when the world shook-第19节

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did　not　know　the　origin。　My　own　opinion；　which　Bickley　shared；

was　that　they　were　in　fact　a　shrunken　and　deteriorated　remnant　of

some　high　race　now　coming　to　its　end　through　age　and

inter…breeding。　About　them　indeed；　notwithstanding　their

primitive　savagery　which　in　its　qualities　much　resembled　that　of

other　Polynesians；　there　was　a　very　curious　air　of　antiquity。　One

felt　that　they　had　known　the　older　world　and　its　mysteries；

though　now　both　were　forgotten。　Also　their　language；　which　in

time　we　came　to　speak　perfectly；　was　copious；　musical；　and

expressive　in　its　idioms。



One　circumstance　I　must　mention。　In　walking　about　the　country　I

observed　all　over　it　enormous　holes；　some　of　them　measuring　as

much　as　a　hundred　yards　across；　with　a　depth　of　fifty　feet　or

more；　and　this　not　on　alluvial　lands　although　there　traces　of

them　existed　also；　but　in　solid　rock。　What　this　rock　was　I　do　not

know　as　none　of　us　were　geologists；　but　it　seemed　to　me　to

partake　of　the　nature　of　granite。　Certainly　it　was　not　coral　like

that　on　and　about　the　coast；　but　of　a　primeval　formation。



When　I　asked　Marama　what　caused　these　holes；　he　only　shrugged

his　shoulders　and　said　he　did　not　know；　but　their　fathers　had

declared　that　they　were　made　by　stones　falling　from　heaven。　This；

of　course；　suggested　meteorites　to　my　mind。　I　submitted　the　idea

to　Bickley；　who；　in　one　of　his　rare　intervals　of　leisure；　came

with　me　to　make　an　examination。



〃If　they　were　meteorites；〃　he　said；　〃of　which　a　shower　struck

the　earth　in　some　past　geological　age；　all　life　must　have　been

destroyed　by　them　and　their　remains　ought　to　exist　at　the　bottom

of　the　holes。　To　me　they　look　more　like　the　effect　of　high

explosives；　but　that；　of　course；　is　impossible；　though　I　don't

know　what　else　could　have　caused　such　craters。〃



Then　he　went　back　to　his　work；　for　nothing　that　had　to　do　with

antiquity　interested　Bickley　very　much。　The　present　and　its

problems　were　enough　for　him；　he　would　say；　who　neither　had　lived

in　the　past　nor　expected　to　have　any　share　in　the　future。



As　I　remained　curious　I　made　an　opportunity　to　scramble　to　the

bottom　of　one　of　these　craters；　taking　with　me　some　of　the

natives　with　their　wooden　tools。　Here　I　found　a　good　deal　of　soil

either　washed　down　from　the　surface　or　resulting　from　the

decomposition　of　the　rock；　though　oddly　enough　in　it　nothing

grew。　I　directed　them　to　dig。　After　a　while　to　my　astonishment

there　appeared　a　corner　of　a　great　worked　stone　quite　unlike　that

of　the　crater；　indeed　it　seemed　to　me　to　be　a　marble。　Further

examination　showed　that　this　block　was　most　beautifully　carved　in

bas…relief；　apparently　with　a　design　of　leaves　and　flowers。　In

the　disturbed　soil　also　I　picked　up　a　life…sized　marble　hand　of　a

woman　exquisitely　finished　and　apparently　broken　from　a　statue

that　might　have　been　the　work　of　one　of　the　great　Greek

sculptors。　Moreover；　on　the　third　finger　of　this　hand　was　a

representation　of　a　ring　whereof；　unfortunately；　the　bezel　had

been　destroyed。



I　put　the　hand　in　my　pocket；　but　as　darkness　was　coming　on；　I

could　not　pursue　the　research　and　disinter　the　block。　When　I

wished　to　return　the　next　day；　I　was　informed　politely　by　Marama

that　it　would　not　be　safe　for　me　to　do　so　as　the　priests　of　Oro

declared　that　if　I　sought　to　meddle　with　the　〃buried　things　the

god　would　grow　angry　and　bring　disaster　on　me。〃



When　I　persisted　he　said　that　at　least　I　must　go　alone　since　no

native　would　accompany　me；　and　added　earnestly　that　he　prayed　me

not　to　go。　So　to　my　great　regret　and　disappointment　I　was　obliged

to　give　up　the　idea。







Chapter　VIII



Bastin　Attempts　the　Martyr's　Crown





That　carved　stone　and　the　marble　hand　took　a　great　hold　of　my

imagination。　What　did　they　mean？　How　could　they　have　come　to　the

bottom　of　that　hole；　unless　indeed　they　were　part　of　some

building　and　its　ornaments　which　had　been　destroyed　in　the

neighbourhood？　The　stone　of　which　we　had　only　uncovered　a　corner

seemed　far　too　big　to　have　been　carried　there　from　any　ship；　it

must　have　weighed　several　tons。　Besides；　ships　do　not　carry　such

things　about　the　world；　and　none　had　visited　this　island　during

the　last　two　centuries　at　any　rate；　or　local　tradition　would　have

recorded　so　wonderful　a　fact。　Were　there；　then；　once　edifices

covered　with　elegant　carving　standing　on　this　place；　and　were

they　adorned　with　lovely　statues　that　would　not　have　disgraced

the　best　period　of　Greek　art？　The　thing　was　incredible　except　on

the　supposition　that　these　were　relics　of　an　utterly　lost

civilisation。



Bickley　was　as　much　puzzled　as　myself。　All　he　could　say　was

that　the　world　was　infinitely　old　and　many　things　might　have

happened　in　it　whereof　we　had　no　record。　Even　Bastin　was　excited

for　a　little　while；　but　as　his　imagination　was　represented　by

zero；　all　he　could　say　was：



〃I　suppose　someone　left　them　there；　and　anyhow　it　doesn't

matter　much；　does　it？〃



But　I；　who　have　certain　leanings　towards　the　ancient　and

mysterious；　could　not　be　put　off　in　this　fashion。　I　remembered

that　unapproachable　mountain　in　the　midst　of　the　lake　and　that　on

it　appeared　to　be　something　which　looked　like　ruins　as　seen　from

the　top　of　the　cliff　through　glasses。　At　any　rate　this　was　a

point；　that　I　might　clear　up。



Saying　nothing　to　anybody；　one　morning　I　slipped　away　and

walked　to　the　edge　of　the　lake；　a　distance　of　five　or　six　miles

over　rough　country。　Having　arrived　there　I　perceived　that　the

cone…shaped　mountain　in　the　centre；　which　was　about　a　mile　from

the　lake　shore；　was　much　larger　than　I　had　thought；　quite　three

hundred　feet　high　indeed；　and　with　a　very　large　circumference。

Further；　its　sides　evidently　once　had　been　terraced；　and　it　was

on　one　of　these　broad　terraces；　half…way　up　and　facing　towards

the　rising　sun；　that　the　ruin…like　remains　were　heaped。　I

examined　them　through　my　glasses。　Undoubtedly　it　was　a　cyclopean

ruin　built　of　great　blocks　of　coloured　stone　which　seemed　to　have

been　shattered　by　earthquake　or　explosion。　There　were　the　pillars

of　a　mighty　gateway　and　the　remains　of　walls。



I　trembled　with　excitement　as　I　stared　and　stared。　Could　I　not

get　to　the　place　and　see　for　myself？　I　observed　that　from　the

flat　bush…clad　land　at　the　foot　of　the　mountain；　ran　out　what

seemed　to　be　the　residue　of　a　stone　pier　which　ended　in　a　large

table…topped　rock　between　two　and　three　hundred　feet　across。　But

even　this　was　too　far　to　reach　by　swimming；　besides　for　aught　I

knew　there　might　be　alligators　in　that　lake。　I　walked　up　and　down

its　borders；　till　presently　I　came　to　a　path　which　led　into　a

patch　of　some　variety　of　cotton　palm。



Following　this　path　I　discovered　a　boat…house　thatched　over

with　palm　leaves。　Inside　it　were　two　good　canoes　with　their

paddles；　floating　and　tied　to　the　stumps　of　trees　by　fibre　ropes。

Instantly　I　made　up　my　mind　that　I　would　paddle　to　the　island　and

investigate。　Just　as　I　was　about　to　step　into　one　of　the　canoes

the　light　was　cut　off。　Looking　up　I　saw　that　a　man　was　crouching

in　the　door…place　of　the　boat…house　in　order　to　enter；　and　paused

guiltily。



〃Friend…from…the…Sea〃　（that　was　the　name　that　these　islanders

had　given　to　me）；　said　the　voice　of　Marama；　〃saywhat　are　you

doing　here？〃



〃I　am　about　to　take　a　row　on　the　lake；　Chief；〃　I　answered

carelessly。



〃Indeed；　Friend。　Have　we　then　treated　you　so　badly　that　you　are

tired　of　life？〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　I　asked。



〃Come　out　into　the　sunlight；　Friend；　and　I　will　explain　to

you。〃



I　hesitated　till　I　saw　Marama　lifting　the　heavy　wooden　spear　he

carried　and　remembered　that　I　was　unarmed。　Then　I　came　out。



〃What　does　all　this　mean；　Chief？〃　I　asked　angrily　when　we　were

clear　of　the　patch　of　cotton　palm。



〃I　mean；　Friend；　that　you　have　been　very　near　to　making　a

longer　journey　than　you　thought。　Have　patience　now　and　listen　to

me。　I　saw　you　leaving　the　village　this　morning　and　followed；

suspecting　your　purpose。　Yes；　I　followed　alone；　saying　nothing　to

the　priests　of　Oro　who　fortunately　were　away　watching　the

Bellower　for　their　own　reasons。　I　saw　you　searching　out　the

secrets　of　the　mountain　with　those　magic　tubes　that　make　things

big　that　are　small；　and　things　that　are　far　off　come　near；　and　I

followed　you　to　the　canoes。〃



〃All　that　is　plain　enough；　Marama。　But　why？〃



〃Have　I　not　told　you；　Friend…from…the…Sea；　that　yonder　hill

which　is　called　Orofena；　whence　this　island　takes　its　name；　is

sacred？〃



〃You　said　so；　but　what　of　it？〃



〃This：　to　set　foot　thereon　is　to　die　and；　I　suppose；　great　as

you　are；　you；　too；　can　die　like　others。　At　least；　although　I　love

you；　had　you　not　come　away　from　that　canoe　I　was　about　to

discover　whether　this　is　so。〃



〃Then　for　what　are　the　canoes　used？〃　I　asked　with　irritation。



〃You　see　that　flat　rock；　Friend；　with　the　hole　beyond；　which　is

the　mouth　of　a　cave　that　appeare