when the world shook-第58部分

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finished　with　life。〃



〃It　passes；〃　she　answered　quickly。　〃Life　passes　like　breath

fading　from　a　mirror。　So　should　all　talk　who　breathe　beneath　the

sun。〃



〃Yes；　Yva；　but　if　you　went　and　left　me　still　breathing　on　that

mocking　glass〃



〃If　so；　what　of　it？　Will　not　your　breath　fade　also　and　join

mine　where　all　vapours　go？　Or　if　it　were　yours　that　faded　and

mine　that　remained　for　some　few　hours；　is　it　not　the　same？　I

think；　Humphrey；　that　already　you　have　seen　a　beloved　breath　melt

from　the　glass　of　life；〃　she　added；　looking　at　me　earnestly。



I　bowed　my　head　and　answered：



〃Yes；　and　therefore　I　am　ashamed。〃



〃Oh！　why　should　you　be　ashamed；　Humphrey；　who　are　not　sure　but

that　two　breaths　may　yet　be　one　breath？　How　do　you　know　that

there　is　a　difference　between　them？〃



〃You　drive　me　mad；　Yva。　I　cannot　understand。〃



〃Nor　can　I　altogether；　Humphrey。　Why　should　I；　seeing　that　I　am

no　more　than　woman；　as　you　are　no　more　than　man？　I　would　always

have　you　remember；　Humphrey；　that　I　am　no　spirit　or　sorceress；

but　just　a　womanlike　her　you　lost。〃



I　looked　at　her　doubtfully　and　answered：



〃Women　do　not　sleep　for　two　hundred　thousand　years。　Women　do

not　take　dream　journeys　to　the　stars。　Women　do　not　make　the　dead

past　live　again　before　the　watcher's　eyes。　Their　hair　does　not

glimmer　in　the　dusk　nor　do　their　bodies　gleam；　nor　have　they　such

strength　of　soul　or　eyes　so　wonderful；　or　loveliness　so　great。〃



These　words　appeared　to　distress　her　who；　as　it　seemed　to　me；

was　above　all　things　anxious　to　prove　herself　woman　and　no　more。



〃All　these　qualities　are　nothing；　Humphrey；〃　she　cried。　〃As　for

the　beauty；　such　as　it　is；　it　comes　to　me　with　my　blood；　and　with

it　the　glitter　of　my　hair　which　is　the　heritage　of　those　who　for

generations　have　drunk　of　the　Life…water。　My　mother　was　lovelier

than　I；　as　was　her　mother；　or　so　I　have　heard；　since　only　the

fairest　were　the　wives　of　the　Kings　of　the　Children　of　Wisdom。

For　the　rest；　such　arts　as　I　have　spring　not　from　magic；　but　from

knowledge　which　your　people　will　acquire　in　days　to　come；　that

is；　if　Oro　spares　them。　Surely　you　above　all　should　know　that　I

am　only　woman；〃　she　added　very　slowly　and　searching　my　face　with

her　eyes。



〃Why；　Yva？　During　the　little　while　that　we　have　been　together　I

have　seen　much　which　makes　me　doubt。　Even　Bickley　the　sceptic

doubts　also。〃



〃I　will　tell　you；　though　I　am　not　sure　that　you　will　believe

me。〃　She　glanced　about　her　as　though　she　were　frightened　lest

someone　should　overhear　her　words　or　read　her　thoughts。　Then　she

stretched　out　her　hands　and　drawing　my　head　towards　her；　put　her

lips　to　my　ear　and　whispered：



〃Because　once　you　saw　me　die；　as　women　often　diegiving　life

for　life。〃



〃I　saw　you　die？〃　I　gasped。



She　nodded；　then　continued　to　whisper　in　my　ear；　not　in　her　own

voice；　but　another's：



〃Go　where　you　seem　called　to　go；　far　away。　Oh！　the　wonderful

place　in　which　you　will　find　me；　not　knowing　that　you　have　found

me。　Good…bye　for　a　little　while；　only　for　a　little　while；　my　own；

my　own！〃



I　knew　the　voice　as　I　knew　the　words；　and　knowing；　I　think　that

I　should　have　fallen　to　the　ground；　had　she　not　supported　me　with

her　strong　arms。



〃Who　told　you？〃　I　stammered。　〃Was　it　Bickley　or　Bastin？　They

knew；　though　neither　of　them　heard　those　holy　words。〃



〃Not　Bickley　nor　Bastin；〃　she　answered；　shaking　her　head；　〃no；

nor　you　yourself；　awake　or　sleeping；　though　once；　by　the　lake

yonder；　you　said　to　me　that　when　a　certain　one　lay　dying；　she

bade　you　seek　her　elsewhere；　for　certainly　you　would　find　her。

Humphrey；　I　cannot　say　who　told　me　those　words　because　I　do　not

know。　I　think　they　are　a　memory；　Humphrey！〃



〃That　would　mean　that　you；　Yva；　are　the　same　as　one　who　was

not　called　Yva。〃



〃The　same　as　one　who　was　called　Natalie；　Humphrey；〃　she　replied

in　solemn　accents。　〃One　whom　you　loved　and　whom　you　lost。〃



〃Then　you　think　that　we　live　again　upon　this　earth？〃



〃Again　and　yet　again；　until　the　time　comes　for　us　to　leave　the

earth　for　ever。　Of　this；　indeed；　I　am　sure；　for　that　knowledge

was　part　of　the　secret　wisdom　of　my　people。〃



〃But　you　were　not　dead。　You　only　slept。〃



〃The　sleep　was　a　death…sleep　which　went　by　like　a　flash；　yes；

in　an　instant；　or　so　it　seemed。　Only　the　shell　of　the　body

remained　preserved　by　mortal　arts；　and　when　the　returning　spirit

and　the　light　of　life　were　poured　into　it　again；　it　awoke。　But

during　this　long　death…sleep；　that　spirit　may　have　spoken　through

other　lips　and　that　light　may　have　shone　through　other　eyes；

though　of　these　I　remember　nothing。〃



〃Then　that　dream　of　our　visit　to　a　certain　star　may　be　no

dream？〃



〃I　think　no　dream；　and　you；　too；　have　thought　as　much。〃



〃In　a　way；　yes；　Yva。　But　I　could　not　believe　and　turned　from

what　I　held　to　be　a　phantasy。〃



〃It　was　natural；　Humphrey；　that　you　should　not　believe。

Hearken！　In　this　temple　a　while　ago　I　showed　you　a　picture　of

myself　and　of　a　man　who　loved　me　and　whom　I　loved；　and　of　his

death　at　Oro's　hands。　Did　you　note　anything　about　that　man？〃



〃Bickley　did；〃　I　answered。　〃Was　he　right？〃



〃I　think　that　he　was　right；　since　otherwise　I　should　not　have

loved　you；　Humphrey。〃



〃I　remember　nothing　of　that　man；　Yva。〃



〃It　is　probable　that　you　would　not；　since　you　and　he　are　very

far　apart；　while　between　you　and　him　flow　wide　seas　of　death；

wherein　are　set　islands　of　life；　perhaps　many　of　them。　But　I

remember　much　who　seem　to　have　left　him　but　a　very　little　while

ago。〃



〃When　you　awoke　in　your　coffin　and　threw　your　arms　about　me；

what　did　you　think；　Yva？〃



〃I　thought　you　were　that　man；　Humphrey。〃



There　was　silence　between　us　and　in　that　silence　the　truth　came

home　to　me。　Then　there　before　the　effigy　of　Fate　and　in　the

desolate；　glowing　temple　we　plighted　anew　our　troth　made　holy　by

a　past。　that　thus　so　wonderfully　lived　again。



Of　this　consecrated　hour　I　say　no　more。　Let　each　picture　it　as

he　will。　A　glory　as　of　heaven　fell　upon　us　and　in　it　we　dwelt　a

space。





〃Beloved；〃　she　whispered　at　length　in　a　voice　that　was　choked

as　though　with　tears；　〃if　it　chances　that　we　should　be　separated

again　for　a　little　while；　you　will　not　grieve　over　much？〃



〃Knowing　all　I　should　try　not　to　grieve；　Yva；　seeing　that　in

truth　we　never　can　be　parted。　But　do　you　mean　that　I　shall　die？〃



〃Being　mortal　either　of　us　might　seem　to　die；　Humphrey；〃　and

she　bent　her　head　as　though　to　hide　her　face。　〃You　know　we　go

into　dangers　this　day。〃



〃Does　Oro　really　purpose　to　destroy　much　of　the　world　and　has

he　in　truth　the　power；　Yva？〃



〃He　does　so　purpose　and　most　certainly　he　has　the　power；

unlessunless　some　other　Power　should　stay　his　hand。〃



〃What　other　power；　Yva？〃



〃Oh！　perhaps　that　which　you　worship；　that　which　is　called　Love。

The　love　of　man　may　avert　the　massacre　of　men。　I　hope　so　with　all

my　heart。　Hist！　Oro　comes。　I　feel；　I　know　that　he　comes；　though

not　in　search　of　us　who　are　very　far　from　his　thought　tonight。

Follow　me。　Swiftly。〃



She　sped　across　the　temple　to　where　a　chapel　opened　out　of　it；

which　was　full　of　the　statues　of　dead　kings；　for　here　was　the

entrance　to　their　burial　vault。　We　reached　it　and　hid　behind　the

base　of　one　of　these　statues。　By　standing　to　our　full　height；

without　being　seen　we　still　could　see　between　the　feet　of　the

statue　that　stood　upon　a　pedestal。



Then　Oro　came。







Chapter　XXIV



The　Chariot　of　the　Pit





Oro　came　and　of　necessity　alone。　Yet　there　was　that　in　his　air

as　he　advanced　into　the　temple；　which　suggested　a　monarch

surrounded　by　the　pomp　and　panoply　of　a　great　court。　He　marched；

his　head　held　high；　as　though　heralds　and　pursuivants　went　in

front　of　him；　as　though　nobles　surrounded　him　and　guards　or

regiments　followed　after　him。　Let　it　be　admitted　that　he　was　a

great　figure　in　his　gorgeous　robes；　with　his　long　white　beard；

his　hawk…like　features；　his　tall　shape　and　his　glittering　eyes；

which　even　at　that　distance　I　could　see。　Indeed　once　or　twice　I

thought　that　he　glanced　out　of　the　corners　of　them　towards　the

chapel　where　we　were　hid。　But　this　I　think　was　fancy。　For　as　Yva

said；　his　thoughts　were　set　elsewhere。



He　reached　the　statue　of　Fate　and　stood　for　a　while

contemplating　it　and　the　suppliant　figures　on　either　side；　as

though　he　were　waiting　for　his　invisible　court　to　arrange　itself。

Then　he　doffed　his　jewelled　cap　to　the　effigy；　and　knelt　before

it。　Yes；　Oro　the　Ancient；　the　Super…man；　the　God；　as　the　early

peoples　of　the　earth　fancied　such　a　being；　namely；　one　full　of

wrath；　revenge；　jealousy；　caprice　and　power；　knelt　in

supplication　to　this　image　of　stone　which　he　believed　to　be　the

home　of　a　spirit；　thereby　showing　himself　to　be　after　all　not　so

far　removed　from　the　savages　whose　idol　Bastin　had　destroyed。

More；　in　a　clear　and　resonant　voice　which　reached　us　even　across

that　great　space；　he　put　up　his　prayer。　It　ran　something　as

follows；　for　although　I　did　not　understand　the　language　in　which

he　spoke　Yva　translated　it　to　me　in　a　whisper：



〃God　of　the　Sons　of　Wisdom；　God　of　the　whole　earth；　only　God　to

whom　must　bow　every　other　Power　and　Dominion；　to　thee　I；　Oro　the

Great　King；　make　prayer　and　offer　sacrifice。　Twenty　times　ten

thousand　years　and　more　have　gone　by　since　I；　Oro；　visited　this；

thy　temple　and　knelt　before　this；　thy　living　effigy；　yet　thou；

ruler　of　the　world；　dost　remember　the　prayer　I　made　and　the

sacrifice　I　offered。　The　prayer　was　for　triumph　over　my　enemies

and　the　sacrifice　a　promise　of　the　lives　of　half　of　those　who　in

that　day　dwelt　upon　the　earth。　Thou　heardest　the　prayer；　thou

didst　bow　thy　head　and　accept　the　sacrifice。　Yea；　the　prayer　was

granted　and　the　sacrifice　was　made；　and　in　it　were　counted　the

number　of　my　foes。



〃Then　I　slept。　Through　countless　generations　I　slept　on　a