when the world shook-第37节

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rest？〃



〃If　you　ask　me；　Bickley；　I　see　no　particular　reason　to　doubt　it

at　present。　A　person　who　can　go　to　sleep　in　a　glass　coffin　kept

warm　by　a　pocketful　of　radium　together　with　very　accurate　maps　of

the　constellations　at　the　time　he　wakes　up；　can；　I　imagine；　do

most　things。〃



〃Even　cause　the　Deluge；〃　jeered　Bickley。



〃I　don't　know　about　the　Deluge；　but　perhaps　he　may　have　been

permitted　to　cause　a　deluge。　Why　not？　You　can't　look　at　things

from　far　enough　off；　Bickley。　And　if　something　seems　big　to　you；

you　conclude　that　therefore　it　is　impossible。　The　same　Power

which　gives　you　skill　to　succeed　in　an　operation；　that　hitherto

was　held　impracticable；　as　I　know　you　have　done　once　or　twice；

may　have　given　that　old　fellow　power　to　cause　a　deluge。　You

should　measure　the　universe　and　its　possibilities　by　worlds　and

not　by　acres；　Bickley。〃



〃And　believe；　I　suppose；　that　a　man　can　live　a　thousand　years；

whereas　we　know　well　that　he　cannot　live　more　than　about　a

hundred。〃



〃You　don't　know　anything　of　the　sort；　Bickley。　All　you　know　is

that　over　the　brief　period　of　history　with　which　we　are

acquainted；　say　ten　thousand　years　at　most；　men　have　only　lived

to　about　a　hundred。　But　the　very　rocks　which　you　are　so　fond　of

talking　about；　tell　us　that　even　this　planet　is　millions　upon

millions　of　years　of　age。　Who　knows　then　but　that　at　some　time　in

its　history；　men　did　not　live　for　a　thousand　years；　and　that　lost

civilisations　did　not　exist　of　which　this　Oro　and　his　daughter

may　be　two　survivors？〃



〃There　is　no　proof　of　anything　of　the　sort；〃　said　Bickley。



〃I　don't　know　about　proof；　as　you　understand　it；　though　I　have

read　in　Plato　of　a　continent　called　Atlantis　that　was　submerged；

according　to　the　story　of　old　Egyptian　priests。　But　personally　I

have　every　proof；　for　it　is　all　written　down　in　the　Bible　at

which　you　turn　tip　your　nose；　and　I　am　very　glad　that　I　have　been

lucky　enough　to　come　across　this　unexpected　confirmation　of　the

story。　Not　that　it　matters　much；　since　I　should　have　learned　all

about　it　when　it　pleases　Providence　to　remove　me　to　a　better

world；　which　in　our　circumstances　may　happen　any　day。　Now　I　must

change　my　clothes　before　I　see　to　the　cooking　and　other　things。〃



〃I　am　bound　to　admit；〃　said　Bickley；　looking　after　him；　〃that

old　Bastin　is　not　so　stupid　as　he　seems。　From　his　point　of　view

the　arguments　he　advances　are　quite　logical。　Moreover　I　think　he

is　right　when　he　says　that　we　look　at　things　through　the　wrong

end　of　the　telescope。　After　all　the　universe　is　very　big　and　who

knows　what　may　happen　there？　Who　knows　even　what　may　have

happened　on　this　little　earth　during　the　aeons　of　its　existence；

whenever　its　balance　chanced　to　shift；　as　the　Ice　Ages　show　us　it

has　often　done？　Still　I　believe　that　old　Oro　to　be　a　Prince　of

Liars。〃



〃That　remains　to　be　proved；〃　I　answered　cautiously。　〃All　I　know

is　that　he　is　a　wonderfully　learned　person　of　most　remarkable

appearance；　and　that　his　daughter　is　the　loveliest　creature　I

ever　saw。〃



〃There　I　agree；〃　said　Bickley　decidedly；　〃and　as　brilliant　as

she　is　lovely。　If　she　belongs　to　a　past　civilisation；　it　is　a

pity　that　it　ever　became　extinct。　Now　let's　go　and　have　a　nap。

Bastin　will　call　us　when　supper　is　ready。〃







Chapter　XIV



The　Under…world





That　night　we　slept　well　and　without　fear；　being　quite　certain

that　after　their　previous　experience　the　Orofenans　would　make　no

further　attempts　upon　us。　Indeed　our　only　anxiety　was　for　Tommy；

whom　we　could　not　find　when　the　time　came　to　give　him　his　supper。

Bastin；　however；　seemed　to　remember　having　seen　him　following　the

Glittering　Lady　into　the　cave。　This；　of　course；　was　possible；　as

certainly　he　had　taken　an　enormous　fancy　to　her　and　sat　himself

down　as　close　to　her　as　he　could　on　every　occasion。　He　even

seemed　to　like　the　ancient　Oro；　and　was　not　afraid　to　jump　up　and

plant　his　dirty　paws　upon　that　terrific　person's　gorgeous　robe。

Moreover　Oro　liked　him；　for　several　times　I　observed　him　pat　the

dog　upon　the　head；　as　I　think　I　have　said；　the　only　human　touch

that　I　had　perceived　about　him。　So　we　gave　up　searching　and

calling　in　the　hope　that　he　was　safe　with　our　supernatural

friends。



The　next　morning　quite　early　the　Lady　Yva　appeared　alone；　no；

not　alone；　for　with　her　came　our　lost　Tommy　looking　extremely

spry　and　well　at　ease。　The　faithless　little　wretch　just　greeted

us　in　a　casual　fashion　and　then　went　and　sat　by　Yva。　In　fact　when

the　awkward　Bastin　managed　to　stumble　over　the　end　of　her　dress

Tommy　growled　at　him　and　showed　his　teeth。　Moreover　the　do　was

changed。　He　was　blessed　with　a　shiny　black　coat；　but　now　this

coat　sparkled　in　the　sunlight；　like　the　Lady　Yva's　hair。



〃The　Glittering　Lady　is　all　very　well；　but　I'm　not　sure　that　I

care　for　a　glittering　dog。　It　doesn't　look　quite　natural；〃　said

Bastin；　contemplating　him。



〃Why　does　Tommy　shine；　Lady？〃　I　asked。



〃Because　I　washed　him　in　certain　waters　that　we　have；　so　that

now　he　looks　beautiful　and　smells　sweet；〃　she　answered；　laughing。



It　was　true；　the　dog　did　smell　sweet；　which　I　may　add　had　not

always　been　the　case　with　him；　especially　when　there　were　dead

fish　about。　Also　he　appeared　to　have　been　fed；　for　he　turned　up

his　nose　at　the　bits　we　had　saved　for　his　breakfast。



〃He　has　drunk　of　the　Life…water；〃　explained　Yva；　〃and　will　want

no　food　for　two　days。〃



Bickley　pricked　up　his　ears　at　this　statement　and　looked

incredulous。



〃You　do　not　believe；　O　Bickley；〃　she　said；　studying　him

gravely。　〃Indeed；　you　believe　nothing。　You　think　my　father　and　I

tell　you　many　lies。　Bastin　there；　he　believes　all。　Humphrey？　He

is　not　sure；　he　thinks　to　himself；　I　will　wait　and　find　out

whether　or　ho　these　funny　people　cheat　me。〃



Bickley　coloured　and　made　some　remark　about　things　which　were

contrary　to　experience；　also　that　Tommy　in　a　general　way　was

rather　a　greedy　little　dog。



〃You；　too；　like　to　eat；　Bickley〃　（this　was　true；　he　had　an

excellent　appetite）；　〃but　when　you　have　drunk　the　Life…water　you

will　care　much　less。〃



〃I　am　glad　to　hear　it；〃　interrupted　Bastin；　〃for　Bickley　wants

a　lot　of　cooking　done；　and　I　find　it　tedious。〃



〃You　eat　also；　Lady；〃　said　Bickley。



〃Yes；　I　eat　sometimes　because　I　like　it；　but　I　can　go　weeks　and

not　eat；　when　I　have　the　Life…water。　Just　now；　after　so　long　a

sleep；　I　am　hungry。　Please　give　me　some　of　that　fruit。　No；　not

the　flesh；　flesh　I　hate。〃



We　handed　it　to　her。　She　took　two　plantains；　peeled　and　ate

them　with　extraordinary　grace。　Indeed　she　reminded　me；　I　do　not

know　why；　of　some　lovely　butterfly　drawing　its　food　from　a

flower。



While　she　ate　she　observed　us　closely；　nothing　seemed　to　escape

the　quick　glances　of　those　beautiful　eyes。　Presently　she　said：



〃What；　O　Humphrey；　is　that　with　which　you　fasten　your

neckdress？〃　and　she　pointed　to　the　little　gold　statue　of　Osiris

that　I　used　as　a　pin。



I　told　her　that　it　was　a　statuette　of　a　god　named　Osiris　and

very；　very　ancient；　probably　quite　five　thousand　years　old；　a

statement　at　which　she　smiled　a　little；　also　that　it　came　from

Egypt。



〃Ah！〃　she　answered；　〃is　it　so？　I　asked　because　we　have　figures

that　are　very　like　to　that　one；　and　they　also　hold　in　their　hands

a　staff　surmounted　by　a　loop。　They　are　figures　of　Sleep's

brotherDeath。〃



〃So　is　this；〃　I　said。　〃Among　the　Egyptians　Osiris　was　the　god

of　Death。〃



She　nodded　and　replied　that　doubtless　the　symbol　had　come　down

to　them。



〃One　day　you　shall　take　me　to　see　this　land　which　you　call　so

very　old。　Or　I　will　take　you；　which　would　be　quicker；〃　she　added。



We　all　bowed　and　said　we　should　be　delighted。　Even　Bastin

appeared　anxious　to　revisit　Egypt　in　such　company；　though　when　he

was　there　it　seemed　to　bore　him。　But　what　she　meant　about　taking

us　I　could　not　guess。　Nor　had　we　time　to　ask　her；　for　she　went

on；　watching　our　faces　as　she　spoke。



〃The　Lord　Oro　sends　you　a　message；　Strangers。　He　asks　whether

it　is　your　wish　to　see　where　we　dwell。　He　adds　that　you　are　not

to　come　if　you　do　not　desire；　or　if　you　fear　danger。〃



We　all　answered　that　there　was　nothing　we　should　like　better；

but　Bastin　added　that　he　had　already　seen　the　tomb。



〃Do　you　think；　Bastin；　that　we　live　in　a　tomb　because　we　slept

there　for　a　while；　awaiting　the　advent　of　you　wanderers　at　the

appointed　hour？〃



〃I　don't　see　where　else　it　could　be；　unless　it　is　further　down

that　cave；〃　said　Bastin。　〃The　top　of　the　mountain　would　not　be

convenient　as　a　residence。〃



〃It　has　not　been　convenient　for　many　an　age；　for　reasons　that　I

will　show　you。　Think　now；　before　you　come。　You　have　naught　to

fear　from　us；　and　I　believe　that　no　harm　will　happen　to　you。　But

you　will　see　many　strange　things　that　will　anger　Bickley　because

he　cannot　understand　them；　and　perhaps　will　weary　Bastin　because

his　heart　turns　from　what　is　wondr