when the world shook-第29节

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hurricane　lamps　that　he　might　see　better。　With　a　kind　of　fierce

eagerness　he　surveyed　her　who　lay　within　the　coffin；　and　after　he

had　done　so；　uttered　a　sigh　as　of　intense　relief。



Next　he　pointed　to　the　metal　cup　out　of　which　he　had　drunk。

Bickley　filled　it　again　from　the　thermos　flask；　which　I　observed

excited　his　keen　interest；　for；　having　touched　the　flask　with　his

hand　and　found　that　it　was　cool；　he　appeared　to　marvel　that　the

fluid　coming　from　it　should　be　hot　and　steaming。　Presently　he

smiled　as　though　he　had　got　the　clue　to　the　mystery；　and

swallowed　his　second　drink　of　coffee　and　spirit。　This　done；　he

motioned　to　us　to　lift　the　lid　of　the　lady's　coffin；　pointing　out

a　certain　catch　in　the　bolts　which　at　first　we　could　not　master；

for　it　will　be　remembered　that　on　this　coffin　these　were　shot。



In　the　end；　by　pursuing　the　same　methods　that　we　had　used　in

the　instance　of　his　own；　we　raised　the　coffin　lid　and　once　more

were　driven　to　retreat　from　the　sepulchre　for　a　while　by　the

overpowering　odour　like　to　that　of　a　whole　greenhouse　full　of

tuberoses；　that　flowed　out　of　it；　inducing　a　kind　of　stupefaction

from　which　even　Tommy　fled。



When　we　returned　it　was　to　find　the　man　kneeling　by　the　side　of

the　coffin；　for　as　yet　he　could　not　stand；　with　his　glowing　eyes

fixed　upon　the　face　of　her　who　slept　therein　and　waving　his　long

arms　above　her。



〃Hypnotic　business！　Wonder　if　it　will　work；〃　whispered　Bickley。

Then　he　lifted　the　syringe　and　looked　inquiringly　at　the　man；　who

shook　his　head；　and　went　on　with　his　mesmeric　passes。



I　crept　round　him　and　took　my　stand　by　the　sleeper's　head；　that

I　might　watch　her　face；　which　was　well　worth　watching；　while

Bickley；　with　his　medicine　at　hand；　remained　near　her　feet；　I

think　engaged　in　disinfecting　the　syringe　in　some　spirit　or　acid。

I　believe　he　was　about　to　make　an　attempt　to　use　it　when

suddenly；　as　though　beneath　the　influence　of　the　hypnotic　passes；

a　change　appeared　on　the　Glittering　Lady's　face。　Hitherto；

beautiful　as　it　was；　it　had　been　a　dead　face　though　one　of　a

person　who　had　suddenly　been　cut　off　while　in　full　health　and

vigour　a　few　hours；　or　at　the　most　a　day　or　so　before。　Now　it

began　to　live　again；　it　was　as　though　the　spirit　were　returning

from　afar；　and　not　without　toil　and　tribulation。



Expression　after　expression　flitted　across　the　features；　indeed

these　seemed　to　change　so　much　from　moment　to　moment　that　they

might　have　belonged　to　several　different　individuals；　though　each

was　beautiful。　The　fact　of　these　remarkable　changes　with　the

suggestion　of　multiform　personalities　which　they　conveyed

impressed　both　Bickley　and　myself　very　much　indeed。　Then　the

breast　heaved　tumultuously；　it　even　appeared　to　struggle。　Next

the　eyes　opened。　They　were　full　of　wonder；　even　of　fear；　but　oh！

what　marvelous　eyes。　I　do　not　know　how　to　describe　them；　I

cannot　even　state　their　exact　colour；　except　that　it　was　dark；

something　like　the　blue　of　sapphires　of　the　deepest　tint；　and　yet

not　black；　large；　too；　and　soft　as　a　deer's。　They　shut　again　as

though　the　light　hurt　them；　then　once　more　opened　and　wandered

about；　apparently　without　seeing。



At　length　they　found　my　face；　for　I　was　still　bending　over　her；

and；　resting　there；　appeared　to　take　it　in　by　degrees。　More；　it

seemed　to　touch　and　stir　some　human　spring　in　the　still…sleeping

heart。　At　least　the　fear　passed　from　her　features　and　was

replaced　by　a　faint　smile；　such　as　a　patient　sometimes　gives　to

one　known　and　well　loved；　as　the　effects　of　chloroform　pass　away。

For　a　while　she　looked　at　me　with　an　earnest；　searching　gaze；

then　suddenly；　for　the　first　time　moving　her　arms；　lifted　them

and　threw　them　round　my　neck。



The　old　man　stared；　bending　his　imperial　brows　into　a　little

frown；　but　did　nothing。　Bickley　stared　also　through　his　glasses

and　sniffed　as　though　in　disapproval；　while　I　remained　quite

still；　fighting　with　a　wild　impulse　to　kiss　her　on　the　lips　as

one　would　an　awakening　and　beloved　child。　I　doubt　if　I　could　have

done　so；　however；　for　really　I　was　immovable；　my　heart　seemed　to

stop　and　all　my　muscles　to　be　paralysed。



I　do　not　know　for　how　long　this　endured；　but　I　do　know　how　it

ended。　Presently　in　the　intense　silence　I　heard　Bastin's　heavy

voice　and　looking　round；　saw　his　big　head　projecting　into　the

sepulchre。



〃Well；　I　never！〃　he　said；　〃you　seem　to　have　woke　them　up　with　a

vengeance。　If　you　begin　like　that　with　the　lady；　there　will　be

complications　before　you　have　done；　Arbuthnot。〃



Talk　of　being　brought　back　to　earth　with　a　rush！　I　could　have

killed　Bastin；　and　Bickley；　turning　on　him　like　a　tiger；　told　him

to　be　off；　find　wood　and　light　a　large　fire　in　front　of　the

statue。　I　think　he　was　about　to　argue　when　the　Ancient　gave　him　a

glance　of　his　fierce　eyes；　which　alarmed　him；　and　he　departed；

bewildered；　to　return　presently　with　the　wood。



But　the　sound　of　his　voice　had　broken　the　spell。　The　Lady　let

her　arms　fall　with　a　start；　and　shut　her　eyes　again；　seeming　to

faint。　Bickley　sprang　forward　with　his　sal　volatile　and　applied

it　to　her　nostrils；　the　Ancient　not　interfering；　for　he　seemed　to

recognise　that　he　had　to　deal　with　a　man　of　skill　and　one　who

meant　well　by　them。



In　the　end　we　brought　her　round　again　and；　to　omit　details；

Bickley　gave　her；　not　coffee　and　brandy；　but　a　mixture　he

compounded　of　hot　water；　preserved　milk　and　meat　essence。　The

effect　of　it　on　her　was　wonderful；　since　a　few　minutes　after

swallowing　it　she　sat　up　in　the　coffin。　Then　we　lifted　her　from

that　narrow　bed　in　which　she　had　slept　forah！　how　long？　and

perceived　that　beneath　her　also　were　crystal　boxes　of　the

radiant；　heat…giving　substance。　We　sat　her　on　the　floor　of　the

sepulchre；　wrapping　her　also　in　a　blanket。



Now　it　was　that　Tommy；　after　frisking　round　her　as　though　in

welcome　of　an　old　friend；　calmly　established　himself　beside　her

and　laid　his　black　head　upon　her　knee。　She　noted　it　and　smiled

for　the　first　time；　a　marvelously　sweet　and　gentle　smile。　More；

she　placed　her　slender　hand　upon　the　dog　and　stroked　him　feebly。



Bickley　tried　to　make　her　drink　some　more　of　his　mixture；　but

she　refused；　motioning　him　to　give　it　to　Tommy。　This；　however；　he

would　not　do　because　there　was　but　one　cup。　Presently　both　of　the

sleepers　began　to　shiver；　which　caused　Bickley　anxiety。　Abusing

Bastin　beneath　his　breath　for　being　so　long　with　the　fire；　he

drew　the　blankets　closer　about　them。



Then　an　idea　came　to　him　and　he　examined　the　glowing　boxes　in

the　coffin。　They　were　loose；　being　merely　set　in　prepared

cavities　in　the　crystal。　Wrapping　our　handkerchiefs　about　his

hand；　he　took　them　out　and　placed　them　around　the　wakened

patients；　a　proceeding　of　which　the　Ancient　nodded　approval。　Just

then；　too；　Bastin　returned　with　his　first　load　of　firewood；　and

soon　we　had　a　merry　blaze　going　just　outside　the　sepulchre。　I　saw

that　they　observed　the　lighting　of　this　fire　by　means　of　a　match

with　much　interest。



Now　they　grew　warm　again；　as　indeed　we　did　alsotoo　warm。　Then

in　my　turn　I　had　an　idea。　I　knew　that　by　now　the　sun　would　be

beating　hotly　against　the　rock　of　the　mount；　and　suggested　to

Bickley；　that；　if　possible；　the　best　thing　we　could　do　would　be

to　get　them　into　its　life…giving　rays。　He　agreed；　if　we　could

make　them　understand　and　they　were　able　to　walk。　So　I　tried。

First　I　directed　the　Ancient's　attention　to　the　mouth　of　the　cave

which　at　this　distance　showed　as　a　white　circle　of　light。　He

looked　at　it　and　then　at　me　with　grave　inquiry。　I　made　motions　to

suggest　that　he　should　proceed　there；　repeating　the　word　〃Sun〃　in

the　Orofenan　tongue。　He　understood　at　once；　though　whether　he

read　my　mind　rather　than　what　I　said　I　am　not　sure。　Apparently

the　Glittering　Lady　understood　also　and　seemed　to　be　most　anxious

to　go。　Only　she　looked　rather　pitifully　at　her　feet　and　shook　her

head。　This　decided　me。



I　do　not　know　if　I　have　mentioned　anywhere　that　I　am　a　tall　man

and　very　muscular。　She　was　tall；　also；　but　as　I　judged　not　so

very　heavy　after　her　long　fast。　At　any　rate　I　felt　quite　certain

that　I　could　carry　her　for　that　distance。　Stooping　down；　I　lifted

her　up；　signing　to　her　to　put　her　arms　round　my　neck；　which　she

did。　Then　calling　to　Bickley　and　Bastin　to　bring　along　the

Ancient　between　them；　with　some　difficulty　I　struggled　out　of　the

sepulchre；　and　started　down　the　cave。　She　was　more　heavy　than　I

thought；　and　yet　I　could　have　wished　the　journey　longer。　To　begin

with　she　seemed　quite　trustful　and　happy　in　my　arms；　where　she

lay　with　her　head　against　my　shoulder；　smiling　a　little　as　a

child　might　do；　especially　when　I　had　to　stop　and　throw　her　long

hair　round　my　neck　like　a　muffler；　to　prevent　it　from　trailing　in

the　dust。



A　bundle　of　lavender；　or　a　truss　of　new…mown　hay；　could　not

have　been　more　sweet　to　carry　and　there　was　something　electric

about　the　touch　of　her；　which　went