when the world shook-第52节

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salt？　I　could　have　wished　to　excel　in　something；　literature　or

art；　or　whatever　it　might　be；　and　thus　to　ensure　the　memory　of　my

name　in　the　world。



Of　course　this　is　a　most　futile　desire；　seeing　that　soon　or

late　every　name　must　fade　out　of　the　world　like　an　unfixed

photograph　which　is　exposed　to　the　sun。　Even　if　it　could　endure；

as　the　old　demigod；　or　demidevil；　Oro；　had　pointed　out；　very

shortly；　by　comparison　with　Time's　unmeasured　vastness；　the　whole

solar　system　will　also　fade。　So　of　what　use　is　this　feeble　love

of　fame　and　this　vain　attempt　to　be　remembered　that　animates　us

so　strongly？　Moreover；　the　idea　of　enjoying　mere　temporal　as

opposed　to　intellectual　power；　appealed　to　me　not　at　all。　I　am　a

student　of　history　and　I　know　what　has　been　the　lot　of　kings　and

the　evil　that；　often　enough；　they　work　in　their　little　day。



Also　if　I　needed　any　further　example；　there　was　that　of　Oro

himself。　He　had　outlived　the　greatness　of　his　House；　as　a　royal

family　is　called；　and　after　some　gigantic　murder；　if　his　own

story　was　to　be　believed；　indulged　in　a　prolonged　sleep。　Now　he

awoke　to　find　himself　quite　alone　in　the　world；　save　for　a

daughter　with　whom　he　did　not　agree　or　sympathise。　In　short；　he

was　but　a　kind　of　animated　mummy　inspired　by　one　idea　which　I

felt　quite　sure　would　be　disappointed；　namely；　to　renew　his

former　greatness。　To　me　he　seemed　as　miserable　a　figure　as　one

could　imagine；　brooding　and　plotting　in　his　illuminated　cave；　at

the　end　of　an　extended　but　misspent　life。



Also　I　wondered　what　he；　or　rather　his　ego；　had　been　doing

during　all　those　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　years　of　sleep。

Possibly　if　Yva's　theory；　as　I　understood　it；　were　correct；　he

had　reincarnated　as　Attila；　or　Tamerlane；　or　Napoleon；　or　even　as

Chaka　the　terrible　Zulu　king。　At　any　rate　there　he　was　still　in

the　world；　filled　with　the　dread　of　death；　but　consumed　now　as

ever　by　his　insatiable　and　most　useless　finite　ambitions。



Yva；　also！　Her　case　was　his；　but　yet　how　different。　In　all　this

long　night　of　Time　she　had　but　ripened　into　one　of　the　sweetest

and　most　gentle　women　that　ever　the　world　bore。　She；　too；　was

great　in　her　way；　it　appeared　in　her　every　word　and　gesture；　but

where　was　the　ferocity　of　her　father？　Where　his　desire　to　reach

to　splendour　by　treading　on　a　blood…stained　road　paved　with

broken　human　hearts？　It　did　not　exist。　Her　nature　was　different

although　her　body　came　of　a　long　line　of　these　power…loving

kings。　Why　this　profound　difference　of　the　spirit？　Like

everything　else　it　was　a　mystery。　The　two　were　as　far　apart　as

the　Poles。　Everyone　must　have　hated　Oro；　from　the　beginning；

however　much　he　feared　him；　but　everyone　who　came　in　touch　with

her　must　have　loved　Yva。





Here　I　may　break　into　my　personal　narrative　to　say　that　this；

by　their　own　confession；　proved　to　be　true　of　two　such　various

persons　as　Bastin　and　Bickley。



〃The　truth；　which　I　am　sure　it　would　be　wrong　to　hide　from　you；

Arbuthnot；〃　said　the　former　to　me　one　day；　〃is　that　during　your

long　illness　I　fell　in　love；　I　suppose　that　is　the　right　word；

with　the　Glittering　Lady。　After　thinking　the　matter　over　also；　I

conceived　that　it　would　be　proper　to　tell　her　so　if　only　to　clear

the　air　and　prevent　future　misunderstandings。　As　I　remarked　to

her　on　that　occasion；　I　had　hesitated　long；　as　I　was　not　certain

how　she　would　fill　the　place　of　the　wife　of　the　incumbent　of　an

English　parish。〃



〃Mothers'　Meetings；　and　the　rest；〃　I　suggested。



〃Exactly　so；　Arbuthnot。　Also　there　were　the　views　of　the　Bishop

to　be　considered；　who　might　have　objected　to　the　introduction

into　the　diocese　of　a　striking　person　who　so　recently　had　been　a

heathen；　and　to　one　in　such　strong　contrast　to　my　late　beloved

wife。〃



〃I　suppose　you　didn't　consider　the　late　Mrs。　Bastin's　views　on

the　subject　of　re…marriage。　I　remember　that　they　were　strong；〃　I

remarked　rather　maliciously。



〃No；　I　did　not　think　it　necessary；　since　the　Scriptural

instructions　on　the　matter　are　very　clear；　and　in　another　world

no　doubt　all　jealousies；　even　Sarah's；　will　be　obliterated。　Upon

that　point　my　conscience　was　quite　easy。　So　when　I　found　that；

unlike　her　parent；　the　Lady　Yva　was　much　inclined　to　accept　the

principles　of　the　faith　in　which　it　is　my　privilege　to　instruct

her；　I　thought　it　proper　to　say　to　her　that　if　ultimately　she

made　up　her　mind　to　do　soof　course　this　was　a　sine　qua　nonI

should　be　much　honoured；　and　as　a　man；　not　as　a　priest；　it　would

make　me　most　happy　if　she　would　take　me　as　a　husband。　Of　course　I

explained　to　her　that　I　considered；　under　the　circumstances；　I

could　quite　lawfully　perform　the　marriage　ceremony　myself　with

you　and　Bickley　as　witnesses；　even　should　Oro　refuse　to　give　her

away。　Also　I　told　her　that　although　after　her　varied　experiences

in　the　past；　life　at　Fulcombe；　if　we　could　ever　get　there；　might

be　a　little　monotonous；　still　it　would　not　be　entirely　devoid　of

interest。〃



〃You　mean　Christmas　decorations　and　that　sort　of　thing？〃



〃Yes；　and　choir　treats　and　entertaining　Deputations　and

attending　other　Church　activities。〃



〃Well；　and　what　did　she　say；　Bastin？〃



〃Oh！　she　was　most　kind　and　flattering。　Indeed　that　hour　will

always　remain　the　pleasantest　of　my　life。　I　don't　know　how　it

happened；　but　when　it　was　over　I　felt　quite　delighted　that　she

had　refused　me。　Indeed　on　second　thoughts；　I　am　not　certain　but

that　I　shall　be　much　happier　in　the　capacities　of　a　brother　and

teacher　which　she　asked　me　to　fill；　than　I　should　have　been　as

her　husband。　To　tell　you　the　truth；　Arbuthnot；　there　are　moments

when　I　am　not　sure　whether　I　entirely　understand　the　Lady　Yva。　It

was　rather　like　proposing　to　one's　guardian　angel。〃



〃Yes；〃　I　said；　〃that's　about　it；　old　fellow。　'Guardian　Angel'

is　not　a　bad　name　for　her。〃



Afterwards　I　received　the　confidence　of　Bickley。



〃Look　here；　Arbuthnot；〃　he　said。　〃I　want　to　own　up　to

something。　I　think　I　ought　to；　because　of　certain　things　I　have

observed；　in　order　to　prevent　possible　future　misunderstandings。〃



〃What's　that？〃　I　asked　innocently。



〃Only　this。　As　you　know；　I　have　always　been　a　confirmed

bachelor　on　principle。　Women　introduce　too　many　complications

into　life；　and　although　it　involves　some　sacrifice；　on　the　whole；

I　have　thought　it　best　to　do　without　them　and　leave　the　carrying

on　of　the　world　to　others。〃



〃Well；　what　of　it？　Your　views　are　not　singular；　Bickley。〃



〃Only　this。　While　you　were　ill　the　sweetness　of　that　Lady　Yva

and　her　wonderful　qualities　as　a　nurse　overcame　me。　I　went　to

pieces　all　of　a　sudden。　I　saw　in　her　a　realisation　of　every　ideal

I　had　ever　entertained　of　perfect　womanhood。　So　to　speak；　my

resolves　of　a　lifetime　melted　like　wax　in　the　sun。

Notwithstanding　her　queer　history　and　the　marvels　with　which　she

is　mixed　up；　I　wished　to　marry　her。　No　doubt　her　physical

loveliness　was　at　the　bottom　of　it；　but；　however　that　may　be；

there　it　was。〃



〃She　is　beautiful；〃　I　commented；　〃though　I　daresay　older　than

she　looks。〃



〃That　is　a　point　on　which　I　made　no　inquiries；　and　I　should

advise　you；　when　your　turn　comes；　as　no　doubt　it　will；　to　follow

my　example。　You　know；　Arbuthnot；〃　he　mused；　〃however　lovely　a

woman　may　be；　it　would　put　one　off　if　suddenly　she　announced　that

she　waslet　us　saya　hundred　and　fifty　years　old。〃



〃Yes；〃　I　admitted；　〃for　nobody　wants　to　marry　the　contemporary

of　his　great…grandmother。　However；　she　gave　her　age　as　twenty…

seven　years　and　three　moons。〃



〃And　doubtless　for　once　did　not　tell　the　truth。　But；　as　she

does　not　look　more　than　twenty…five；　I　think　that　we　may　all

agree　to　let　it　stand　at　that；　namely；　twenty…seven；　plus　an

indefinite　period　of　sleep。　At　any　rate；　she　is　a　sweet　and　most

gracious　woman；　apparently　in　the　bloom　of　youth；　and；　to　cut　it

short；　I　fell　in　love　with　her。〃



〃Like　Bastin；〃　I　said。



〃Bastin！〃　exclaimed　Bickley　indignantly。　〃You　don't　mean　to　say

that　clerical　oaf　presumedwell；　well；　after　all；　I　suppose　that

he　is　a　man；　so　one　mustn't　be　hard　on　him。　But　who　could　have

thought　that　he　would　run　so　cunning；　even　when　he　knew　my

sentiments　towards　the　lady？　I　hope　she　told　him　her　mind。〃



〃The　point　is；　what　did　she　tell　you；　Bickley？〃



〃Me？　Oh；　she　was　perfectly　charming！　It　really　was　a　pleasure

to　be　refused　by　her；　she　puts　one　so　thoroughly　at　one's　ease。〃

（Here；　remembering　Bastin　and　his　story；　I　turned　away　my　face　to

hide　a　smile。）　〃She　saidwhat　did　she　say　exactly？　Such　a　lot

that　it　is　difficult　to　remember。　Oh！　that　she　was　not　thinking

of　marriage。　Also；　that　she　had　not　yet　recovered　from　some

recent　love　affair　which　left　her　heart　sore；　since　the　time　of

her　sleep　did　not　count。　Also；　that　her　father　would　never

consent；　and　that　the　mere　idea　of　such　a　thing　would　excite　his

animosity　against　all　of　us。〃



〃Is　that　all？〃　I　asked。



〃Not　quite。　She　adde