when the world shook-第40节

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presence　of　a　Being　Supernatural。　Doubtless　the　surroundings

heightened　this　impression。　What　were　these　mighty　edifices　in

the　bowels　of　the　world？　When　came　this　wondrous；　all…pervading

and　translucent　light；　whereof　we　could　see　no　origin？　Whither

had　vanished　those　who　had　reared　and　inhabited　them？　How　did　it

happen　that　of　them　all；　this　man；　if　he　were　a　man；　and　this

lovely　woman　at　my　side；　who；　if　I　might　trust　my　senses　and

instincts；　was　certainly　a　woman；　alone　survived　of　their

departed　multitudes？



The　thing　was　crushing。　I　looked　at　Bickley　for　encouragement；

but　got　none；　for　he　only　shook　his　head。　Even　Bastin；　now　that

the　first　effects　of　the　Life…water　had　departed；　seemed

overwhelmed；　and　muttered　something　about　the　halls　of　Hades。



Only　the　little　dog　Tommy　remained　quite　cheerful。　He　trotted

down　the　hall；　jumped　on　to　the　dais　and　sat　himself　comfortably

at　the　feet　of　its　occupant。



〃I　greet　you；〃　Oro　said　in　his　slow；　resonant　voice。　〃Daughter；

lead　these　strangers　to　me；　I　would　speak　with　them。〃







Chapter　XV



Oro　in　His　House





We　climbed　on　to　the　dais　by　some　marble　steps；　and　sat

ourselves　down　in　four　curious　chairs　of　metal　that　were　more　or

less　copied　from　that　which　served　Oro　as　a　throne；　at　least　the

arms　ended　in　graven　heads　of　snakes。　These　chairs　were　so

comfortable　that　I　concluded　the　seats　were　fixed　on　springs；

also　we　noticed　that　they　were　beautifully　polished。



〃I　wonder　how　they　keep　everything　so　clean；〃　said　Bastin　as　we

mounted　the　dais。　〃In　this　big　place　it　must　take　a　lot　of

housemaids；　though　I　don't　see　any。　But　perhaps　there　is　no　dust

here。〃



I　shrugged　my　shoulders　while　we　seated　ourselves；　the　Lady　Yva

and　I　on　Oro's　right；　Bickley　and　Bastin　on　his　left；　as　he

indicated　by　pointing　with　his　finger。



〃What　say　you　of　this　city？〃　Oro　asked　after　a　while　of　me。



〃We　do　not　know　what　to　say；〃　I　replied。　〃It　amazes　us。　In　our

world　there　is　nothing　like　to　it。〃



〃Perchance　there　will　be　in　the　future　when　the　nations　grow

more　skilled　in　the　arts　of　war；〃　said　Oro　darkly。



〃Be　pleased；　Lord　Oro；〃　I　went　on；　〃if　it　is　your　will；　to　tell

us　why　the　people　who　built　this　place　chose　to　live　in　the

bowels　of　the　earth　instead　of　upon　its　surface。〃



〃They　did　not　choose；　it　was　forced　upon　them；〃　was　the　answer。

〃This　is　a　city　of　refuge　that　they　occupied　in　time　of　war；　not

because　they　hated　the　sun。　In　time　of　peace　and　before　the

Barbarians　dared　to　attack　them；　they　dwelt　in　the　city　Pani

which　signifies　Above。　You　may　have　noted　some　of　its　remaining

ruins　on　the　mount　and　throughout　the　island。　The　rest　of　them

are　now　beneath　the　sea。　But　when　trouble　came　and　the　foe　rained

fire　on　them　from　the　air；　they　retreated　to　this　town；　Nyo；

which　signifies　Beneath。〃



〃And　then？〃



〃And　then　they　died。　The　Water　of　Life　may　prolong　life；　but　it

cannot　make　women　bear　children。　That　they　will　only　do　beneath

the　blue　of　heaven；　not　deep　in　the　belly　of　the　world　where

Nature　never　designed　that　they　should　dwell。　How　would　the

voices　of　children　sound　in　such　halls　as　these？　Tell　me；　you；

Bickley；　who　are　a　physician。〃



〃I　cannot。　I　cannot　imagine　children　in　such　a　place；　and　if

born　here　they　would　die；〃　said　Bickley。



Oro　nodded。



〃They　did　die；　and　if　they　went　above　to　Pani　they　were

murdered。　So　soon　the　habit　of　birth　was　lost　and　the　Sons　of

Wisdom　perished　one　by　one。　Yes；　they　who　ruled　the　world　and　by

tens　of　thousands　of　years　of　toil　had　gathered　into　their　bosoms

all　the　secrets　of　the　world；　perished；　till　only　a　few；　and

among　them　I　and　this　daughter　of　mine；　were　left。〃



〃And　then？〃



〃Then；　Humphrey；　having　power　so　to　do；　I　did　what　long　I　had

threatened；　and　unchained　the　forces　that　work　at　the　world's

heart；　and　destroyed　them　who　were　my　enemies　and　evil；　so　that

they　perished　by　millions；　and　with　them　all　their　works。

Afterwards　we　slept；　leaving　the　others；　our　subjects　who　had　not

the　secret　of　this　Sleep；　to　die；　as　doubtless　they　did　in　the

course　of　Nature　or　by　the　hand　of　the　foe。　The　rest　you　know。〃



〃Can　such　a　thing　happen　again？〃　asked　Bickley　in　a　voice　that

did　not　hide　his　disbelief。



〃Why　do　you　question　me；　Bickley；　you　who　believe　nothing　of

what　I　tell　you；　and　therefore　make　wrath？　Still　I　will　say　this；

that　what　I　caused　to　happen　I　can　cause　once　moreonly　once；　I

thinkas　perchance　you　shall　learn　before　all　is　done。　Now；

since　you　do　not　believe；　I　will　tell　you　no　more　of　our

mysteries；　no；　not　whence　this　light　comes　nor　what　are　the

properties　of　the　Water　of　Life；　both　of　which　you　long　to　know；

nor　how　to　preserve　the　vital　spark　of　Being　in　the　grave　of

dreamless　sleep；　like　a　live　jewel　in　a　casket　of　dead　stone；　nor

aught　else。　As　to　these　matters；　Daughter；　I　bid　you　also　to　be

silent；　since　Bickley　mocks　at　us。　Yes；　with　all　this　around　him；

he　who　saw　us　rise　from　the　coffins；　still　mocks　at　us　in　his

heart。　Therefore　let　him；　this　little　man　of　a　little　day；　when

his　few　years　are　done　go　to　the　tomb　in　ignorance；　and　his

companions　with　him；　they　who　might　have　been　as　wise　as　I　am。〃



Thus　Oro　spoke　in　a　voice　of　icy　rage；　his　deep　eyes　glowing

like　coals。　Hearing　him　I　cursed　Bickley　in　my　heart　for　I　was

sure　that　once　spoken；　his　decree　was　like　to　that　of　the　Medes

and　Persians　and　could　not　be　altered。　Bickley；　however；　was　not

in　the　least　dismayed。　Indeed　he　argued　the　point。　He　told　Oro

straight　out　that　he　would　not　believe　in　the　impossible　until　it

had　been　shown　to　him　to　be　possible；　and　that　the　law　of　Nature

never　had　been　and　never　could　be　violated。　It　was　no　answer；　he

said；　to　show　him　wonders　without　explaining　their　cause；　since

all　that　he　seemed　to　see　might　be　but　mental　illusions　produced

he　knew　not　how。



Oro　listened　patiently；　then　answered：



〃Good。　So　be　it；　they　are　illusions。　I　am　an　illusion；　those

savages　who　died　upon　the　rock　will　tell　you　so。　This　fair　woman

before　you　is　an　illusion；　Humphrey；　I　am　sure；　knows　it　as　you

will　also　before　you　have　done　with　her。　These　halls　are

illusions。　Live　on　in　your　illusions；　O　little　man　of　science；

who　because　you　see　the　face　of　things；　think　that　you　know　the

body　and　the　heart；　and　can　read　the　soul　at　work　within。　You　are

a　worthy　child　of　tens　of　thousands　of　your　breed　who　were　before

you　and　are　now　forgotten。〃



Bickley　looked　up　to　answer；　then　changed　his　mind　and　was

silent；　thinking　further　argument　dangerous；　and　Oro　went　on：



〃Now　I　differ　from　you；　Bickley；　in　this　way。　I　who　have　more

wisdom　in　my　finger…point　than　you　with　all　the　physicians　of

your　world　added　to　you；　have　in　your　brains　and　bodies；　yet

desire　to　learn　from　those　who　can　give　me　knowledge。　I

understand　from　your　words　to　my　daughter　that　you；　Bastin；　teach

a　faith　that　is　new　to　me；　and　that　this　faith　tells　of　life

eternal　for　the　children　of　earth。　Is　it　so？〃



〃It　is；〃　said　Bastin　eagerly。　〃I　will　set　out〃



Oro　cut　him　short　with　a　wave　of　the　hand。



〃Not　now　in　the　presence　of　Bickley　who　doubtless　disbelieves

your　faith；　as　he　does　all　else；　holding　it　with　justice　or

without；　to　be　but　another　illusion。　Yet　you　shall　teach　me　and

on　it　I　will　form　my　own　judgment。〃



〃I　shall　be　delighted；〃　said　Bastin。　Then　a　doubt　struck　him；

and　he　added：　〃But　why　do　you　wish　to　learn？　Not　that　you　may

make　a　mock　of　my　religion；　is　it？〃



〃I　mock　at　no　man's　belief；　because　I　think　that　what　men

believe　is　truefor　them。　I　will　tell　you　why　I　wish　to　hear　of

yours；　since　I　never　hide　the　truth。　I　who　am　so　wise　and　old；

yet　must　die；　though　that　time　may　be　far　away；　still　I　must　die；

for　such　is　the　lot　of　man　born　of　woman。　And　I　do　not　desire　to

die。　Therefore　I　shall　rejoice　to　learn　of　any　faith　that

promises　to　the　children　of　earth　a　life　eternal　beyond　the

earth。　Tomorrow　you　shall　begin　to　teach　me。　Now　leave　me；

Strangers；　for　I　have　much　to　do；〃　and　he　waved　his　hand　towards

the　table。



We　rose　and　bowed；　wondering　what　he　could　have　to　do　down　in

this　luminous　hole；　he　who　had　been　for　so　many　thousands　of

years　out　of　touch　with　the　world。　It　occurred　to　me；　however；

that　during　this　long　period　he　might　have　got　in　touch　with

other　worlds；　indeed　he　looked　like　it。



〃Wait；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　something　to　tell　you。　I　have　been

studying　this　book　of　writings；　or　world　pictures；〃　and　he

pointed　to　my　atlas　which；　as　I　now　observed　for　the　first　time；

was　also　lying　upon　the　table。　〃It　interests　me　much。　Your

country　is　small；　very　small。　When　I　caused　it　to　be　raised　up　I

think　that　it　was　larger；　but　since　then　that　seas　have　flowed

in。〃



Here　Bickley　groaned　aloud。



〃This　one　is　much　greater；〃　went　on　Oro；　casting　a　glance　at

Bickley　that　must　have　penetrated　him　like　a　searchlight。　Then　he