when the world shook-第39部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Prince。



Now　the　real　Yva　by　our　side　pointed　to　the　shadow　Yva　of　the

vision　or　the　picture；　whichever　it　might　be　called；　a　strange

thing　to　see　her　do；　and　went　on：



〃The　daughter　of　the　Lord　Oro　comes。　The　Prince　of　the　Nations

salutes　her。　He　says　that　the　great　war　has　endured　for　hundreds

of　years　between　the　Children　of　Wisdom　fighting　for　absolute

rule　and　the　common　people　of　the　earth　fighting　for　liberty。　In

that　war　many　millions　of　the　Sons　of　the　Nations　had　perished；

brought　to　their　death　by　fearful　arts；　by　wizardries　and　by

plagues　sown　among　them　by　the　Sons　of　Wisdom。　Yet　they　were

winning；　for　the　glorious　cities　of　the　Sons　of　Wisdom　were

destroyed　and　those　who　remained　of　them　were　driven　to　dwell　in

the　caves　of　the　earth　where　with　all　their　strength　and　magic

they　could　not　increase；　but　faded　like　flowers　in　the　dark。



〃The　Lord　Oro　asks　what　are　the　terms　of　peace　proposed　by　the

Nations。　The　Prince　answers　that　they　are　these：　That　the　Sons　of

Wisdom　shall　teach　all　their　wisdom　to　the　wise　men　among　the

Nations。　That　they　shall　give　them　to　drink　of　the　Life…water；　so

that　their　length　of　days　also　may　be　increased。　That　they　shall

cease　to　destroy　them　by　sickness　and　their　mastery　of　the　forces

which　are　hid　in　the　womb　of　the　world。　If　they　will　do　these

things；　then　the　Nations　on　their　part　will　cease　from　war；　will

rebuild　the　cities　they　have　destroyed　by　means　of　their　flying

ships　that　rain　down　death；　and　will　agree　that　the　Lord　Oro　and

his　seed　shall　rule　them　for　ever　as　the　King　of　kings。



〃The　Lord　Oro　asks　if　that　be　all。　The　Prince　answers　that　it

is　not　all。　He　says　that　when　he　dwelt　a　hostage　at　the　court　of

the　Sons　of　Wisdom　he　and　the　divine　Lady；　the　daughter　of　the

Lord　Oro；　and　his　only　living　child；　learned　to　love　each　other。

He　demands；　and　the　Nations　demand；　that　she　shall　be　given　to

him　to　wife；　that　in　a　day　to　come　he　may　rule　with　her　and　their

children　after　them。



〃See！〃　went　on　Yva　in　her　chanting；　dreamy　voice；　〃the　Lord　Oro

asks　his　daughter　if　this　be　true。　She　says；〃　here　the　real　Yva

at　my　side　turned　and　looked　me　straight　in　the　eyes；　〃that　it　is

true；　that　she　loves　the　Prince　of　the　Nations　and　that　if　she

lives　a　million　years　she　will　wed　no　other　man；　since　she　who　is

her　father's　slave　in　all　else　is　still　the　mistress　of　herself；

as　has　ever　been　the　right　of　her　royal　mothers。



〃See　again！　The　Lord　Oro；　the　divine　King；　the　Ancient；　grows

wroth。　He　says　that　it　is　enough　and　more　than　enough　that　the

Barbarians　should　ask　to　eat　of　the　bread　of　hidden　learning　and

to　drink　of　the　Life…water　of　the　Sons　of　Wisdom；　gifts　that　were

given　to　them　of　old　by　Heaven　whence　they　sprang　in　the

beginning。　But　that　one　of　them；　however　highly　placed；　should

dare　to　ask　to　mix　his　blood　with　that　of　the　divine　Lady；　the

Heiress；　the　Queen　of　the　Earth　to　be；　and　claim　to　share　her

imperial　throne　that　had　been　held　by　her　pure　race　from　age　to

age；　was　an　insult　that　could　only　be　purged　by　death。　Sooner

would　he　give　his　daughter　in　marriage　to　an　ape　than　to　a　child

of　the　Barbarians　who　had　worked　on　them　so　many　woes　and　striven

to　break　the　golden　fetters　of　their　rule。



〃Look　again！〃　continued　Yva。　〃The　Lord　Oro；　the　divine；　grows

angrier　still〃　（which　in　truth　he　did；　for　never　did　I　see　such

dreadful　rage　as　that　which　the　picture　revealed　in　him）。　〃He

warns；　he　threatens。　He　says　that　hitherto　out　of　gentle　love　and

pity　he　has　held　his　hand；　that　he　has　strength　at　his　command

which　will　slay　them；　not　by　millions　in　slow　war；　but　by　tens

of　millions　at　one　blow；　that　will　blot　them　and　their　peoples

from　the　face　of　earth　and　that　will　cause　the　deep　seas　to　roll

where　now　their　pleasant　lands　are　fruitful　in　the　sun。　They

shrink　before　his　fury；　behold；　their　knees　tremble　because　they

know　that　he　has　this　power。　He　mocks　them；　does　the　Lord　Oro。　He

asks　for　their　submission　here　and　now；　and　that　in　the　name　of

the　Nations　they　should　take　the　great　oath　which　may　not　be

broken；　swearing　to　cease　from　war　upon　the　Sons　of　Wisdom　and　to

obey　them　in　all　things　to　the　ends　of　the　earth。　Some　of　the

ambassadors　would　yield。　They　look　about　them　like　wild　things

that　are　trapped。　But　madness　takes　the　Prince。　He　cries　that　the

oath　of　an　ape　is　of　no　account；　but　that　he　will　tear　up　the

Children　of　Wisdom　as　an　ape　tears　leaves；　and　afterwards　take

the　divine　Lady　to　be　his　wife。



〃Look　on　the　Lord　Oro！〃　continued　the　living　Yva；　〃his　wrath

leaves　him。　He　grows　cold　and　smiles。　His　daughter　throws　herself

upon　her　knees　and　pleads　with　him。　He　thrusts　her　away。　She

would　spring　to　the　side　of　the　Prince；　he　commands　his

councillors　to　hold　her。　She　cries　to　the　Prince　that　she　loves

him　and　him　only；　and　that　in　a　day　to　come　him　she　will　wed　and

no　other。　He　thanks　her；　saying　that　as　it　is　with　her；　so　it　is

with　him；　and　that　because　of　his　love　he　fears　nothing。　She

swoons。　The　Lord　Oro　motions　with　his　hand　to　the　guard。　They

lift　their　death…rods。　Fire　leaps　from　them。　The　Prince　and　his

companions；　all　save　those　who　were　afraid　and　would　have　sworn

the　oath；　twist　and　writhe。　They　turn　black；　they　die。　The　Lord

Oro　commands　those　who　are　left　to　enter　their　flying　ships　and

bear　to　the　Nations　of　the　Earth　tidings　of　what　befalls　those

who　dare　to　defy　and　insult　him；　to　warn　them　also　to　eat　and

drink　and　be　merry　while　they　may；　since　for　their　wickedness

they　are　about　to　perish。〃





The　scene　faded　and　there　followed　another　which　really　I

cannot　describe。　It　represented　some　vast　underground　place　and

what　appeared　to　be　a　huge　mountain　of　iron　clothed　in　light；

literally　a　thing　like　an　alp；　rocking　and　spinning　down　a

declivity；　which　farther　on　separated　into　two　branches　because

of　a　huge　razor…edge　precipice　that　rose　between。　There　in　the

middle　of　this　vast　space　with　the　dazzling　mountain　whirling

towards　him；　stood　Oro　encased　in　some　transparent　armour；　as

though　to　keep　off　heat；　and　with　him　his　daughter　who　under　his

direction　was　handling　something　in　the　rock　behind　her。　Then

there　was　a　blinding　flash　and　everything　vanished。　All　of　this

picture　passed　so　swiftly　that　we　could　not　grasp　its　details；

only　a　general　impression　remained。



〃The　Lord　Oro；　using　the　strength　that　is　in　the　world　whereof

he　alone　has　the　secret；　changes　the　world's　balance　causing　that

which　was　land　to　become　sea　and　that　which　was　sea　to　become

land；〃　said　Yva　in　her　chanting；　unnatural　voice。



Another　scene　of　stupendous　and　changing　awfulness。　Countries

were　sinking；　cities　crashing　down；　volcanoes　were　spouting　fire；

the　end　of　the　earth　seemed　to　be　at　hand。　We　could　see　human

beings　running　to　and　fro　in　thousands　like　ants。　Then　in　huge

waves　hundreds　and　hundreds　of　feet　high；　the　ocean　flowed　in　and

all　was　troubled；　yeasty　sea。



〃Oro　carries　out　his　threat　to　destroy　the　Nations　who　had

rebelled　against　him；〃　said　Yva。　〃Much　of　the　world　sinks　beneath

the　waves；　but　in　place　of　it　other　lands　arise　above　the　waves；

to　be　inhabited　by　the　seed　of　those　who　remain　living　in　those

portions　of　the　Earth　that　the　deluge　spared。〃



This　horrible　vision　passed　and　was　succeeded　by　one　more；　that

of　Oro　standing　in　the　sepulchre　of　the　cave　by　the　side　of　the

crystal　coffin　which　contained　what　appeared　to　be　the　body　of

his　daughter。　He　gazed　at　her；　then　drank　some　potion　and　laid

himself　down　in　the　companion　coffin；　that　in　which　we　had　found

him。





All　vanished　away　and　Yva；　appearing　to　wake　from　some　kind　of

trance；　smiled；　and　in　her　natural　voice　asked　if　we　had　seen

enough。



〃Quite；〃　I　answered　in　a　tone　that　caused　her　to　say：



〃I　wonder　what　you　have　seen；　Humphrey。　Myself　I　do　not　know；

since　it　is　through　me　that　you　see　at　all　and　when　you　see　I　am

in　you　who　see。〃



〃Indeed；〃　I　replied。　〃Well；　I　will　tell　you　about　it　later。〃



〃Thank　you　so　much；〃　exclaimed　Bastin；　recovering　suddenly　from

his　amazement。　〃I　have　heard　a　great　deal　of　these　moving…picture

shows　which　are　becoming　so　popular；　but　have　always　avoided

attending　them　because　their　influence　on　the　young　is　supposed

to　be　doubtful；　and　a　priest　must　set　a　good　example　to　his

congregation。　Now　I　see　that　they　can　have　a　distinct　educational

value；　even　if　it　is　presented　in　the　form　of　romance。〃



〃How　is　it　done？〃　asked　Bickley；　almost　fiercely。



〃I　do　not　altogether　know；〃　she　answered。　〃This　I　do　know；

however；　that　everything　which　has　happened　on　this　world　can　be

seen　from　moment　to　moment　at　some　point　in　the　depths　of　space；

for　thither　the　sun's　light　takes　it。　There；　too；　it　can　be

caught　and　thence　in　an　instant　returned　to　earth　again；　to　be

reflected　in　the　mirror　of　the　present　by　those　who　know　how　that

mirror　should　be　held。　Ask　me　no　more；　one　so　wise　as　you；　O

Bickley；　can　solve　such　problems　for　himself。〃



〃If　you　don't　mind；　Lady　Yva；〃　said　Bastin；　〃I　think　I　should

like　to　get　out　of　this　place；　interesting　as　it　is。　I　have　food

to　cook　up　above　and　lots　of　things　to　attend　to；　especially　as　I

understand　I　am　to　come　back　here　tomorrow。　Would　you　mind

showing　me　the　way　to　that　lift　or　moving　staircase？〃



〃Come；〃　she　said；　smiling。



So　we　went　past　the　image　of　Fate；　out　of　the　temple；　down　the

vast　and　lonely　streets　so　unnaturally　illuminated；　to　the　place

where　we　had　first　found　ourselves　on　arrival　in　the　depths。

There　we　stood。



A　moment　later　and　we　were　whirling　up　as　we　had　whirled　down。

I　suppose　that　Yva　came　with　us　though　I　never　saw　her　do　so；　and

the　odd　thing　was　that　when　we　arrived　in　the　sepulchre；　she

seemed　already　to　be　standing　there　waiting　to　direct　us。



〃Really；〃　remarked　Bastin；　〃this　is　exactly　like　Maskelyne　and

Cook。　Did　you　ever　see　their　performance；　Bickley？　If　so；