when the world shook-第73节

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played。





We　gathered　up　our　gear；　and　while　the　others　were　relighting

the　lanterns；　I　walked　a　few　paces　forward　to　the　spot　where　Yva

had　been　dissolved　in　the　devouring　fire。　Something　caught　my　eye

upon　the　rocky　floor。　I　picked　it　up。　It　was　the　ring；　or　rather

the　remains　of　the　ring　that　I　had　given　her　on　that　night　when

we　declared　our　love　amidst　the　ruins　by　the　crater　lake。　She　had

never　worn　it　on　her　hand　but　for　her　own　reasons；　as　she　told

me；　suspended　it　upon　her　breast　beneath　her　robe。　It　was　an

ancient　ring　that　I　had　bought　in　Egypt；　fashioned　of　gold　in

which　was　set　a　very　hard　basalt　or　other　black　stone。　On　this

was　engraved　the　ank　or　looped　cross；　which　was　the　Egyptian

symbol　of　Life；　and　round　it　a　snake；　the　symbol　of　Eternity。　The

gold　was　for　the　most　part　melted；　but　the　stone；　being　so　hard

and　protected　by　the　shield　and　asbestos　cloak；　for　such　I

suppose　it　was；　had　resisted　the　fury　of　the　flash。　Only　now　it

was　white　instead　of　black；　like　a　burnt　onyx　that　had　known　the

funeral　pyre。　Indeed；　perhaps　it　was　an　onyx。　I　kissed　it　and　hid

it　away；　for　it　seemed　to　me　to　convey　a　greeting　and　with　it　a

promise。



Then　we　started；　a　very　sad　and　dejected　trio。　Leaving　with　a

shudder　that　vast　place　where　the　blue　lights　played　eternally；

we　came　to　the　shaft　up　and　down　which　the　travelling　stone

pursued　its　endless　path；　and　saw　it　arrive　and　depart　again。



〃I　wonder　he　did　not　send　us　that　way；〃　said　Bickley；　pointing

to　it。



〃I　am　sure　I　am　very　glad　it　never　occurred　to　him；〃　answered

Bastin；　〃for　I　am　certain　that　we　could　not　have　made　the　journey

again　without　our　guide；　Yva。〃



I　looked　at　him　and　he　ceased。　Somehow　I　could　not　bear；　as

yet；　to　hear　her　beloved　name　spoken　by　other　lips。



Then　we　entered　the　passage　that　she　pointed　out　to　us；　and

began　a　most　terrible　journey　which；　so　far　as　we　could　judge；

for　we　lost　any　exact　count　of　time；　took　us　about　sixty　hours。

The　road；　it　is　true；　was　smooth　and　unblocked；　but　the　ascent

was　fearfully　steep　and　slippery；　so　much　so　that　often　we　were

obliged　to　pull　each　other　up　it　and　lie　down　to　rest。



Had　it　not　been　for　those　large；　felt…covered　bottles　of　Life…

water；　I　am　sure　we　should　never　have　won　through。　But　this

marvelous　elixir；　drunk　a　little　at　a　time；　always　re…

invigorated　us　and　gave　us　strength　to　push　on。　Also　we　had　some

food；　and　fortunately　our　spare　oil　held　out；　for　the　darkness　in

that　tunnel　was　complete。　Tommy　became　so　exhausted　that　at

length　we　must　carry　him　by　turns。　He　would　have　died　had　it　not

been　for　the　water；　indeed　I　thought　that　he　was　going　to　die。



After　our　last　rest　and　a　short　sleep；　however；　he　seemed　to

begin　to　recover；　and　generally　there　was　something　in　his　manner

which　suggested　to　us　that　he　knew　himself　to　be　not　far　from　the

surface　of　the　earth　towards　which　we　had　crawled　upwards　for

thousands　upon　thousands　of　feet；　fortunately　without　meeting

with　any　zone　of　heat　which　was　not　bearable。



We　were　right；　for　when　we　had　staggered　forward　a　little

further；　suddenly　Tommy　ran　ahead　of　us　and　vanished。　Then　we

heard　him　barking　but　where　we　could　not　see；　since　the　tunnel

appeared　to　take　a　turn　and　continue；　but　this　time　on　a　downward

course；　while　the　sound　of　the　barks　came　from　our　right。　We

searched　with　the　lanterns　which　were　now　beginning　to　die　and

found　a　little　hole　almost　filled　with　fallen　pieces　of　rock。　We

scooped　these　away　with　our　hands；　making　an　aperture　large

enough　to　creep　through。　A　few　more　yards　and　we　saw　light；　the

blessed　light　of　the　moon；　and　in　it　stood　Tommy　barking

hoarsely。　Next　we　heard　the　sound　of　the　sea。　We　struggled　on

desperately　and　presently　pushed　our　way　through　bushes　and

vegetation　on　to　a　steep　declivity。　Down　this　we　rolled　and

scrambled；　to　find　ourselves　at　last　lying　upon　a　sandy　beach；

whilst　above　us　the　full　moon　shone　in　the　heavens。



Here；　with　a　prayer　of　thankfulness；　we　flung　ourselves　down

and　slept。



If　it　had　not　been　for　Tommy　and　we　had　gone　further　along　the

tunnel；　which　I　have　little　doubt　stretched　on　beneath　the　sea；

where；　I　wonder；　should　we　have　slept　that　night？



When　we　woke　the　sun　was　shining　high　in　the　heavens。　Evidently

there　had　been　rain　towards　the　dawn；　though　as　we　were　lying

beneath　the　shelter　of　some　broad…leaved　tree；　from　it　we　had

suffered　little　inconvenience。　Oh！　how　beautiful；　after　our

sojourn　in　those　unholy　caves；　were　the　sun　and　the　sea　and　the

sweet　air　and　the　raindrops　hanging　on　the　leaves。



We　did　not　wake　of　ourselves；　indeed　if　we　had　been　left　alone

I　am　sure　that　we　should　have　slept　the　clock　round；　for　we　were

terribly　exhausted。　What　woke　us　was　the　chatter　of　a　crowd　of

Orofenans　who　were　gathered　at　a　distance　from　the　tree　and

engaged　in　staring　at　us　in　a　frightened　way；　also　the　barks　of

Tommy　who　objected　to　their　intrusion。　Among　the　people　I

recognised　our　old　friend　the　chief　Marama　by　his　feather　cloak；

and　sitting　up；　beckoned　to　him　to　approach。　After　a　good　deal　of

hesitation　he　came；　walking　delicately　like　Agag；　and　stopping

from　time　to　time　to　study　us；　as　though　he　were　not　sure　that　we

were　real。



〃What　frightens　you；　Marama？〃　I　asked　him。



〃You　frighten　us；　O　Friend…from…the…Sea。　Whence　did　you　and　the

Healer　and　the　Bellower　come　and　why　do　your　faces　look　like

those　of　ghosts　and　why　is　the　little　black　beast　so　large…eyed

and　so　thin？　Over　the　lake　we　know　you　did　not　come；　for　we　have

watched　day　and　night；　moreover　there　is　no　canoe　upon　the　shore。

Also　it　would　not　have　been　possible。〃



〃Why　not？〃　I　asked　idly。



〃Come　and　see；〃　he　answered。



Rising　stiffly　we　emerged　from　beneath　the　tree　and　perceived

that　we　were　at　the　foot　of　the　cliff　against　which　the　remains

of　the　yacht　had　been　borne　by　the　great　tempest。　Indeed　there　it

was　within　a　couple　of　hundred　yards　of　us。



Following　Marama　we　climbed　the　sloping　path　which　ran　up　the

cliff　and　ascended　a　knoll　whence　we　could　see　the　lake　and　the

cone　of　the　volcano　in　its　centre。　At　least　we　used　to　be　able　to

see　this　cone；　but　now；　at　any　rate　with　the　naked　eye；　we　could

make　out　nothing；　except　a　small　brown　spot　in　the　midst　of　the

waters　of　the　lake。



〃The　mountain　which　rose　up　many　feet　in　that　storm　which

brought　you　to　Orofena；　Friend…from…the…Sea；　has　now　sunk　till

only　the　very　top　of　it　is　to　be　seen；〃　said　Marama　solemnly。

〃Even　the　Rock　of　Offerings　has　vanished　beneath　the　water；　and

with　it　the　house　that　we　built　for　you。〃



〃Yes；〃　I　said；　affecting　no　surprise。　〃But　when　did　that

happen？〃



〃Five　nights　ago　the　world　shook；　Friend…from…the…Sea；　and　when

the　sun　rose　we　saw　that　the　mouth　of　the　cave　which　appeared　on

the　day　of　your　coming；　had　vanished；　and　that　the　holy　mountain

itself　had　sunk　deep；　so　that　now　only　the　crest　of　it　is　left

above　the　water。〃



〃Such　things　happen；〃　I　replied　carelessly。



〃Yes；　Friend…from…the…Sea。　Like　many　other　marvels　they　happen

where　you　and　your　companions　are。　Therefore　we　beg　you　who　can

arise　out　of　the　earth　like　spirits；　to　leave　us　at　once　before

our　island　and　all　of　us　who　dwell　thereon　are　drowned　beneath

the　ocean。　Leave　us　before　we　kill　you；　if　indeed　you　be　men；　or

die　at　your　hands　if；　as　we　think；　you　be　evil　spirits　who　can

throw　up　mountains　and　drag　them　down；　and　create　gods　that　slay；

and　move　about　in　the　bowels　of　the　world。〃



〃That　is　our　intention；　for　our　business　here　is　done；〃　I

answered　calmly。　〃Come　now　and　help　us　to　depart。　But　first　bring

us　food。　Bring　it　in　plenty；　for　we　must　victual　our　boat。〃



Marama　bowed　and　issued　the　necessary　orders。　Indeed　food

sufficient　for　our　immediate　needs　was　already　there　as　an

offering；　and　of　it　we　ate　with　thankfulness。



Then　we　boarded　the　ship　and　examined　the　lifeboat。　Thanks　to

our　precautions　it　was　still　in　very　fair　order　and　only　needed

some　little　caulking　which　we　did　with　grass　fibre　and　pitch　from

the　stores。　After　this　with　the　help　of　the　Orofenans　who　worked

hard　in　their　desperate　desire　to　be　rid　of　us；　we　drew　the　boat

into　the　sea；　and　provisioned　her　with　stores　from　the　ship；　and

with　an　ample　supply　of　water。　Everything　being　ready　at　last；　we

waited　for　the　evening　wind　which　always　blew　off　shore；　to

start。　As　it　was　not　due　for　half　an　hour　or　more；　I　walked　back

to　the　tree　under　which　we　had　slept　and　tried　to　find　the　hole

whence　we　had　emerged　from　the　tunnel　on　to　the　face　of　the

cliff。



My　hurried　search　proved　useless。　The　declivity　of　the　cliff

was　covered　with　tropical　growth；　and　the　heavy　rain　had　washed

away　every　trace　of　our　descent；　and　very　likely　filled　the　hole

itself　with　earth。　At　any　rate；　of　it　I　could　discover　nothing。

Then　as　the　breeze　began　to　blow　I　returned　to　the　boat　and　here

bade　adieu　to　Mara