when the world shook-第30节

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have　been　more　sweet　to　carry　and　there　was　something　electric

about　the　touch　of　her；　which　went　through　and　through　me。　Very

soon　it　was　over；　and　we　were　out　of　the　cave　into　the　full　glory

of　the　tropical　sun。　At　first；　that　her　eyes　might　become

accustomed　to　its　light　and　her　awakened　body　to　its　heat；　I　set

her　down　where　shadow　fell　from　the　overhanging　rock；　in　a　canvas

deck　chair　that　had　been　brought　by　Marama　with　the　other　things；

throwing　the　rug　about　her　to　protect　her　from　such　wind　as　there

was。　She　nestled　gratefully　into　the　soft　seat　and　shut　her　eyes；

for　the　motion　had　tired　her。　I　noted；　however；　that　she　drew　in

the　sweet　air　with　long　breaths。



Then　I　turned　to　observe　the　arrival　of　the　Ancient；　who　was

being　borne　between　Bickley　and　Bastin　in　what　children　know　as　a

dandy…chair；　which　is　formed　by　two　people　crossing　their　hands

in　a　peculiar　fashion。　It　says　much　for　the　tremendous　dignity　of

his　presence　that　even　thus；　with　one　arm　round　the　neck　of

Bickley　and　the　other　round　that　of　Bastin；　and　his　long　white

beard　falling　almost　to　the　ground；　he　still　looked　most

imposing。



Unfortunately；　however；　just　as　they　were　emerging　from　the

cave；　Bastin；　always　the　most　awkward　of　creatures；　managed　to

leave　hold　with　one　hand；　so　that　his　passenger　nearly　came　to

the　ground。　Never　shall　I　forget　the　look　that　he　gave　him。

Indeed；　I　think　that　from　this　moment　he　hated　Bastin。　Bickley　he

respected　as　a　man　of　intelligence　and　learning；　although　in

comparison　with　his　own；　the　latter　was　infantile　and　crude；　me

he　tolerated　and　even　liked；　but　Bastin　he　detested。　The　only　one

of　our　party　for　whom　he　felt　anything　approaching　real　affection

was　the　spaniel　Tommy。



We　set　him　down；　fortunately　uninjured；　on　some　rugs；　and　also

in　the　shadow。　Then；　after　a　little　while；　we　moved　both　of　them

into　the　sun。　It　was　quite　curious　to　see　them　expand　there。　As

Bickley　said；　what　happened　to　them　might　well　be　compared　to　the

development　of　a　butterfly　which　has　just　broken　from　the　living

grave　of　its　chrysalis　and　crept　into　the　full；　hot　radiance　of

the　light。　Its　crinkled　wings　unfold；　their　brilliant　tints

develop；　in　an　hour　or　two　it　is　perfect；　glorious；　prepared　for

life　and　flight；　a　new　creature。



So　it　was　with　this　pair；　from　moment　to　moment　they　gathered

strength　and　vigour。　Near…by　to　them；　as　it　happened；　stood　a

large　basket　of　the　luscious　native　fruits　brought　that　morning

by　the　Orofenans；　and　at　these　the　Lady　looked　with　longing。　With

Bickley's　permission；　I　offered　them　to　her　and　to　the　Ancient；

first　peeling　them　with　my　fingers。　They　ate　of　them　greedily；　a

full　meal；　and　would　have　gone　on　had　not　the　stern　Bickley；

fearing　untoward　consequences；　removed　the　basket。　Again　the

results　were　wonderful；　for　half　an　hour　afterwards　they　seemed

to　be　quite　strong。　With　my　assistance　the　Glittering　Lady；　as　I

still　call　her；　for　at　that　time　I　did　not　know　her　name；　rose

from　the　chair；　and；　leaning　on　me；　tottered　a　few　steps　forward。

Then　she　stood　looking　at　the　sky　and　all　the　lovely　panorama　of

nature　beneath；　and　stretching　out　her　arms　as　though　in　worship。

Oh！　how　beautiful　she　seemed　with　the　sunlight　shining　on　her

heavenly　face！



Now　for　the　first　time　I　heard　her　voice。　It　was　soft　and　deep；

yet　in　it　was　a　curious　bell…like　tone　that　seemed　to　vibrate

like　the　sound　of　chimes　heard　from　far　away。　Never　have　I

listened　to　such　another　voice。　She　pointed　to　the　sun　whereof

the　light　turned　her　radiant　hair　and　garments　to　a　kind　of

golden　glory；　and　called　it　by　some　name　that　I　could　not

understand。　I　shook　my　head；　whereon　she　gave　it　a　different　name

taken；　I　suppose；　from　another　language。　Again　I　shook　my　head

and　she　tried　a　third　time。　To　my　delight　this　word　was

practically　the　same　that　the　Orofenans　used　for　〃sun。〃



〃Yes；〃　I　said；　speaking　very　slowly；　〃so　it　is　called　by　the

people　of　this　land。〃



She　understood；　for　she　answered　in　much　the　same　language：



〃What；　then；　do　you　call　it？〃



〃Sun　in　the　English　tongue；〃　I　replied。



〃Sun。　English；〃　she　repeated　after　me；　then　added；　〃How　are　you

named；　Wanderer？〃



〃Humphrey；〃　I　answered。



〃Hum膄e…膔y！〃　she　said　as　though　she　were　learning　the　word；

〃and　those？〃



〃Bastin　and　Bickley；〃　I　replied。



Over　these　patronymics　she　shook　her　head；　as　yet　they　were　too

much　for　her。



〃How　are　you　named；　Sleeper？〃　I　asked。



〃Yva；〃　she　answered。



〃A　beautiful　name　for　one　who　is　beautiful；〃　I　declared　with

enthusiasm；　of　course　always　in　the　rich　Orofenan　dialect　which

by　now　I　could　talk　well　enough。



She　repeated　the　words　once　or　twice；　then　of　a　sudden　caught

their　meaning；　for　she　smiled　and　even　coloured；　saying　hastily

with　a　wave　of　her　hand　towards　the　Ancient　who　stood　at　a

distance　between　Bastin　and　Bickley；　〃My　father；　Oro；　great　man；

great　king；　great　god！〃



At　this　information　I　started；　for　it　was　startling　to　learn

that　here　was　the　original　Oro；　who　was　still　worshipped　by　the

Orofenans；　although　of　his　actual　existence　they　had　known

nothing　for　uncounted　time。　Also　I　was　glad　to　learn　that　he　was

her　father　and　not　her　old　husband；　for　to　me　that　would　have

been　horrible；　a　desecration　too　deep　for　words。



〃How　long　did　you　sleep；　Yva？〃　I　asked；　pointing　towards　the

sepulchre　in　the　cave。



After　a　little　thought　she　understood　and　shook　her　head

hopelessly；　then　by　an　afterthought；　she　said；



〃Stars　tell　Oro　to…night。〃



So　Oro　was　an　astronomer　as　well　as　a　king　and　a　god。　I　had

guessed　as　much　from　those　plates　in　the　coffin　which　seemed　to

have　stars　engraved　on　them。



At　this　point　our　conversation　came　to　an　end；　for　the　Ancient

himself　approached；　leaning　on　the　arm　of　Bickley　who　was　engaged

in　an　animated　argument　with　Bastin。



〃For　Heaven's　sake！〃　said　Bickley；　〃keep　your　theology　to

yourself　at　present。　If　you　upset　the　old　fellow　and　put　him　in　a

temper　he　may　die。〃



〃If　a　man　tells　me　that　he　is　a　god　it　is　my　duty　to　tell　him

that　he　is　a　liar；〃　replied　Bastin　obstinately。



〃Which　you　did；　Bastin；　only　fortunately　he　did　not　understand

you。　But　for　your　own　sake　I　advise　you　not　to　take　liberties。　He

is　not　one；　I　think；　with　whom　it　is　wise　to　trifle。　I　think　he

seems　thirsty。　Go　and　get　some　water　from　the　rain　pool；　not　from

the　lake。〃



Bastin　departed　and　presently　returned　with　an　aluminum　jug

full　of　pure　water　and　a　glass。　Bickley　poured　some　of　it　into　a

glass　and　handed　it　to　Yva　who　bent　her　head　in　thanks。　Then　she

did　a　curious　thing。　Having　first　lifted　the　glass　with　both

hands　to　the　sky　and　held　it　so　for　a　few　seconds；　she　turned　and

with　an　obeisance　poured　a　little　of　it　on　the　ground　before　her

father's　feet。



A　libation；　thought　I　to　myself；　and　evidently　Bastin　agreed

with　me；　for　I　heard　him　mutter；



〃I　believe　she　is　making　a　heathen　offering。〃



Doubtless　we　were　right；　for　Oro　accepted　the　homage　by　a

little　motion　of　the　head。　After　this；　at　a　sign　from　him　she

drank　the　water。　Then　the　glass　was　refilled　and　handed　to　Oro

who　also　held　it　towards　the　sky。　He；　however；　made　no　libation

but　drank　at　once；　two　tumblers　of　it　in　rapid　succession。



By　now　the　direct　sunlight　was　passing　from　the　mouth　of　the

cave；　and　though　it　was　hot　enough；　both　of　them　shivered　a

little。　They　spoke　together　in　some　language　of　which　we　could

not　understand　a　word；　as　though　they　were　debating　what　their

course　of　action　should　be。　The　dispute　was　long　and　earnest。　Had

we　known　what　was　passing；　which　I　learned　afterwards；　it　would

have　made　us　sufficiently　anxious；　for　the　point　at　issue　was

nothing　less　than　whether　we　should　or　should　not　be　forthwith

destroyedan　end；　it　appears；　that　Oro　was　quite　capable　of

bringing　about　if　he　so　pleased。　Yva；　however；　had　very　clear

views　of　her　own　on　the　matter　and；　as　I　gather；　even　dared　to

threaten　that　she　would　protect　us　by　the　use　of　certain　powers

at　her　command；　though　what　these　were　I　do　not　know。



While　the　event　hung　doubtful　Tommy；　who　was　growing　bored　with

these　long　proceedings；　picked　up　a　bough　still　covered　with

flowers　which；　after　their　pretty　fashion；　the　Orofenans　had

placed　on　the　top　of　one　of　the　baskets　of　food。　This　small　bough

he　brought　and　laid　at　the　feet　of　Oro；　no　doubt　in　the　hope　that

he　would　throw　it　for　him　to　fetch；　a　game　in　which　the　dog

delighted。　For　some　reason　Oro　saw　an　omen　in　this　simple　canine

performance；　or　he　may　have　thought　that　the　dog　was　making　an

offering　to　him；　for　he　put　his　thin　hand　to　his　brow　and　thought

a　while；　then　motioned　to　Bastin　to　pick　up　the　bough　and　give　it

to　him。



Next　he　spoke　to　his　daughter　as　though　assenting　to　something；

for　I　saw　her　sigh　in　relief。　No　wonder；　for　he　was　conveying　his

decision　to　spare　our　lives　and　admi