke

down　entirely；　and　I　could　see　from　his　open　mouth　that　he　was

howling　with　terror。　He　stared　about　him；　then　ran　to　Yva　and

pawed　at　her；　evidently　asking　to　be　taken　into　her　arms。　She

thrust　him　away；　almost　fiercely；　and　made　signs　to　me　to　lift

him　up　and　hold　him　beneath　my　shield。　This　I　did；　reflecting

sadly　that　if　I　was　to　be　sacrificed；　Tommy　must　share　my　fate。　I

even　thought　of　passing　him　on　to　Bickley；　but　had　no　time。

Indeed　I　could　not　attract　his　attention；　for　Bickley　was　staring

with　all　his　eyes　at　the　nightmare…like　spectacle　which　was　in

progress　about　us。　Indeed　no　nightmare；　no　wild　imagination　of

which　the　mind　of　man　is　capable；　could　rival　the　aspect　of　its

stupendous　facts。



Think　of　them！　The　unmeasured　space　of　blackness　threaded　by

those　globes　of　ghastly　incandescence　that　now　hung　a　while　and

now　shot　upwards；　downwards；　across；　apparently　without　origin　or

end；　like　a　stream　of　meteors　that　had　gone　mad。　Then　the

travelling　mountain；　two　thousand　feet　in　height；　or　more；　with

its　enormous　saucer…like　rim　painted　round　with　bands　of　lurid

red　and　blue；　and　about　its　grinding　foot　the　tulip　bloom　of

emitted　flame。　Then　the　fierce…faced　Oro　at　his　post；　his　hand

upon　the　rod；　waiting；　remorseless；　to　drown　half　of　this　great

world；　with　the　lovely　Yva　standing　calm…eyed　like　a　saint　in

hell　and　watching　me　above　the　edge　of　the　shield　which　such　a

saint　might　bear　to　turn　aside　the　fiery　darts　of　the　wicked。　And

lastly　we　three　men　flattened　terror…stricken；　against　the　wall。



Nightmare！　Imagination！　No；　these　pale　before　that　scene　which

it　was　given　to　our　human　eyes　to　witness。



And　all　the　while；　bending；　bowing　towards　usaway　from　us

making　obeisance　to　the　path　in　front　as　though　in　greeting；　to

the　path　behind　as　though　in　fare