When The World Shook

By

H. Rider Haggard

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DEDICATION

Ditchingham, 1918.

MY DEAR CURZON,

More than thirty years ago you tried to protect me, then a stranger toyou, from one of the falsest and most malignant accusations ever madeagainst a writer.

So complete was your exposure of the methods of those at work to blackena person whom they knew to be innocent, that, as you will remember,they refused to publish your analysis which destroyed their charges and,incidentally, revealed their motives.

Although for this reason vindication came otherwise, your kindness isone that I have never forgotten, since, whatever the immediate issue ofany effort, in the end it is the intention that avails.

Therefore in gratitude and memory I ask you to accept this romance, asI know that you do not disdain the study of romance in the intervals ofyour Imperial work.

The application of its parable to our state and possibilities--beneathor beyond these glimpses of the moon--I leave to your discernment.

Believe me,

Ever sincerely yours,

H. RIDER HAGGARD.

To          The Earl Curzon of Kedleston, K.G.

Contents

DEDICATION.. 3

Chapter I - Arbuthnot Describes Himself. 5

Chapter II - Bastin and Bickley. 13

Chapter III - Natalie. 21

Chapter IV - Death and Departure. 29

Chapter V - The Cyclone. 40

Chapter VI - Land. 50

Chapter VII - The Orofenans. 63

Chapter VIII - Bastin Attempts the Martyr's Crown. 73

Chapter IX - The Island in the Lake. 84

Chapter X - The Dwellers in the Tomb. 95

Chapter XI - Resurrection. 106

Chapter XII - Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Years!. 118

Chapter XIII - Oro Speaks and Bastin Argues. 131

Chapter XIV - The Under-world. 143

Chapter XV - Oro in His House. 154

Chapter XVI - Visions of the Past. 162

Chapter XVII - Yva Explains. 172

Chapter XVIII - The Accident. 185

Chapter XIX - The Proposals of Bastin and Bickley. 198

Chapter XX - Oro and Arbuthnot Travel by Night. 209

Chapter XXI - Love's Eternal Altar. 224

Chapter XXII - The Command. 233

Chapter XXIII - In the Temple of Fate. 242

Chapter XXIV - The Chariot of the Pit. 255

Chapter XXV - Sacrifice. 269

Chapter XXVI - Tommy. 280

Chapter XXVII - Bastin Discovers a Resemblance. 290

WHEN THE WORLD SHOOK

Chapter I - Arbuthnot Describes Himself

I suppose that I, Humphrey Arbuthnot, should begin this history inwhich Destiny has caused me to play so prominent a part, with some shortaccount of myself and of my circumstances.

I was born forty years ago in this very Devonshire village in which Iwrite, but not in the same house. Now I live in the Priory, an ancientplace and a fine one in its way, with its panelled rooms, its beautifulgardens where, in this mild climate, in addition to our own, flourishso many plants which one would only expect to find in countries thatlie nearer to the sun, and its green, undulating park studded with greattimber trees. The view, too, is perfect; behind and around the richDevonshire landscape with its hills and valleys and its scarped facesof red sandstone, and at a distance in front, the sea. There are littletowns quite near too, that live for the most part on visitors, but theseare so hidden away by the contours of the ground that from the Prioryone cannot see them. Such is Fulcombe where I live, though for obviousreasons I do not give it its real name.

Many years ago my father, the Rev. Humphrey Arbuthnot, whose only childI am, after whom also I am named Humphrey, was the vicar of this placewith which our family is said to have some rather vague hereditaryconnection. If so, it was severed in the Carolian times because myancestors fought on the side of Parliament.

My father was a recluse, and a widower, for my mother, a Scotswoman,died at or shortly after my birth. Being very High Church for thosedays he was not popular with the family that owned the Priory before me.Indeed its head, a somewhat vulgar person of the name of Enfield who hadmade money in trade, almost persecuted him, as he was in a position todo, being the local magnate and the owner of the rectorial tithes.

I mention this fact because owing to it as a boy I made up my mind thatone day I would buy that place and sit in his seat, a wild enough ideaat the time. Yet it became engrained in me, as do such aspirations ofour youth, and when the opportunity arose in after years I carriedit out. Poor old Enfield! He fell on evil fortunes, for in trying tobolster up a favourite son who was a gambler, a spendthrift, and anungrateful scamp, in the end he was practically ruined and when thebad times came, was forced to sell the Fulcombe estate. I think of himkindly now, for after all he was good to me and gave me many a day'sshooting and leave to fish for trout in the river.

By the poor people, however, of all the district round, for the parishitself is very small, my father was much beloved, although he didpractise confession, wear vestments and set lighted candles on thealtar, and was even said to have openly expressed the wish, to whichhowever he never attained, that he could see a censer swinging in thechancel. Indeed the church which, as monks built it, is very large andfine, was always full on Sundays, though many of the worshippers camefrom far away, some of them doubtless out of curiosity because of itspapistical repute, also because, in a learned fashion, my father'spreaching was very good indeed.

For my part I feel that I owe much to these High-Church views. Theyopened certain doors to me and taught me something of the mysterieswhich lie at the back of all religions and therefore have their homein the inspired soul of man whence religions are born. Only the pityis that in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred he never discovers, nevereven guesses at that entombed aspiration, never sinks a shaft down on tothis secret but most precious vein of ore.

I have said that my father was learned; but this is a mild description,for never did I know anyone quite so learned. He was one of thosemen who is so good all round that he became pre-eminent in nothing. Aclassic of the first water, a very respectable mathematician, an expertin theology, a student of sundry foreign languages and literature inhis lighter moments, an inquirer into sociology, a theoretical musicianthough his playing of the organ excruciated most people because it wastoo correct, a really first-class authority upon flint instruments andthe best grower of garden vegetables in the county, also of apples--suchwere some of his attainments. That was what made his sermons so popular,since at times one or the other of these subjects would break out intothem, his theory being that God spoke to us through all of these things.

But if I began to drift into an analysis of my father's abilities, Ishould never stop. It would take a book to describe them. And yet markthis, with them all his name is as dead to the world to-day as though hehad never been. Light reflected from a hundred facets dissipates itselfin space and is lost; that concentrated in one tremendous ray pierces tothe stars.

Now I am going to be frank about myself, for without frankness whatis the value of such a record as this? Then it becomes simply anotherconvention, or rather conventional method of expressing the octoroonkind of truths with which the highly civilised races feed themselves,as fastidious ladies eat cakes and bread from which all but the smallestparticle of nourishment has been extracted.

The fact is, therefore, that I inherited most of my father's abilities,except his love for flint instruments which always bored me todistraction, because although they are by association really the mosthuman of things, somehow to me they never convey any idea of humanity.In addition I have a practical side which he lacked; had he possessed itsurely he must have become an archbishop instead of dying the vicar ofan unknown parish. Also I have a spiritual sense, mayhap mystical wouldbe a better term, which with all this religion was missing from myfather's nature.

For I think that notwithstanding his charity and devotion he never quitegot away from the shell of things, never cracked it and set his teeth inthe kernel which alone can feed our souls. His keen intellect, to takean example, recognised every one of the difficulties of our faith andflashed hither and thither in the darkness, seeking explanation, seekinglight, trying to reconcile, to explain. He was not great enough toput all this aside and go straight to the informing Soul beneath thatstrives to express itself everywhere, even through those husks which arecalled the World, the Flesh and the Devil, and as yet does not alwaysquite succeed.

It is this boggling over exteriors, this peering into pitfalls, thisdesire to prove that what such senses as we have tell us is impossible,is in fact possible, which causes the overthrow of many an earnest,seeking heart and renders its work, conducted on false lines, quitenugatory. These will trust to themselves and their own intelligence andnot be content to spring from the cliffs of human experience into theeverlasting arms of that Infinite which are stretched out to receivethem and to give them rest and the keys of knowledge. When will manlearn what was taught to him of old, that faith is the only plankwherewith he can float upon this sea and that his miserable works availhim nothing; also that it is a plank made of many sorts of wood, perhapsto suit our different weights?

So to be honest, in a sense I believe myself to be my father's superior,and I know that he agreed with me. Perhaps this is owing to the bloodof my Scotch mother which mixed well with his own; perhaps because theessential spirit given to me, though cast in his mould, was in factquite different--or of another alloy. Do we, I wonder, really understandthat there are millions and billions of these alloys, so many indeedthat Nature, or whatever is behind Nature, never uses the same twiceover? That is why no two human beings are or ever will be quiteidentical. Their flesh, the body of their humiliation, is identical inall, any chemist will prove it to you, but that which animates theflesh is distinct and different because it comes from the home of thatinfinite variety which is necessary to the ultimate evolution of thegood and bad that we symbolise as heaven and hell.

Further, I had and to a certain extent still have another advantageover my father, which certainly came to me from my mother, who was, asI judge from all descriptions and such likenesses as remain of her, anextremely handsome woman. I was born much better looking. He was smalland dark, a little man with deep-set eyes and beetling brows. I am alsodark, but tall above the average, and well made. I do not know that Ineed say more about my personal appearance, to me not a very attractivesubject, but the fact remains that they called me "handsome Humphrey"at the University, and I was the captain of my college boat and won manyprizes at athletic sports when I had time to train for them.

Until I went up to Oxford my father educated me, partly because he knewthat he could do it better than anyone else, and partly to save schoolexpenses. The experiment was very successful, as my love of all outdoorsports and of any small hazardous adventure that came to my hand, alsoof associating with fisherfolk whom the dangers of the deep make menamong men, saved me from becoming a milksop. For the rest I learned morefrom my father, whom I always desired to please because I loved him,than I should have done at the best and most costly of schools. This wasshown when at last I went to college with a scholarship, for there I didvery well indeed, as search would still reveal.

Here I had better set out some of my shortcomings, which in their sumhave made a failure of me. Yes, a failure in the highest sense, thoughI trust what Stevenson calls "a faithful failure." These have their rootin fastidiousness and that lack of perseverance, which really means alack of faith, again using the word in its higher and wider sense. Forif one had real faith one would always persevere, knowing that in everywork undertaken with high aim, there is an element of nobility, howeverhumble and unrecognised that work may seem to be. God after all is theGod of Work, it is written large upon the face of the Universe. I willnot expand upon the thought; it would lead me too far afield, but thosewho have understanding will know what I mean.

As regards what I interpret as fastidiousness, this is not very easyto express. Perhaps a definition will help. I am like a man with anover-developed sense of smell, who when walking through a foreign city,however clean and well kept, can always catch the evil savours thatare inseparable from such cities. More, his keen perception of theminterferes with all other perceptions and spoils his walks. The resultis that in after years, whenever he thinks of that beautiful city,he remembers, not its historic buildings or its wide boulevards, orwhatever it has to boast, but rather its ancient, fish-like smell. Atleast he remembers that first owing to this defect in his temperament.

So it is with everything. A lovely woman is spoiled for such a onebecause she eats too much or has too high a voice; he does not care forhis shooting because the scenery is flat, or for his fishing becausethe gnats bite as well as the trout. In short he is out of tune withthe world as it is. Moreover, this is a quality which, where it exists,cannot be overcome; it affects day-labourers as well as gentlemen atlarge. It is bred in the bone.

Probably the second failure-breeding fault, lack of perseverance, hasits roots in the first, at any rate in my case. At least on leavingcollege with some reputation, I was called to the Bar where, owing tocertain solicitor and other connections, I had a good opening. Also,owing to the excellence of my memory and powers of work, I began verywell, making money even during my first year. Then, as it happened, acertain case came my way and, my leader falling ill suddenly after itwas opened, was left in my hands. The man whose cause I was pleadingwas, I think, one of the biggest scoundrels it is possible to conceive.It was a will case and if he won, the effect would be to beggar two mostestimable middle-aged women who were justly entitled to the property,to which end personally I am convinced he had committed forgery; theperjury that accompanied it I do not even mention.

Well, he did win, thanks to me, and the estimable middle-aged ladieswere beggared, and as I heard afterwards, driven to such extremitiesthat one of them died of her misery and the other became a lodging-housekeeper. The details do not matter, but I may explain that these ladieswere unattractive in appearance and manner and broke down beneath mycross-examination which made them appear to be telling falsehoods,whereas they were only completely confused. Further, I invented aningenious theory of the facts which, although the judge regarded it withsuspicion, convinced an unusually stupid jury who gave me their verdict.

Everybody congratulated me and at the time I was triumphant, especiallyas my leader had declared that our case was impossible. Afterwards,however, my conscience smote me sorely, so much so that arguing fromthe false premise of this business, I came to the conclusion that thepractice of the Law was not suited to an honest man. I did not take thelarge view that such matters average themselves up and that if I haddone harm in this instance, I might live to do good in many others, andperhaps become a just judge, even a great judge. Here I may mention thatin after years, when I grew rich, I rescued that surviving old lady fromher lodging-house, although to this day she does not know the name ofher anonymous friend. So by degrees, without saying anything, for I kepton my chambers, I slipped out of practice, to the great disappointmentof everybody connected with me, and took to authorship.

A marvel came to pass, my first book was an enormous success. The wholeworld talked of it. A leading journal, delighted to have discoveredsomeone, wrote it up; other journals followed suit to be in themovement. One of them, I remember, which had already dismissed it withthree or four sneering lines, came out with a second and two-columnnotice. It sold like wildfire and I suppose had some merits, for it isstill read, though few know that I wrote it, since fortunately it waspublished under a pseudonym.

Again I was much elated and set to work to write another and, as Ibelieve, a much better book. But jealousies had been excited by thisleaping into fame of a totally unknown person, which were, moreover,accentuated through a foolish article that I published in answer to somecriticisms, wherein I spoke my mind with an insane freedom and bitingsarcasm. Indeed I was even mad enough to quote names and to give theexample of the very powerful journal which at first carped at my workand then gushed over it when it became the fashion. All of this made memany bitter enemies, as I found out when my next book appeared.

It was torn to shreds, it was reviled as subversive of moralityand religion, good arrows in those days. It was called puerile,half-educated stuff--I half-educated! More, an utterly false charge ofplagiarism was cooked up against me and so well and venomously run thatvast numbers of people concluded that I was a thief of the lowest order.Lastly, my father, from whom the secret could no longer be kept, sternlydisapproved of both these books which I admit were written from a veryradical and somewhat anti-church point of view. The result was our firstquarrel and before it was made up, he died suddenly.

Now again fastidiousness and my lack of perseverance did their work, andsolemnly I swore that I would never write another book, an oath which Ihave kept till this moment, at least so far as publication is concerned,and now break only because I consider it my duty so to do and am notanimated by any pecuniary object.

Thus came to an end my second attempt at carving out a career. By nowI had grown savage and cynical, rather revengeful also, I fear. Knowingmyself to possess considerable abilities in sundry directions, I satdown, as it were, to think things over and digest my past experiences.Then it was that the truth of a very ancient adage struck upon my mind,namely, that money is power. Had I sufficient money I could laugh atunjust critics for example; indeed they or their papers would scarcelydare to criticise me for fear lest it should be in my power to do thema bad turn. Again I could follow my own ideas in life and perhaps workgood in the world, and live in such surroundings as commended themselvesto me. It was as clear as daylight, but--how to make the money?

I had some capital as the result of my father's death, about £8,000 inall, plus a little more that my two books had brought in. In what waycould I employ it to the best advantage? I remembered that a cousin ofmy father and therefore my own, was a successful stock-broker, alsothat there had been some affection between them. I went to him, he wasa good, easy-natured man who was frankly glad to see me, and offered toput £5,000 into his business, for I was not minded to risk every thing Ihad, if he would give me a share in the profits. He laughed heartily atmy audacity.

"Why, my boy," he said, "being totally inexperienced at this game, youmight lose us more than that in a month. But I like your courage, I likeyour courage, and the truth is that I do want help. I will think it overand write to you."

He thought it over and in the end offered to try me for a year at afixed salary with a promise of some kind of a partnership if I suitedhim. Meanwhile my £5,000 remained in my pocket.

I accepted, not without reluctance since with the impatience of youthI wanted everything at once. I worked hard in that office and soonmastered the business, for my knowledge of figures--I had taken afirst-class mathematical degree at college--came to my aid, as in a waydid my acquaintance with Law and Literature. Moreover I had a certainaptitude for what is called high finance. Further, Fortune, as usual,showed me a favourable face.

In one year I got the partnership with a small share in the largeprofits of the business. In two the partner above me retired, and I tookhis place with a third share of the firm. In three my cousin, satisfiedthat it was in able hands, began to cease his attendance at the officeand betook himself to gardening which was his hobby. In four I paid himout altogether, although to do this I had to borrow money on our credit,for by agreement the title of the firm was continued. Then came thatextraordinary time of boom which many will remember to their cost. Imade a bold stroke and won. On a certain Saturday when the books weremade up, I found that after discharging all liabilities, I should notbe worth more than £20,000. On the following Saturday but two when thebooks were made up, I was worth £153,000! L'appetit vient en mangeant.It seemed nothing to me when so many were worth millions.

For the next year I worked as few have done, and when I struck a balanceat the end of it, I found that on the most conservative estimate I wasthe owner of a million and a half in hard cash, or its equivalent. I wasso tired out that I remember this discovery did not excite me at all. Ifelt utterly weary of all wealth-hunting and of the City and its ways.Moreover my old fastidiousness and lack of perseverance re-assertedthemselves. I reflected, rather late in the day perhaps, on theruin that this speculation was bringing to thousands, of which somelamentable instances had recently come to my notice, and once moreconsidered whether it were a suitable career for an upright man. I hadwealth; why should I not take it and enjoy life?

Also--and here my business acumen came in, I was sure that these timescould not last. It is easy to make money on a rising market, but whenit is falling the matter is very different. In five minutes I made upmy mind. I sent for my junior partners, for I had taken in two, and toldthem that I intended to retire at once. They were dismayed both at myloss, for really I was the firm, and because, as they pointed out, ifI withdrew all my capital, there would not be sufficient left to enablethem to carry on.

One of them, a blunt and honest man, said to my face that it would bedishonourable of me to do so. I was inclined to answer him sharply, thenremembered that his words were true.

"Very well," I said, "I will leave you £600,000 on which you shall payme five per cent interest, but no share of the profits."

On these terms we dissolved the partnership and in a year they hadlost the £600,000, for the slump came with a vengeance. It saved them,however, and to-day they are earning a reasonable income. But I havenever asked them for that £600,000.

Chapter II - Bastin and Bickley

Behold me once more a man without an occupation, but now the possessorof about £900,000. It was a very considerable fortune, if not a largeone in England; nothing like the millions of which I had dreamed, butstill enough. To make the most of it and to be sure that it remained, Iinvested it very well, mostly in large mortgages at four per cent which,if the security is good, do not depreciate in capital value. Never againdid I touch a single speculative stock, who desired to think no moreabout money. It was at this time that I bought the Fulcombe property.It cost me about £120,000 of my capital, or with alterations, repairs,etc., say £150,000, on which sum it may pay a net two and a half percent, not more.

This £3,700 odd I have always devoted to the upkeep of the place, whichis therefore in first-rate order. The rest I live on, or save.

These arrangements, with the beautifying and furnishing of the houseand the restoration of the church in memory of my father, occupied andamused me for a year or so, but when they were finished time began tohang heavy on my hands. What was the use of possessing about £20,000 ayear when there was nothing upon which it could be spent? For afterall my own wants were few and simple and the acquisition of valuablepictures and costly furniture is limited by space. Oh! in my small wayI was like the weary King Ecclesiast. For I too made me great worksand had possessions of great and small cattle (I tried farming andlost money over it!) and gathered me silver and gold and the peculiartreasure of kings, which I presume means whatever a man in authoritychiefly desires, and so forth. But "behold all was vanity and vexationof spirit, and there was no profit under the sun."

So, notwithstanding my wealth and health and the deference which isthe rich man's portion, especially when the limit of his riches is notknown, it came about that I too "hated life," and this when I was notmuch over thirty. I did not know what to do; for Society as the wordis generally understood, I had no taste; it bored me; horse-racing andcards I loathed, who had already gambled too much on a big scale. Thekilling of creatures under the name of sport palled upon me, indeed Ibegan to doubt if it were right, while the office of a junior countymagistrate in a place where there was no crime, only occupied me an houror two a month.

Lastly my neighbours were few and with all due deference to them,extremely dull. At least I could not understand them because in themthere did not seem to be anything to understand, and I am quite certainthat they did not understand me. More, when they came to learn that Iwas radical in my views and had written certain "dreadful" andsomewhat socialistic books in the form of fiction, they both feared andmistrusted me as an enemy to their particular section of the race. AsI had not married and showed no inclination to do so, their womenkindalso, out of their intimate knowledge, proclaimed that I led an immorallife, though a little reflection would have shown them that there wasno one in the neighbourhood which for a time I seldom left, who couldpossibly have tempted an educated creature to such courses.

Terrible is the lot of a man who, while still young and possessing theintellect necessary to achievement, is deprived of all ambition. AndI had none at all. I did not even wish to purchase a peerage or abaronetcy in this fashion or in that, and, as in my father's case, mytastes were so many and so catholic that I could not lose myself in anyone of them. They never became more than diversions to me. A hobby isonly really amusing when it becomes an obsession.

At length my lonesome friendlessness oppressed me so much that I tooksteps to mitigate it. In my college life I had two particular friendswhom I think I must have selected because they were so absolutelydifferent from myself.

They were named Bastin and Bickley. Bastin--Basil was his Christianname--was an uncouth, shock-headed, flat-footed person of large, ruggedframe and equally rugged honesty, with a mind almost incredibly simple.Nothing surprised him because he lacked the faculty of surprise. He waslike that kind of fish which lies at the bottom of the sea and takesevery kind of food into its great maw without distinguishing itsflavour. Metaphorically speaking, heavenly manna and decayed cabbagewere just the same to Bastin. He was not fastidious and both were mentalpabulum--of a sort--together with whatever lay between these extremes.Yet he was good, so painfully good that one felt that without exertionto himself he had booked a first-class ticket straight to Heaven; indeedthat his guardian angel had tied it round his neck at birth lest heshould lose it, already numbered and dated like an identification disc.

I am bound to add that Bastin never went wrong because he never felt theslightest temptation to do so. This I suppose constitutes real virtue,since, in view of certain Bible sayings, the person who is tempted andwould like to yield to the temptation, is equally a sinner with theperson who does yield. To be truly good one should be too good to betempted, or too weak to make the effort worth the tempter's while--inshort not deserving of his powder and shot.

I need hardly add that Bastin went into the Church; indeed, he could nothave gone anywhere else; it absorbed him naturally, as doubtless Heavenwill do in due course. Only I think it likely that until they get toknow him he will bore the angels so much that they will continually movehim up higher. Also if they have any susceptibilities left, probablyhe will tread upon their toes--an art in which I never knew his equal.However, I always loved Bastin, perhaps because no one else did, a factof which he remained totally unconscious, or perhaps because of hisbrutal way of telling one what he conceived to be the truth, which, ashe had less imagination than a dormouse, generally it was not. For ifthe truth is a jewel, it is one coloured and veiled by many differentlights and atmospheres.

It only remains to add that he was learned in his theological fashionand that among his further peculiarities were the slow, monotonousvoice in which he uttered his views in long sentences, and his totalindifference to adverse argument however sound and convincing.

My other friend, Bickley, was a person of a quite different character.Like Bastin, he was learned, but his tendencies faced another way.If Bastin's omnivorous throat could swallow a camel, especiallya theological camel, Bickley's would strain at the smallest gnat,especially a theological gnat. The very best and most upright of men,yet he believed in nothing that he could not taste, see or handle. Hewas convinced, for instance, that man is a brute-descended accident andno more, that what we call the soul or the mind is produced by a certainaction of the grey matter of the brain; that everything apparentlyinexplicable has a perfectly mundane explanation, if only one could findit; that miracles certainly never did happen, and never will; that allreligions are the fruit of human hopes and fears and the most convincingproof of human weakness; that notwithstanding our infinite variations weare the subjects of Nature's single law and the victims of blind, blackand brutal chance.

Such was Bickley with his clever, well-cut face that always remindedme of a cameo, and thoughtful brow; his strong, capable hands and hisrather steely mouth, the mere set of which suggested controversy ofan uncompromising kind. Naturally as the Church had claimed Bastin, somedicine claimed Bickley.

Now as it happened the man who succeeded my father as vicar of Fulcombewas given a better living and went away shortly after I had purchasedthe place and with it the advowson. Just at this time also I receiveda letter written in the large, sprawling hand of Bastin from whom Ihad not heard for years. It went straight to the point, saying that he,Bastin, had seen in a Church paper that the last incumbent had resignedthe living of Fulcombe which was in my gift. He would therefore beobliged if I would give it to him as the place he was at in Yorkshiredid not suit his wife's health.

Here I may state that afterwards I learned that what did not suit Mrs.Bastin was the organist, who was pretty. She was by nature a womanwith a temperament so insanely jealous that actually she managed to besuspicious of Bastin, whom she had captured in an unguarded moment whenhe was thinking of something else and who would as soon have thought ofeven looking at any woman as he would of worshipping Baal. As a matterof fact it took him months to know one female from another. Except aspossible providers of subscriptions and props of Mothers' Meetings,women had no interest for him.

To return--with that engaging honesty which I have mentioned--Bastin'sletter went on to set out all his own disabilities, which, he added,would probably render him unsuitable for the place he desired to fill.He was a High Churchman, a fact which would certainly offend many; hehad no claims to being a preacher although he was extraordinarily wellacquainted with the writings of the Early Fathers. (What on earth hadthat to do with the question, I wondered.) On the other hand he hadgenerally been considered a good visitor and was fond of walking (hemeant to call on distant parishioners, but did not say so).

Then followed a page and a half on the evils of the existing systemof the presentation to livings by private persons, ending with thesuggestion that I had probably committed a sin in buying this particularadvowson in order to increase my local authority, that is, if I hadbought it, a point on which he was ignorant. Finally he informed me thatas he had to christen a sick baby five miles away on a certain moorand it was too wet for him to ride his bicycle, he must stop. And hestopped.

There was, however, a P.S. to the letter, which ran as follows:

"Someone told me that you were dead a few years ago, and of course itmay be another man of the same name who owns Fulcombe. If so, no doubtthe Post Office will send back this letter."

That was his only allusion to my humble self in all those diffuse pages.It was a long while since I had received an epistle which made me laughso much, and of course I gave him the living by return of post, andeven informed him that I would increase its stipend to a sum which Iconsidered suitable to the position.

About ten days later I received another letter from Bastin which, asa scrawl on the flap of the envelope informed me, he had carried fora week in his pocket and forgotten to post. Except by inference itreturned no thanks for my intended benefits. What it did say, however,was that he thought it wrong of me to have settled a matter of suchspiritual importance in so great a hurry, though he had observed thatrich men were nearly always selfish where their time was concerned.Moreover, he considered that I ought first to have made inquiries as tohis present character and attainments, etc., etc.

To this epistle I replied by telegraph to the effect that I should assoon think of making inquiries about the character of an archangel,or that of one of his High Church saints. This telegram, he told meafterwards, he considered unseemly and even ribald, especially as it hadgiven great offence to the postmaster, who was one of the sidesmen inhis church.

Thus it came about that I appointed the Rev. Basil Bastin to theliving of Fulcombe, feeling sure that he would provide me with endlessamusement and act as a moral tonic and discipline. Also I appreciatedthe man's blunt candour. In due course he arrived, and I confess thatafter a few Sundays of experience I began to have doubts as to thewisdom of my choice, glad as I was to see him personally. His sermons atonce bored me, and, when they did not send me to sleep, excited in mea desire for debate. How could he be so profoundly acquainted withmysteries before which the world had stood amazed for ages? Was therenothing too hot or too heavy in the spiritual way for him to dismiss ina few blundering and casual words, as he might any ordinary incident ofevery-day life, I wondered? Also his idea of High Church observances wasnot mine, or, I imagine, that of anybody else. But I will not attempt toset it out.

His peculiarities, however, were easy to excuse and entirely swallowedup by the innate goodness of his nature which soon made him beloved ofeveryone in the place, for although he thought that probably most thingswere sins, I never knew him to discover a sin which he considered to bebeyond the reach of forgiveness. Bastin was indeed a most charitable manand in his way wide-minded.

The person whom I could not tolerate, however, was his wife, who, tomy fancy, more resembled a vessel, a very unattractive vessel, full ofvinegar than a woman. Her name was Sarah and she was small, plain, flat,sandy-haired and odious, quite obsessed, moreover, with her jealousiesof the Rev. Basil, at whom it pleased her to suppose that every woman inthe countryside under fifty was throwing herself.

Here I will confess that to the best of my ability I took care that theydid in outward seeming, that is, whenever she was present, instructingthem to sit aside with him in darkened corners, to present him withflowers, and so forth. Several of them easily fell into the humour ofthe thing, and I have seen him depart from a dinner-party followed bythat glowering Sarah, with a handful of rosebuds and violets, to saynothing of the traditional offerings of slippers, embroidered markersand the like. Well, it was my only way of coming even with her, which Ithink she knew, for she hated me poisonously.

So much for Basil Bastin. Now for Bickley. Him I had met on severaloccasions since our college days, and after I was settled at the Prioryfrom time to time I asked him to stay with me. At length he came, andI found out that he was not at all comfortable in his London practicewhich was of a nature uncongenial to him; further, that he did not geton with his partners. Then, after reflection, I made a suggestionto him. I pointed out that, owing to its popularity amongst seasidevisitors, the neighbourhood of Fulcombe was a rising one, and thatalthough there were doctors in it, there was no really first-classsurgeon for miles.

Now Bickley was a first-class surgeon, having held very high hospitalappointments, and indeed still holding them. Why, I asked, should henot come and set up here on his own? I would appoint him doctor tothe estate and also give him charge of a cottage hospital which I wasendowing, with liberty to build and arrange it as he liked. Further, asI considered that it would be of great advantage to me to have a man ofreal ability within reach, I would guarantee for three years whateverincome he was earning in London.

He thanked me warmly and in the end acted on the idea, with startlingresults so far as his prospects were concerned. Very soon his reallyremarkable skill became known and he was earning more money than as anunmarried man he could possibly want. Indeed, scarcely a big operationtook place at any town within twenty miles, and even much farther away,at which he was not called in to assist.

Needless to say his advent was a great boon to me, for as he lived in ahouse I let him quite near by, whenever he had a spare evening he woulddrop in to dinner, and from our absolutely opposite standpoints wediscussed all things human and divine. Thus I was enabled to sharpenmy wits upon the hard steel of his clear intellect which was yet, in asense, so limited.

I must add that I never converted him to my way of thinking and henever converted me to his, any more than he converted Bastin, forwhom, queerly enough, he had a liking. They pounded away at each other,Bickley frequently getting the best of it in the argument, and when atlast Bastin rose to go, he generally made the same remark. It was:

"It really is sad, my dear Bickley, to find a man of your intellectso utterly wrongheaded and misguided. I have convicted you of error atleast half a dozen times, and not to confess it is mere pigheadedness.Good night. I am sure that Sarah will be sitting up for me."

"Silly old idiot!" Bickley would say, shaking his fist after him. "Theonly way to get him to see the truth would be to saw his head open andpour it in."

Then we would both laugh.

Such were my two most intimate friends, although I admit it was ratherlike the equator cultivating close relationships with the north andsouth poles. Certainly Bastin was as far from Bickley as those pointsof the earth are apart, while I. as it were, sat equally distant betweenthe two. However, we were all very happy together, since in certaincharacters, there are few things that bind men more closely thanprofound differences of opinion.

Now I must turn to my more personal affairs. After all, it is impossiblefor a man to satisfy his soul, if he has anything of the sort about himwhich in the remotest degree answers to that description, with the husksof wealth, luxury and indolence, supplemented by occasional theologicaland other arguments between his friends; Becoming profoundly convincedof this truth, I searched round for something to do and, like Noah'sdove on the waste of waters, found nothing. Then I asked Bickley andBastin for their opinions as to my best future course. Bickley proved abarren draw. He rubbed his nose and feebly suggested that I might goin for "research work," which, of course, only represented his ownambitions. I asked him indignantly how I could do such a thing withoutany scientific qualifications whatever. He admitted the difficulty, butreplied that I might endow others who had the qualifications.

"In short, become a mulch cow for sucking scientists," I replied, andbroke off the conversation.

Bastin's idea was, first, that I should teach in a Sunday School;secondly, that if this career did not satisfy all my aspirations, Imight be ordained and become a missionary.

On my rejection of this brilliant advice, he remarked that the onlyother thing he could think of was that I should get married and have alarge family, which might possibly advantage the nation and ultimatelyenrich the Kingdom of Heaven, though of such things no one couldbe quite sure. At any rate, he was certain that at present I was inpractice neglecting my duty, whatever it might be, and in fact one ofthose cumberers of the earth who, he observed in the newspaper he tookin and read when he had time, were "very happily named--the idle rich."

"Which reminds me," he added, "that the clothing-club finances are ina perfectly scandalous condition; in fact, it is £25 in debt, an amountthat as the squire of the parish I consider it incumbent on you to makegood, not as a charity but as an obligation."

"Look here, my friend," I said, ignoring all the rest, "will you answerme a plain question? Have you found marriage such a success that youconsider it your duty to recommend it to others? And if you have, whyhave you not got the large family of which you speak?"

"Of course not," he replied with his usual frankness. "Indeed, it is inmany ways so disagreeable that I am convinced it must be right and forthe good of all concerned. As regards the family I am sure I do notknow, but Sarah never liked babies, which perhaps has something to dowith it."

Then he sighed, adding, "You see, Arbuthnot, we have to take things aswe find them in this world and hope for a better."

"Which is just what I am trying to do, you unilluminating old donkey!" Iexclaimed, and left him there shaking his head over matters in general,but I think principally over Sarah.

By the way, I think that the villagers recognised this good lady'svinegary nature. At least, they used to call her "Sour Sal."

Chapter III - Natalie

Now what Bastin had said about marriage stuck in my mind as hisblundering remarks had a way of doing, perhaps because of the grainof honest truth with which they were often permeated. Probably in myposition it was more or less my duty to marry. But here came the rub;I had never experienced any leanings that way. I was as much a man asothers, more so than many are, perhaps, and I liked women, but at thesame time they repelled me.

My old fastidiousness came in; to my taste there was always somethingwrong about them. While they attracted one part of my nature theyrevolted another part, and on the whole I preferred to do without theirintimate society, rather than work violence to this second and higherpart of me. Moreover, quite at the beginning of my career I hadconcluded from observation that a man gets on better in life alone,rather than with another to drag at his side, or by whom perhaps he mustbe dragged. Still true marriage, such as most men and some women havedreamed of in their youth, had always been one of my ideals; indeed itwas on and around this vision that I wrote that first book of mine whichwas so successful. Since I knew this to be unattainable in our imperfectconditions, however, notwithstanding Bastin's strictures, again Idismissed the whole matter from my mind as a vain imagination.

As an alternative I reflected upon a parliamentary career which I wasnot too old to begin, and even toyed with one or two opportunities thatoffered themselves, as these do to men of wealth and advanced views.They never came to anything, for in the end I decided that Partypolitics were so hateful and so dishonest, that I could not bring myselfto put my neck beneath their yoke. I was sure that if I tried to doso, I should fail more completely than I had done at the Bar and inLiterature. Here, too, I am quite certain that I was right.

The upshot of it all was that I sought refuge in that last expedient ofweary Englishmen, travel, not as a globe-trotter, but leisurely and withan inquiring mind, learning much but again finding, like the ancientwriter whom I have quoted already, that there is no new thing under thesun; that with certain variations it is the same thing over and overagain.

No, I will make an exception, the East did interest me enormously. Thereit was, at Benares, that I came into touch with certain thinkers whoopened my eyes to a great deal. They released some hidden spring inmy nature which hitherto had always been striving to break through thecrust of our conventions and inherited ideas. I know now that what Iwas seeking was nothing less than the Infinite; that I had "immortallongings in me." I listened to all their solemn talk of epochs and yearsmeasureless to man, and reflected with a thrill that after all man mighthave his part in every one of them. Yes, that bird of passage as heseemed to be, flying out of darkness into darkness, still he might havespread his wings in the light of other suns millions upon millions ofyears ago, and might still spread them, grown radiant and glorious,millions upon millions of years hence in a time unborn.

If only I could know the truth. Was Life (according to Bickley) merelya short activity bounded by nothingness before and behind; or (accordingto Bastin) a conventional golden-harped and haloed immortality, a wordof which he did not in the least understand the meaning?

Or was it something quite different from either of these, something vastand splendid beyond the reach of vision, something God-sent, beginningand ending in the Eternal Absolute and at last partaking of Hisattributes and nature and from aeon to aeon shot through with His light?And how was the truth to be learned? I asked my Eastern friends, andthey talked vaguely of long ascetic preparation, of years upon years oflearning, from whom I could not quite discover. I was sure it could notbe from them, because clearly they did not know; they only passed onwhat they had heard elsewhere, when or how they either could not orwould not explain. So at length I gave it up, having satisfied myselfthat all this was but an effort of Oriental imagination called into lifeby the sweet influences of the Eastern stars.

I gave it up and went away, thinking that I should forget. But I didnot forget. I was quick with a new hope, or at any rate with a newaspiration, and that secret child of holy desire grew and grew withinmy soul, till at length it flashed upon me that this soul of mine wasitself the hidden Master from which I must learn my lesson. No wonderthat those Eastern friends could not give his name, seeing that whateverthey really knew, as distinguished from what they had heard, and it waslittle enough, each of them had learned from the teaching of his ownsoul.

Thus, then, I too became a dreamer with only one longing, the longingfor wisdom, for that spirit touch which should open my eyes and enableme to see.

Yet now it happened strangely enough that when I seemed within myselfto have little further interest in the things of the world, and leastof all in women, I, who had taken another guest to dwell with me,those things of the world came back to me and in the shape of Woman theInevitable. Probably it was so decreed since is it not written that noman can live to himself alone, or lose himself in watching and nurturingthe growth of his own soul?

It happened thus. I went to Rome on my way home from India, and stayedthere a while. On the day after my arrival I wrote my name in the bookof our Minister to Italy at that time, Sir Alfred Upton, not because Iwished him to ask me to dinner, but for the reason that I had heard ofhim as a man of archeological tastes and thought that he might enable meto see things which otherwise I should not see.

As it chanced he knew about me through some of my Devonshire neighbourswho were friends of his, and did ask me to dinner on the followingnight. I accepted and found myself one of a considerable party, some ofthem distinguished English people who wore Orders, as is customary whenone dines with the representative of our Sovereign. Seeing these, andthis shows that in the best of us vanity is only latent, for the firsttime in my life I was sorry that I had none and was only plain Mr.Arbuthnot who, as Sir Alfred explained to me politely, must go in todinner last, because all the rest had titles, and without even a lady asthere was not one to spare.

Nor was my lot bettered when I got there, as I found myself seatedbetween an Italian countess and a Russian prince, neither of whom couldtalk English, while, alas, I knew no foreign language, not even Frenchin which they addressed me, seeming surprised that I did not understandthem. I was humiliated at my own ignorance, although in fact I was notignorant, only my education had been classical. Indeed I was a goodclassic and had kept up my knowledge more or less, especially since Ibecame an idle man. In my confusion it occurred to me that the Italiancountess might know Latin from which her own language was derived, andaddressed her in that tongue. She stared, and Sir Alfred, who was notfar off and overheard me (he also knew Latin), burst into laughter andproceeded to explain the joke in a loud voice, first in French andthen in English, to the assembled company, who all became infected withmerriment and also stared at me as a curiosity.

Then it was that for the first time I saw Natalie, for owing toa mistake of my driver I had arrived rather late and had not beenintroduced to her. As her father's only daughter, her mother being dead,she was seated at the end of the table behind a fan-like arrangement ofwhite Madonna lilies, and she had bent forward and, like the others, waslooking at me, but in such a fashion that her head from that distanceseemed as though it were surrounded and crowned with lilies. Indeed thegreatest art could not have produced a more beautiful effect which was,however, really one of naked accident.

An angel looking down upon earth through the lilies of Heaven--that wasthe rather absurd thought which flashed into my mind. I did not quiterealise her face at first except that it seemed to be both dark andfair; as a fact her waving hair which grew rather low upon her forehead,was dark, and her large, soft eyes were grey. I did not know, and tothis moment I do not know if she was really beautiful, but certainly thelight that shone through those eyes of hers and seemed to be reflectedupon her delicate features, was beauty itself. It was like that glowingthrough a thin vase of the purest alabaster within which a lamp isplaced, and I felt this effect to arise from no chance, like that of thelily-setting, but, as it were, from the lamp of the spirit within.

Our eyes met, and I suppose that she saw the wonder and admirationin mine. At any rate her amused smile faded, leaving the face ratherserious, though still sweetly serious, and a tinge of colour crept overit as the first hue of dawn creeps into a pearly sky. Then she withdrewherself behind the screen of lilies and for the rest of that dinnerwhich I thought was never coming to an end, practically I saw her nomore. Only I noted as she passed out that although not tall, shewas rounded and graceful in shape and that her hands were peculiarlydelicate.

Afterwards in the drawing-room her father, with whom I had talked at thetable, introduced me to her, saying:

"My daughter is the real archaeologist, Mr. Arbuthnot, and I think ifyou ask her, she may be able to help you."

Then he bustled away to speak to some of his important guests, from whomI think he was seeking political information.

"My father exaggerates," she said in a soft and very sympathetic voice,"but perhaps"--and she motioned me to a seat at her side.

Then we talked of the places and things that I more particularly desiredto see and, well, the end of it was that I went back to my hotel in lovewith Natalie; and as she afterwards confessed, she went to bed in lovewith me.

It was a curious business, more like meeting a very old friend from whomone had been separated by circumstances for a score of years or so thananything else. We were, so to speak, intimate from the first; weknew all about each other, although here and there was something new,something different which we could not remember, lines of thought,veins of memory which we did not possess in common. On one point I amabsolutely clear: it was not solely the everyday and ancient appeal ofwoman to man and man to woman which drew us together, though doubtlessthis had its part in our attachment as under our human conditions itmust do, seeing that it is Nature's bait to ensure the continuance ofthe race. It was something more, something quite beyond that elementaryimpulse.

At any rate we loved, and one evening in the shelter of the solemnwalls of the great Coliseum at Rome, which at that hour were shut toall except ourselves, we confessed our love. I really think we must havechosen the spot by tacit but mutual consent because we felt it to befitting. It was so old, so impregnated with every human experience,from the direst crime of the tyrant who thought himself a god, to thesublimest sacrifice of the martyr who already was half a god; with everyvice and virtue also which lies between these extremes, that it seemedto be the most fitting altar whereon to offer our hearts and all thatcaused them to beat, each to the other.

So Natalie and I were betrothed within a month of our first meeting.Within three we were married, for what was there to prevent or delay?Naturally Sir Alfred was delighted, seeing that he possessed butsmall private resources and I was able to make ample provision forhis daughter who had hitherto shown herself somewhat difficult in thisbusiness of matrimony and now was bordering on her twenty-seventh year.Everybody was delighted, everything went smoothly as a sledge slidingdown a slope of frozen snow and the mists of time hid whatever might beat the end of that slope. Probably a plain; at the worst the upward riseof ordinary life.

That is what we thought, if we thought at all. Certainly we neverdreamed of a precipice. Why should we, who were young, by comparison,quite healthy and very rich? Who thinks of precipices under suchcircumstances, when disaster seems to be eliminated and death is yet along way off?

And yet we ought to have done so, because we should have known thatsmooth surfaces without impediment to the runners often end in somethingof the kind.

I am bound to say that when we returned home to Fulcombe, where ofcourse we met with a great reception, including the ringing (out oftune) of the new peal of bells that I had given to the church, Bastinmade haste to point this out.

"Your wife seems a very nice and beautiful lady, Arbuthnot," hereflected aloud after dinner, when Mrs. Bastin, glowering as usual,though what at I do not know, had been escorted from the room byNatalie, "and really, when I come to think of it, you are an unusuallyfortunate person. You possess a great deal of money, much more than youhave any right to; which you seem to have done very little to earn anddo not spend quite as I should like you to do, and this nice property,that ought to be owned by a great number of people, as, according tothe views you express, I should have thought you would acknowledge, andeverything else that a man can want. It is very strange that you shouldbe so favoured and not because of any particular merits of your ownwhich one can see. However, I have no doubt it will all come even in theend and you will get your share of troubles, like others. Perhaps Mrs.Arbuthnot will have no children as there is so much for them to take. Orperhaps you will lose all your money and have to work for your living,which might be good for you. Or," he added, still thinking aloud afterhis fashion, "perhaps she will die young--she has that kind of face,although, of course, I hope she won't," he added, waking up.

I do not know why, but his wandering words struck me cold; theproverbial funeral bell at the marriage feast was nothing to them. Isuppose it was because in a flash of intuition I knew that they wouldcome true and that he was an appointed Cassandra. Perhaps this uncannyknowledge overcame my natural indignation at such super-gaucherie ofwhich no one but Bastin could have been capable, and even prevented mefrom replying at all, so that I merely sat still and looked at him.

But Bickley did reply with some vigour.

"Forgive me for saying so, Bastin," he said, bristling all over as itwere, "but your remarks, which may or may not be in accordance with theprinciples of your religion, seem to me to be in singularly bad taste.They would have turned the stomachs of a gathering of early Christians,who appear to have been the worst mannered people in the world, and atany decent heathen feast your neck would have been wrung as that of abird of ill omen."

"Why?" asked Bastin blankly. "I only said what I thought to be thetruth. The truth is better than what you call good taste."

"Then I will say what I think also to be the truth," replied Bickley,growing furious. "It is that you use your Christianity as a cloak forbad manners. It teaches consideration and sympathy for others of whichyou seem to have none. Moreover, since you talk of the death of people'swives, I will tell you something about your own, as a doctor, which Ican do as I never attended her. It is highly probable, in my opinion,that she will die before Mrs. Arbuthnot, who is quite a healthy personwith a good prospect of life."

"Perhaps," said Bastin. "If so, it will be God's will and I shall notcomplain" (here Bickley snorted), "though I do not see what you can knowabout it. But why should you cast reflections on the early Christianswho were people of strong principle living in rough times, and had towage war against an established devil-worship? I know you are angrybecause they smashed up the statues of Venus and so forth, but had Ibeen in their place I should have done the same."

"Of course you would, who doubts it? But as for the early Christians andtheir iconoclastic performances--well, curse them, that's all!" and hesprang up and left the room.

I followed him.

Let it not be supposed from the above scene that there was anyill-feeling between Bastin and Bickley. On the contrary they were muchattached to each other, and this kind of quarrel meant no more thanthe strong expression of their individual views to which they wereaccustomed from their college days. For instance Bastin was alwaystalking about the early Christians and missionaries, while Bickleyloathed both, the early Christians because of the destruction whichthey had wrought in Egypt, Italy, Greece and elsewhere, of all that wasbeautiful; and the missionaries because, as he said, they were degradingand spoiling the native races and by inducing them to wear clothes,rendering them liable to disease. Bastin would answer that their soulswere more important than their bodies, to which Bickley replied that asthere was no such thing as a soul except in the stupid imagination ofpriests, he differed entirely on the point. As it was quite impossiblefor either to convince the other, there the conversation would end, ordrift into something in which they were mutually interested, such asnatural history and the hygiene of the neighbourhood.

Here I may state that Bickley's keen professional eye was not mistakenwhen he diagnosed Mrs. Bastin's state of health as dangerous. As amatter of fact she was suffering from heart disease that a doctor canoften recognise by the colour of the lips, etc., which brought about herdeath under the following circumstances:

Her husband attended some ecclesiastical function at a town over twentymiles away and was to have returned by a train which would have broughthim home about five o'clock. As he did not arrive she waited atthe station for him until the last train came in about seveno'clock--without the beloved Basil. Then, on a winter's night she toreup to the Priory and begged me to lend her a dog-cart in which to driveto the said town to look for him. I expostulated against the folly ofsuch a proceeding, saying that no doubt Basil was safe enough but hadforgotten to telegraph, or thought that he would save the sixpence whichthe wire cost.

Then it came out, to Natalie's and my intense amusement, that all thiswas the result of her jealous nature of which I have spoken. She saidshe had never slept a night away from her husband since they weremarried and with so many "designing persons" about she could not saywhat might happen if she did so, especially as he was "such a favouriteand so handsome." (Bastin was a fine looking man in his rugged way.)

I suggested that she might have a little confidence in him, to which shereplied darkly that she had no confidence in anybody.

The end of it was that I lent her the cart with a fast horse and a gooddriver, and off she went. Reaching the town in question some two and ahalf hours later, she searched high and low through wind and sleet, butfound no Basil. He, it appeared, had gone on to Exeter, to look at thecathedral where some building was being done, and missing the last trainhad there slept the night.

About one in the morning, after being nearly locked up as a mad woman,she drove back to the Vicarage, again to find no Basil. Even then shedid not go to bed but raged about the house in her wet clothes, untilshe fell down utterly exhausted. When her husband did return on thefollowing morning, full of information about the cathedral, she wasdangerously ill, and actually passed away while uttering a violenttirade against him for his supposed suspicious proceedings.

That was the end of this truly odious British matron.

In after days Bastin, by some peculiar mental process, canonised her inhis imagination as a kind of saint. "So loving," he would say, "such adevoted wife! Why, my dear Humphrey, I can assure you that even in themidst of her death-struggle her last thoughts were of me," words thatcaused Bickley to snort with more than usual vigour, until I kicked himto silence beneath the table.

Chapter IV - Death and Departure

Now I must tell of my own terrible sorrow, which turned my life tobitterness and my hopes to ashes.

Never were a man and a woman happier together than I and Natalie.Mentally, physically, spiritually we were perfectly mated, and we lovedeach other dearly. Truly we were as one. Yet there was something abouther which filled me with vague fears, especially after she found thatshe was to become a mother. I would talk to her of the child, but shewould sigh and shake her head, her eyes filling with tears, and say thatwe must not count on the continuance of such happiness as ours, for itwas too great.

I tried to laugh away her doubts, though whenever I did so I seemed tohear Bastin's slow voice remarking casually that she might die, as hemight have commented on the quality of the claret. At last, however, Igrew terrified and asked her bluntly what she meant.

"I don't quite know, dearest," she replied, "especially as I amwonderfully well. But--but--"

"But what?" I asked.

"But I think that our companionship is going to be broken for a littlewhile."

"For a little while!" I exclaimed.

"Yes, Humphrey. I think that I shall be taken away from you--you knowwhat I mean," and she nodded towards the churchyard.

"Oh, my God!" I groaned.

"I want to say this," she added quickly, "that if such a thing shouldhappen, as it happens every day, I implore you, dearest Humphrey, not tobe too much distressed, since I am sure that you will find me again.No, I can't explain how or when or where, because I do not know. I haveprayed for light, but it has not come to me. All I know is that I am nottalking of reunion in Mr. Bastin's kind of conventional heaven, which hespeaks about as though to reach it one stumbled through darkness fora minute into a fine new house next door, where excellent servants hadmade everything ready for your arrival and all the lights were turnedup. It is something quite different from that and very much more real."

Then she bent down ostensibly to pat the head of a little black cockerspaniel called Tommy which had been given to her as a puppy, a highlyintelligent and affectionate animal that we both adored and that lovedher as only a dog can love. Really, I knew, it was to hide her tears,and fled from the room lest she should see mine.

As I went I heard the dog whimpering in a peculiar way, as though somesympathetic knowledge had been communicated to its wonderful animalintelligence.

That night I spoke to Bickley about the matter, repeating exactly whathad passed. As I expected, he smiled in his grave, rather sarcastic way,and made light of it.

"My dear Humphrey," he said, "don't torment yourself about such fancies.They are of everyday occurrence among women in your wife's condition.Sometimes they take one form, sometimes another. When she has got herbaby you will hear no more of them."

I tried to be comforted but in vain.

The days and weeks went by like a long nightmare and in due course theevent happened. Bickley was not attending the case; it was not inhis line, he said, and he preferred that where a friend's wife wasconcerned, somebody else should be called in. So it was put in charge ofa very good local man with a large experience in such domestic matters.

How am I to tell of it? Everything went wrong; as for the details, letthem be. Ultimately Bickley did operate, and if surpassing skill couldhave saved her, it would have been done. But the other man had misjudgedthe conditions; it was too late, nothing could help either mother orchild, a little girl who died shortly after she was born but not beforeshe had been christened, also by the name of Natalie.

I was called in to say farewell to my wife and found her radiant,triumphant even in her weakness.

"I know now," she whispered in a faint voice. "I understood as thechloroform passed away, but I cannot tell you. Everything is quite well,my darling. Go where you seem called to go, far away. Oh! the wonderfulplace 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!"

Then she died. And for a time I too seemed to die, but could not. Iburied her and the child here at Fulcombe; or rather I buried theirashes since I could not endure that her beloved body should seecorruption.

Afterwards, when all was over, I spoke of these last words of Natalie'swith both Bickley and Bastin, for somehow I seemed to wish to learntheir separate views.

The latter I may explain, had been present at the end in his spiritualcapacity, but I do not think that he in the least understood the natureof the drama which was passing before his eyes. His prayers and thechristening absorbed all his attention, and he never was a man who couldthink of more than one thing at a time.

When I told him exactly what had happened and repeated the words thatNatalie spoke, he was much interested in his own nebulous way, and saidthat it was delightful to meet with an example of a good Christian, suchas my wife had been, who actually saw something of Heaven before she hadgone there. His own faith was, he thanked God, fairly robust, but stillan undoubted occurrence of the sort acted as a refreshment, "like rainon a pasture when it is rather dry, you know," he added, breaking intosimile.

I remarked that she had not seemed to speak in the sense he indicated,but appeared to allude to something quite near at hand and more or lessimmediate.

"I don't know that there is anything nearer at hand than the Hereafter,"he answered. "I expect she meant that you will probably soon die andjoin her in Paradise, if you are worthy to do so. But of course it isnot wise to put too much reliance upon words spoken by people at thelast, because often they don't quite know what they are saying. Indeedsometimes I think this was so in the case of my own wife, who reallyseemed to me to talk a good deal of rubbish. Good-bye, I promised to seeWidow Jenkins this afternoon about having her varicose veins cut out,and I mustn't stop here wasting time in pleasant conversation. Shethinks just as much of her varicose veins as we do of the loss of ourwives."

I wonder what Bastin's ideas of unpleasant conversation may be, thoughtI to myself, as I watched him depart already wool-gathering on someother subject, probably the heresy of one of those "early fathers" whooccupied most of his thoughts.

Bickley listened to my tale in sympathetic silence, as a doctor does toa patient. When he was obliged to speak, he said that it was interestingas an example of a tendency of certain minds towards romantic visionwhich sometimes asserts itself, even in the throes of death.

"You know," he added, "that I put faith in none of these things. Iwish that I could, but reason and science both show me that they lackfoundation. The world on the whole is a sad place, where we arrivethrough the passions of others implanted in them by Nature, which,although it cares nothing for individual death, is tender towards theimpulse of races of every sort to preserve their collective life.Indeed the impulse is Nature, or at least its chief manifestation.Consequently, whether we be gnats or elephants, or anything between andbeyond, even stars for aught I know, we must make the best of things asthey are, taking the good and the evil as they come and getting all wecan out of life until it leaves us, after which we need not trouble.You had a good time for a little while and were happy in it; now youare having a bad time and are wretched. Perhaps in the future, when yourmental balance has re-asserted itself, you will have other good times inthe afternoon of your days, and then follow twilight and the dark. Thatis all there is to hope for, and we may as well look the thing in theface. Only I confess, my dear fellow, that your experience convinces methat marriage should be avoided at whatever inconvenience. Indeed Ihave long wondered that anyone can take the responsibility of bringinga child into the world. But probably nobody does in cold blood, exceptmisguided idiots like Bastin," he added. "He would have twenty, had nothis luck intervened."

"Then you believe in nothing, Friend," I said.

"Nothing, I am sorry to say, except what I see and my five sensesappreciate."

"You reject all possibility of miracle, for instance?"

"That depends on what you mean by miracle. Science shows us all kindsof wonders which our great grandfathers would have called miracles, butthese are nothing but laws that we are beginning to understand. Give mean instance."

"Well," I replied at hazard, "if you were assured by someone that a mancould live for a thousand years?"

"I should tell him that he was a fool or a liar, that is all. It isimpossible."

"Or that the same identity, spirit, animating principle--call it whatyou will--can flit from body to body, say in successive ages? Or thatthe dead can communicate with the living?"

"Convince me of any of these things, Arbuthnot, and mind you I desireto be convinced, and I will take back every word I have said and walkthrough Fulcombe in a white sheet proclaiming myself the fool. Now, Imust get off to the Cottage Hospital to cut out Widow Jenkins's varicoseveins. They are tangible and real at any rate; about the largest I eversaw, indeed. Give up dreams, old boy, and take to something useful. Youmight go back to your fiction writing; you seem to have leanings thatway, and you know you need not publish the stories, except privately forthe edification of your friends."

With this Parthian shaft Bickley took his departure to make a job ofWidow Jenkins's legs.

I took his advice. During the next few months I did write somethingwhich occupied my thoughts for a while, more or less. It lies in my safeto this minute, for somehow I have never been able to make up my mind toburn what cost me so much physical and mental toil.

When it was finished my melancholy returned to me with added force.Everything in the house took a tongue and cried to me of past days.Its walls echoed a voice that I could never hear again; in the verylooking-glasses I saw the reflection of a lost presence. Although I hadmoved myself for the purposes of sleep to a little room at the furtherend of the building, footsteps seemed to creep about my bed at nightand I heard the rustle of a remembered dress without the door. The placegrew hateful to me. I felt that I must get away from it or I should gomad.

One afternoon Bastin arrived carrying a book and in a state of highindignation. This work, written, as he said, by some ribald traveller,grossly traduced the character of missionaries to the South Sea Islands,especially of those of the Society to which he subscribed, and he threwit on the table in his righteous wrath. Bickley picked it up and openedit at a photograph of a very pretty South Sea Island girl clad in a fewflowers and nothing else, which he held towards Bastin, saying:

"Is it to this child of Nature that you object? I call her distinctlyattractive, though perhaps she does wear her hibiscus blooms with adifference to our women--a little lower down."

"The devil is always attractive," replied Bastin gloomily. "Child ofNature indeed! I call her Child of Sin. That photograph is enough tomake my poor Sarah turn in her grave."

"Why?" asked Bickley; "seeing that wide seas roll between you and thisdusky Venus. Also I thought that according to your Hebrew legend sincame in with bark garments."

"You should search the Scriptures, Bickley," I broke in, "and cultivateaccuracy. It was fig-leaves that symbolised its arrival. The garments,which I think were of skin, developed later."

"Perhaps," went on Bickley, who had turned the page, "she" (he referredto the late Mrs. Bastin) "would have preferred her thus," and he held upanother illustration of the same woman.

In this the native belle appeared after conversion, clad in broken-downstays--I suppose they were stays--out of which she seemed to bulge andflow in every direction, a dirty white dress several sizes too small,a kind of Salvation Army bonnet without a crown and a prayer-book whichshe held pressed to her middle; the general effect being hideous, and insome curious way, improper.

"Certainly," said Bastin, "though I admit her clothes do not seem tofit and she has not buttoned them up as she ought. But it is not of thepictures so much as of the letterpress with its false and scandalousaccusations, that I complain."

"Why do you complain?" asked Bickley. "Probably it is quite true, thoughthat we could never ascertain without visiting the lady's home."

"If I could afford it," exclaimed Bastin with rising anger, "I shouldlike to go there and expose this vile traducer of my cloth."

"So should I," answered Bickley, "and expose these introducers ofconsumption, measles and other European diseases, to say nothing of gin,among an innocent and Arcadian people."

"How can you call them innocent, Bickley, when they murder and eatmissionaries?"

"I dare say we should all eat a missionary, Bastin, if we were hungryenough," was the answer, after which something occurred to change theconversation.

But I kept the book and read it as a neutral observer, and came to theconclusion that these South Sea Islands, a land where it was alwaysafternoon, must be a charming place, in which perhaps the stars ofthe Tropics and the scent of the flowers might enable one to forget alittle, or at least take the edge off memory. Why should I not visitthem and escape another long and dreary English winter? No, I could notdo so alone. If Bastin and Bickley were there, their eternal argumentsmight amuse me. Well, why should they not come also? When one has moneythings can always be arranged.

The idea, which had its root in this absurd conversation, took a curioushold on me. I thought of it all the evening, being alone, and that nightit re-arose in my dreams. I dreamed that my lost Natalie appeared to meand showed me a picture. It was of a long, low land, a curving shoreof which the ends were out of the picture, whereon grew tall palms, andwhere great combers broke upon gleaming sand.

Then the picture seemed to become a reality and I saw Natalie herself,strangely changeful in her aspect, strangely varying in face and figure,strangely bright, standing in the mouth of a pass whereof the littlebordering cliffs were covered with bushes and low trees, whose greenwas almost hid in lovely flowers. There in my dream she stood, smilingmysteriously, and stretched out her arms towards me.

As I awoke I seemed to hear her voice, repeating her dying words: "Gowhere you seem called to go, far away. Oh! the wonderful place in whichyou will find me, not knowing that you have found me."

With some variations this dream visited me twice that night. In themorning I woke up quite determined that I would go to the South SeaIslands, even if I must do so alone. On that same evening Bastin andBickley dined with me. I said nothing to them about my dream, for Bastinnever dreamed and Bickley would have set it down to indigestion. Butwhen the cloth had been cleared away and we were drinking our glassof port--both Bastin and Bickley only took one, the former because heconsidered port a sinful indulgence of the flesh, the latter because hefeared it would give him gout--I remarked casually that they both lookedvery run down and as though they wanted a rest. They agreed, at leasteach of them said he had noticed it in the other. Indeed Bastin addedthat the damp and the cold in the church, in which he held dailyservices to no congregation except the old woman who cleaned it, hadgiven him rheumatism, which prevented him from sleeping.

"Do call things by their proper names," interrupted Bickley. "I toldyou yesterday that what you are suffering from is neuritis in your rightarm, which will become chronic if you neglect it much longer. I have thesame thing myself, so I ought to know, and unless I can stop operatingfor a while I believe my fingers will become useless. Also something isaffecting my sight, overstrain, I suppose, so that I am obliged to wearstronger and stronger glasses. I think I shall have to leave Ogden" (hispartner) "in charge for a while, and get away into the sun. There isnone here before June."

"I would if I could pay a locum tenens and were quite sure it isn'twrong," said Bastin.

"I am glad you both think like that," I remarked, "as I have asuggestion to make to you. I want to go to the South Seas about which wewere talking yesterday, to get the thorough change that Bickley has beenadvising for me, and I should be very grateful if you would both come asmy guests. You, Bickley, make so much money out of cutting people about,that you can arrange your own affairs during your absence. But as foryou, Bastin, I will see to the wherewithal for the locum tenens, andeverything else."

"You are very kind," said Bastin, "and certainly I should like to exposethat misguided author, who probably published his offensive work withoutthinking that what he wrote might affect the subscriptions to themissionary societies, also to show Bickley that he is not always right,as he seems to think. But I could never dream of accepting without thefull approval of the Bishop."

"You might get that of your nurse also, if she happens to be stillalive," mocked Bickley. "As for his Lordship, I don't think he willraise any objection when he sees the certificate I will give you aboutthe state of your health. He is a great believer in me ever since Itook that carbuncle out of his neck which he got because he will not eatenough. As for me, I mean to come if only to show you how continuallyand persistently you are wrong. But, Arbuthnot, how do you mean to go?"

"I don't know. In a mail steamer, I suppose."

"If you can run to it, a yacht would be much better."

"That's a good idea, for one could get out of the beaten tracks andsee the places that are never, or seldom, visited. I will make someinquiries. And now, to celebrate the occasion, let us all have anotherglass of port and drink a toast."

They hesitated and were lost, Bastin murmuring something about doingwithout his stout next day as a penance. Then they both asked what wasthe toast, each of them, after thought, suggesting that it should be theutter confusion of the other.

I shook my head, whereon as a result of further cogitation, Bastinsubmitted that the Unknown would be suitable. Bickley said that hethought this a foolish idea as everything worth knowing was alreadyknown, and what was the good of drinking to the rest? A toast to theTruth would be better.

A notion came to me.

"Let us combine them," I said, "and drink to the Unknown Truth."

So we did, though Bastin grumbled that the performance made him feellike Pilate.

"We are all Pilates in our way," I replied with a sigh.

"That is what I think every time I diagnose a case," exclaimed Bickley.

As for me I laughed and for some unknown reason felt happier than Ihad done for months. Oh! if only the writer of that tourist tale of theSouth Sea Islands could have guessed what fruit his light-thrown seedwould yield to us and to the world!

I made my inquiries through a London agency which hired out yachts orsold them to the idle rich. As I expected, there were plenty to be had,at a price, but wealthy as I was, the figure asked of the buyer of anysuitable craft, staggered me. In the end, however, I chartered onefor six months certain and at so much per month for as long as I likedafterwards. The owners paid insurance and everything else on conditionthat they appointed the captain and first mate, also the engineer, forthis yacht, which was named Star of the South, could steam at about tenknots as well as sail.

I know nothing about yachts, and therefore shall not attempt to describeher, further than to say that she was of five hundred and fifty tonsburden, very well constructed, and smart to look at, as well she mightbe, seeing that a deceased millionaire from whose executors I hired herhad spent a fortune in building and equipping her in the best possiblestyle. In all, her crew consisted of thirty-two hands. A peculiarity ofthe vessel was that owing to some fancy of the late owner, the passengeraccommodation, which was splendid, lay forward of the bridge, this withthe ship's store-rooms, refrigerating chamber, etc., being almost in thebows. It was owing to these arrangements, which were unusual, that theexecutors found it impossible to sell, and were therefore glad to acceptsuch an offer as mine in order to save expenses. Perhaps they hoped thatshe might go to the bottom, being heavily insured. If so, the Fates didnot disappoint them.

The captain, named Astley, was a jovial person who held every kind ofcertificate. He seemed so extraordinarily able at his business thatpersonally I suspected him of having made mistakes in the course of hiscareer, not unconnected with the worship of Bacchus. In this I believeI was right; otherwise a man of such attainments would have beencommanding something bigger than a private yacht. The first mate,Jacobsen, was a melancholy Dane, a spiritualist who played theconcertina, and seemed to be able to do without sleep. The crew were amixed lot, good men for the most part and quite unobjectionable, morethan half of them being Scandinavian. I think that is all I need sayabout the Star of the South.

The arrangement was that the Star of the South should proceed throughthe Straits of Gibraltar to Marseilles, where we would join her, andthence travel via the Suez Canal, to Australia and on to the South Seas,returning home as our fancy or convenience might dictate.

All the first part of the plan we carried out to the letter. Of theremainder I say nothing at present.

The Star of the South was amply provided with every kind of store. Amongthem were medicines and surgical instruments, selected by Bickley, anda case of Bibles and other religious works in sundry languages of theSouth Seas, selected by Bastin, whose bishop, when he understood thepious objects of his journey, had rather encouraged than hinderedhis departure on sick leave, and a large number of novels, books ofreference, etc., laid in by myself. She duly sailed from the Thames andreached Marseilles after a safe and easy passage, where all three of usboarded her.

I forgot to add that she had another passenger, the little spaniel,Tommy. I had intended to leave him behind, but while I was packing up hefollowed me about with such evident understanding of my purpose that myheart was touched. When I entered the motor to drive to the station heescaped from the hands of the servant, whimpering, and took refuge on myknee. After this I felt that Destiny intended him to be our companion.Moreover, was he not linked with my dead past, and, had I but known it,with my living future also?

Chapter V - The Cyclone

We enjoyed our voyage exceedingly. In Egypt, a land I was glad torevisit, we only stopped a week while the Star of the South, which werejoined at Suez, coaled and went through the Canal. This, however, gaveus time to spend a few days in Cairo, visit the Pyramids and Sakkarawhich Bastin and Bickley had never seen before, and inspect the greatMuseum. The journey up the Nile was postponed until our return. It wasa pleasant break and gave Bickley, a most omnivorous reader who was wellacquainted with Egyptian history and theology, the opportunity of tryingto prove to Bastin that Christianity was a mere development of theancient Egyptian faith. The arguments that ensued may be imagined.It never seemed to occur to either of them that all faiths may be andindeed probably are progressive; in short, different rays of lightthrown from the various facets of the same crystal, as in turn these areshone upon by the sun of Truth.

Our passage down the Red Sea was cool and agreeable. Thence we shapedour course for Ceylon. Here again we stopped a little while to run upto Kandy and to visit the ruined city of Anarajapura with its greatBuddhist topes that once again gave rise to religious argument betweenmy two friends. Leaving Ceylon we struck across the Indian Ocean forPerth in Western Australia.

It was a long voyage, since to save our coal we made most of itunder canvas. However, we were not dull as Captain Astley was a goodcompanion, and even out of the melancholy Dane, Jacobsen, we hadentertainment. He insisted on holding seances in the cabin, at which theusual phenomena occurred. The table twisted about, voices were heard andJacobsen's accordion wailed out tunes above our heads. These happeningsdrove Bickley to a kind of madness, for here were events which he couldnot explain. He was convinced that someone was playing tricks upon him,and devised the most elaborate snares to detect the rogue, entirelywithout result.

First he accused Jacobsen, who was very indignant, and then me, wholaughed. In the end Jacobsen and I left the "circle" and the cabin,which was locked behind us; only Bastin and Bickley remaining there inthe dark. Presently we heard sounds of altercation, and Bickley emergedlooking very red in the face, followed by Bastin, who was saying:

"Can I help it if something pulled your nose and snatched off youreyeglasses, which anyhow are quite useless to you when there is nolight? Again, is it possible for me, sitting on the other side of thattable, to have placed the concertina on your head and made it play theNational Anthem, a thing that I have not the slightest idea how to do?"

"Please do not try to explain," snapped Bickley. "I am perfectly awarethat you deceived me somehow, which no doubt you think a good joke."

"My dear fellow," I interrupted, "is it possible to imagine old Basildeceiving anyone?"

"Why not," snorted Bickley, "seeing that he deceives himself from oneyear's end to the other?"

"I think," said Bastin, "that this is an unholy business and that we areboth deceived by the devil. I will have no more to do with it," and hedeparted to his cabin, probably to say some appropriate prayers.

After this the seances were given up but Jacobsen produced an instrumentcalled a planchette and with difficulty persuaded Bickley to try it,which he did after many precautions. The thing, a heart-shaped pieceof wood mounted on wheels and with a pencil stuck at its narrow end,cantered about the sheet of paper on which it was placed, Bickley, whosehands rested upon it, staring at the roof of the cabin. Then it began toscribble and after a while stopped still.

"Will the Doctor look?" said Jacobsen. "Perhaps the spirits have toldhim something."

"Oh! curse all this silly talk about spirits," exclaimed Bickley, as hearranged his eyeglasses and held up the paper to the light, for it wasafter dinner.

He stared, then with an exclamation which I will not repeat, and aglance of savage suspicion at the poor Dane and the rest of us, threwit down and left the cabin. I picked it up and next moment was screamingwith laughter. There on the top of the sheet was a rough but entirelyrecognizable portrait of Bickley with the accordion on his head, andunderneath, written in a delicate, Italian female hand, absolutelydifferent from his own, were these words taken from one of St. Paul'sEpistles--"Oppositions of science falsely so called." Underneath themagain in a scrawling, schoolboy fist, very like Bastin's, was inscribed,"Tell us how this is done, you silly doctor, who think yourself soclever."

"It seems that the devil really can quote Scripture," was Bastin's onlycomment, while Jacobsen stared before him and smiled.

Bickley never alluded to the matter, but for days afterwards I saw himexperimenting with paper and chemicals, evidently trying to discovera form of invisible ink which would appear upon the application of thehand. As he never said anything about it, I fear that he failed.

This planchette business had a somewhat curious ending. A few nightslater Jacobsen was working it and asked me to put a question. To obligehim I inquired on what day we should reach Fremantle, the port of Perth.It wrote an answer which, I may remark, subsequently proved to be quitecorrect.

"That is not a good question," said Jacobsen, "since as a sailor I mightguess the reply. Try again, Mr. Arbuthnot."

"Will anything remarkable happen on our voyage to the South Seas?" Iinquired casually.

The planchette hesitated a while then wrote rapidly and stopped.Jacobsen took up the paper and began to read the answer aloud--"To A,B the D, and B the C, the most remarkable things will happen that havehappened to men living in the world."

"That must mean me, Bickley the doctor and Bastin the clergyman," Isaid, laughing.

Jacobsen paid no attention, for he was reading what followed. As he didso I saw his face turn white and his eyes begin to start from his head.Then suddenly he tore the paper in pieces which he thrust into hispocket. Lifting his great fist he uttered some Danish oath and with asingle blow smashed the planchette to fragments, after which he strodeaway, leaving me astonished and somewhat disturbed. When I met him thenext morning I asked him what was on the paper.

"Oh!" he said quietly, "something I should not like you too-properEnglish gentlemens to see. Something not nice. You understand. Thosespirits not always good; they do that kind of thing sometimes. That'swhy I broke up this planchette."

Then he began to talk of something else and there the matter ended.

I should have said that, principally with a view to putting themselvesin a position to confute each other, ever since we had started fromMarseilles both Bastin and Bickley spent a number of hours each day inassiduous study of the language of the South Sea Islands. It became akind of competition between them as to which could learn the most.Now Bastin, although simple and even stupid in some ways, was a goodscholar, and as I knew at college, had quite a faculty for acquiringlanguages in which he had taken high marks at examinations. Bickley,too, was an extraordinarily able person with an excellent memory,especially when he was on his mettle. The result was that before weever reached a South Sea island they had a good working knowledge of thelocal tongues.

As it chanced, too, at Perth we picked up a Samoan and his wife who,under some of the "white Australia" regulations, were not allowed toremain in the country and offered to work as servants in return for apassage to Apia where we proposed to call some time or other. With thesepeople Bastin and Bickley talked all day long till really they becamefairly proficient in their soft and beautiful dialect. They wished me tolearn also, but I said that with two such excellent interpreters and thenatives while they remained with us, it seemed quite unnecessary. Still,I picked up a good deal in a quiet way, as much as they did perhaps.

At length, travelling on and on as a voyager to the planet Mars mightdo, we sighted the low shores of Australia and that same evening weretowed, for our coal was quite exhausted, to the wharf at Fremantle.Here we spent a few days exploring the beautiful town of Perth and itsneighbourhood where it was very hot just then, and eating peachesand grapes till we made ourselves ill, as a visitor often does who isunaware that fruit should not be taken in quantity in Australia whilethe sun is high. Then we departed for Melbourne almost before ourarrival was generally known, since I did not wish to advertise ourpresence or the object of our journey.

We crossed the Great Australian Bight, of evil reputation, in the mostperfect weather; indeed it might have been a mill pond, and after ashort stay at Melbourne, went on to Sydney, where we coaled again andlaid in supplies.

Then our real journey began. The plan we laid out was to sail to Suvain Fiji, about 1,700 miles away, and after a stay there, on to Hawaiior the Sandwich Islands, stopping perhaps at the Phoenix Islands and theCentral Polynesian Sporades, such as Christmas and Fanning Isles. Thenwe proposed to turn south again through the Marshall Archipelago andthe Caroline Islands, and so on to New Guinea and the Coral Sea.Particularly did we wish to visit Easter Island on account ofits marvelous sculptures that are supposed to be the relics of apre-historic race. In truth, however, we had no fixed plan except to gowherever circumstance and chance might take us. Chance, I may add, orsomething else, took full advantage of its opportunities.

We came to Suva in safety and spent a while in exploring the beautifulFiji Isles where both Bastin and Bickley made full inquiries aboutthe work of the missionaries, each of them drawing exactly oppositeconclusions from the same set of admitted facts. Thence we steamed toSamoa and put our two natives ashore at Apia, where we procured somecoal. We did not stay long enough in these islands to investigate them,however, because persons of experience there assured us from certainfamiliar signs that one of the terrible hurricanes with which they areafflicted, was due to arrive shortly and that we should do well to putourselves beyond its reach. So having coaled and watered we departed ina hurry.

Up to this time I should state we had met with the most wonderful goodfortune in the matter of weather, so good indeed that never on oneoccasion since we left Marseilles, had we been obliged to put thefiddles on the tables. With the superstition of a sailor Captain Astley,when I alluded to the matter, shook his head saying that doubtless weshould pay for it later on, since "luck never goes all the way" andcyclones were reported to be about.

Here I must tell that after we were clear of Apia, it was discoveredthat the Danish mate who was believed to be in his cabin unwell fromsomething he had eaten, was missing. The question arose whether weshould put back to find him, as we supposed that he had made a tripinland and met with an accident, or been otherwise delayed. I wasin favour of doing so though the captain, thinking of the threatenedhurricane, shook his head and said that Jacobsen was a queer fellow whomight just as well have gone overboard as anywhere else, if he thoughthe heard "the spirits, of whom he was so fond," calling him. While thematter was still in suspense I happened to go into my own stateroomand there, stuck in the looking-glass, saw an envelope in the Dane'shandwriting addressed to myself. On opening it I found another sealedletter, unaddressed, also a note that ran as follows:

"Honoured Sir,

"You will think very badly of me for leaving you, but the enclosed whichI implore you not to open until you have seen the last of the Star ofthe South, will explain my reason and I hope clear my reputation.I thank you again and again for all your kindness and pray that theSpirits who rule the world may bless and preserve you, also the Doctorand Mr. Bastin."

This letter, which left the fate of Jacobsen quite unsolved, for itmight mean either that he had deserted or drowned himself, I put awaywith the enclosure in my pocket. Of course there was no obligation on meto refrain from opening the letter, but I shrank from doing so both fromsome kind of sense of honour and, to tell the truth, for fear of whatit might contain. I felt that this would be disagreeable; also, althoughthere was nothing to connect them together, I bethought me of the scenewhen Jacobsen had smashed the planchette.

On my return to the deck I said nothing whatsoever about the discoveryof the letter, but only remarked that on reflection I had changed mymind and agreed with the captain that it would be unwise to attemptto return in order to look for Jacobsen. So the boatswain, a capableindividual who had seen better days, was promoted to take his watchesand we went on as before. How curiously things come about in the world!For nautical reasons that were explained to me, but which I will nottrouble to set down, if indeed I could remember them, I believe thatif we had returned to Apia we should have missed the great gale andsubsequent cyclone, and with these much else. But it was not so fated.

It was on the fourth day, when we were roughly seven hundred miles ormore north of Samoa, that we met the edge of this gale about sundown.The captain put on steam in the hope of pushing through it, but thatnight we dined for the first time with the fiddles on, and by eleveno'clock it was as much as one could do to stand in the cabin, while thewater was washing freely over the deck. Fortunately, however, thewind veered more aft of us, so that by putting about her head a little(seamen must forgive me if I talk of these matters as a landlubber) weran almost before the wind, though not quite in the direction that wewished to go.

When the light came it was blowing very hard indeed, and the sky wasutterly overcast, so that we got no glimpse of the sun, or of thestars on the following night. Unfortunately, there was no moon visible;indeed, if there had been I do not suppose that it would have helped usbecause of the thick pall of clouds. For quite seventy-two hours weran on beneath bare poles before that gale. The little vessel behavedsplendidly, riding the seas like a duck, but I could see that CaptainAstley was growing alarmed. When I said something complimentary to himabout the conduct of the Star of the South, he replied that she wasforging ahead all right, but the question was--where to? He had beenunable to take an observation of any sort since we left Samoa; bothhis patent logs had been carried away, so that now only the compassremained, and he had not the slightest idea where we were in that greatocean studded with atolls and islands.

I asked him whether we could not steam back to our proper course, buthe answered that to do so he would have to travel dead in the eye of thegale, and he doubted whether the engines would stand it. Also there wasthe question of coal to be considered. However, he had kept the firesgoing and would do what he could if the weather moderated.

That night during dinner which now consisted of tinned foods and whiskyand water, for the seas had got to the galley fire, suddenly the galedropped, whereat we rejoiced exceedingly. The captain came down into thesaloon very white and shaken, I thought, and I asked him to have a nipof whisky to warm him up, and to celebrate our good fortune in havingrun out of the wind. He took the bottle and, to my alarm, poured outa full half tumbler of spirit, which he swallowed undiluted in two orthree gulps.

"That's better!" he said with a hoarse laugh. "But man, what is it youare saying about having run out of the wind? Look at the glass!"

"We have," said Bastin, "and it is wonderfully steady. About 29 degreesor a little over, which it has been for the last three days."

Again Astley laughed in a mirthless fashion, as he answered:

"Oh, that thing! That's the passengers' glass. I told the steward to putit out of gear so that you might not be frightened; it is an old trick.Look at this," and he produced one of the portable variety out of hispocket.

We looked, and it stood somewhere between 27 degrees and 28 degrees.

"That's the lowest glass I ever saw in the Polynesian or any other seasduring thirty years. It's right, too, for I have tested it by threeothers," he said.

"What does it mean?" I asked rather anxiously.

"South Sea cyclone of the worst breed," he replied. "That cursed Daneknew it was coming and that's why he left the ship. Pray as you neverprayed before," and again he stretched out his hand towards the whiskybottle. But I stepped between him and it, shaking my head. Thereon helaughed for the third time and left the cabin. Though I saw him onceor twice afterwards, these were really the last words of intelligibleconversation that I ever had with Captain Astley.

"It seems that we are in some danger," said Bastin, in an unmoved kindof way. "I think that was a good idea of the captain's, to put up apetition, I mean, but as Bickley will scarcely care to join in it I willgo into the cabin and do so myself."

Bickley snorted, then said:

"Confound that captain! Why did he play such a trick upon us about thebarometer? Humphrey, I believe he had been drinking."

"So do I," I said, looking at the whisky bottle. "Otherwise, aftertaking those precautions to keep us in the dark, he would not have leton like that."

"Well," said Bickley, "he can't get to the liquor, except through thissaloon, as it is locked up forward with the other stores."

"That's nothing," I replied, "as doubtless he has a supply of his own;rum, I expect. We must take our chance."

Bickley nodded, and suggested that we should go on deck to see what washappening. So we went. Not a breath of wind was stirring, and even thesea seemed to be settling down a little. At least, so we judged fromthe motion, for we could not see either it or the sky; everything was asblack as pitch. We heard the sailors, however, engaged in rigging guideropes fore and aft, and battening down the hatches with extra tarpaulinsby the light of lanterns. Also they were putting ropes round the boatsand doing something to the spars and topmasts.

Presently Bastin joined us, having, I suppose, finished his devotions.

"Really, it is quite pleasant here," he said. "One never knows howdisagreeable so much wind is until it stops."

I lit my pipe, making no answer, and the match burned quite steadilythere in the open air.

"What is that?" exclaimed Bickley, staring at something which now I sawfor the first time. It looked like a line of white approaching throughthe gloom. With it came a hissing sound, and although there was still nowind, the rigging began to moan mysteriously like a thing in pain. A bigdrop of water also fell from the sides into my pipe and put it out. Thenone of the sailors cried in a hoarse voice:

"Get down below, governors, unless you want to go out to sea!"

"Why?" inquired Bastin.

"Why? Becos the 'urricane is coming, that's all. Coming as though thedevil had kicked it out of 'ell."

Bastin seemed inclined to remonstrate at this sort of language, but wepushed him down the companion and followed, propelling the spaniel Tommyin front of us. Next moment I heard the sailors battening the hatch withhurried blows, and when this was done to their satisfaction, heard theirfeet also as they ran into shelter.

Another instant and we were all lying in a heap on the cabin floor withpoor Tommy on top of us. The cyclone had struck the ship! Above the washof water and the screaming of the gale we heard other mysterious sounds,which doubtless were caused by the yards hitting the seas, for the yachtwas lying on her side. I thought that all was over, but presently therecame a rending, crashing noise. The masts, or one of them, had gone, andby degrees we righted.

"Near thing!" said Bickley. "Good heavens, what's that?"

I listened, for the electric light had temporarily gone out, owing, Isuppose, to the dynamo having stopped for a moment. A most unholy andhollow sound was rising from the cabin floor. It might have beencaused by a bullock with its windpipe cut, trying to get its breath andgroaning. Then the light came on again and we saw Bastin lying at fulllength on the carpet.

"He's broken his neck or something," I said.

Bickley crept to him and having looked, sang out:

"It's all right! He's only sea-sick. I thought it would come to that ifhe drank so much tea."

"Sea-sick," I said faintly--"sea-sick?"

"That's all," said Bickley. "The nerves of the stomach acting on thebrain or vice-versa--that is, if Bastin has a brain," he added sottovoce.

"Oh!" groaned the prostrate clergyman. "I wish that I were dead!"

"Don't trouble about that," answered Bickley. "I expect you soon willbe. Here, drink some whisky, you donkey."

Bastin sat up and obeyed, out of the bottle, for it was impossible topour anything into a glass, with results too dreadful to narrate.

"I call that a dirty trick," he said presently, in a feeble voice,glowering at Bickley.

"I expect I shall have to play you a dirtier before long, for you are apretty bad case, old fellow."

As a matter of fact he had, for once Bastin had begun really we thoughtthat he was going to die. Somehow we got him into his cabin, whichopened off the saloon, and as he could drink nothing more, Bickleymanaged to inject morphia or some other compound into him, which madehim insensible for a long while.

"He must be in a poor way," he said, "for the needle went more than aquarter of an inch into him, and he never cried out or stirred. Couldn'thelp it in that rolling."

But now I could hear the engines working, and I think that the bowof the vessel was got head on to the seas, for instead of rolling wepitched, or rather the ship stood first upon one end and then upon theother. This continued for a while until the first burst of the cyclonehad gone by. Then suddenly the engines stopped; I suppose that they hadbroken down, but I never learned, and we seemed to veer about, nearlysinking in the process, and to run before the hurricane at terrificspeed.

"I wonder where we are going to?" I said to Bickley. "To the land ofsleep, Humphrey, I imagine," he replied in a more gentle voice than Ihad often heard him use, adding: "Good-bye, old boy, we have been realfriends, haven't we, notwithstanding my peculiarities? I only wish thatI could think that there was anything in Bastin's views. But I can't, Ican't. It's good night for us poor creatures!"

Chapter VI - Land

At last the electric light really went out. I had looked at my watchjust before this happened and wound it up, which, Bickley remarked, wassuperfluous and a waste of energy. It then marked 3.20 in the morning.We had wedged Bastin, who was now snoring comfortably, into his berth,with pillows, and managed to tie a cord over him--no, it was a largebath towel, fixing one end of it to the little rack over his bed andthe other to its framework. As for ourselves, we lay down on the floorbetween the table legs, which, of course, were screwed, and the settee,protecting ourselves as best we were able by help of the cushions, etc.,between two of which we thrust the terrified Tommy who had been slidingup and down the cabin floor. Thus we remained, expecting death everymoment till the light of day, a very dim light, struggling through aport-hole of which the iron cover had somehow been wrenched off. Orperhaps it was never shut, I do not remember.

About this time there came a lull in the hellish, howling hurricane; thefact being, I suppose, that we had reached the centre of the cyclone. Isuggested that we should try to go on deck and see what was happening.So we started, only to find the entrance to the companion so faithfullysecured that we could not by any means get out. We knocked and shouted,but no one answered. My belief is that at this time everyone on theyacht except ourselves had been washed away and drowned.

Then we returned to the saloon, which, except for a little watertrickling about the floor, was marvelously dry, and, being hungry,retrieved some bits of food and biscuit from its corners and ate. Atthis moment the cyclone began to blow again worse than ever, but itseemed to us, from another direction, and before it sped our poorderelict barque. It blew all day till for my part I grew utterly wearyand even longed for the inevitable end. If my views were not quite thoseof Bastin, certainly they were not those of Bickley. I had believed frommy youth up that the individuality of man, the ego, so to speak, doesnot die when life goes out of his poor body, and this faith did notdesert me then. Therefore, I wished to have it over and learn what theremight be upon the other side.

We could not speak much because of the howling of the wind, but Bickleydid manage to shout to me something to the effect that his partnerswould, in his opinion, make an end of their great practice withintwo years, which, he added, was a pity. I nodded my head, not caringtwopence what happened to Bickley's partners or their business, or to myown property, or to anything else. When death is at hand most of us donot think much of such things because then we realise how small theyare. Indeed I was wondering whether within a few minutes or hours Ishould or should not see Natalie again, and if this were the end towhich she had seemed to beckon me in that dream.

On we sped, and on. About four in the afternoon we heard sounds fromBastin's cabin which faintly reminded me of some tune. I crept to thedoor and listened. Evidently he had awakened and was singing or tryingto sing, for music was not one of his strong points, "For those in perilon the sea." Devoutly did I wish that it might be heard. Presently itceased, so I suppose he went to sleep again.

The darkness gathered once more. Then of a sudden something fearfulhappened. There were stupendous noises of a kind I had never heard;there were convulsions. It seemed to us that the ship was flung right upinto the air a hundred feet or more.

"Tidal wave, I expect," shouted Bickley.

Almost as he spoke she came down with the most appalling crash on tosomething hard and nearly jarred the senses out of us. Next the saloonwas whirling round and round and yet being carried forward, and we feltair blowing upon us. Then our senses left us. As I clasped Tommy to myside, whimpering and licking my face, my last thought was that all wasover, and that presently I should learn everything or nothing.

I woke up feeling very bruised and sore and perceived that light wasflowing into the saloon. The door was still shut, but it had beenwrenched off its hinges, and that was where the light came in; also someof the teak planks of the decking, jagged and splintered, were stickingup through the carpet. The table had broken from its fastenings and layupon its side. Everything else was one confusion. I looked at Bickley.Apparently he had not awakened. He was stretched out still wedged inwith his cushions and bleeding from a wound in his head. I crept to himin terror and listened. He was not dead, for his breathing was regularand natural. The whisky bottle which had been corked was upon the floorunbroken and about a third full. I took a good pull at the spirit; tome it tasted like nectar from the gods. Then I tried to force some downBickley's throat but could not, so I poured a little upon the cut on hishead. The smart of it woke him in a hurry.

"Where are we now?" he exclaimed. "You don't mean to tell me that Bastinis right after all and that we live again somewhere else? Oh! I couldnever bear that ignominy."

"I don't know about living somewhere else," I said, "although myopinions on that matter differ from yours. But I do know that you andI are still on earth in what remains of the saloon of the Star of theSouth."

"Thank God for that! Let's go and look for old Bastin," said Bickley. "Ido pray that he is all right also."

"It is most illogical of you, Bickley, and indeed wrong," groaned a deepvoice from the other side of the cabin door, "to thank a God in Whomyou do not believe, and to talk of praying for one of the worst and mostinefficient of His servants when you have no faith in prayer."

"Got you there, my friend," I said.

Bickley murmured something about force of habit, and looked smaller thanI had ever seen him do before.

Somehow we forced that door open; it was not easy because it had jammed.Within the cabin, hanging on either side of the bath towel which hadstood the strain nobly, something like a damp garment over a linen line,was Bastin most of whose bunk seemed to have disappeared. Yes--Bastin,pale and dishevelled and looking shrunk, with his hair touzled and hisbeard apparently growing all ways, but still Bastin alive, if very weak.

Bickley ran at him and made a cursory examination with his fingers.

"Nothing broken," he said triumphantly. "He's all right."

"If you had hung over a towel for many hours in most violent weather youwould not say that," groaned Bastin. "My inside is a pulp. But perhapsyou would be kind enough to untie me."

"Bosh!" said Bickley as he obeyed. "All you want is something to eat.Meanwhile, drink this," and he handed him the remains of the whisky.

Bastin swallowed it every drop, murmuring something about taking alittle wine for his stomach's sake, "one of the Pauline injunctions, youknow," after which he was much more cheerful. Then we hunted about andfound some more of the biscuits and other food with which we filledourselves after a fashion.

"I wonder what has happened," said Bastin. "I suppose that, thanks tothe skill of the captain, we have after all reached the haven where wewould be."

Here he stopped, rubbed his eyes and looked towards the saloon doorwhich, as I have said, had been wrenched off its hinges, but appearedto have opened wider than when I observed it last. Also Tommy, who wasrecovering his spirits, uttered a series of low growls.

"It is a most curious thing," he went on, "and I suppose I must besuffering from hallucinations, but I could swear that just now I sawlooking through that door the same improper young woman clothed in afew flowers and nothing else, whose photograph in that abominable andlibellous book was indirectly the cause of our tempestuous voyage."

"Indeed!" replied Bickley. "Well, so long as she has not got on thebroken-down stays and the Salvation Army bonnet without a crown, whichyou may remember she wore after she had fallen into the hands of yourfraternity, I am sure I do not mind. In fact I should be delighted tosee anything so pleasant."

At this moment a distinct sound of female tittering arose from beyondthe door. Tommy barked and Bickley stepped towards it, but I called tohim.

"Look out! Where there are women there are sure to be men. Let us beready against accidents."

So we armed ourselves with pistols, that is Bickley and I did, Bastinbeing fortified solely with a Bible.

Then we advanced, a remarkable and dilapidated trio, and dragged thedoor wide. Instantly there was a scurry and we caught sight of women'sforms wearing only flowers, and but few of these, running over whitesand towards groups of men armed with odd-looking clubs, some of whichwere fashioned to the shapes of swords and spears. To make an impressionI fired two shots with my revolver into the air, whereupon both men andwomen fled into groves of trees and vanished.

"They don't seem to be accustomed to white people," said Bickley. "Is itpossible that we have found a shore upon which no missionary has set afoot?"

"I hope so," said Bastin, "seeing that unworthy as I am, then theopportunities for me would be very great."

We stood still and looked about us. This was what we saw. All the afterpart of the ship from forward of the bridge had vanished utterly; therewas not a trace of it; she had as it were been cut in two. More, we weresome considerable distance from the sea which was still raging over aquarter of a mile away where great white combers struck upon a reefand spouted into the air. Behind us was a cliff, apparently of rock butcovered with earth and vegetation, and against this cliff, in which theprow of the ship was buried, she, or what remained of her, had come toanchor for the last time.

"You see what has happened," I said. "A great tidal wave has carried usup here and retreated."

"That's it," exclaimed Bickley. "Look at the debris," and he pointed totorn-up palms, bushes and seaweed piled into heaps which still ran saltwater; also to a number of dead fish that lay about among them, adding,"Well, we are saved anyhow."

"And yet there are people like you who say that there is no Providence!"ejaculated Bastin.

"I wonder what the views of Captain Astley and the crew are, or ratherwere, upon that matter," interrupted Bickley.

"I don't know," answered Bastin, looking about him vaguely. "It is truethat I can't see any of them, but if they are drowned no doubt it isbecause their period of usefulness in this world had ended."

"Let's get down and look about us," I remarked, being anxious to avoidfurther argument.

So we scrambled from the remnant of the ship, like Noah descending outof the ark, as Bastin said, on to the beach beneath, where Tommy rushedto and fro, gambolling for joy. Here we discovered a path which randiagonally up the side of a cliff which was nowhere more than fifty orsixty feet in height, and possibly had once formed the shore of thisland, or perhaps that of a lake. Up this path we went, following thetracks of many human feet, and reaching the crest of the cliff, lookedabout us, basking as we did so in the beautiful morning sun, for the skywas now clear of clouds and with that last awful effort, which destroyedour ship, the cyclone had passed away.

We were standing on a plain down which ran a little stream of good waterwhereof Tommy drank greedily, we following his example. To the right andleft of this plain, further than we could see, stretched bushland overwhich towered many palms, rather ragged now because of the lashing ofthe gale. Looking inland we perceived that the ground sloped gentlydownwards, ending at a distance of some miles in a large lake. Far outin this lake something like the top of a mountain of a brown colourrose above the water, and on the edge of it was what from that distanceappeared to be a tumbled ruin.

"This is all very interesting," I said to Bickley. "What do you make ofit?"

"I don't quite know. At first sight I should say that we are standing onthe lip of a crater of some vast extinct volcano. Look how it curves tonorth and south and at the slope running down to the lake."

I nodded.

"Lucky that the tidal wave did not get over the cliff," I said. "If ithad the people here would have all been drowned out. I wonder where theyhave gone?"

As I spoke Bastin pointed to the edge of the bush some hundreds of yardsaway, where we perceived brown figures slipping about among the trees. Isuggested that we should go back to the mouth of our path, so as to havea line of retreat open in case of necessity, and await events. So we didand there stood still. By degrees the brown figures emerged on to theplain to the number of some hundreds, and we saw that they were bothmale and female. The women were clothed in nothing except flowers and alittle girdle; the men were all armed with wooden weapons and also worea girdle but no flowers. The children, of whom there were many, werequite naked.

Among these people we observed a tall person clothed in what seemed tobe a magnificent feather cloak, and, walking around and about him, anumber of grotesque forms adorned with hideous masks and basket-likehead-dresses that were surmounted by plumes.

"The king or chief and his priests or medicine-men! This is splendid,"said Bickley triumphantly.

Bastin also contemplated them with enthusiasm as raw material upon whichhe hoped to get to work.

By degrees and very cautiously they approached us. To our joy, weperceived that behind them walked several young women who bore woodentrays of food or fruit.

"That looks well," I said. "They would not make offerings unless theywere friendly."

"The food may be poisoned," remarked Bickley suspiciously.

The crowd advanced, we standing quite still looking as dignified as wecould, I as the tallest in the middle, with Tommy sitting at my feet.When they were about five and twenty yards away, however, that wretchedlittle dog caught sight of the masked priests. He growled and thenrushed at them barking, his long black ears flapping as he went.

The effect was instantaneous. One and all they turned and fledprecipitately, who evidently had never before seen a dog and lookedupon it as a deadly creature. Yes, even the tall chief and his maskedmedicine-men fled like hares pursued by Tommy, who bit one of them inthe leg, evoking a terrific howl. I called him back and took him intomy arms. Seeing that he was safe for a while the crowd reformed and onceagain advanced.

As they came we noted that they were a wonderfully handsome people, talland straight with regularly shaped features and nothing of the negroabout them. Some of the young women might even be called beautiful,though those who were elderly had become corpulent. The feather-clothedchief, however, was much disfigured by a huge growth with a narrow stalkto it that hung from his neck and rested on his shoulder.

"I'll have that off him before he is a week older," said Bickley,surveying this deformity with great professional interest.

On they came, the girls with the platters walking ahead. On one of thesewere what looked like joints of baked pork, on another some plantainsand pear-shaped fruits. They knelt down and offered these to us. Wecontemplated them for a while. Then Bickley shook his head and beganto rub his stomach with appropriate contortions. Clearly they werequick-minded enough for they saw the point. At some words the girlsbrought the platters to the chief and others, who took from themportions of the food at hazard and ate them to show that it was notpoisoned, we watching their throats the while to make sure that it wasswallowed. Then they returned again and we took some of the food thoughonly Bickley ate, because, as I pointed out to him, being a doctor whounderstood the use of antidotes; clearly he should make the experiment.However, nothing happened; indeed he said that it was very good.

After this there came a pause. Then suddenly Bastin took up his parablein the Polynesian tongue which--to a certain extent--he had acquiredwith so much pains.

"What is this place called?" he asked slowly and distinctly, pausingbetween each word.

His audience shook their heads and he tried again, putting the accentson different syllables. Behold! some bright spirit understood him andanswered:

"Orofena."

"That means a hill, or an island, or a hill in an island," whisperedBickley to me.

"Who is your God?" asked Bastin again.

The point seemed one upon which they were a little doubtful, but at lastthe chief answered, "Oro. He who fights."

"In other words, Mars," said Bickley.

"I will give you a better one," said Bastin in the same slow fashion.

Thinking that he referred to himself these children of Naturecontemplated his angular form doubtfully and shook their heads. Then forthe first time one of the men who was wearing a mask and a wicker crateon his head, spoke in a hollow voice, saying:

"If you try Oro will eat you up."

"Head priest!" said Bickley, nudging me. "Old Bastin had better becareful or he will get his teeth into him and call them Oro's."

Another pause, after which the man in a feather cloak with the growth onhis neck that a servant was supporting, said:

"I am Marama, the chief of Orofena. We have never seen men like youbefore, if you are men. What brought you here and with you that fierceand terrible animal, or evil spirit which makes a noise and bites?"

Now Bickley pretended to consult me who stood brooding and majestic,that is if I can be majestic. I whispered something and he answered:

"The gods of the wind and the sea."

"What nonsense," ejaculated Bastin, "there are no such things."

"Shut up," I said, "we must use similes here," to which he replied:

"I don't like similes that tamper with the truth."

"Remember Neptune and Aeolus," I suggested, and he lapsed intoconsideration of the point.

"We knew that you were coming," said Marama. "Our doctors told us allabout you a moon ago. But we wish that you would come more gently, asyou nearly washed away our country."

After looking at me Bickley replied:

"How thankful should you be that in our kindness we have spared you."

"What do you come to do?" inquired Marama again. After the usual formulaof consulting me Bickley answered:

"We come to take that mountain (he meant lump) off your neck and makeyou beautiful; also to cure all the sickness among your people."

"And I come," broke in Bastin, "to give you new hearts."

These announcements evidently caused great excitement. Afterconsultation Marama answered:

"We do not want new hearts as the old ones are good, but we wish to berid of lumps and sicknesses. If you can do this we will make you godsand worship you and give you many wives." (Here Bastin held up his handsin horror.) "When will you begin to take away the lumps?"

"To-morrow," said Bickley. "But learn that if you try to harm us we willbring another wave which will drown all your country."

Nobody seemed to doubt our capacities in this direction, but oneinquiring spirit in a wicker crate did ask how it came about that if wecontrolled the ocean we had arrived in half a canoe instead of a wholeone.

Bickley replied to the effect that it was because the gods alwaystravelled in half-canoes to show their higher nature, which seemed tosatisfy everyone. Then we announced that we had seen enough of them forthat day and would retire to think. Meanwhile we should be obliged ifthey would build us a house and keep us supplied with whatever food theyhad.

"Do the gods eat?" asked the sceptic again.

"That fellow is a confounded radical," I whispered to Bickley. "Tell himthat they do when they come to Orofena."

He did so, whereon the chief said:

"Would the gods like a nice young girl cooked?"

At this point Bastin retired down the path, realising that he had to dowith cannibals. We said that we preferred to look at the girls alive andwould meet them again to-morrow morning, when we hoped that the housewould be ready.

So our first interview with the inhabitants of Orofena came to an end,on which we congratulated ourselves.

On reaching the remains of the Star of the South we set to work to takestock of what was left to us. Fortunately it proved to be a very greatdeal. As I think I mentioned, all the passenger part of the yacht layforward of the bridge, just in front of which the vessel had been brokenin two, almost as cleanly as though she were severed by a giganticknife. Further our stores were forward and practically everything elsethat belonged to us, even down to Bickley's instruments and medicinesand Bastin's religious works, to say nothing of a great quantity oftinned food and groceries. Lastly on the deck above the saloon hadstood two large lifeboats. Although these were amply secured at thecommencement of the gale one of them, that on the port side, was smashedto smithers; probably some spar had fallen upon it. The starboardboat, however, remained intact and so far as we could judge, seaworthy,although the bulwarks were broken by the waves.

"There's something we can get away in if necessary," I said.

"Where to?" remarked Bastin. "We don't know where we are or if there isany other land within a thousand miles. I think we had better stop hereas Providence seems to have intended, especially when there is so muchwork to my hand."

"Be careful," answered Bickley, "that the work to your hand does not endin the cutting of all our throats. It is an awkward thing interferingwith the religion of savages, and I believe that these untutoredchildren of Nature sometimes eat missionaries."

"Yes, I have heard that," said Bastin; "they bake them first as they dopigs. But I don't know that they would care to eat me," and he glancedat his bony limbs, "especially when you are much plumper. Anyhow onecan't stop for a risk of that sort."

Deigning no reply, Bickley walked away to fetch some fine fish whichhad been washed up by the tidal wave and were still flapping about ina little pool of salt water. Then we took counsel as to how to make thebest of our circumstances, and as a result set to work to tidy up thesaloon and cabins, which was not difficult as what remained of the shiplay on an even keel. Also we got out some necessary stores, includingparaffin for the swinging lamps with which the ship was fitted in caseof accident to the electric light, candles, and the guns we had broughtwith us so that they might be handy in the event of attack. This done,by the aid of the tools that were in the storerooms, Bickley, who was anexcellent carpenter, repaired the saloon door, all that was necessary tokeep us private, as the bulkhead still remained.

"Now," he said triumphantly when he had finished and got the lock andbolts to work to his satisfaction, "we can stand a siege if needed, foras the ship is iron built they can't even burn us out and that teak doorwould take some forcing. Also we can shore it up."

"How about something to eat? I want my tea," said Bastin.

"Then, my reverend friend," replied Bickley, "take a couple of the firebuckets and fetch some water from the stream. Also collect driftwood ofwhich there is plenty about, clean those fish and grill them over thesaloon stove."

"I'll try," said Bastin, "but I never did any cooking before."

"No," replied Bickley, "on second thoughts I will see to that myself,but you can get the fish ready."

So, with due precautions, Bastin and I fetched water from the streamwhich we found flowed over the edge of the cliff quite close at handinto a beautiful coral basin that might have been designed for a bath ofthe nymphs. Indeed one at a time, while the other watched, we undressedand plunged into it, and never was a tub more welcome than after ourlong days of tempest. Then we returned to find that Bickley had alreadyset the table and was engaged in frying the fish very skilfully on thesaloon stove, which proved to be well adapted to the purpose. He wascross, however, when he found that we had bathed and that it was now toolate for him to do likewise.

While he was cleaning himself as well as he could in his cabin basin andBastin was boiling water for tea, suddenly I remembered the letter fromthe Danish mate Jacobsen. Concluding that it might now be opened as wehad certainly parted with most of the Star of the South for the lasttime, I read it. It was as follows:

"The reason, honoured Sir, that I am leaving the ship is that on thenight I tore up the paper, the spirit controlling the planchette wrotethese words: 'After leaving Samoa the Star of the South will be wreckedin a hurricane and everybody on board drowned except A. B. and B. Getout of her! Get out of her! Don't be a fool, Jacob, unless you want tocome over here at once. Take our advice and get out of her and you willlive to be old.--SKOLL."

"Sir, I am not a coward but I know that this will happen, for thatspirit which signs itself Skoll never tells a lie. I did try to givethe captain a hint to stop at Apia, but he had been drinking and openlycursed me and called me a sneaking cheat. So I am going to run away,of which I am very much ashamed. But I do not wish to be drowned yet asthere is a girl whom I want to marry, and my mother I support. You willbe safe and I hope you will not think too badly of me.--JACOB JACOBSEN.

"P.S.--It is an awful thing to know the future. Never try to learnthat."

I gave this letter to Bastin and Bickley to read and asked them whatthey thought of it.

"Coincidence," said Bickley. "The man is a weak-minded idiot and heardin Samoa that they expected a hurricane."

"I think," chimed in Bastin, "that the devil knows how to look after hisown at any rate for a little while. I dare say it would have been muchbetter for him to be drowned."

"At least he is a deserter and failed in his duty. I never wish to hearof him again," I said.

As a matter of fact I never have. But the incident remains quiteunexplained either by Bickley or Bastin.

Chapter VII - The Orofenans

To our shame we had a very pleasant supper that night off the grilledfish, which was excellent, and some tinned meat. I say to our shame, ina sense, for on our companions the sharks were supping and by rights weshould have been sunk in woe. I suppose that the sense of our own escapeintoxicated us. Also, notwithstanding his joviality, none of us hadcared much for the captain, and his policy had been to keep us somewhatapart from the crew, of whom therefore we knew but little. It is truethat Bastin held services on Sundays, for such as would attend, andBickley had doctored a few of them for minor ailments, but there, exceptfor a little casual conversation, our intercourse began and ended.

Now the sad fact is that it is hard to be overwhelmed with grief forthose with whom we are not intimate. We were very sorry and that is allthat can be said, except that Bastin, being High Church, announced ina matter-of-fact way that he meant to put up some petitions for thewelfare of their souls. To this Bickley retorted that from what he hadseen of their bodies he was sure they needed them.

Yes, it was a pleasant supper, not made less so by a bottle of champagnewhich Bickley and I shared. Bastin stuck to his tea, not because he didnot like champagne, but because, as he explained, having now comein contact with the heathen it would never do for him to set them anexample in the use of spirituous liquors.

"However much we may differ, Bastin, I respect you for that sentiment,"commented Bickley.

"I don't know why you should," answered Bastin; "but if so, you mightfollow my example."

That night we slept like logs, trusting to our teak door which webarricaded, and to Tommy, who was a most excellent watch-dog, to guardus against surprise. At any rate we took the risk. As a matter of fact,nothing happened, though before dawn Tommy did growl a good deal, forI heard him, but as he sank into slumber again on my bed, I did not getup. In the morning I found from fresh footprints that two or three menhad been prowling about the ship, though at a little distance.

We rose early, and taking the necessary precautions, bathed in the pool.Then we breakfasted, and having filled every available receptacle withwater, which took us a long time as these included a large tank thatsupplied the bath, so that we might have at least a week's supply incase of siege, we went on deck and debated what we should do. In theend we determined to stop where we were and await events, because, asI pointed out, it was necessary that we should discover whether thesenatives were hostile or friendly. In the former event we could hold ourown on the ship, whereas away from it we must be overwhelmed; in thelatter there was always time to move inland.

About ten o'clock when we were seated on stools smoking, with our gunsby our side--for here, owing to the overhanging cliff in which it willbe remembered the prow of the ship was buried, we could not be reachedby missiles thrown from above--we saw numbers of the islanders advancingupon us along the beach on either side. They were preceded as beforeby women who bore food on platters and in baskets. These people,all talking excitedly and laughing after their fashion, stopped at adistance, so we took no notice of them. Presently Marama, clad inhis feather cloak, and again accompanied by priests or medicine-men,appeared walking down the path on the cliff face, and, standing below,made salutations and entered into a conversation with us of which I givethe substance--that is, so far as we could understand it.

He reproached us for not having come to him as he expected we would do.We replied that we preferred to remain where we were until we were sureof our greeting and asked him what was the position. He explained thatonly once before, in the time of his grandfather, had any people reachedtheir shores, also during a great storm as we had done. They weredark-skinned men like themselves, three of them, but whence they camewas never known, since they were at once seized and sacrificed to thegod Oro, which was the right thing to do in such a case.

We asked whether he would consider it right to sacrifice us. He replied:

Certainly, unless we were too strong, being gods ourselves, or unless anarrangement could be concluded. We asked--what arrangement? He repliedthat we must make them gifts; also that we must do what we had promisedand cure him--the chief--of the disease which had tormented him foryears. In that event everything would be at our disposal and we, withall our belongings, should become taboo, holy, not to be touched. Nonewould attempt to harm us, nothing should be stolen under penalty ofdeath.

We asked him to come up on the deck with only one companion that hissickness might be ascertained, and after much hesitation he consented todo so. Bickley made an examination of the growth and announced that hebelieved it could be removed with perfect safety as the attachment tothe neck was very slight, but of course there was always a risk. Thiswas explained to him with difficulty, and much talk followed betweenhim and his followers who gathered on the beach beneath the ship. Theyseemed adverse to the experiment, till Marama grew furious with themand at last burst into tears saying that he could no longer drag thisterrible burden about with him, and he touched the growth. He wouldrather die. Then they gave way.

I will tell the rest as shortly as I can.

A hideous wooden idol was brought on board, wrapped in leaves andfeathers, and upon it the chief and his head people swore safety tous whether he lived or died, making us the guests of their land. Therewere, however, two provisos made, or as such we understood them. Theseseemed to be that we should offer no insult or injury to their god, andsecondly, that we should not set foot on the island in the lake. It wasnot till afterwards that it occurred to me that this must refer tothe mountain top which appeared in the inland sheet of water. To thosestipulations we made no answer. Indeed, the Orofenans did all thetalking. Finally, they ratified their oaths by a man who, I suppose, wasa head priest, cutting his arm and rubbing the blood from it on the lipsof the idol; also upon those of the chief. I should add that Bastin hadretired as soon as he saw that false god appear, of which I was glad,since I felt sure that he would make a scene.

The operation took place that afternoon and on the ship, for when onceMarama had made up his mind to trust us he did so very thoroughly. Itwas performed on deck in the presence of an awed multitude who watchedfrom the shore, and when they saw Bickley appear in a clean nightshirtand wash his hands, uttered a groan of wonder. Evidently they consideredit a magical and religious ceremony; indeed ever afterwards they calledBickley the Great Priest, or sometimes the Great Healer in later days.This was a grievance to Bastin who considered that he had been robbedof his proper title, especially when he learned that among themselves hewas only known as "the Bellower," because of the loud voice in which headdressed them. Nor did Bickley particularly appreciate the compliment.

With my help he administered the chloroform, which was done undershelter of a sail for fear lest the people should think that we weresmothering their chief. Then the operation went on to a satisfactoryconclusion. I omit the details, but an electric battery and a red-hotwire came into play.

"There," said Bickley triumphantly when he had finished tying thevessels and made everything neat and tidy with bandages, "I was afraidhe might bleed to death, but I don't think there is any fear of thatnow, for I have made a real job of it." Then advancing with the horridtumour in his hands he showed it in triumph to the crowd beneath, whogroaned again and threw themselves on to their faces. Doubtless now itis the most sacred relic of Orofena.

When Marama came out of the anesthetic, Bickley gave him something whichsent him to sleep for twelve hours, during all which time his peoplewaited beneath. This was our dangerous period, for our difficulty wasto persuade them that he was not dead, although Bickley had assured themthat he would sleep for a time while the magic worked. Still, I was veryglad when he woke up on the following morning, and two or three ofhis leading men could see that he was alive. The rest was lengthy butsimple, consisting merely in keeping him quiet and on a suitable dietuntil there was no fear of the wound opening. We achieved it somehowwith the help of an intelligent native woman who, I suppose, was oneof his wives, and five days later were enabled to present him healed,though rather tottery, to his affectionate subjects.

It was a great scene, which may be imagined. They bore him away in alitter with the native woman to watch him and another to carry the relicpreserved in a basket, and us they acclaimed as gods. Thenceforward wehad nothing to fear in Orofena--except Bastin, though this we did notknow at the time.

All this while we had been living on our ship and growing very boredthere, although we employed the empty hours in conversation withselected natives, thereby improving our knowledge of the language.Bickley had the best of it, since already patients began to arrive whichoccupied him. One of the first was that man whom Tommy had bitten. Hewas carried to us in an almost comatose state, suffering apparently fromthe symptoms of snake poisoning.

Afterward it turned out that he conceived Tommy to be a divine but mostvenomous lizard that could make a very horrible noise, and began tosuffer as one might do from the bite of such a creature. Nothing thatBickley could do was enough to save him and ultimately he died inconvulsions, a circumstance that enormously enhanced Tommy's reputation.To tell the truth, we took advantage of it to explain that Tommy wasin fact a supernatural animal, a sort of tame demon which only harmedpeople who had malevolent intentions towards those he served or whotried to steal any of their possessions or to intrude upon them atinconvenient hours, especially in the dark. So terrible was he, indeed,that even the skill of the Great Priest, i.e., Bickley, could not availto save any whom once he had bitten in his rage. Even to be barked at byhim was dangerous and conveyed a curse that might last for generations.

All this we set out when Bastin was not there. He had wandered off,as he said, to look for shells, but as we knew, to practise religiousorations in the Polynesian tongue with the waves for audience, asDemosthenes is said to have done to perfect himself as a politicalorator. Personally I admit that I relied more on the terrors of Tommy tosafeguard us from theft and other troubles than I did upon those of thenative taboo and the priestly oaths.

The end of it all was that we left our ship, having padlocked up thedoor (the padlock, we explained, was a magical instrument that bit worsethan Tommy), and moved inland in a kind of triumphal procession,priests and singers going before (the Orofenans sang extremely well) andminstrels following after playing upon instruments like flutes, whilebehind came the bearers carrying such goods as we needed. They tookus to a beautiful place in a grove of palms on a ridge where grew manybreadfruit trees, that commanded a view of the ocean upon one side andof the lake with the strange brown mountain top on the other. Here inthe midst of the native gardens we found that a fine house had beenbuilt for us of a kind of mud brick and thatched with palm leaves,surrounded by a fenced courtyard of beaten earth and having wideoverhanging verandahs; a very comfortable place indeed in that deliciousclimate. In it we took up our abode, visiting the ship occasionally tosee that all was well there, and awaiting events.

For Bickley these soon began to happen in the shape of anever-increasing stream of patients. The population of the island wasconsiderable, anything between five and ten thousand, so far as wecould judge, and among these of course there were a number of sick.Ophthalmia, for instance, was a prevalent disease, as were the growthssuch as Marama had suffered from, to say nothing of surgical cases andthose resulting from accident or from nervous ailments. With all ofthese Bickley was called upon to deal, which he did with remarkablesuccess by help of his books on Tropical Diseases and his ample suppliesof medical necessaries.

At first he enjoyed it very much, but when we had been established inthe house for about three weeks he remarked, after putting in a solidten hours of work, that for all the holiday he was getting he might aswell be back at his old practice, with the difference that there he wasearning several thousands a year. Just then a poor woman arrived with ababy in convulsions to whose necessities he was obliged to sacrificehis supper, after which came a man who had fallen from a palm tree andbroken his leg.

Nor did I escape, since having somehow or other established a reputationfor wisdom, as soon as I had mastered sufficient of the language, everykind of knotty case was laid before me for decision. In short, Ibecame a sort of Chief Justice--not an easy office as it involvedthe acquirement of the native law which was intricate and peculiar,especially in matrimonial cases.

At these oppressive activities Bastin looked on with a gloomy eye.

"You fellows seem very busy," he said one evening; "but I can findnothing to do. They don't seem to want me, and merely to set a goodexample by drinking water or tea while you swallow whisky and their palmwine, or whatever it is, is very negative kind of work, especially as Iam getting tired of planting things in the garden and playing policemanround the wreck which nobody goes near. Even Tommy is better off, for atleast he can bark and hunt rats."

"You see," said Bickley, "we are following our trades. Arbuthnot is alawyer and acts as a judge. I am a surgeon and I may add a general--avery general--practitioner and work at medicine in an enormous andmuch-neglected practice. Therefore, you, being a clergyman, should goand do likewise. There are some ten thousand people here, but I do notobserve that as yet you have converted a single one."

Thus spoke Bickley in a light and unguarded moment with his usual objectof what is known as "getting a rise" out of Bastin. Little did he guesswhat he was doing.

Bastin thought a while ponderously, then said:

"It is very strange from what peculiar sources Providence sometimessends inspirations. If wisdom flows from babes and sucklings, why shouldit not do so from the well of agnostics and mockers?"

"There is no reason which I can see," scoffed Bickley, "except that as arule wells do not flow."

"Your jest is ill-timed and I may add foolish," continued Bastin. "WhatI was about to add was that you have given me an idea, as it was nodoubt intended that you should do. I will, metaphorically speaking, girdup my loins and try to bear the light into all this heathen blackness."

"Then it is one of the first you ever had, old fellow. But what's theneed of girding up your loins in this hot climate?" inquired Bickleywith innocence. "Pyjamas and that white and green umbrella of yourswould do just as well."

Bastin vouchsafed no reply and sat for the rest of that evening plungedin deep thought.

On the following morning he approached Marama and asked his leaveto teach the people about the gods. The chief readily granted this,thinking, I believe, that he alluded to ourselves, and orders wereissued accordingly. They were to the effect that Bastin was to beallowed to go everywhere unmolested and to talk to whom he would aboutwhat he would, to which all must listen with respect.

Thus he began his missionary career in Orofena, working at it, good andearnest man that he was, in a way that excited even the admiration ofBickley. He started a school for children, which was held under a fine,spreading tree. These listened well, and being of exceedingly quickintellect soon began to pick up the elements of knowledge. But when hetried to persuade them to clothe their little naked bodies his failurewas complete, although after much supplication some of the bigger girlsdid arrive with a chaplet of flowers--round their necks!

Also he preached to the adults, and here again was very successful ina way, especially after he became more familiar with the language. Theylistened; to a certain extent they understood; they argued and put topoor Bastin the most awful questions such as the whole Bench of Bishopscould not have answered. Still he did answer them somehow, and theypolitely accepted his interpretation of their theological riddles. Iobserved that he got on best when he was telling them stories out of theOld Testament, such as the account of the creation of the world andof human beings, also of the Deluge, etc. Indeed one of their elderssaid--Yes, this was quite true. They had heard it all before fromtheir fathers, and that once the Deluge had taken place round Orofena,swallowing up great countries, but sparing them because they were sogood.

Bastin, surprised, asked them who had caused the deluge. They replied,Oro which was the name of their god, Oro who dwelt yonder on themountain in the lake, and whose representation they worshipped inidols. He said that God dwelt in Heaven, to which they replied with calmcertainty:

"No, no, he dwells on the mountain in the lake," which was why theynever dared to approach that mountain.

Indeed it was only by giving the name Oro to the Divinity and admittingthat He might dwell in the mountain as well as everywhere else, thatBastin was able to make progress. Having conceded this, not withoutscruples, however, he did make considerable progress, so much, in fact,that I perceived that the priests of Oro were beginning to grow veryjealous of him and of his increasing authority with the people. Bastinwas naturally triumphant, and even exclaimed exultingly that within ayear he would have half of the population baptised.

"Within a year, my dear fellow," said Bickley, "you will have yourthroat cut as a sacrifice, and probably ours also. It is a pity, too,as within that time I should have stamped out ophthalmia and some otherdiseases in the island."

Here, leaving Bastin and his good work aside for a while, I will saya little about the country. From information which I gathered on somejourneys that I made and by inquiries from the chief Marama, who hadbecome devoted to us, I found that Orofena was quite a large place. Inshape the island was circular, a broad band of territory surrounding thegreat lake of which I have spoken, that in its turn surrounded a smallerisland from which rose the mountain top. No other land was known tobe near the shores of Orofena, which had never been visited by anyoneexcept the strangers a hundred years ago or so, who were sacrificed andeaten. Most of the island was covered with forest which the inhabitantslacked the energy, and indeed had no tools, to fell. They were anextremely lazy people and would only cultivate enough bananas and otherfood to satisfy their immediate needs. In truth they lived mostly uponbreadfruit and other products of the wild trees.

Thus it came about that in years of scarcity through drought or climaticcauses, which prevented the forest trees from bearing, they sufferedvery much from hunger. In such years hundreds of them would perishand the remainder resorted to the dreadful expedient of cannibalism.Sometimes, too, the shoals of fish avoided their shores, reducing themto great misery. Their only domestic animal was the pig which roamedabout half wild and in no great numbers, for they had never taken thetrouble to breed it in captivity. Their resources, therefore,were limited, which accounted for the comparative smallness of thepopulation, further reduced as it was by a wicked habit of infanticidepractised in order to lighten the burden of bringing up children.

They had no traditions as to how they reached this land, their beliefbeing that they had always been there but that their forefathers weremuch greater than they. They were poetical, and sang songs in a languagewhich themselves they could not understand; they said that it was thetongue their forefathers had spoken. Also they had several strangecustoms of which they did not know the origin. My own opinion, whichBickley shared, was that they were in fact a shrunken and deterioratedremnant of some high race now coming to its end through age andinter-breeding. About them indeed, notwithstanding their primitivesavagery which in its qualities much resembled that of otherPolynesians, there was a very curious air of antiquity. One felt thatthey had known the older world and its mysteries, though now bothwere forgotten. Also their language, which in time we came to speakperfectly, was copious, musical, and expressive in its idioms.

One circumstance I must mention. In walking about the country I observedall over it enormous holes, some of them measuring as much as a hundredyards across, with a depth of fifty feet or more, and this not onalluvial lands although there traces of them existed also, but in solidrock. What this rock was I do not know as none of us were geologists,but it seemed to me to partake of the nature of granite. Certainlyit was not coral like that on and about the coast, but of a primevalformation.

When I asked Marama what caused these holes, he only shrugged hisshoulders and said he did not know, but their fathers had declared thatthey were made by stones falling from heaven. This, of course, suggestedmeteorites to my mind. I submitted the idea to Bickley, who, in one ofhis rare intervals of leisure, came with me to make an examination.

"If they were meteorites," he said, "of which a shower struck the earthin some past geological age, all life must have been destroyed by themand their remains ought to exist at the bottom of the holes. To me theylook more like the effect of high explosives, but that, of course,is impossible, though I don't know what else could have caused suchcraters."

Then he went back to his work, for nothing that had to do with antiquityinterested Bickley very much. The present and its problems were enoughfor him, he would say, who neither had lived in the past nor expected tohave any share in the future.

As I remained curious I made an opportunity to scramble to the bottomof one of these craters, taking with me some of the natives with theirwooden tools. Here I found a good deal of soil either washed down fromthe surface or resulting from the decomposition of the rock, thoughoddly enough in it nothing grew. I directed them to dig. After a whileto my astonishment there appeared a corner of a great worked stonequite unlike that of the crater, indeed it seemed to me to be a marble.Further examination showed that this block was most beautifully carvedin bas-relief, apparently with a design of leaves and flowers. In thedisturbed soil also I picked up a life-sized marble hand of a womanexquisitely finished and apparently broken from a statue that mighthave been the work of one of the great Greek sculptors. Moreover, onthe third finger of this hand was a representation of a ring whereof,unfortunately, the bezel had been destroyed.

I put the hand in my pocket, but as darkness was coming on, I could notpursue the research and disinter the block. When I wished to return thenext day, I was informed politely by Marama that it would not be safefor me to do so as the priests of Oro declared that if I sought tomeddle with the "buried things the god would grow angry and bringdisaster on me."

When I persisted he said that at least I must go alone since no nativewould accompany me, and added earnestly that he prayed me not to go. Soto my great regret and disappointment I was obliged to give up the idea.

Chapter VIII - Bastin Attempts the Martyr's Crown

That carved stone and the marble hand took a great hold of myimagination. What did they mean? How could they have come to the bottomof that hole, unless indeed they were part of some building and itsornaments which had been destroyed in the neighbourhood? The stone ofwhich we had only uncovered a corner seemed far too big to have beencarried there from any ship; it must have weighed several tons. Besides,ships do not carry such things about the world, and none had visitedthis island during the last two centuries at any rate, or localtradition would have recorded so wonderful a fact. Were there, then,once edifices covered with elegant carving standing on this place, andwere they adorned with lovely statues that would not have disgracedthe best period of Greek art? The thing was incredible except on thesupposition that these were relics of an utterly lost civilisation.

Bickley was as much puzzled as myself. All he could say was that theworld was infinitely old and many things might have happened in itwhereof we had no record. Even Bastin was excited for a little while,but as his imagination was represented by zero, all he could say was:

"I suppose someone left them there, and anyhow it doesn't matter much,does it?"

But I, who have certain leanings towards the ancient and mysterious,could not be put off in this fashion. I remembered that unapproachablemountain in the midst of the lake and that on it appeared to besomething which looked like ruins as seen from the top of the cliffthrough glasses. At any rate this was a point, that I might clear up.

Saying nothing to anybody, one morning I slipped away and walked to theedge of the lake, a distance of five or six miles over rough country.Having arrived there I perceived that the cone-shaped mountain in thecentre, which was about a mile from the lake shore, was much larger thanI had thought, quite three hundred feet high indeed, and with avery large circumference. Further, its sides evidently once had beenterraced, and it was on one of these broad terraces, half-way up andfacing towards the rising sun, that the ruin-like remains were heaped.I examined them through my glasses. Undoubtedly it was a cyclopeanruin built of great blocks of coloured stone which seemed to have beenshattered by earthquake or explosion. There were the pillars of a mightygateway and the remains of walls.

I trembled with excitement as I stared and stared. Could I not get tothe place and see for myself? I observed that from the flat bush-cladland at the foot of the mountain, ran out what seemed to be the residueof a stone pier which ended in a large table-topped rock between twoand three hundred feet across. But even this was too far to reach byswimming, besides for aught I knew there might be alligators in thatlake. I walked up and down its borders, till presently I came to a pathwhich led into a patch of some variety of cotton palm.

Following this path I discovered a boat-house thatched over with palmleaves. Inside it were two good canoes with their paddles, floating andtied to the stumps of trees by fibre ropes. Instantly I made up my mindthat I would paddle to the island and investigate. Just as I was aboutto step into one of the canoes the light was cut off. Looking up I sawthat a man was crouching in the door-place of the boat-house in order toenter, and paused guiltily.

"Friend-from-the-Sea" (that was the name that these islanders had givento me), said the voice of Marama, "say--what are you doing here?"

"I am about to take a row on the lake, Chief," I answered carelessly.

"Indeed, Friend. Have we then treated you so badly that you are tired oflife?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Come out into the sunlight, Friend, and I will explain to you."

I hesitated till I saw Marama lifting the heavy wooden spear he carriedand remembered that I was unarmed. Then I came out.

"What does all this mean, Chief?" I asked angrily when we were clear ofthe patch of cotton palm.

"I mean, Friend, that you have been very near to making a longer journeythan you thought. Have patience now and listen to me. I saw you leavingthe village this morning and followed, suspecting your purpose. Yes,I followed alone, saying nothing to the priests of Oro who fortunatelywere away watching the Bellower for their own reasons. I saw yousearching out the secrets of the mountain with those magic tubes thatmake things big that are small, and things that are far off come near,and I followed you to the canoes."

"All that is plain enough, Marama. But why?"

"Have I not told you, Friend-from-the-Sea, that yonder hill which iscalled Orofena, whence this island takes its name, is sacred?"

"You said so, but what of it?"

"This: to set foot thereon is to die and, I suppose, great as you are,you, too, can die like others. At least, although I love you, had younot come away from that canoe I was about to discover whether this isso."

"Then for what are the canoes used?" I asked with irritation.

"You see that flat rock, Friend, with the hole beyond, which is themouth of a cave that appeared only in the great storm that brought youto our land? They are used to convey offerings which are laid upon therock. Beyond it no man may go, and since the beginning no man has evergone."

"Offerings to whom?"

"To the Oromatuas, the spirits of the great dead who live there."

"Oromatuas? Oro! It is always something to do with Oro. Who and what isOro?"

"Oro is a god, Friend, though it is true that the priests say that abovehim there is a greater god called Degai, the Creator, the Fate who madeall things and directs all things."

"Very well, but why do you suppose that Oro, the servant of Degai, livesin that mountain? I thought that he lived in a grove yonder where yourpriests, as I am told, have an image of him."

"I do not know, Friend-from-the-Sea, but so it has been held from thebeginning. The image in the grove is only visited by his spirit fromtime to time. Now, I pray you, come back and before the priests discoverthat you have been here, and forget that there are any canoes upon thislake."

So, thinking it wisest, I turned the matter with a laugh and walkedaway with him to the village. On our road I tried to extract some moreinformation but without success. He did not know who built the ruin uponthe mountain, or who destroyed it. He did not know how the terracescame there. All he knew was that during the convulsion of Nature whichresulted in the tidal wave that had thrown our ship upon the island,the mountain had been seen to quiver like a tree in the wind as thoughwithin it great forces were at work. Then it was observed to have risena good many more feet above the surface of the lake, as might be notedby the water mark upon the shore, and then also the mouth of the cavehad appeared. The priests said that all this was because the Oromatuaswho dwelt there were stirring, which portended great things. Indeedgreat things had happened--for had we not arrived in their land?

I thanked him for what he had told me, and, as there was nothing moreto be learned, dropped the subject which was never mentioned between usagain, at least not for a long while. But in my heart I determined thatI would reach that mountain even though to do so I must risk my life.Something seemed to call me to the place; it was as though I were beingdrawn by a magnet.

As it happened, before so very long I did go to the mountain, not ofmy own will but because I was obliged. It came about thus. One night Iasked Bastin how he was getting on with his missionary work. He replied:Very well indeed, but there was one great obstacle in his path, the idolin the Grove. Were it not for this accursed image he believed that thewhole island would become Christian. I asked him to be more plain.He explained that all his work was thwarted by this idol, since hisconverts declared that they did not dare to be baptised while it satthere in the Grove. If they did, the spirit that was in it would bewitchthem and perhaps steal out at night and murder them.

"The spirit being our friends the sorcerers," I suggested.

"That's it, Arbuthnot. Do you know, I believe those devilish mensometimes offer human sacrifices to this satanic fetish, when there is adrought or anything of that sort."

"I can quite believe it," I answered, "but as they will scarcely removetheir god and with it their own livelihood and authority, I am afraidthat as we don't want to be sacrificed, there is nothing to be done."

At this moment I was called away. As I went I heard Bastin mutteringsomething about martyrs, but paid no attention. Little did I guesswhat was going on in his pious but obstinate mind. In effect it wasthis--that if no one else would remove that idol he was quite ready todo it himself.

However, he was very cunning over that business, almost Jesuiticalindeed. Not one word did he breathe of his dark plans to me, and stillless to Bickley. He just went on with his teaching, lamenting from timeto time the stumbling-block of the idol and expressing wonder as to howit might be circumvented by a change in the hearts of the islanders, orotherwise. Sad as it is to record, in fact, dear old Bastin went as nearto telling a fib in connection with this matter as I suppose he had everdone in his life. It happened thus. One day Bickley's sharp eye caughtsight of Bastin walking about with what looked like a bottle of whiskyin his pocket.

"Hallo, old fellow," he said, "has the self-denying ordinance brokendown? I didn't know that you took pegs on the sly," and he pointed tothe bottle.

"If you are insinuating, Bickley, that I absorb spirits surreptitiously,you are more mistaken than usual, which is saying a good deal. Thisbottle contains, not Scotch whisky but paraffin, although I admitthat its label may have misled you, unintentionally, so far as I amconcerned."

"What are you going to do with the paraffin?" asked Bickley.

Bastin coloured through his tan and replied awkwardly:

"Paraffin is very good to keep away mosquitoes if one can stand thesmell of it upon one's skin. Not that I have brought it here with thatsole object. The truth is that I am anxious to experiment with a lamp ofmy own design made--um--of native wood," and he departed in a hurry.

"When next old Bastin wants to tell a lie," commented Bickley, "heshould make up his mind as to what it is to be, and stick to it. Iwonder what he is after with that paraffin? Not going to dose any ofmy patients with it, I hope. He was arguing the other day that it is agreat remedy taken internally, being quite unaware that the lamp varietyis not used for that purpose."

"Perhaps he means to swallow some himself, just to show that he isright," I suggested.

"The stomach-pump is at hand," said Bickley, and the matter dropped.

Next morning I got up before it was light. Having some elementaryknowledge of the main facts of astronomy, which remained with me fromboyhood when I had attended lectures on the subject, which I had triedto refresh by help of an encyclopedia I had brought from the ship,I wished to attempt to obtain an idea of our position by help of thestars. In this endeavour, I may say, I failed absolutely, as I did notknow how to take a stellar or any other observation.

On my way out of our native house I observed, by the lantern I carried,that the compartment of it occupied by Bastin was empty, and wonderedwhither he had gone at that hour. On arriving at my observation-post, arocky eminence on open ground, where, with Tommy at my side, I took myseat with a telescope, I was astonished to see or rather to hear a greatnumber of the natives walking past the base of the mound towards thebush. Then I remembered that some one, Marama, I think, had informed methat there was to be a great sacrifice to Oro at dawn on that day. Afterthis I thought no more of the matter but occupied myself in a futilestudy of the heavenly bodies. At length the dawn broke and put a periodto my labours.

Glancing round me before I descended from the little hill, I saw a flameof light appear suddenly about half a mile or more away among thosetrees which I knew concealed the image of Oro. On this personally I hadnever had the curiosity to look, as I knew that it was only a hideousidol stuck over with feathers and other bedizenments. The flame shotsuddenly straight into the still air and was followed a few secondslater by the sound of a dull explosion, after which it went out. Also itwas followed by something else--a scream of rage from an infuriated mob.

At the foot of the hill I stopped to wonder what these sounds mightmean. Then of a sudden appeared Bickley, who had been attending someurgent case, and asked me who was exploding gunpowder. I told him that Ihad no idea.

"Then I have," he answered. "It is that ass Bastin up to some game. NowI guess why he wanted that paraffin. Listen to the row. What are theyafter?"

"Sacrificing Bastin, perhaps," I replied, half in jest. "Have you yourrevolver?"

He nodded. We always wore our pistols if we went out during the darkhours.

"Then perhaps we had better go to see."

We started, and had not covered a hundred yards before a girl, whomI recognised as one of Bastin's converts, came flying towards us andscreaming out, "Help! Help! They kill the Bellower with fire! They cookhim like a pig!"

"Just what I expected," said Bickley.

Then we ran hard, as evidently there was no time to lose. While we wentI extracted from the terrified girl, whom we forced to show us the way,that as the sacrifice was about to be offered Bastin had appeared,and, "making fire," applied it to the god Oro, who instantly burst intoflame. Then he ran back, calling out that the devil was dead. As he didso there was a loud explosion and Oro flew into pieces. His burninghead went a long way into the air and, falling on to one of the priests,killed him. Thereon the other priests and the people seized the Bellowerand made him fast. Now they were engaged in heating an oven in which toput him to cook. When it was ready they would eat him in honour of Oro.

"And serve him right too!" gasped Bickley, who, being stout, was not agood runner. "Why can't he leave other people's gods alone instead ofblowing them up with gunpowder?"

"Don't know," I answered. "Hope we shall get there in time!"

"To be cooked and eaten with Bastin!" wheezed Bickley, after which hisbreath gave out.

As it chanced we did, for these stone ovens take a long time to heat.There by the edge of his fiery grave with his hands and legs bound inpalm-fibre shackles, stood Bastin, quite unmoved, smiling indeed, in asort of seraphic way which irritated us both extremely. Round him dancedthe infuriated priests of Oro, and round them, shrieking and howlingwith rage, was most of the population of Orofena. We rushed up sosuddenly that none tried to stop us, and took our stand on either sideof him, producing our pistols as we did so.

"Thank you for coming," said Bastin in the silence which followed;"though I don't think it is the least use. I cannot recall that anyof the early martyrs were ever roasted and eaten, though, of course,throwing them into boiling oil or water was fairly common. I take itthat the rite is sacrificial and even in a low sense, sacramental, notmerely one of common cannibalism."

I stared at him, and Bickley gasped out:

"If you are to be eaten, what does it matter why you are eaten?"

"Oh!" replied Bastin; "there is all the difference in the world, thoughit is one that I cannot expect you to appreciate. And now please bequiet as I wish to say my prayers. I imagine that those stones will behot enough to do their office within twenty minutes or so, which is notvery long."

At that moment Marama appeared, evidently in a state of greatperturbation. With him were some of the priests or sorcerers who weredancing about as I imagine the priests of Baal must have done, andfilled with fury. They rolled their eyes, they stuck out their tongues,they uttered weird cries and shook their wooden knives at the placidBastin.

"What is the matter?" I asked sternly of the chief.

"This, Friend-from-the-Sea. The Bellower there, when the sacrificewas about to be offered to Oro at the dawn, rushed forward, and havingthrust something between the legs of the image of the god, poured yellowwater over it, and with fire caused it to burst into fierce flame. Thenhe ran away and mocked the god who presently, with a loud report,flew into pieces and killed that man. Therefore the Bellower must besacrificed."

"What to?" I asked. "The image has gone and the piece of it thatascended fell not upon the Bellower, as would have happened if the godhad been angry with him, but on one of its own priests, whom it killed.Therefore, having been sacrificed by the god itself, he it is thatshould be eaten, not the Bellower, who merely did what his Spirit badehim."

This ingenious argument seemed to produce some effect upon Marama, butto the priests it did not at all appeal.

"Eat them all!" these cried. "They are the enemies of Oro and haveworked sacrilege!"

Moreover, to judge from their demeanour, the bulk of the people seemedto agree with them. Things began to look very ugly. The priests rushedforward, threatening us with their wooden weapons, and one of them evenaimed a blow at Bickley, which only missed him by an inch or two.

"Look here, my friend," called the doctor whose temper was rising, "youname me the Great Priest or Great Healer, do you not? Well, be careful,lest I should show you that I can kill as well as heal!"

Not in the least intimidated by this threat the man, a great bedizenedfellow who literally was foaming at the mouth with rage, rushed forwardagain, his club raised, apparently with the object of dashing outBickley's brains.

Suddenly Bickley lifted his revolver and fired. The man, shot throughthe heart, sprang into the air and fell upon his face--stone dead. Therewas consternation, for these people had never seen us shoot anythingbefore, and were quite unacquainted with the properties of firearms,which they supposed to be merely instruments for making a noise. Theystared, they gasped in fear and astonishment, and then they fled,pursued by Tommy, barking, leaving us alone with the two dead men.

"It was time to teach them a lesson," said Bickley as he replaced theempty cartridge, and, seizing the dead man, rolled him into the burningpit.

"Yes," I answered; "but presently, when they have got over their fright,they will come back to teach us one."

Bastin said nothing; he seemed too dazed at the turn events had taken.

"What do you suggest?" asked Bickley.

"Flight," I answered.

"Where to--the ship? We might hold that."

"No; that is what they expect. Look! They are cutting off our roadthere. To the island in the lake where they dare not follow us, for itis holy ground."

"How are we going to live on the island?" asked Bickley.

"I don't know," I replied; "but I am quite certain that if we stay herewe shall die."

"Very well," he said; "let us try it."

While we were speaking I was cutting Bastin's bonds. "Thank you," hesaid. "It is a great relief to stretch one's arms after they have beencompressed with cords. But at the same time, I do not know that I amreally grateful. The martyr's crown was hanging above me, so to speak,and now it has vanished into the pit, like that man whom Bickleymurdered."

"Look here," exclaimed the exasperated Bickley, "if you say much more,Bastin, I'll chuck you into the pit too, to look for your martyr'scrown, for I think you have done enough mischief for one morning."

"If you are trying to shift the responsibility for that unfortunateman's destruction on to me--"

"Oh! shut it and trot," broke in Bickley. "Those infernal savages arecoming with your blessed converts leading the van."

So we "trotted" at no mean pace. As we passed it, Bastin stooped downand picked up the head of the image of Oro, much as Atalanta in Academypictures is represented as doing to the apples, and bore it away intriumph.

"I know it is scorched," he ejaculated at intervals, "but they mighttrim it up and stick it on to a new body as the original false god. Nowthey can't, for there's nothing left."

As a matter of fact, we were never in any real danger, for our pursuitwas very half-hearted indeed. To begin with, now that their first ragewas over, the Orofenans who were fond of us had no particular wish to dous to death, while the ardour of their sorcerers, who wished this verymuch, had been greatly cooled by the mysterious annihilation of theiridol and the violent deaths of two of their companions, which theythought might be reduplicated in their own persons. So it came aboutthat the chase, if noisy, was neither close nor eager.

We reached the edge of the lake where was the boat-house of which Ihave spoken already, travelling at little more than a walk. Here wemade Bastin unfasten the better of the two canoes that by good luck wasalmost filled with offerings, which doubtless, according to custom,must be made upon the day of this feast to Oro, while we watched againstsurprise at the boat-house door. When he was ready we slipped in andtook our seats, Tommy jumping in after us, and pushed the canoe, nowvery heavily laden, out into the lake.

Here, at a distance of about forty paces, which we judged to be beyondwooden spear-throw, we rested upon our paddles to see what would happen.All the crowd of islanders had rushed to the lake edge where they stoodstaring at us stupidly. Bastin, thinking the occasion opportune, liftedthe hideous head of the idol which he had carefully washed, and began topreach on the downfall of "the god of the Grove."

This action of his appeared to awake memories or forebodings inthe minds of his congregation. Perhaps some ancient prophecy wasconcerned--I do not know. At any rate, one of the priests shoutedsomething, whereon everybody began to talk at once. Then, stooping down,they threw water from the lake over themselves and rubbed its sandand mud into their hair, all the while making genuflexions toward themountain in the middle, after which they turned and departed.

"Don't you think we had better go back?" asked Bastin. "Evidently mywords have touched them and their minds are melting beneath the light ofTruth."

"Oh! by all means," replied Bickley with sarcasm; "for then their spearswill touch us, and our bodies will soon be melting above the fires ofthat pit."

"Perhaps you are right," said Bastin; "at least, I admit that you havemade matters very difficult by your unjustifiable homicide of thatpriest who I do not think meant to injure you seriously, and really wasnot at all a bad fellow, though opinionated in some ways. Also, I do notsuppose that anybody is expected, as it were, to run his head into themartyr's crown. When it settles there of itself it is another matter."

"Like a butterfly!" exclaimed the enraged Bickley.

"Yes, if you like to put it that way, though the simile seems a verypoor one; like a sunbeam would be better."

Here Bickley gave way with his paddle so vigorously that the canoe wasas nearly as possible upset into the lake.

In due course we reached the flat Rock of Offerings, which proved to bequite as wide as a double croquet lawn and much longer.

"What are those?" I asked, pointing to certain knobs on the edge of therock at a spot where a curved projecting point made a little harbour.

Bickley examined them, and answered:

"I should say that they are the remains of stone mooring-posts worn downby many thousands of years of weather. Yes, look, there is the cut ofthe cables upon the base of that one, and very big cables they must havebeen."

We stared at one another--that is, Bickley and I did, for Bastin wasstill engaged in contemplating the blackened head of the god which hehad overthrown.

Chapter IX - The Island in the Lake

We made the canoe fast and landed on the great rock, to perceive that itwas really a peninsula. That is to say, it was joined to the main landof the lake island by a broad roadway quite fifty yards across, whichappeared to end in the mouth of the cave. On this causeway we noteda very remarkable thing, namely, two grooves separated by an exactdistance of nine feet which ran into the mouth of the cave and vanishedthere.

"Explain!" said Bickley.

"Paths," I said, "worn by countless feet walking on them for thousandsof years."

"You should cultivate the art of observation, Arbuthnot. What do yousay, Bastin?"

He stared at the grooves through his spectacles, and replied:

"I don't say anything, except that I can't see anybody to make pathshere. Indeed, the place seems quite unpopulated, and all the Orofenanstold me that they never landed on it because if they did they would die.It is a part of their superstitious nonsense. If you have any idea inyour head you had better tell us quickly before we breakfast. I am veryhungry."

"You always are," remarked Bickley; "even when most people's appetitesmight have been affected. Well, I think that this great plateau was oncea landing-place for flying machines, and that there is the air-shed orgarage."

Bastin stared at him.

"Don't you think we had better breakfast?" he said. "There are two roastpigs in that canoe, and lots of other food, enough to last us a week,I should say. Of course, I understand that the blood you have shed hasthrown you off your balance. I believe it has that effect, except on themost hardened. Flying machines were only invented a few years ago by thebrothers Wright in America."

"Bastin," said Bickley, "I begin to regret that I did not leave you totake part in another breakfast yonder--I mean as the principal dish."

"It was Providence, not you, who prevented it, Bickley, doubtlessbecause I am unworthy of such a glorious end."

"Then it is lucky that Providence is a good shot with a pistol. Stoptalking nonsense and listen. If those were paths worn by feet theywould run to the edge of the rock. They do not. They begin there in thatgentle depression and slope upwards somewhat steeply. The air machines,which were evidently large, lit in the depression, possibly as a birddoes, and then ran on wheels or sledge skids along the grooves to theair-shed in the mountain. Come to the cave and you will see."

"Not till we have breakfast," said Bastin. "I will get out a pig. As amatter of fact, I had no supper last night, as I was taking a class ofnative boys and making some arrangements of my own."

As for me, I only whistled. It all seemed very feasible. And yet howcould such things be?

We unloaded the canoe and ate. Bastin's appetite was splendid. Indeed, Ihad to ask him to remember that when this supply was done I did not knowwhere we should find any more.

"Take no thought for the morrow," he replied. "I have no doubt it willcome from somewhere," and he helped himself to another chop.

Never had I admired him so much. Not a couple of hours before he wasabout to be cruelly murdered and eaten. But this did not seem to affecthim in the least. Bastin was the only man I have ever known with areally perfect faith. It is a quality worth having and one thatmakes for happiness. What a great thing not to care whether you arebreakfasted on, or breakfast!

"I see that there is lots of driftwood about here," he remarked, "butunfortunately we have no tea, so in this climate it is of little use,unless indeed we can catch some fish and cook them."

"Stop talking about eating and help us to haul up the canoe," saidBickley.

Between the three of us we dragged and carried the canoe a long way fromthe lake, fearing lest the natives should come and bear it off with ourprovisions. Then, having given Tommy his breakfast off the scraps,we walked to the cave. I glanced at my companions. Bickley's face wasalight with scientific eagerness. Here are not dreams or speculations,but facts to be learned, it seemed to say, and I will learn them. Thepast is going to show me some of its secrets, to tell me how men of longago lived and died and how far they had advanced to that point on theroad of civilisation at which I stand in my little hour of existence.

That of Bastin was mildly interested, no more. Obviously, with half hismind he was thinking of something else, probably of his converts onthe main island and of the school class fixed for this hour whichcircumstances prevented him from attending. Indeed, like Lot's wife hewas casting glances behind him towards the wicked place from which hehad been forced to flee.

Neither the past nor the future had much real interest for Bastin; anymore than they had for Bickley, though for different reasons. The formerwas done with; the latter he was quite content to leave in other hands.If he had any clear idea thereof, probably that undiscovered landappeared to him as a big, pleasant place where are no unbelievers orerroneous doctrines, and all sinners will be sternly repressed,in which, clad in a white surplice with all proper ecclesiasticaltrappings, he would argue eternally with the Early Fathers and in duecourse utterly annihilate Bickley, that is in a moral sense. Personallyand as a man he was extremely attached to Bickley as a necessary andwrong-headed nuisance to which he had become accustomed.

And I! What did I feel? I do not know; I cannot describe. Anextraordinary attraction, a semi-spiritual exaltation, I think. Thatcave mouth might have been a magnet drawing my soul. With my body Ishould have been afraid, as I daresay I was, for our circumstances weresufficiently desperate. Here we were, castaways upon an island, probablyuncharted, one of thousands in the recesses of a vast ocean, from whichwe had little chance of escape. More, having offended the religiousinstincts of the primeval inhabitants of that island, we had been forcedto flee to a rocky mountain in the centre of a lake, where, after thefood we had brought with us by accident was consumed, we should no doubtbe forced to choose between death by starvation, or, if we attempted toretreat, at the hands of justly infuriated savages. Yet these facts didnot oppress me, for I was being drawn, drawn to I knew not what, and ifit were to doom--well, no matter.

Therefore, none of us cared: Bastin because his faith was equal to anyemergency and there was always that white-robed heaven waiting for himbeyond which his imagination did not go (I often wondered whether hepictured Mrs. Bastin as also waiting; if so, he never said anythingabout her); Bickley because as a child of the Present and a servant ofknowledge he feared no future, believing it to be for him non-existent,and was careless as to when his strenuous hour of life should end; andI because I felt that yonder lay my true future; yes, and my true past,even though to discover them I must pass through that portal which weknow as Death.

We reached the mouth of the cave. It was a vast place; perhaps the archof it was a hundred feet high, and I could see that once all thisarch had been adorned with sculptures. Protected as these were by theoverhanging rock, for the sculptured mouth of the cave was cut deep intothe mountain face, they were still so worn that it was impossible todiscern their details. Time had eaten them away like an acid. But whatlength of time? I could not guess, but it must have been stupendous tohave worked thus upon that hard and sheltered rock.

This came home to me with added force when, from subsequent examination,we learned that the entire mouth of this cave had been sealed up forunnumbered ages. It will be remembered that Marama told me the mountainin the lake had risen much during the frightful cyclone in which we werewrecked and with it the cave mouth which previously had been invisible.From the markings on the mountain side it was obvious that something ofthe sort had happened very recently, at any rate on this eastern face.That is, either the flat rock had sunk or the volcano had been thrownupwards.

Once in the far past the cave had been as it was when we found it. Thenit had gone down in such a way that the table-rock entirely sealed theentrance. Now this entrance was once more open, and although of coursethere was a break in them, the grooves of which I have spoken ran oninto the cave at only a slightly different level from that at which theylay upon the flat rock. And yet, although they had been thus shelteredby a great stone curtain in front of them, still these sculptureswere worn away by the tooth of Time. Of course, however, this may havehappened to them before they were buried in some ancient cataclysm, tobe thus resurrected at the hour of our arrival upon the island.

Without pausing to make any closer examination of these crumbledcarvings, we entered the yawning mouth of that great place, followingand indeed walking in the deep grooves that I have mentioned. Presentlyit seemed to open out as a courtyard might at the end of a passage; yes,to open on to some vast place whereof in that gloom we could not see theroof or the limits. All we knew was that it must be enormous--the echoesof our voices and footsteps told us as much, for these seemed to comeback to us from high, high above and from far, far away. Bickley and Isaid nothing; we were too overcome. But Bastin remarked:

"Did you ever go to Olympia? I did once to see a kind of play wherethe people said nothing, only ran about dressed up. They told me it wasreligious, the sort of thing a clergyman should study. I didn't think itreligious at all. It was all about a nun who had a baby."

"Well, what of it?" snapped Bickley.

"Nothing particular, except that nuns don't have babies, or if they dothe fact should not be advertised. But I wasn't thinking of that. I wasthinking that this place is like an underground Olympia."

"Oh, be quiet!" I said, for though Bastin's description was not bad, hismonotonous, drawling voice jarred on me in that solemnity.

"Be careful where you walk," whispered Bickley, for even he seemed awed,"there may be pits in this floor."

"I wish we had a light," I said, halting.

"If candles are of any use," broke in Bastin, "as it happens I havea packet in my pocket. I took them with me this morning for a certainpurpose."

"Not unconnected with the paraffin and the burning of the idol, Isuppose?" said Bickley. "Hand them over."

"Yes; if I had been allowed a little more time I intended--"

"Never mind what you intended; we know what you did and that's enough,"said Bickley as he snatched the packet from Bastin's hand and proceededto undo it, adding, "By heaven! I have no matches, nor have you,Arbuthnot!"

"I have a dozen boxes of wax vestas in my other pocket," said Bastin."You see, they burn so well when you want to get up a fire on a dampidol. As you may have noticed, the dew is very heavy here."

In due course these too were produced. I took possession of them as theywere too valuable to be left in the charge of Bastin, and, extractinga box from the packet, lit two of the candles which were of the shortthick variety, like those used in carriage-lamps.

Presently they burned up, making two faint stars of light which,however, were not strong enough to show us either the roof or the sidesof that vast place. By their aid we pursued our path, still followingthe grooves till suddenly these came to an end. Now all around us was aflat floor of rock which, as we perceived clearly when we pushedaside the dust that had gathered thickly on it in the course of ages,doubtless from the gradual disintegration of the stony walls, had oncebeen polished till it resembled black marble. Indeed, certain cracksin the floor appeared to have been filled in with some dark-colouredcement. I stood looking at them while Bickley wandered off to the rightand a little forward, and presently called to me. I walked to him,Bastin sticking close to me as I had the other candle, as did the littledog, Tommy, who did not like these new surroundings and would not leavemy heels.

"Look," said Bickley, holding up his candle, "and tell me--what's that?"

Before me, faintly shown, was some curious structure of gleaming rodsmade of yellowish metal, which rods appeared to be connected by wires.The structure might have been forty feet high and perhaps a hundredlong. Its bottom part was buried in dust.

"What is that?" asked Bickley again.

I made no answer, for I was thinking. Bastin, however, replied:

"It's difficult to be sure in this light, but I should think that itmay be the remains of a cage in which some people who lived here keptmonkeys, or perhaps it was an aviary. Look at those little ladders forthe monkeys to climb by, or possibly for the birds to sit on."

"Are you sure it wasn't tame angels?" asked Bickley.

"What a ridiculous remark! How can you keep an angel in a cage? I--"

"Aeroplane!" I almost whispered to Bickley.

"You've got it!" he answered. "The framework of an aeroplane and a jollylarge one, too. Only why hasn't it oxidised?"

"Some indestructible metal," I suggested. "Gold, for instance, does notoxidise."

He nodded and said:

"We shall have to dig it out. The dust is feet thick about it; we can donothing without spades. Come on."

We went round to the end of the structure, whatever it might be, andpresently came to another. Again we went on and came to another, all ofthem being berthed exactly in line.

"What did I tell you?" said Bickley in a voice of triumph. "A wholegarage full, a regular fleet of aeroplanes!"

"That must be nonsense," said Bastin, "for I am quite sure that theseOrofenans cannot make such things. Indeed they have no metal, and evencut the throats of pigs with wooden knives."

Now I began to walk forward, bearing to the left so as to regain ourformer line. We could do nothing with these metal skeletons, and Ifelt that there must be more to find beyond. Presently I saw somethinglooming ahead of me and quickened my pace, only to recoil. For there,not thirty feet away and perhaps three hundred yards from the mouth ofthe cave, suddenly appeared what looked like a gigantic man. Tommy sawit also and barked as dogs do when they are frightened, and the soundof his yaps echoed endlessly from every quarter, which scared him tosilence. Recovering myself I went forward, for now I guessed the truth.It was not a man but a statue.

The thing stood upon a huge base which lessened by successive steps,eight of them, I think, to its summit. The foot of this base may havebeen a square of fifty feet or rather more; the real support or pedestalof the statue, however, was only a square of about six feet. The figureitself was little above life-size, or at any rate above our life-size,say seven feet in height. It was very peculiar in sundry ways.

To begin with, nothing of the body was visible, for it was swathed likea corpse. From these wrappings projected one arm, the right, in the handof which was the likeness of a lighted torch. The head was not veiled.It was that of a man, long-nosed, thin-lipped, stern-visaged; thecountenance pervaded by an awful and unutterable calm, as deep as thatof Buddha only less benign. On the brow was a wreathed head-dress, notunlike an Eastern turban, from which sprang two little wings resemblingin some degree those on the famous Greek head of Hypnos, lord of Sleep.Between the folds of the wrappings on the back sprang two other wings,enormous wings bent like those of a bird about to take flight. Indeedthe whole attitude of the figure suggested that it was springing fromearth to air. It was executed in black basalt or some stone of the sort,and very highly finished. For instance, on the bare feet and the armwhich held the torch could be felt every muscle and even some ofthe veins. In the same way the details of the skull were perfectlyperceptible to the touch, although at first sight not visible on themarble surface. This was ascertained by climbing on the pedestal andfeeling the face with our hands.

Here I may say that its modelling as well as that of the feet and thearm filled Bickley, who, of course, was a highly trained anatomist, withabsolute amazement. He said that he would never have thought it possiblethat such accuracy could have been reached by an artist working in sohard a material.

When the others had arrived we studied this relic as closely as ourtwo candles would allow, and in turn expressed our opinions of itssignificance. Bastin thought that if those things down there were reallythe remains of aeroplanes, which he did not believe, the statue hadsomething to do with flying, as was shown by the fact that it had wingson its head and shoulders. Also, he added, after examining the face, thehead was uncommonly like that of the idol that he had blown up. It hadthe same long nose and severe shut mouth. If he was right, this wasprobably another effigy of Oro which we should do well to destroy atonce before the islanders came to worship it.

Bickley ground his teeth as he listened to him.

"Destroy that!" he gasped. "Destroy! Oh! you, you--early Christian."

Here I may state that Bastin was quite right, as we proved subsequentlywhen we compared the head of the fetish, which, as it will beremembered, he had brought away with him, with that of the statue.Allowing for an enormous debasement of art, they were essentiallyidentical in the facial characteristics. This would suggest the descentof a tradition through countless generations. Or of course it may havebeen accidental. I am sure I do not know, but I think it possible thatfor unknown centuries other old statues may have existed in Orofena fromwhich the idol was copied. Or some daring and impious spirit may havefound his way to the cave in past ages and fashioned the local god uponthis ancient model.

Bickley was struck at once, as I had been, with the resemblance of thefigure to that of the Egyptian Osiris. Of course there were differences.For instance, instead of the crook and the scourge, this divinity helda torch. Again, in place of the crown of Egypt it wore a wingedhead-dress, though it is true this was not very far removed from thewinged disc of that country. The wings that sprang from its shoulders,however, suggested Babylonia rather than Egypt, or the Assyrian bullsthat are similarly adorned. All of these symbolical ideas might havebeen taken from that figure. But what was it? What was it?

In a flash the answer came to me. A representation of the spirit ofDeath! Neither more nor less. There was the shroud; there the cold,inscrutable countenance suggesting mysteries that it hid. But the torchand the wings? Well, the torch was that which lighted souls to the otherworld, and on the wings they flew thither. Whoever fashioned that statuehoped for another life, or so I was convinced.

I explained my ideas. Bastin thought them fanciful and preferred hisnotion of a flying man, since by constitution he was unable to discoveranything spiritual in any religion except his own. Bickley agreed thatit was probably an allegorical representation of death but sniffed atmy interpretation of the wings and the torch, since by constitution hecould not believe that the folly of a belief in immortality could havedeveloped so early in the world, that is, among a highly civilisedpeople such as must have produced this statue.

What we could none of us understand was why this ominous image with itsdead, cold face should have been placed in an aerodrome, nor in fact didwe ever discover. Possibly it was there long before the cave was put tothis use. At first the place may have been a temple and have so remaineduntil circumstances forced the worshippers to change their habits, oreven their Faith.

We examined this wondrous work and the pedestal on which it stood asclosely as we were able by the dim light of our candles. I was anxiousto go further and see what lay beyond it; indeed we did walk a fewpaces, twenty perhaps, onward into the recesses of the cave.

Then Bickley discovered something that looked like the mouth of a welldown which he nearly tumbled, and Bastin began to complain that he washot and very thirsty; also to point out that he wished for no more cavesand idols at present.

"Look here, Arbuthnot," said Bickley, "these candles are burning low andwe don't want to use up more if we can prevent it, for we may need whatwe have got very badly later on. Now, according to my pocket compassthe mouth of this cave points due east; probably at the beginning it wasorientated to the rising sun for purposes of astronomical observation orof worship at certain periods of the year. From the position of the sunwhen we landed on the rock this morning I imagine that just now itrises almost exactly opposite to the mouth of the cave. If this is so,to-morrow at dawn, for a time at least, the light should penetrate asfar as the statue, and perhaps further. What I suggest is that we shouldwait till then to explore."

I agreed with him, especially as I was feeling tired, being exhaustedby wonder, and wanted time to think. So we turned back. As we did so Imissed Tommy and inquired anxiously where he was, being afraid lest hemight have tumbled down the well-like hole.

"He's all right," said Bastin. "I saw him sniffing at the base of thatstatue. I expect there is a rat in there, or perhaps a snake."

Sure enough when we reached it there was Tommy with his black nosepressed against the lowest of the tiers that formed the base of thestatue, and sniffing loudly. Also he was scratching in the dust as a dogdoes when he has winded a rabbit in a hole. So engrossed was he in thisoccupation that it was with difficulty that I coaxed him to leave theplace.

I did not think much of the incident at that time, but afterwards itcame back to me, and I determined to investigate those stones at thefirst opportunity.

Passing the wrecks of the machines, we emerged on to the causewaywithout accident. After we had rested and washed we set to work to drawour canoe with its precious burden of food right into the mouth of thecave, where we hid it as well as we could.

This done we went for a walk round the base of the peak. This provedto be a great deal larger than we had imagined, over two miles incircumference indeed. All about it was a belt of fertile land, as Isuppose deposited there by the waters of the great lake and resultingfrom the decay of vegetation. Much of this belt was covered withancient forest ending in mud flats that appeared to have been thrownup recently, perhaps at the time of the tidal wave which bore us toOrofena. On the higher part of the belt were many of the extraordinarycrater-like holes that I have mentioned as being prevalent on the mainisland; indeed the place had all the appearance of having been subjectedto a terrific and continuous bombardment.

When we had completed its circuit we set to work to climb the peak inorder to explore the terraces of which I have spoken and the ruinswhich I had seen through my field-glasses. It was quite true; they wereterraces cut with infinite labour out of the solid rock, and on themhad once stood a city, now pounded into dust and fragments. We struggledover the broken blocks of stone to what we had taken for a temple, whichstood near the lip of the crater, for without doubt this mound was anextinct volcano, or rather its crest. All we could make out when wearrived was that here had once stood some great building, for its courtscould still be traced; also there lay about fragments of steps andpillars.

Apparently the latter had once been carved, but the passage ofinnumerable ages had obliterated the work and we could not turn thesegreat blocks over to discover if any remained beneath. It was as thoughthe god Thor had broken up the edifice with his hammer, or Jove hadshattered it with his thunderbolts; nothing else would account for thatutter wreck, except, as Bickley remarked significantly, the scientificuse of high explosives.

Following the line of what seemed to have been a road, we came to theedge of the volcano and found, as we expected, the usual depression outof which fire and lava had once been cast, as from Hecla or Vesuvius. Itwas now a lake more than a quarter of a mile across. Indeed it had beenthus in the ancient days when the buildings stood upon the terraces, forwe saw the remains of steps leading down to the water. Perhaps it hadserved as the sacred lake of the temple.

We gazed with wonderment and then, wearied out, scrambled back throughthe ruins, which, by the way, were of a different stone from the lava ofthe mountain, to the mouth of the great cave.

Chapter X - The Dwellers in the Tomb

By now it was drawing towards sunset, so we made such preparations as wecould for the night. One of these was to collect dry driftwood, ofwhich an abundance lay upon the shore, to serve us for firing, thoughunfortunately we had nothing that we could cook for our meal.

While we were thus engaged we saw a canoe approaching the table-rock andperceived that in it were the chief Marama and a priest. After hoveringabout for a while they paddled the canoe near enough to allow ofconversation which, taking no notice of their presence, we left it tothem to begin.

"O, Friend-from-the-Sea," called Marama, addressing myself, "we cometo pray you and the Great Healer to return to us to be our guests asbefore. The people are covered with darkness because of the loss of yourwisdom, and the sick cry aloud for the Healer; indeed two of those whomhe has cut with knives are dying."

"And what of the Bellower?" I asked, indicating Bastin.

"We should like to see him back also, Friend-from-the-Sea, that we maysacrifice and eat him, who destroyed our god with fire and caused theHealer to kill his priest."

"That is most unjust," exclaimed Bastin. "I deeply regret the blood thatwas shed on the occasion, unnecessarily as I think."

"Then go and atone for it with your own," said Bickley, "and everybodywill be pleased."

Waving to them to be silent, I said:

"Are you mad, Marama, that you should ask us to return to sojourn amongpeople who tried to kill us, merely because the Bellower caused fire toburn an image of wood and its head to fly from its shoulders, just toshow you that it had no power to hold itself together, although you callit a god? Not so, we wash our hands of you; we leave you to go yourown way while we go ours, till perchance in a day to come, after manymisfortunes have overtaken you, you creep about our feet and withprayers and offerings beg us to return."

I paused to observe the effect of my words. It was excellent, for bothMarama and the priest wrung their hands and groaned. Then I went on:

"Meanwhile we have something to tell you. We have entered the cave whereyou said no man might set a foot, and have seen him who sits within,the true god." (Here Bastin tried to interrupt, but was suppressed byBickley.)

They looked at each other in a frightened way and groaned more loudlythan before.

"He sends you a message, which, as he told us of your approach, we cameto the shore to deliver to you."

"How can you say that?" began Bastin, but was again violently suppressedby Bickley.

"It is that he, the real Oro, rejoices that the false Oro, whose face iscopied from his face, has been destroyed. It is that he commands you dayby day to bring food in plenty and lay it upon the Rock of Offerings,not forgetting a supply of fresh fish from the sea, and with it allthose things that are stored in the house wherein we, the strangersfrom the sea, deigned to dwell awhile until we left you because in yourwickedness you wished to murder us."

"And if we refuse--what then?" asked the priest, speaking for the firsttime.

"Then Oro will send death and destruction upon you. Then your food shallfail and you shall perish of sickness and want, and the Oromatuas, thespirits of the great dead, shall haunt you in your sleep, and Oro shalleat up your souls."

At these horrible threats both of them uttered a kind of wail, afterwhich, Marama asked:

"And if we consent, what then, Friend-from-the-Sea?"

"Then, perchance," I answered, "in some day to come we may return toyou, that I may give you of my wisdom and the Great Healer may cure yoursick and the Bellower may lead you through his gate, and in his kindnessmake you to see with his eyes."

This last clause of my ultimatum did not seem to appeal to the priest,who argued a while with Marama, though what he said we could not hear.In the end he appeared to give way. At any rate Marama called out thatall should be done as we wished, and that meanwhile they prayed usto intercede with Oro in the cave, and to keep back the ghosts fromhaunting them, and to protect them from misfortune. I replied that wewould do our best, but could guarantee nothing since their offence wasvery great.

Then, to show that the conversation was at an end, we walked away withdignity, pushing Bastin in front of us, lest he should spoil the effectby some of his ill-timed and often over-true remarks.

"That's capital," said Bickley, when we were out of hearing. "The enemyhas capitulated. We can stop here as long as we like, provisioned fromthe mainland, and if for any reason we wish to leave, be sure of ourline of retreat."

"I don't know what you call capital," exclaimed Bastin. "It seems to methat all the lies which Arbuthnot has just told are sufficient to bringa judgment upon us. Indeed, I think that I will go back with Marama andexplain the truth."

"I never before knew anybody who was so anxious to be cooked and eaten,"remarked Bickley. "Moreover, you are too late, for the canoe is ahundred yards away by now, and you shan't have ours. Remember thePauline maxims, old fellow, which you are so fond of quoting, and be allthings to all men, and another that is more modern, that when you are atRome, you must do as the Romans do; also a third, that necessity has nolaw, and for the matter of that, a fourth, that all is fair in love andwar."

"I am sure, Bickley, that Paul never meant his words to bear the debasedsense which you attribute to them--" began Bastin, but at this point Ihustled him off to light a fire--a process at which I pointed out he hadshown himself an expert.

We slept that night under the overhanging rock just to one side of thecave, not in the mouth, because of the draught which drew in and outof the great place. In that soft and balmy clime this was no hardship,although we lacked blankets. And yet, tired though I was, I couldnot rest as I should have done. Bastin snored away contentedly, quiteunaffected by his escape which to him was merely an incident in theday's work; and so, too, slumbered Bickley, except that he did notsnore. But the amazement and the mystery of all that we had discoveredand of all that might be left for us to discover, held me back fromsleep.

What did it mean? What could it mean? My nerves were taut as harpstrings and seemed to vibrate to the touch of invisible fingers,although I could not interpret the music that they made. Once or twicealso I thought I heard actual music with my physical ears, and that of astrange quality. Soft and low and dreamful, it appeared to well from therecesses of the vast cave, a wailing song in an unknown tongue from thelips of women, or of a woman, multiplied mysteriously by echoes. This,however, must have been pure fancy, since there was no singer there.

Presently I dozed off, to be awakened by the sudden sound of a greatfish leaping in the lake. I sat up and stared, fearing lest it might bethe splash of a paddle, for I could not put from my mind the possibilityof attack. All I saw, however, was the low line of the distant shore,and above it the bright and setting stars that heralded the coming ofthe sun. Then I woke the others, and we washed and ate, since once thesun rose time would be precious.

At length it appeared, splendid in a cloudless sky, and, as I had hoped,directly opposite to the mouth of the cave. Taking our candles and somestout pieces of driftwood which, with our knives, we had shaped on theprevious evening to serve us as levers and rough shovels, we entered thecave. Bickley and I were filled with excitement and hope of what we knewnot, but Bastin showed little enthusiasm for our quest. His heart waswith his half-converted savages beyond the lake, and of them, quiterightly I have no doubt, he thought more than he did of all thearchaeological treasures in the whole earth. Still, he came, bearing theblackened head of Oro with him which, with unconscious humour, he hadused as a pillow through the night because, as he said, "it was afterall softer than stone." Also, I believe that in his heart he hopedthat he might find an opportunity of destroying the bigger and earlieredition of Oro in the cave, before it was discovered by the nativeswho might wish to make it an object of worship. Tommy came also, withgreater alacrity than I expected, since dogs do not as a rule like darkplaces. When we reached the statue I learned the reason; he rememberedthe smell he had detected at its base on the previous day, whichBastin supposed to proceed from a rat, and was anxious to continue hisinvestigations.

We went straight to the statue, although Bickley passed the half-buriedmachines with evident regret. As we had hoped, the strong light ofthe rising sun fell upon it in a vivid ray, revealing all its wondrousworkmanship and the majesty--for no other word describes it--of thesomewhat terrifying countenance that appeared above the wrappings of theshroud. Indeed, I was convinced that originally this monument had beenplaced here in order that on certain days of the year the sun mightfall upon it thus, when probably worshippers assembled to adore theirhallowed symbol. After all, this was common in ancient days: witnessthe instance of the awful Three who sit in the deepest recesses of thetemple of Abu Simbel, on the Nile.

We gazed and gazed our fill, at least Bickley and I did, for Bastin wasoccupied in making a careful comparison between the head of his woodenOro and that of the statue.

"There is no doubt that they are very much alike," he said. "Why,whatever is that dog doing? I think it is going mad," and he pointed toTommy who was digging furiously at the base of the lowest step, as athome I have seen him do at roots that sheltered a rabbit.

Tommy's energy was so remarkable that at length it seriously attractedour attention. Evidently he meant that it should do so, for occasionallyhe sprang back to me barking, then returned and sniffed and scratched.Bickley knelt down and smelt at the stone.

"It is an odd thing, Humphrey," he said, "but there is a strange odourhere, a very pleasant odour like that of sandal-wood or attar of roses."

"I never heard of a rat that smelt like sandal-wood or attar of roses,"said Bastin. "Look out that it isn't a snake."

I knelt down beside Bickley, and in clearing away the deep dust fromwhat seemed to be the bottom of the step, which was perhaps four feetin height, by accident thrust my amateur spade somewhat strongly againstits base where it rested upon the rocky floor.

Next moment a wonder came to pass. The whole massive rock began to turnoutwards as though upon a pivot! I saw it coming and grabbed Bickley bythe collar, dragging him back so that we just rolled clear before thegreat block, which must have weighed several tons, fell down and crushedus. Tommy saw it too, and fled, though a little late, for the edgeof the block caught the tip of his tail and caused him to emit a mostpiercing howl. But we did not think of Tommy and his woes; we did notthink of our own escape or of anything else because of the marvel thatappeared to us. Seated there upon the ground, after our backward tumble,we could see into the space which lay behind the fallen step, for therethe light of the sun penetrated.

The first idea it gave me was that of the jewelled shrine of somemediaeval saint which, by good fortune, had escaped the plunderers;there are still such existing in the world. It shone and glittered,apparently with gold and diamonds, although, as a matter of fact, therewere no diamonds, nor was it gold which gleamed, but some ancient metal,or rather amalgam, which is now lost to the world, the same that wasused in the tubes of the air-machines. I think that it contained gold,but I do not know. At any rate, it was equally lasting and even morebeautiful, though lighter in colour.

For the rest this adorned recess which resembled that of a large funeralvault, occupying the whole space beneath the base of the statue that wassupported on its arch, was empty save for two flashing objects that layside by side but with nearly the whole width of the vault between them.

I pointed at them to Bickley with my finger, for really I could notspeak.

"Coffins, by Jove!" he whispered. "Glass or crystal coffins and peoplein them. Come on!"

A few seconds later we were crawling into that vault while Bastin, stillnursing the head of Oro as though it were a baby, stood confused outsidemuttering something about desecrating hallowed graves.

Just as we reached the interior, owing to the heightening of thesun, the light passed away, leaving us in a kind of twilight. Bickleyproduced carriage candles from his pocket and fumbled for matches. Whilehe was doing so I noticed two things--firstly, that the place really didsmell like a scent-shop, and, secondly, that the coffins seemed to glowwith a kind of phosphorescent light of their own, not very strong, butsufficient to reveal their outlines in the gloom. Then the candles burntup and we saw.

Within the coffin that stood on our left hand as we entered, for thiscrystal was as transparent as plate glass, lay a most wonderful old man,clad in a gleaming, embroidered robe. His long hair, which was partedin the middle, as we could see beneath the edge of the pearl-sewn andbroidered cap he wore, also his beard were snowy white. The man wastall, at least six feet four inches in height, and rather spare. Hishands were long and thin, very delicately made, as were his sandalledfeet.

But it was his face that fixed our gaze, for it was marvelous, like theface of a god, and, as we noticed at once, with some resemblance tothat of the statue above. Thus the brow was broad and massive, the nosestraight and long, the mouth stern and clear-cut, while the cheekboneswere rather high, and the eyebrows arched. Such are the characteristicsof many handsome old men of good blood, and as the mummies of Seti andothers show us, such they have been for thousands of years. Only thisman differed from all others because of the fearful dignity stamped uponhis features. Looking at him I began to think at once of the prophetElijah as he must have appeared rising to heaven, enhanced by themore earthly glory of Solomon, for although the appearance of thesepatriarchs is unknown, of them one conceives ideas. Only it seemedprobable that Elijah may have looked more benign. Here there was nobenignity, only terrible force and infinite wisdom.

Contemplating him I shivered a little and felt thankful that he wasdead. For to tell the truth I was afraid of that awesome countenancewhich, I should add, was of the whiteness of paper, although the cheeksstill showed tinges of colour, so perfect was the preservation of thecorpse.

I was still gazing at it when Bickley said in a voice of amazement:

"I say, look here, in the other coffin."

I turned, looked, and nearly collapsed on the floor of the vault, sincebeauty can sometimes strike us like a blow. Oh! there before me lay allloveliness, such loveliness that there burst from my lips an involuntarycry:

"Alas! that she should be dead!"

A young woman, I supposed, at least she looked young, perhaps five orsix and twenty years of age, or so I judged. There she lay, her tall anddelicate shape half hidden in masses of rich-hued hair in colour of aruddy blackness. I know not how else to describe it, since never have Iseen any of the same tint. Moreover, it shone with a life of its ownas though it had been dusted with gold. From between the masses ofthis hair appeared a face which I can only call divine. There was everybeauty that woman can boast, from the curving eyelashes of extraordinarylength to the sweet and human mouth. To these charms also were addeda wondrous smile and an air of kind dignity, very different from thefierce pride stamped upon the countenance of the old man who was hercompanion in death.

She was clothed in some close-fitting robe of white broidered with gold;pearls were about her neck, lying far down upon the perfect bosom, agirdle of gold and shining gems encircled her slender waist, and on herlittle feet were sandals fastened with red stones like rubies. Intruth, she was a splendid creature, and yet, I know not how, her beautysuggested more of the spirit than of the flesh. Indeed, in a way, it wasunearthly. My senses were smitten, it pulled at my heart-strings, andyet its unutterable strangeness seemed to awake memories within me,though of what I could not tell. A wild fancy came to me that I musthave known this heavenly creature in some past life.

By now Bastin had joined us, and, attracted by my exclamation and bythe attitude of Bickley, who was staring down at the coffin with a fixedlook upon his face, not unlike that of a pointer when he scents game, hebegan to contemplate the wonder within it in his slow way.

"Well, I never!" he said. "Do you think the Glittering Lady in there ishuman?"

"The Glittering Lady is dead, but I suppose that she was human in herlife," I answered in an awed whisper.

"Of course she is dead, otherwise she would not be in that glass coffin.I think I should like to read the Burial Service over her, which Idaresay was never done when she was put in there."

"How do you know she is dead?" asked Bickley in a sharp voice andspeaking for the first time. "I have seen hundreds of corpses, andmummies too, but never any that looked like these."

I stared at him. It was strange to hear Bickley, the scoffer atmiracles, suggesting that this greatest of all miracles might bepossible.

"They must have been here a long time," I said, "for although human,they are not, I think, of any people known to the world to-day; theirdress, everything, shows it, though perhaps thousands of years ago--"and I stopped.

"Quite so," answered Bickley; "I agree. That is why I suggest that theymay have belonged to a race who knew what we do not, namely, how tosuspend animation for great periods of time."

I said no more, nor did Bastin, who was now engaged in studying the oldman, and for once, wonderstruck and overcome. Bickley, however, took oneof the candles and began to make a close examination of the coffins.So did Tommy, who sniffed along the join of that of the Glittering Ladyuntil his nose reached a certain spot, where it remained, while hisblack tail began to wag in a delighted fashion. Bickley pushed him awayand investigated.

"As I thought," he said--"air-holes. See!"

I looked, and there, bored through the crystal of the coffin in a linewith the face of its occupant, were a number of little holes that eitherby accident or design outlined the shape of a human mouth.

"They are not airtight," murmured Bickley; "and if air can enter, howcan dead flesh remain like that for ages?"

Then he continued his search upon the other side.

"The lid of this coffin works on hinges," he said. "Here they are,fashioned of the crystal itself. A living person within could havepulled it down before the senses departed."

"No," I answered; "for look, here is a crystal bolt at the end and it isshot from without."

This puzzled him; then as though struck by an idea, he began to examinethe other coffin.

"I've got it!" he exclaimed presently. "The old god in here" (somehowwe all thought of this old man as not quite normal) "shut down theGlittering Lady's coffin and bolted it. His own is not bolted, althoughthe bolt exists in the same place. He just got in and pulled down thelid. Oh! what nonsense I am talking--for how can such things be? Let usget out and think."

So we crept from the sepulchre in which the perfumed air had begun tooppress us and sat ourselves down upon the floor of the cave, where fora while we remained silent.

"I am very thirsty," said Bastin presently. "Those smells seem to havedried me up. I am going to get some tea--I mean water, as unfortunatelythere is no tea," and he set off towards the mouth of the cave.

We followed him, I don't quite know why, except that we wished tobreathe freely outside, also we knew that the sepulchre and its contentswould be as safe as they had been for--well, how long?

It proved to be a beautiful morning outside. We walked up and downenjoying it sub-consciously, for really our--that is Bickley's and myown--intelligences were concentrated on that sepulchre and its contents.Where Bastin's may have been I do not know, perhaps in a visionaryteapot, since I was sure that it would take him a day or two toappreciate the significance of our discoveries. At any rate, he wanderedoff, making no remarks about them, to drink water, I suppose.

Presently he began to shout to us from the end of the table-rock and wewent to see the reason of his noise. It proved to be very satisfactory,for while we were in the cave the Orofenans had brought absolutelyeverything belonging to us, together with a large supply of food fromthe main island. Not a single article was missing; even our books, a canwith the bottom out, and the broken pieces of a little pocket mirrorhad been religiously transported, and with these a few articles that hadbeen stolen from us, notably my pocket-knife. Evidently a great taboohad been laid upon all our possessions. They were now carefully arrangedin one of the grooves of the rock that Bickley supposed had been made bythe wheels of aeroplanes, which was why we had not seen them at once.

Each of us rushed for what we desired most--Bastin for one of thecanisters of tea, I for my diaries, and Bickley for his chest ofinstruments and medicines. These were removed to the mouth of the cave,and after them the other things and the food; also a bell tent and somecamp furniture that we had brought from the ship. Then Bastin made sometea of which he drank four large pannikins, having first said grace overit with unwonted fervour. Nor did we disdain our share of the beverage,although Bickley preferred cocoa and I coffee. Cocoa and coffee we hadno time to make then, and in view of that sepulchre in the cave, whathad we to do with cocoa and coffee?

So Bickley and I said to each other, and yet presently he changed hismind and in a special metal machine carefully made some extremely strongblack coffee which he poured into a thermos flask, previously warmedwith hot water, adding thereto about a claret glass of brandy. Also heextracted certain drugs from his medicine-chest, and with them, as Inoted, a hypodermic syringe, which he first boiled in a kettle and thenshut up in a little tube with a glass stopper.

These preparations finished, he called to Tommy to give him the scrapsof our meal. But there was no Tommy. The dog was missing, and though wehunted everywhere we could not find him. Finally we concluded that hehad wandered off down the beach on business of his own and would returnin due course. We could not bother about Tommy just then.

After making some further preparations and fidgeting about a little,Bickley announced that as we had now some proper paraffin lamps of thepowerful sort which are known as "hurricane," he proposed by their aidto carry out further examinations in the cave.

"I think I shall stop where I am," said Bastin, helping himself from thekettle to a fifth pannikin of tea. "Those corpses are very interesting,but I don't see any use in staring at them again at present. One canalways do that at any time. I have missed Marama once already by beingaway in that cave, and I have a lot to say to him about my people; Idon't want to be absent in case he should return."

"To wash up the things, I suppose," said Bickley with a sniff; "orperhaps to eat the tea-leaves."

"Well, as a matter of fact, I have noticed that these natives havea peculiar taste for tea-leaves. I think they believe them to be amedicine, but I don't suppose they would come so far for them, thoughperhaps they might in the hope of getting the head of Oro. Anyhow, I amgoing to stop here."

"Pray do," said Bickley. "Are you ready, Humphrey?"

I nodded, and he handed to me a felt-covered flask of the non-conductingkind, filled with boiling water, a tin of preserved milk, and a littlebottle of meat extract of a most concentrated sort. Then, having lit twoof the hurricane lamps and seen that they were full of oil, we startedback up the cave.

Chapter XI - Resurrection

We reached the sepulchre without stopping to look at the parked machinesor even the marvelous statue that stood above it, for what did we careabout machines or statues now? As we approached we were astonished tohear low and cavernous growlings.

"There is some wild beast in there," said Bickley, halting. "No, byGeorge! it's Tommy. What can the dog be after?"

We peeped in, and there sure enough was Tommy lying on the top ofthe Glittering Lady's coffin and growling his very best with the hairstanding up upon his back. When he saw who it was, however, he jumpedoff and frisked round, licking my hand.

"That's very strange," I exclaimed.

"Not stranger than everything else," said Bickley.

"What are you going to do?" I asked.

"Open these coffins," he answered, "beginning with that of the old god,since I would rather experiment on him. I expect he will crumble intodust. But if by chance he doesn't I'll jam a little strychnine, mixedwith some other drugs, of which you don't know the names, into one ofhis veins and see if anything happens. If it doesn't, it won't hurt him,and if it does--well, who knows? Now give me a hand."

We went to the left-hand coffin and by inserting the hook on the back ofmy knife, of which the real use is to pick stones out of horses' hoofs,into one of the little air-holes I have described, managed to raise theheavy crystal lid sufficiently to enable us to force a piece of woodbetween it and the top. The rest was easy, for the hinges being ofcrystal had not corroded. In two minutes it was open.

From the chest came an overpowering spicy odour, and with it a veritablebreath of warm air before which we recoiled a little. Bickley took apocket thermometer which he had at hand and glanced at it. It marked atemperature of 82 degrees in the sepulchre. Having noted this, he thrustit into the coffin between the crystal wall and its occupant. Then wewent out and waited a little while to give the odours time to dissipate,for they made the head reel.

After five minutes or so we returned and examined the thermometer. Ithad risen to 98 degrees, the natural temperature of the human body.

"What do you make of that if the man is dead?" he whispered.

I shook my head, and as we had agreed, set to helping him to lift thebody from the coffin. It was a good weight, quite eleven stone I shouldsay; moreover, it was not stiff, for the hip joints bent. We got it outand laid it on a blanket we had spread on the floor of the sepulchre.Whilst I was thus engaged I saw something that nearly caused me to loosemy hold from astonishment. Beneath the head, the centre of the back andthe feet were crystal boxes about eight inches square, or rather crystalblocks, for in them I could see no opening, and these boxes emitted afaint phosphorescent light. I touched one of them and found that it wasquite warm.

"Great heavens!" I exclaimed, "here's magic."

"There's no such thing," answered Bickley in his usual formula. Then anexplanation seemed to strike him and he added, "Not magic but radiumor something of the sort. That's how the temperature was kept up. Insufficient quantity it is practically indestructible, you see. My word!this old gentleman knew a thing or two."

Again we waited a little while to see if the body begun to crumble onexposure to the air, I taking the opportunity to make a rough sketch ofit in my pocket-book in anticipation of that event. But it did not; itremained quite sound.

"Here goes," said Bickley. "If he should be alive, he will catch cold inhis lungs after lying for ages in that baby incubator, as I suppose hehas done. So it is now or never."

Then bidding me hold the man's right arm, he took the sterilized syringewhich he had prepared, and thrusting the needle into a vein he selectedjust above the wrist, injected the contents.

"It would have been better over the heart," he whispered, "but I thoughtI would try the arm first. I don't like risking chills by uncoveringhim."

I made no answer and again we waited and watched.

"Great heavens, he's stirring!" I gasped presently.

Stirring he was, for his fingers began to move.

Bickley bent down and placed his ear to the heart--I forgot to say thathe had tested this before with a stethoscope, but had been unable todetect any movement.

"I believe it is beginning to beat," he said in an awed voice.

Then he applied the stethoscope, and added, "It is, it is!"

Next he took a filament of cotton wool and laid it on the man's lips.Presently it moved; he was breathing, though very faintly. Bickley tookmore cotton wool and having poured something from his medicine-chest onto it, placed it over the mouth beneath the man's nostrils--I believe itwas sal volatile.

Nothing further happened for a little while, and to relieve the strainon my mind I stared absently into the empty coffin. Here I saw what hadescaped our notice, two small plates of white metal and cut upon themwhat I took to be star maps. Beyond these and the glowing boxes which Ihave mentioned, there was nothing else in the coffin. I had no time toexamine them, for at that moment the old man opened his mouth and beganto breathe, evidently with some discomfort and effort, as his emptylungs filled themselves with air. Then his eyelids lifted, revealing awonderful pair of dark glowing eyes beneath. Next he tried to sit up butwould have fallen, had not Bickley supported him with his arm.

I do not think he saw Bickley, indeed he shut his eyes again as thoughthe light hurt them, and went into a kind of faint. Then it was thatTommy, who all this while had been watching the proceedings with graveinterest, came forward, wagging his tail, and licked the man's face.At the touch of the dog's red tongue, he opened his eyes for the secondtime. Now he saw--not us but Tommy, for after contemplating him for afew seconds, something like a smile appeared upon his fierce but nobleface. More, he lifted his hand and laid it on the dog's head, asthough to pat it kindly. Half a minute or so later his awakening sensesappreciated our presence. The incipient smile vanished and was replacedby a somewhat terrible frown.

Meanwhile Bickley had poured out some of the hot coffee laced withbrandy into the cup that was screwed on the top of the thermos flask.Advancing to the man whom I supported, he put it to his lips. He tastedand made a wry face, but presently he began to sip, and ultimatelyswallowed it all. The effect of the stimulant was wonderful, for ina few minutes he came to life completely and was even able to sit upwithout support.

For quite a long while he gazed at us gravely, talking us in andeverything connected with us. For instance, Bickley's medicine-casewhich lay open showing the little vulcanite tubes, a few instruments andother outfit, engaged his particular attention, and I saw at once thathe understood what it was. Thus his arm still smarted where the needlehad been driven in and on the blanket lay the syringe. He looked athis arm, then looked at the syringe, and nodded. The paraffin hurricanelamps also seemed to interest and win his approval. We two men, asI thought, attracted him least of all; he just summed us up and ourgarments, more especially the garments, with a few shrewd glances, andthen seemed to turn his thoughts to Tommy, who had seated himself quitecontentedly at his side, evidently accepting him as a new addition toour party.

I confess that this behaviour on Tommy's part reassured me not a little.I am a great believer in the instincts of animals, especially of dogs,and I felt certain that if this man had not been in all essentials humanlike ourselves, Tommy would not have tolerated him. In the same way thesleeper's clear liking for Tommy, at whom he looked much oftener andwith greater kindness than he did at us, suggested that there wasgoodness in him somewhere, since although a dog in its wonderfultolerance may love a bad person in whom it smells out hidden virtue, noreally bad person ever loved a dog, or, I may add, a child or a flower.

As a matter of fact, the "old god," as we had christened him while hewas in his coffin, during all our association with him, cared infinitelymore for Tommy than he did for any of us, a circumstance that ultimatelywas not without its influence upon our fortunes. But for this there wasa reason as we learned afterwards, also he was not really so amiable asI hoped.

When we had looked at each other for a long while the sleeper beganto arrange his beard, of which the length seemed to surprise him,especially as Tommy was seated on one end of it. Finding this out andapparently not wishing to disturb Tommy, he gave up the occupation, andafter one or two attempts, for his tongue and lips still seemed to bestiff, addressed us in some sonorous and musical language, unlike anythat we had ever heard. We shook our heads. Then by an afterthought Isaid "Good day" to him in the language of the Orofenans. He puzzledover the word as though it were more or less familiar to him, and whenI repeated it, gave it back to me with a difference indeed, but in away which convinced us that he quite understood what I meant. Theconversation went no further at the moment because just then some memoryseemed to strike him.

He was sitting with his back against the coffin of the Glittering Lady,whom therefore he had not seen. Now he began to turn round, and beingtoo weak to do so, motioned me to help him. I obeyed, while Bickley,guessing his purpose, held up one of the hurricane lamps that he mightsee better. With a kind of fierce eagerness he surveyed her who laywithin the coffin, and after he had done so, uttered a sigh as ofintense relief.

Next he pointed to the metal cup out of which he had drunk. Bickleyfilled it again from the thermos flask, which I observed excited hiskeen interest, for, having touched the flask with his hand and foundthat it was cool, he appeared to marvel that the fluid coming from itshould be hot and steaming. Presently he smiled as though he had gotthe clue to the mystery, and swallowed his second drink of coffee andspirit. This done, he motioned to us to lift the lid of the lady'scoffin, pointing out a certain catch in the bolts which at first wecould not master, for it will be remembered that on this coffin thesewere shot.

In the end, by pursuing the same methods that we had used in theinstance of his own, we raised the coffin lid and once more were drivento retreat from the sepulchre for a while by the overpowering odour liketo that of a whole greenhouse full of tuberoses, that flowed out of it,inducing a kind of stupefaction from which even Tommy fled.

When we returned it was to find the man kneeling by the side of thecoffin, for as yet he could not stand, with his glowing eyes fixed uponthe face of her who slept therein and waving his long arms above her.

"Hypnotic business! Wonder if it will work," whispered Bickley. Thenhe lifted the syringe and looked inquiringly at the man, who shook hishead, and went on with his mesmeric passes.

I crept round him and took my stand by the sleeper's head, that I mightwatch her face, which was well worth watching, while Bickley, withhis medicine at hand, remained near her feet, I think engaged indisinfecting the syringe in some spirit or acid. I believe he wasabout to make an attempt to use it when suddenly, as though beneath theinfluence of the hypnotic passes, a change appeared on the GlitteringLady's face. Hitherto, beautiful as it was, it had been a dead facethough one of a person who had suddenly been cut off while in fullhealth and vigour a few hours, or at the most a day or so before. Nowit began to live again; it was as though the spirit were returning fromafar, and not without toil and tribulation.

Expression after expression flitted across the features; indeed theseseemed to change so much from moment to moment that they might havebelonged to several different individuals, though each was beautiful.The fact of these remarkable changes with the suggestion of multiformpersonalities which they conveyed impressed both Bickley and myself verymuch indeed. Then the breast heaved tumultuously; it even appeared tostruggle. Next the eyes opened. They were full of wonder, even of fear,but oh! what marvelous eyes. I do not know how to describe them, Icannot even state their exact colour, except that it was dark, somethinglike the blue of sapphires of the deepest tint, and yet not black;large, too, and soft as a deer's. They shut again as though the lighthurt them, then once more opened and wandered about, apparently withoutseeing.

At length they found my face, for I was still bending over her, and,resting there, appeared to take it in by degrees. More, it seemed totouch and stir some human spring in the still-sleeping heart. At leastthe fear passed from her features and was replaced by a faint smile,such as a patient sometimes gives to one known and well loved, as theeffects of chloroform pass away. For a while she looked at me with anearnest, searching gaze, then suddenly, for the first time moving herarms, lifted them and threw them round my neck.

The old man stared, bending his imperial brows into a little frown,but did nothing. Bickley stared also through his glasses and sniffedas though in disapproval, while I remained quite still, fighting witha wild impulse to kiss her on the lips as one would an awakening andbeloved child. I doubt if I could have done so, however, for reallyI was immovable; my heart seemed to stop and all my muscles to beparalysed.

I do not know for how long this endured, but I do know how it ended.Presently in the intense silence I heard Bastin's heavy voice andlooking round, saw his big head projecting into the sepulchre.

"Well, I never!" he said, "you seem to have woke them up with avengeance. If you begin like that with the lady, there will becomplications before you have done, Arbuthnot."

Talk of being brought back to earth with a rush! I could have killedBastin, and Bickley, turning on him like a tiger, told him to be off,find wood and light a large fire in front of the statue. I think he wasabout to argue when the Ancient gave him a glance of his fierce eyes,which alarmed him, and he departed, bewildered, to return presently withthe wood.

But the sound of his voice had broken the spell. The Lady let her armsfall with a start, and shut her eyes again, seeming to faint. Bickleysprang forward with his sal volatile and applied it to her nostrils, theAncient not interfering, for he seemed to recognise that he had to dealwith a man of skill and one who meant well by them.

In the end we brought her round again and, to omit details, Bickley gaveher, not coffee and brandy, but a mixture he compounded of hot water,preserved milk and meat essence. The effect of it on her was wonderful,since a few minutes after swallowing it she sat up in the coffin. Thenwe lifted her from that narrow bed in which she had slept for--ah! howlong? and perceived that beneath her also were crystal boxes ofthe radiant, heat-giving substance. We sat her on the floor of thesepulchre, wrapping her also in a blanket.

Now it was that Tommy, after frisking round her as though in welcome ofan old friend, calmly established himself beside her and laid hisblack head upon her knee. She noted it and smiled for the first time,a marvelously sweet and gentle smile. More, she placed her slender handupon the dog and stroked him feebly.

Bickley tried to make her drink some more of his mixture, but sherefused, motioning him to give it to Tommy. This, however, he would notdo because there was but one cup. Presently both of the sleepers beganto shiver, which caused Bickley anxiety. Abusing Bastin beneath hisbreath for being so long with the fire, he drew the blankets closerabout them.

Then an idea came to him and he examined the glowing boxes in thecoffin. They were loose, being merely set in prepared cavities in thecrystal. Wrapping our handkerchiefs about his hand, he took them outand placed them around the wakened patients, a proceeding of which theAncient nodded approval. Just then, too, Bastin returned with his firstload of firewood, and soon we had a merry blaze going just outside thesepulchre. I saw that they observed the lighting of this fire by meansof a match with much interest.

Now they grew warm again, as indeed we did also--too warm. Then in myturn I had an idea. I knew that by now the sun would be beating hotlyagainst the rock of the mount, and suggested to Bickley, that, ifpossible, the best thing we could do would be to get them into itslife-giving rays. He agreed, if we could make them understand and theywere able to walk. So I tried. First I directed the Ancient's attentionto the mouth of the cave which at this distance showed as a white circleof light. He looked at it and then at me with grave inquiry. I mademotions to suggest that he should proceed there, repeating the word"Sun" in the Orofenan tongue. He understood at once, though whetherhe read my mind rather than what I said I am not sure. Apparently theGlittering Lady understood also and seemed to be most anxious to go.Only she looked rather pitifully at her feet and shook her head. Thisdecided me.

I do not know if I have mentioned anywhere that I am a tall man and verymuscular. She was tall, also, but as I judged not so very heavy afterher long fast. At any rate I felt quite certain that I could carry herfor that distance. Stooping down, I lifted her up, signing to her toput her arms round my neck, which she did. Then calling to Bickley andBastin to bring along the Ancient between them, with some difficulty Istruggled out of the sepulchre, and started down the cave. She was moreheavy than I thought, and yet I could have wished the journey longer. Tobegin with she seemed quite trustful and happy in my arms, where she laywith her head against my shoulder, smiling a little as a child might do,especially when I had to stop and throw her long hair round my neck likea muffler, to prevent it from trailing in the dust.

A bundle of lavender, or a truss of new-mown hay, could not have beenmore sweet to carry and there was something electric about the touch ofher, which went through and through me. Very soon it was over, and wewere out of the cave into the full glory of the tropical sun. At first,that her eyes might become accustomed to its light and her awakened bodyto its heat, I set her down where shadow fell from the overhanging rock,in a canvas deck chair that had been brought by Marama with the otherthings, throwing the rug about her to protect her from such wind asthere was. She nestled gratefully into the soft seat and shut her eyes,for the motion had tired her. I noted, however, that she drew in thesweet air with long breaths.

Then I turned to observe the arrival of the Ancient, who was being bornebetween Bickley and Bastin in what children know as a dandy-chair, whichis formed by two people crossing their hands in a peculiar fashion. Itsays much for the tremendous dignity of his presence that even thus,with one arm round the neck of Bickley and the other round that ofBastin, and his long white beard falling almost to the ground, he stilllooked most imposing.

Unfortunately, however, just as they were emerging from the cave,Bastin, always the most awkward of creatures, managed to leave hold withone hand, so that his passenger nearly came to the ground. Never shall Iforget the look that he gave him. Indeed, I think that from this momenthe hated Bastin. Bickley he respected as a man of intelligence andlearning, although in comparison with his own, the latter was infantileand crude; me he tolerated and even liked; but Bastin he detested.The only one of our party for whom he felt anything approaching realaffection was the spaniel Tommy.

We set him down, fortunately uninjured, on some rugs, and also in theshadow. Then, after a little while, we moved both of them into the sun.It was quite curious to see them expand there. As Bickley said,what happened to them might well be compared to the development of abutterfly which has just broken from the living grave of its chrysalisand crept into the full, hot radiance of the light. Its crinkled wingsunfold, their brilliant tints develop; in an hour or two it is perfect,glorious, prepared for life and flight, a new creature.

So it was with this pair, from moment to moment they gathered strengthand vigour. Near-by to them, as it happened, stood a large basket ofthe luscious native fruits brought that morning by the Orofenans, and atthese the Lady looked with longing. With Bickley's permission, I offeredthem to her and to the Ancient, first peeling them with my fingers. Theyate of them greedily, a full meal, and would have gone on had not thestern Bickley, fearing untoward consequences, removed the basket. Againthe results were wonderful, for half an hour afterwards they seemed tobe quite strong. With my assistance the Glittering Lady, as I still callher, for at that time I did not know her name, rose from the chair, and,leaning on me, tottered a few steps forward. Then she stood looking atthe sky and all the lovely panorama of nature beneath, and stretchingout her arms as though in worship. Oh! how beautiful she seemed with thesunlight shining on her heavenly face!

Now for the first time I heard her voice. It was soft and deep, yet init was a curious bell-like tone that seemed to vibrate like the sound ofchimes heard from far away. Never have I listened to such another voice.She pointed to the sun whereof the light turned her radiant hair andgarments to a kind of golden glory, and called it by some name that Icould not understand. I shook my head, whereon she gave it a differentname taken, I suppose, from another language. Again I shook my head andshe tried a third time. To my delight this word was practically the samethat the Orofenans used for "sun."

"Yes," I said, speaking very slowly, "so it is called by the people ofthis land."

She understood, for she answered in much the same language:

"What, then, do you call it?"

"Sun in the English tongue," I replied.

"Sun. English," she repeated after me, then added, "How are you named,Wanderer?"

"Humphrey," I answered.

"Hum-fe-ry!" she said as though she were learning the word, "and those?"

"Bastin and Bickley," I replied.

Over these patronymics she shook her head; as yet they were too much forher.

"How are you named, Sleeper?" I asked.

"Yva," she answered.

"A beautiful name for one who is beautiful," I declared with enthusiasm,of course always in the rich Orofenan dialect which by now I could talkwell enough.

She repeated the words once or twice, then of a sudden caught theirmeaning, for she smiled and even coloured, saying hastily with a wave ofher hand towards the Ancient who stood at a distance between Bastin andBickley, "My father, Oro; great man; great king; great god!"

At this information I started, for it was startling to learn thathere was the original Oro, who was still worshipped by the Orofenans,although of his actual existence they had known nothing for uncountedtime. Also I was glad to learn that he was her father and not her oldhusband, for to me that would have been horrible, a desecration too deepfor words.

"How long did you sleep, Yva?" I asked, pointing towards the sepulchrein the cave.

After a little thought she understood and shook her head hopelessly,then by an afterthought, she said,

"Stars tell Oro to-night."

So Oro was an astronomer as well as a king and a god. I had guessed asmuch from those plates in the coffin which seemed to have stars engravedon them.

At this point our conversation came to an end, for the Ancient himselfapproached, leaning on the arm of Bickley who was engaged in an animatedargument with Bastin.

"For Heaven's sake!" said Bickley, "keep your theology to yourself atpresent. If you upset the old fellow and put him in a temper he maydie."

"If a man tells me that he is a god it is my duty to tell him that he isa liar," replied Bastin obstinately.

"Which you did, Bastin, only fortunately he did not understand you. Butfor your own sake I advise you not to take liberties. He is not one, Ithink, with whom it is wise to trifle. I think he seems thirsty. Go andget some water from the rain pool, not from the lake."

Bastin departed and presently returned with an aluminum jug full of purewater and a glass. Bickley poured some of it into a glass and handed itto Yva who bent her head in thanks. Then she did a curious thing. Havingfirst lifted the glass with both hands to the sky and held it so for afew seconds, she turned and with an obeisance poured a little of it onthe ground before her father's feet.

A libation, thought I to myself, and evidently Bastin agreed with me,for I heard him mutter,

"I believe she is making a heathen offering."

Doubtless we were right, for Oro accepted the homage by a little motionof the head. After this, at a sign from him she drank the water. Thenthe glass was refilled and handed to Oro who also held it towards thesky. He, however, made no libation but drank at once, two tumblers of itin rapid succession.

By now the direct sunlight was passing from the mouth of the cave, andthough it was hot enough, both of them shivered a little. They spoketogether in some language of which we could not understand a word, asthough they were debating what their course of action should be. Thedispute was long and earnest. Had we known what was passing, which Ilearned afterwards, it would have made us sufficiently anxious, for thepoint at issue was nothing less than whether we should or should not beforthwith destroyed--an end, it appears, that Oro was quite capable ofbringing about if he so pleased. Yva, however, had very clear views ofher own on the matter and, as I gather, even dared to threaten that shewould protect us by the use of certain powers at her command, thoughwhat these were I do not know.

While the event hung doubtful Tommy, who was growing bored with theselong proceedings, picked up a bough still covered with flowers which,after their pretty fashion, the Orofenans had placed on the top of oneof the baskets of food. This small bough he brought and laid at the feetof Oro, no doubt in the hope that he would throw it for him to fetch, agame in which the dog delighted. For some reason Oro saw an omen inthis simple canine performance, or he may have thought that the dogwas making an offering to him, for he put his thin hand to his brow andthought a while, then motioned to Bastin to pick up the bough and giveit to him.

Next he spoke to his daughter as though assenting to something, for Isaw her sigh in relief. No wonder, for he was conveying his decision tospare our lives and admit us to their fellowship.

After this again they talked, but in quite a different tone and manner.Then the Glittering Lady said to me in her slow and archaic Orofenan:

"We go to rest. You must not follow. We come back perhaps tonight,perhaps next night. We are quite safe. You are quite safe under thebeard of Oro. Spirit of Oro watch you. You understand?"

I said I understood, whereon she answered:

"Good-bye, O Humfe-ry."

"Good-bye, O Yva," I replied, bowing.

Thereon they turned and refusing all assistance from us, vanished intothe darkness of the cave leaning upon each other and walking slowly.

Chapter XII - Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Years!

"You seem to have made the best of your time, old fellow," said Bickleyin rather a sour voice.

"I never knew people begin to call each other by their Christian namesso soon," added Bastin, looking at me with a suspicious eye.

"I know no other," I said.

"Perhaps not, but at any rate you have another, though you don't seem tohave told it to her. Anyway, I am glad they are gone, for I was gettingtired of being ordered by everybody to carry about wood and water forthem. Also I am terribly hungry as I can't eat before it is light. Theyhave taken most of the best fruit to which I was looking forward, butthank goodness they do not seem to care for pork."

"So am I," said Bickley, who really looked exhausted. "Get the food,there's a good fellow. We'll talk afterwards."

When we had eaten, somewhat silently, I asked Bickley what he made ofthe business; also whither he thought the sleepers had gone.

"I think I can answer the last question," interrupted Bastin. "I expectit is to a place well known to students of the Bible which even Bickleymentions sometimes when he is angry. At any rate, they seem to be veryfond of heat, for they wouldn't part from it even in their coffins, andyou will admit that they are not quite natural, although that GlitteringLady is so attractive as regards her exterior."

Bickley waved these remarks aside and addressed himself to me.

"I don't know what to think of it," he said; "but as the experience isnot natural and everything in the Universe, so far as we know it, has anatural explanation, I am inclined to the belief that we are sufferingfrom hallucinations, which in their way are also quite natural. It doesnot seem possible that two people can really have been asleep for anunknown length of time enclosed in vessels of glass or crystal, keptwarm by radium or some such substance, and then emerge from themcomparatively strong and well. It is contrary to natural law."

"How about microbes?" I asked. "They are said to last practically forever, and they are living things. So in their case your natural lawbreaks down."

"That is true," he answered. "Some microbes in a sealed tube and undercertain conditions do appear to possess indefinite powers of life. Alsoradium has an indefinite life, but that is a mineral. Only these peopleare not microbes nor are they minerals. Also, experience tells us thatthey could not have lived for more than a few months at the outside insuch circumstances as we seemed to find them."

"Then what do you suggest?"

"I suggest that we did not really find them at all; that we have allbeen dreaming. You know that there are certain gases which produceillusions, laughing gas is one of them, and that these gases aresometimes met with in caves. Now there were very peculiar odours in thatplace under the statue, which may have worked upon our imaginations insome such way. Otherwise we are up against a miracle, and, as you know,I do not believe in miracles."

"I do," said Bastin calmly. "You'll find all about it in the Bible ifyou will only take the trouble to read. Why do you talk such rubbishabout gases?"

"Because only gas, or something of the sort, could have made us imaginethem."

"Nonsense, Bickley! Those people were here right enough. Didn't they eatour fruit and drink the water I brought them without ever saying thankyou? Only, they are not human. They are evil spirits, and for my partI don't want to see any more of them, though I have no doubt Arbuthnotdoes, as that Glittering Lady threw her arms round his neck when shewoke up, and already he is calling her by her Christian name, if theword Christian can be used in connection with her. The old fellow hadthe impudence to tell us that he was a god, and it is remarkable thathe should have called himself Oro, seeing that the devil they worship onthe island is also called Oro and the place itself is named Orofena."

"As to where they have gone," continued Bickley, taking no notice ofBastin, "I really don't know. My expectation is, however, that whenwe go to look tomorrow morning--and I suggest that we should not do sobefore then in order that we may give our minds time to clear--we shallfind that sepulchre place quite empty, even perhaps without the crystalcoffins we have imagined to stand there."

"Perhaps we shall find that there isn't a cave at all and that we arenot sitting on a flat rock outside of it," suggested Bastin with heavysarcasm, adding, "You are clever in your way, Bickley, but you can talkmore rubbish than any man I ever knew."

"They told us they would come back tonight or tomorrow," I said. "Ifthey do, what will you say then, Bickley?"

"I will wait till they come to answer that question. Now let us go fora walk and try to change our thoughts. We are all over-strained andscarcely know what we are saying."

"One more question," I said as we rose to start. "Did Tommy suffer fromhallucinations as well as ourselves?"

"Why not?" answered Bickley. "He is an animal just as we are, or perhapswe thought we saw Tommy do the things he did."

"When you found that basket of fruit, Bastin, which the natives broughtover in the canoe, was there a bough covered with red flowers lying onthe top of it?"

"Yes, Arbuthnot, one bough only; I threw it down on the rock as it gotin the way when I was carrying the basket."

"Which flowering bough we all thought we saw the Sleeper Oro carry awayafter Tommy had brought it to him."

"Yes; he made me pick it up and give it to him," said Bastin.

"Well, if we did not see this it should still be lying on the rock, asthere has been no wind and there are no animals here to carry it away.You will admit that, Bickley?"

He nodded.

"Then if it has gone you will admit also that the presumption is that wesaw what we thought we did see?"

"I do not know how that conclusion can be avoided, at any rate so far asthe incident of the bough is concerned," replied Bickley with caution.

Then, without more words, we started to look. At the spot where thebough should have been, there was no bough, but on the rock lay severalof the red flowers, bitten off, I suppose, by Tommy while he wascarrying it. Nor was this all. I think I have mentioned that theGlittering Lady wore sandals which were fastened with red studs thatlooked like rubies or carbuncles. On the rock lay one of these studs.I picked it up and we examined it. It had been sewn to the sandal-strapwith golden thread or silk. Some of this substance hung from the holedrilled in the stone which served for an eye. It was as rotten astinder, apparently with extreme age. Moreover, the hard gem itself waspitted as though the passage of time had taken effect upon it, thoughthis may have been caused by other agencies, such as the action of theradium rays. I smiled at Bickley who looked disconcerted and even sad.In a way it is painful to see the effect upon an able and earnest man ofthe upsetting of his lifelong theories.

We went for our walk, keeping to the flat lands at the foot of thevolcano cone, for we seemed to have had enough of wonders and to desireto reassure ourselves, as it were, by the study of natural andfamiliar things. As it chanced, too, we were rewarded by sundry usefuldiscoveries. Thus we found a place where the bread-tree and otherfruits, most of them now ripe, grew in abundance, as did the yam. Also,we came to an inlet that we noticed was crowded with large and beautifulfish from the lake, which seemed to find it a favourite spot. Perhapsthis was because a little stream of excellent water ran in here,overflowing from the great pool or mere which filled the crater above.

At these finds we rejoiced greatly, for now we knew that we need notfear starvation even should our supply of food from the main island becut off. Indeed, by help of some palm-leaf stalks which we wove togetherroughly, Bastin, who was rather clever at this kind of thing, managedto trap four fish weighing two or three pounds apiece, wading into thewater to do so. It was curious to observe with what ease he adaptedhimself to the manners and customs of primeval man, so much so, indeed,that Bickley remarked that if he could believe in re-incarnation, hewould be absolutely certain that Bastin was a troglodyte in his lastsojourn on the earth.

However this might be, Bastin's primeval instincts and abilities were ofthe utmost service to us. Before we had been many days on that islandhe had built us a kind of native hut or house roofed with palm leaves inwhich, until provided with a better, as happened afterwards, we ate andhe and Bickley slept, leaving the tent to me. Moreover, he wove a netof palm fibre with which he caught abundance of fish, and madefishing-lines of the same material (fortunately we had some hooks) whichhe baited with freshwater mussels and the insides of fish. By means ofthese he secured some veritable monsters of the carp species that provedmost excellent eating. His greatest triumph, however, was a decoy whichhe constructed of boughs, wherein he trapped a number of waterfowl. Sothat soon we kept a very good table of a sort, especially after hehad learned how to cook our food upon the native plan by means of hotstones. This suited us admirably, as it enabled Bickley and myself todevote all our time to archaeological and other studies which did notgreatly interest Bastin.

By the time that we got back to camp it was drawing towards evening,so we cooked our food and ate, and then, thoroughly exhausted, madeourselves as comfortable as we could and went to sleep. Even ourmarvelous experiences could not keep Bickley and myself from sleeping,and on Bastin such things had no effect. He accepted them and that wasall, much more readily than we did, indeed. Triple-armed as he was inthe mail of a child-like faith, he snapped his fingers at evil spiritswhich he supposed the Sleepers to be, and at everything else that othermen might dread.

Now, as I have mentioned, after our talk with Marama, although we didnot think it wise to adventure ourselves among them again at present, wehad lost all fear of the Orofenans. In this attitude, so far as Maramahimself and the majority of his people were concerned, we were quitejustified, for they were our warm friends. But in the case of thesorcerers, the priests and all their rascally and superstitiousbrotherhood, we were by no means justified. They had not forgiven Bastinhis sacrilege or for his undermining of their authority by the preachingof new doctrines which, if adopted, would destroy them as a hierarchy.Nor had they forgiven Bickley for shooting one of their number, or anyof us for our escape from the vengeance of their god.

So it came about that they made a plot to seize us all and hale us offto be sacrificed to a substituted image of Oro, which by now they hadset up. They knew exactly where we slept upon the rock; indeed, our fireshowed it to them and so far they were not afraid to venture, since herethey had been accustomed for generations to lay their offerings tothe god of the Mountain. Secretly on the previous night, without theknowledge of Marama, they had carried two more canoes to the borders ofthe lake. Now on this night, just as the moon was setting about threein the morning, they made their attack, twenty-one men in all, for thethree canoes were large, relying on the following darkness to get usaway and convey us to the place of sacrifice to be offered up at dawnand before Marama could interfere.

The first we knew of the matter, for most foolishly we had neglected tokeep a watch, was the unpleasant sensation of brawny savages kneeling onus and trussing us up with palm-fibre ropes. Also they thrust handfulsof dry grass into our mouths to prevent us from calling out, although asair came through the interstices of the grass, we did not suffocate. Thething was so well done that we never struck a blow in self-defence, andalthough we had our pistols at hand, much less could we fire a shot. Ofcourse, we struggled as well as we were able, but it was quite useless;in three minutes we were as helpless as calves in a net and like calveswere being conveyed to the butcher. Bastin managed to get the gag outof his mouth for a few seconds, and I heard him say in his slow, heavyvoice:

"This, Bickley, is what comes of trafficking with evil spirits in museumcases--" There his speech stopped, for the grass wad was jammed down histhroat again, but distinctly I heard the inarticulate Bickley snortas he conceived the repartee he was unable to utter. As for myself, Ireflected that the business served us right for not keeping a watch, andabandoned the issue to fate.

Still, to confess the truth, I was infinitely more sorry to die than Ishould have been forty-eight hours earlier. This is a dull and in mostways a dreadful world, one, if we could only summon the courage, thatsome of us would be glad to leave in search of new adventures. But herea great and unprecedented adventure had begun to befall me, andbefore its mystery was solved, before even I could formulate a theoryconcerning it, my body must be destroyed, and my intelligence that wascaged therein, sent far afield; or, if Bickley were right, eclipsed.It seemed so sad just when the impossible, like an unguessed wanderingmoon, had risen over the grey flats of the ascertained and made themshine with hope and wonder.

They carried us off to the canoes, not too gently; indeed, I heard thebony frame of Bastin bump into the bottom of one of them and reflected,not without venom, that it served him right as he was the fount andorigin of our woes. Two stinking magicians, wearing on their headsundress editions of their court cages, since these were too cumbersomefor active work of the sort, and painted all over with various pigments,were just about to swing me after him into the same, or another canoe,when something happened. I did not know what it was, but as a result, mycaptors left hold of me so that I fell to the rock, lying upon my back.

Then, within my line of vision, which, it must be remembered, waslimited because I could not lift my head, appeared the upper part of thetall person of the Ancient who said that he was named Oro. I could onlysee him down to his middle, but I noted vaguely that he seemed to bemuch changed. For instance, he wore a different coloured dress, orrather robe; this time it was dark blue, which caused me to wonder whereon earth it came from. Also, his tremendous beard had been trimmedand dressed, and on his head there was a simple black cap, strangelyquilted, which looked as though it were made of velvet. Moreover,his face had plumped out. He still looked ancient, it is true, andunutterably wise, but now he resembled an antique youth, so great werehis energy and vigour. Also, his dark and glowing eyes shone with afearful intensity. In short, he seemed impressive and terrible almostbeyond imagining.

He looked about him slowly, then asked in a deep, cold voice, speakingin the Orofenan tongue:

"What do you, slaves?"

No one seemed able to answer, they were too horror-stricken at thissudden vision of their fabled god, whose fierce features of wood hadbecome flesh; they only turned to fly. He waved his thin hand and theycame to a standstill, like animals which have reached the end of theirtether and are checked by the chains that bind them. There they stoodin all sorts of postures, immovable and looking extremely ridiculous intheir paint and feathers, with dread unutterable stamped upon their evilfaces.

The Sleeper spoke again:

"You would murder as did your forefathers, O children of snakes and hogsfashioned in the shape of men. You would sacrifice those who dwell in myshadow to satisfy your hate because they are wiser than you. Come hitherthou," and he beckoned with a bony finger to the chief magician.

The man advanced towards him in short jumps, as a mechanical toy mightdo, and stood before him, his miniature crate and feathers all awry andthe sweat of terror melting the paint in streaks upon his face.

"Look into the eyes of Oro, O worshipper of Oro," said the Sleeper, andhe obeyed, his own eyes starting out of his head.

"Receive the curse of Oro," said the Ancient again. Then followed aterrible spectacle. The man went raving mad. He bounded into the air toa height inconceivable. He threw himself upon the ground and rolled uponthe rock. He rose again and staggered round and round, tearing piecesout of his arms with his teeth. He yelled hideously like one possessed.He grovelled, beating his forehead against the rock. Then he sat up,slowly choked and--died.

His companions seemed to catch the infection of death as terrifiedsavages often do. They too performed dreadful antics, all except threeof them who stood paralysed. They rushed about battering each other withtheir fists and wooden weapons, looking like devils from hell intheir hideous painted attire. They grappled and fought furiously. Theyseparated and plunged into the lake, where with a last grimace they sanklike stones.

It seemed to last a long while, but I think that as a matter of factwithin five minutes it was over; they were all dead. Only the threeparalysed ones remained standing and rolling their eyes.

The Sleeper beckoned to them with his thin finger, and they walkedforward in step like soldiers.

"Lift that man from the boat," he said, pointing to Bastin, "cut hisbonds and those of the others."

They obeyed with a wonderful alacrity. In a minute we stood at libertyand were pulling the grass gags from our mouths. The Ancient pointedto the head magician who lay dead upon the rock, his hideous, contortedcountenance staring open-eyed at heaven.

"Take that sorcerer and show him to the other sorcerers yonder," hesaid, "and tell them where your fellows are if they would find them.Know by these signs that the Oro, god of the Mountain, who has slept awhile, is awake, and ill will it go with them who question his power ordare to try to harm those who dwell in his house. Bring food day by dayand await commands. Begone!"

The dreadful-looking body was bundled into one of the canoes, thatout of which Bastin had emerged. A rower sprang into each of them andpresently was paddling as he had never done before. As the settingmoon vanished, they vanished with it, and once more there was a greatsilence.

"I am going to find my boots," said Bastin. "This rock is hard and Ihurt my feet kicking at those poor fellows who appear to have come to abad end, how, I do not exactly understand. Personally, I think that moreallowances should have been made for them, as I hope will be the caseelsewhere, since after all they only acted according to their lights."

"Curse their lights!" ejaculated Bickley, feeling his throat which wasbruised. "I'm glad they are out."

Bastin limped away in search of his boots, but Bickley and I stood wherewe were contemplating the awakened Sleeper. All recollection of therecent tumultuous scene seemed to have passed from his mind, for he wasengaged in a study of the heavens. They were wonderfully brilliant nowthat the moon was down, brilliant as they only can be in the tropicswhen the sky is clear.

Something caused me to look round, and there, coming towards us, was shewho said her name was Yva. Evidently all her weakness had departed also,for now she needed no support, but walked with a peculiar gliding motionthat reminded me of a swan floating forward on the water. Well had wenamed her the Glittering Lady, for in the starlight literally she seemedto glitter. I suppose the effect came from her golden raiment, which,however, I noticed, as in her father's case, was not the same that shehad worn in the coffin; also from her hair that seemed to give out alight of its own. At least, she shimmered as she came, her tall shapeswaying at every step like a willow in the wind. She drew near, andI saw that her face, too, had filled out and now was that of one inperfect health and vigour, while her eyes shone softly and seemedwondrous large.

In her hands she carried those two plates of metal which I had seenlying in the coffin of the Sleeper Oro. These she gave to him, then fellback out of his hearing--if it were ever possible to do this, a pointon which I am not sure--and began to talk to me. I noted at once that inthe few hours during which she was absent, her knowledge of the Orofenantongue seemed to have improved greatly as though she had drunk deeplyfrom some hidden fount of memory. Now she spoke it with readiness, asOro had done when he addressed the sorcerers, although many of the wordsshe used were not known to me, and the general form of her languageappeared archaic, as for instance that of Spenser is compared withmodern English. When she saw I did not comprehend her, however, shewould stop and cast her sentences in a different shape, till at length Icaught her meaning. Now I give the substance of what she said.

"You are safe," she began, glancing first at the palm ropes that layupon the rock and then at my wrists, one of which was cut.

"Yes, Lady Yva, thanks to your father."

"You should say thanks to me. My father was thinking of other things,but I was thinking of you strangers, and from where I was I saw thosewicked ones coming to kill you."

"Oh! from the top of the mountain, I suppose."

She shook her head and smiled but vouchsafed no further explanation,unless her following words can be so called. These were:

"I can see otherwise than with my eyes, if I choose." A statement thatcaused Bickley, who was listening, to mutter:

"Impossible! What the deuce can she mean? Telepathy, perhaps."

"I saw," she continued, "and told the Lord, my father. He came forth.Did he kill them? I did not look to learn."

"Yes. They lie in the lake, all except three whom he sent away asmessengers."

"I thought so. Death is terrible, O Humphrey, but it is a sword whichthose who rule must use to smite the wicked and the savage."

Not wishing to pursue this subject, I asked her what her father wasdoing with the metal plates.

"He reads the stars," she answered, "to learn how long we have beenasleep. Before we went to sleep he made two pictures of them, asthey were then and as they should be at the time he had set for ourawakening."

"We set that time," interrupted Bickley.

"Not so, O Bickley," she answered, smiling again. "In the divine Oro'shead was the time set. You were the hand that executed his decree."

When Bickley heard this I really thought he would have burst. However,he controlled himself nobly, being anxious to hear the end of thismysterious fib.

"How long was the time that the lord Oro set apart for sleep?" I asked.

She paused as though puzzled to find words to express her meaning, thenheld up her hands and said:

"Ten," nodding at her fingers. By second thoughts she took Bickley'shands, not mine, and counted his ten fingers.

"Ten years," said Bickley. "Well, of course, it is impossible, butperhaps--" and he paused.

"Ten tens," she went on with a deepening smile, "one hundred."

"O!" said Bickley.

"Ten hundreds, one thousand."

"I say!" said Bickley.

"Ten times ten thousand, one hundred thousand."

Bickley became silent.

"Twice one hundred thousand and half a hundred thousand, two hundred andfifty thousand years. That was the space of time which the lord Oro, myfather, set for our sleep. Whether it has been fulfilled he will knowpresently when he has read the book of the stars and made comparison ofit with what he wrote before we laid us down to rest," and she pointedto the metal plates which the Ancient was studying.

Bickley walked away, making sounds as though he were going to be ill andlooking so absurd in his indignation that I nearly laughed. The Lady Yvaactually did laugh, and very musical was that laugh.

"He does not believe," she said. "He is so clever he knows everything.But two hundred and fifty thousand years ago we should have thought himquite stupid. Then we could read the stars and calculate their movementsfor ever."

"So can we," I answered, rather nettled.

"I am glad, O Humphrey, since you will be able to show my father if inone of them he is wrong."

Secretly I hoped that this task would not be laid on me. Indeed, Ithought it well to change the subject for the edification of Bickley whohad recovered and was drawn back by his eager curiosity. Just then, too,Bastin joined us, happy in his regained boots.

"You tell us, Lady Yva," I said, "that you slept, or should have sleptfor two hundred and fifty thousand years." Here Bastin opened his eyes."If that was so, where was your mind all this time?"

"If by my mind you mean spirit, O Humphrey, I have to answer that atpresent I do not know for certain. I think, however, that it dweltelsewhere, perhaps in other bodies on the earth, or some differentearth. At least, I know that my heart is very full of memories which asyet I cannot unroll and read."

"Great heavens, this is madness!" said Bickley.

"In the great heavens," she answered slowly, "there are many thingswhich you, poor man, would think to be madness, but yet are truth andperfect wisdom. These things, or some of them, soon I shall hope to showyou."

"Do if you can," said Bickley.

"Why not?" interrupted Bastin. "I think the lady's remarks quitereasonable. It seems to me highly improbable if really she has slept fortwo hundred and fifty thousand years, which, of course, I can't decide,that an immortal spirit would be allowed to remain idle for so long.That would be wallowing in a bed of idleness and shirking its duty whichis to do its work. Also, as she tells you, Bickley, you are not halfso clever as you think you are in your silly scepticism, and I have nodoubt that there are many things in other worlds which would expose yourignorance, if only you could see them."

At this moment Oro turned and called his daughter. She went at once,saying:

"Come, strangers, and you shall learn."

So we followed her.

"Daughter," he said, speaking in Orofenan, I think that we mightunderstand, "ask these strangers to bring one of those lamps of theirsthat by the light of it I may study these writings."

"Perhaps this may serve," said Bickley, suddenly producing an electrictorch from his pocket and flashing it into his face. It was his form ofrepartee for all he had suffered at the hands of this incomprehensiblepair. Let me say at once that it was singularly successful. Perhaps thewisdom of the ages in which Oro flourished had overlooked so small amatter as electric torches, or perhaps he did not expect to meet withthem in these degenerate days. At any rate for the first and last timein my intercourse with him I saw the god, or lord--the native word bearseither meaning--Oro genuinely astonished. He started and stepped back,and for a moment or two seemed a little frightened. Then mutteringsomething as to the cleverness of this light-producing instrument,he motioned to his daughter to take it from Bickley and hold it in acertain position. She obeyed, and in its illumination he began to studythe engraved plates, holding one of them in either hand.

After a while he gave me one of the plates to hold, and with hisdisengaged hand pointed successively to the constellation of Orion, tothe stars Castor, Pollux, Aldebaran, Rigel, the Pleiades, Sirius andothers which with my very limited knowledge I could not recogniseoffhand. Then on the plate which I held, he showed us those same starsand constellations, checking them one by one.

Then he remarked very quietly that all was in order, and handing theplate he held to Yva, said:

"The calculations made so long ago are correct, nor have the starsvaried in their proper motions during what is after all but an hour oftime. If you, Stranger, who, I understand, are named Humphrey, shouldbe, as I gather, a heaven-master, naturally you will ask me how I couldfix an exact date by the stars without an error of, let us say, fromfive to ten thousand years. I answer you that by the proper motion ofthe stars alone it would have been difficult. Therefore I remember thatin order to be exact, I calculated the future conjunctions of those twoplanets," and he pointed to Saturn and Jupiter. "Finding that one ofthese occurred near yonder star," and he indicated the bright orb,Spica, "at a certain time, I determined that then I would awake. Behold!There are the stars as I engraved them from my foreknowledge, upon thischart, and there those two great planets hang in conjunction. DaughterYva, my wisdom has not failed me. This world of ours has travelled roundthe sun neither less nor more than two hundred and fifty thousand timessince we laid ourselves down to sleep. It is written here, and yonder,"and he pointed, first to the engraved plates and then to the vastexpanse of the starlit heavens.

Awe fell on me; I think that even Bickley and Bastin were awed, at anyrate for the moment. It was a terrible thing to look on a being, to allappearance more or less human, who alleged that he had been asleepfor two hundred and fifty thousand years, and proceeded to prove it bycertain ancient star charts. Of course at the time I could not checkthose charts, lacking the necessary knowledge, but I have done so sinceand found that they are quite accurate. However this made no difference,since the circumstances and something in his manner convinced me that hespoke the absolute truth.

He and his daughter had been asleep for two hundred and fifty thousandyears. Oh! Heavens, for two hundred and fifty thousand years!

Chapter XIII - Oro Speaks and Bastin Argues

The reader of what I have written, should there ever be such a person,may find the record marvelous, and therefore rashly conclude thatbecause it is beyond experience, it could not be. It is not a wisededuction, as I think Bickley would admit today, because without doubtmany things are which surpass our extremely limited experience. However,those who draw the veil from the Unknown and reveal the New, must expectincredulity, and accept it without grumbling. Was that not the fate,for instance, of those who in the Middle Ages, a few hundred yearsago, discovered, or rather rediscovered the mighty movements of thoseconstellations which served Oro for an almanac?

But the point I want to make is that if the sceptic plays a Bickleyanpart as regards what has been written, it seems probable that hisattitude will be accentuated as regards that which it still remains forme to write. If so, I cannot help it, and must decline entirely to waterdown or doctor facts and thus pander to his prejudice and ignorance. Formy part I cannot attempt to explain these occurrences; I only know thatthey happened and that I set down what I saw, heard and felt, neithermore nor less.

Immediately after Oro had triumphantly vindicated his stellarcalculations he turned and departed into the cave, followed by hisdaughter, waving to us to remain where we were. As she passed us,however, the Glittering Lady whispered--this time to Bastin--that hewould see them again in a few hours, adding:

"We have much to learn and I hope that then you who, I understand, are apriest, will begin to teach us of your religion and other matters."

Bastin was so astonished that he could make no reply, but when they hadgone he said:

"Which of you told her that I was a priest?"

We shook our heads for neither of us could remember having done so.

"Well, I did not," continued Bastin, "since at present I have foundno opportunity of saying a word in season. So I suppose she must havegathered it from my attire, though as a matter of fact I haven't beenwearing a collar, and those men who wanted to cook me, pulled off mywhite tie and I didn't think it worth while dirtying a clean one."

"If," said Bickley, "you imagine that you look like the minister ofany religion ancient or modern in a grubby flannel shirt, a batteredsun-helmet, a torn green and white umbrella and a pair of ragged ducktrousers, you are mistaken, Bastin, that is all."

"I admit that the costume is not appropriate, Bickley, but how otherwisecould she have learned the truth?"

"These people seem to have ways of learning a good many things. Butin your case, Bastin, the cause is clear enough. You have been walkingabout with the head of that idol and always keep it close to you. Nodoubt they believe that you are a priest of the worship of the god ofthe Grove--Baal, you know, or something of that sort."

When he heard this Bastin's face became a perfect picture. Never beforedid I see it so full of horror struggling with indignation.

"I must undeceive them without a moment's delay," he said, and wasstarting for the cave when we caught his arms and held him.

"Better wait till they come back, old fellow," I said, laughing. "Ifyou disobey that Lord Oro you may meet with another experience in thesacrifice line."

"Perhaps you are right, Arbuthnot. I will occupy the interval inpreparing a suitable address."

"Much better occupy it in preparing breakfast," said Bickley. "I havealways noticed that you are at your best extempore."

In the end he did prepare breakfast though in a distrait fashion; indeedI found him beginning to make tea in the frying-pan. Bastin feltthat his opportunity had arrived, and was making ready to rise to theoccasion.

Also we felt, all three of us, that we were extremely shabby-lookingobjects, and though none of us said so, each did his best to improvehis personal appearance. First of all Bickley cut Bastin's and my hair,after which I did him the same service. Then Bickley who was normallyclean shaven, set to work to remove a beard of about a week's growth,and I who wore one of the pointed variety, trimmed up mine as best Icould with the help of a hand-glass. Bastin, too, performed on his whichwas of the square and rather ragged type, wisely rejecting Bickley'sadvice to shave it off altogether, offered, I felt convinced, becausehe felt that the result on Bastin would be too hideous for words. Afterthis we cut our nails, cleaned our teeth and bathed; I even caughtBickley applying hair tonic from his dressing case in secret, behind aprojecting rock, and borrowed some myself. He gave it me on conditionthat I did not mention its existence to Bastin who, he remarked, wouldcertainly use the lot and make himself smell horrible.

Next we found clean ducks among our store of spare clothes, for theOrofenans had brought these with our other possessions, and put them on,even adding silk cumberbunds and neckties. My tie I fastened with a pinthat I had obtained in Egypt. It was a tiny gold statuette of very fineand early workmanship, of the god Osiris, wearing the crown of the UpperLand with the uraeus crest, and holding in his hands, which projectedfrom the mummy wrappings, the emblems of the crook, the scourge and thecrux ansata, or Sign of Life.

Bastin, for his part, arrayed himself in full clerical costume, blackcoat and trousers, white tie and stick-up clergyman's collar which,as he remarked, made him feel extremely hot in that climate, and wereunsuitable to domestic duties, such as washing-up. I offered to hold hiscoat while he did this office and told him he looked very nice indeed.

"Beautiful!" remarked Bickley, "but why don't you put on your surpliceand biretta?" (Being very High-Church Bastin did wear a biretta onfestival Sundays at home.) "There would be no mistake about you then."

"I do not think it would be suitable," replied Bastin whose sense ofhumour was undeveloped. "There is no service to be performed at presentand no church, though perhaps that cave--" and he stopped.

When we had finished these vain adornments and Bastin had put away thethings and tidied up, we sat down, rather at a loose end. We should haveliked to walk but refrained from doing so for fear lest we might dirtyour clean clothes. So we just sat and thought. At least Bickley thought,and so did I for a while until I gave it up. What was the use ofthinking, seeing that we were face to face with circumstances whichbaffled reason and beggared all recorded human experience? What Bastindid I am sure I do not know, but I think from the expression of hiscountenance that he was engaged in composing sermons for the benefit ofOro and the Glittering Lady.

One diversion we did have. About eleven o'clock a canoe came from themain island laden with provisions and paddled by Marama and two of hispeople. We seized our weapons, remembering our experiences of the night,but Marama waved a bough in token of peace. So, carrying our revolvers,we went to the rock edge to meet him. He crept ashore and, chief thoughhe was, prostrated himself upon his face before us, which told me thathe had heard of the fate of the sorcerers. His apologies were abject. Heexplained that he had no part in the outrage of the attack, and besoughtus to intercede on behalf of him and his people with the awakened god ofthe Mountain whom he looked for with a terrified air.

We consoled him as well as we could, and told him that he had best begone before the god of the Mountain appeared, and perhaps treated him ashe had done the sorcerers. In his name, however, we commanded Marama tobring materials and build us a proper house upon the rock, also to besure to keep up a regular and ample supply of provisions. If he didthese things, and anything else we might from time to time command,we said that perhaps his life and those of his people would be spared.This, however, after the evil behaviour of some of them of course wecould not guarantee.

Marama departed so thoroughly frightened that he even forgot to make anyinquiries as to who this god of the Mountain might be, or where he camefrom, or whither he was going. Of course, the place had been sacredamong his people from the beginning, whenever that may have been, butthat its sacredness should materialise into an active god who broughtsorcerers of the highest reputation to a most unpleasant end, justbecause they wished to translate their preaching into practice, wasanother matter. It was not to be explained even by the fact of which hehimself had informed me, that during the dreadful storm of some monthsbefore, the cave mouth which previously was not visible on the volcano,had suddenly been lifted up above the level of the Rock of Offerings,although, of course, all religious and instructed persons would haveexpected something peculiar to happen after this event.

Such I knew were his thoughts, but, as I have said, he was toofrightened and too hurried to express them in questions that I shouldhave found it extremely difficult to answer. As it was he departedquite uncertain as to whether one of us was not the real "god of theMountain," who had power to bring hideous death upon his molesters.After all, what had he to go on to the contrary, except the word ofthree priests who were so terrified that they could give no coherentaccount of what had happened? Of these events, it was true, there wasevidence in the twisted carcass of their lamented high sorcerer, and,for the matter of that, of certain corpses which he had seen, that layin shallow water at the bottom of the lake. Beyond all was vague, and inhis heart I am sure that Marama believed that Bastin was the real "godof the Mountain." Naturally, he would desire to work vengeance on thosewho tried to sacrifice and eat him. Moreover, had he not destroyed theimage of the god of the Grove and borne away its head whence he hadsucked magic and power?

Thus argued Marama, disbelieving the tale of the frightened sorcerers,for he admitted as much to me in after days.

Marama departed in a great hurry, fearing lest the "god of theMountain," or Bastin, whose new and splendid garb he regarded with muchsuspicion, might develop some evil energy against him. Then we went backto our camp, leaving the industrious Bastin, animated by a suggestionfrom Bickley that the fruit and food might spoil if left in the sun,to carry it into the shade of the cave. Owing to the terrors of theOrofenans the supply was so large that to do this he must make no fewerthan seven journeys, which he did with great good will since Bastinloved physical exercise. The result on his clerical garments, however,was disastrous. His white tie went awry, squashed fruit and roast piggravy ran down his waistcoat and trousers, and his high collar meltedinto limp crinkles in the moisture engendered by the tropical heat. Onlyhis long coat escaped, since that Bickley kindly carried for him.

It was just as he arrived with the seventh load in this extremelydishevelled condition that Oro and his daughter emerged from the cave.Indeed Bastin, who, being shortsighted, always wore spectacles that,owing to his heated state were covered with mist, not seeing thatdignitary, dumped down the last basket on to his toes, exclaiming:

"There, you lazy beggar, I told you I would bring it all, and I have."

In fact he thought he was addressing Bickley and playing off on him atroglodytic practical joke.

Oro, however, who at his age did not appreciate jokes, resented it andwas about to do something unpleasant when with extraordinary tact hisdaughter remarked:

"Bastin the priest makes you offerings. Thank him, O Lord my father."

So Oro thanked him, not too cordially for evidently he still had feelingin his toes, and once more Bastin escaped. Becoming aware of his error,he began to apologise profusely in English, while the lady Yva studiedhim carefully.

"Is that the costume of the priests of your religion, O Bastin?" sheasked, surveying his dishevelled form. "If so, you were better withoutit."

Then Bastin retired to straighten his tie, and grabbing his coatfrom Bickley, who handed it to him with a malicious smile, forced hisperspiring arms into it in a peculiarly awkward and elephantine fashion.

Meanwhile Bickley and I produced two camp chairs which we had madeready, and on these the wondrous pair seated themselves side by side.

"We have come to learn," said Oro. "Teach!"

"Not so, Father," interrupted Yva, who, I noted, was clothed in yet athird costume, though whence these came I could not imagine. "First Iwould ask a question. Whence are you, Strangers, and how came you here?"

"We are from the country called England and a great storm shipwrecked ushere; that, I think, which raised the mouth of the cave above the levelof this rock," I answered.

"The time appointed having come when it should be raised," said Oro asthough to himself.

"Where is England?" asked Yva.

Now among the books we had with us was a pocket atlas, quite a good oneof its sort. By way of answer I opened it at the map of the world andshowed her England. Also I showed, to within a thousand miles or so,that spot on the earth's surface where we spoke together.

The sight of this atlas excited the pair greatly. They had not theslightest difficulty in understanding everything about it and the shapeof the world with its division into hemispheres seemed to be quitefamiliar to them. What appeared chiefly to interest them, and especiallyOro, were the relative areas and positions of land and sea.

"Of this, Strangers," he said, pointing to the map, "I shall have muchto say to you when I have studied the pictures of your book and comparedthem with others of my own."

"So he has got maps," said Bickley in English, "as well as star charts.I wonder where he keeps them."

"With his clothes, I expect," suggested Bastin.

Meanwhile Oro had hidden the atlas in his ample robe and motioned to hisdaughter to proceed.

"Why do you come here from England so far away?" the Lady Yva asked, aquestion to which each of us had an answer.

"To see new countries," I said.

"Because the cyclone brought us," said Bickley.

"To convert the heathen to my own Christian religion," said Bastin,which was not strictly true.

It was on this last reply that she fixed.

"What does your religion teach?" she asked.

"It teaches that those who accept it and obey its commands will liveagain after death for ever in a better world where is neither sorrow norsin," he answered.

When he heard this saying I saw Oro start as though struck by a newthought and look at Bastin with a curious intentness.

"Who are the heathen?" Yva asked again after a pause, for she alsoseemed to be impressed.

"All who do not agree with Bastin's spiritual views," answered Bickley.

"Those who, whether from lack of instruction or from hardness of heart,do not follow the true faith. For instance, I suppose that your fatherand you are heathen," replied Bastin stoutly.

This seemed to astonish them, but presently Yva caught his meaning andsmiled, while Oro said:

"Of this great matter of faith we will talk later. It is an old questionin the world."

"Why," went on Yva, "if you wished to travel so far did you come in aship that so easily is wrecked? Why did you not journey through the air,or better still, pass through space, leaving your bodies asleep, as,being instructed, doubtless you can do?"

"As regards your first question," I answered, "there are no aircraftknown that can make so long a journey."

"And as regards the second," broke in Bickley, "we did not do so becauseit is impossible for men to transfer themselves to other places throughspace either with or without their bodies."

At this information the Glittering Lady lifted her arched eyebrows andsmiled a little, while Oro said:

"I perceive that the new world has advanced but a little way on the roadof knowledge."

Fearing that Bastin was about to commence an argument, I began to askquestions in my turn.

"Lord Oro and Lady Yva," I said, "we have told you something ofourselves and will tell you more when you desire it. But pardon us iffirst we pray you to tell us what we burn to know. Who are you? Of whatrace and country? And how came it that we found you sleeping yonder?"

"If it be your pleasure, answer, my Father," said Yva.

Oro thought a moment, then replied in a calm voice:

"I am a king who once ruled most of the world as it was in my day,though it is true that much of it rebelled against me, my councillorsand servants. Therefore I destroyed the world as it was then, save onlycertain portions whence life might spread to the new countries that Iraised up. Having done this I put myself and my daughter to sleep for aspace of two hundred and fifty thousand years, that there might be timefor fresh civilisations to arise. Now I begin to think that I did notallot a sufficiency of ages, since I perceive from what you tell me,that the learning of the new races is as yet but small."

Bickley and I looked at each other and were silent. Mentally we hadcollapsed. Who could begin to discuss statements built upon such afoundation of gigantic and paralysing falsehoods?

Well, Bastin could for one. With no more surprise in his voice than ifhe were talking about last night's dinner, he said:

"There must be a mistake somewhere, or perhaps I misunderstand you. Itis obvious that you, being a man, could not have destroyed the world.That could only be done by the Power which made it and you."

I trembled for the results of Bastin's methods of setting out the truth.To my astonishment, however, Oro replied:

"You speak wisely, Priest, but the Power you name may use instruments toaccomplish its decrees. I am such an instrument."

"Quite so," said Bastin, "just like anybody else. You have moreknowledge of the truth than I thought. But pray, how did you destroy theworld?"

"Using my wisdom to direct the forces that are at work in the heart ofthis great globe, I drowned it with a deluge, causing one part to sinkand another to rise, also changes of climate which completed the work."

"That's quite right," exclaimed Bastin delightedly. "We know all aboutthe Deluge, only you are not mentioned in connection with the matter. Aman, Noah, had to do with it when he was six hundred years old."

"Six hundred?" said Oro. "That is not very old. I myself had seen morethan a thousand years when I lay down to sleep."

"A thousand!" remarked Bastin, mildly interested. "That is unusual,though some of these mighty men of renown we know lived over ninehundred."

Here Bickley snorted and exclaimed:

"Nine hundred moons, he means."

"I did not know Noah," went on Oro. "Perhaps he lived after my time andcaused some other local deluge. Is there anything else you wish to askme before I leave you that I may study this map writing?"

"Yes," said Bastin. "Why were you allowed to drown your world?"

"Because it was evil, Priest, and disobeyed me and the Power I serve."

"Oh! thank you," said Bastin, "that fits in exactly. It was just thesame in Noah's time."

"I pray that it is not just the same now," said Oro, rising. "To-morrowwe will return, or if I do not who have much that I must do, the lady mydaughter will return and speak with you further."

He departed into the cave, Yva following at a little distance.

I accompanied her as far as the mouth of the cave, as did Tommy, whoall this time had been sitting contentedly upon the hem of her gorgeousrobe, quite careless of its immemorial age, if it was immemorial and notwoven yesterday, a point on which I had no information.

"Lady Yva," I said, "did I rightly understand the Lord Oro to say thathe was a thousand years old?"

"Yes, O Humphrey, and really he is more, or so I think."

"Then are you a thousand years old also?" I asked, aghast.

"No, no," she replied, shaking her head, "I am young, quite young, for Ido not count my time of sleep."

"Certainly you look it," I said. "But what, Lady Yva, do you mean byyoung?"

She answered my question by another.

"What age are your women when they are as I am?"

"None of our women were ever quite like you, Lady Yva. Yet, say fromtwenty-five to thirty years of age."

"Ah! I have been counting and now I remember. When my father sent me tosleep I was twenty-seven years old. No, I will not deceive you, I wastwenty-seven years and three moons." Then, saying something to theeffect that she would return, she departed, laughing a little in amischievous way, and, although I did not observe this till afterwards,Tommy departed with her.

When I repeated what she had said to Bastin and Bickley, who werestanding at a distance straining their ears and somewhat aggrieved, theformer remarked:

"If she is twenty-seven her father must have married late in life,though of course it may have been a long while before he had children."

Then Bickley, who had been suppressing himself all this while, went offlike a bomb.

"Do you tell us, Bastin," he asked, "that you believe one word ofall this ghastly rubbish? I mean as to that antique charlatan being athousand years old and having caused the Flood and the rest?"

"If you ask me, Bickley, I see no particular reason to doubt it atpresent. A person who can go to sleep in a glass coffin kept warm bya pocketful of radium together with very accurate maps of theconstellations at the time he wakes up, can, I imagine, do most things."

"Even cause the Deluge," jeered Bickley.

"I don't know about the Deluge, but perhaps he may have been permittedto cause a deluge. Why not? You can't look at things from far enoughoff, Bickley. And if something seems big to you, you conclude thattherefore it is impossible. The same Power which gives you skill tosucceed in an operation, that hitherto was held impracticable, as I knowyou have done once or twice, may have given that old fellow power tocause a deluge. You should measure the universe and its possibilities byworlds and not by acres, Bickley."

"And believe, I suppose, that a man can live a thousand years, whereaswe know well that he cannot live more than about a hundred."

"You don't know anything of the sort, Bickley. All you know is thatover the brief period of history with which we are acquainted, say tenthousand years at most, men have only lived to about a hundred. But thevery rocks which you are so fond of talking about, tell us that eventhis planet is millions upon millions of years of age. Who knows thenbut that at some time in its history, men did not live for a thousandyears, and that lost civilisations did not exist of which this Oro andhis daughter may be two survivors?"

"There is no proof of anything of the sort," said Bickley.

"I don't know about proof, as you understand it, though I have read inPlato of a continent called Atlantis that was submerged, according tothe story of old Egyptian priests. But personally I have every proof,for it is all written down in the Bible at which you turn tip your nose,and I am very glad that I have been lucky enough to come across thisunexpected confirmation of the story. Not that it matters much, since Ishould have learned all about it when it pleases Providence to remove meto a better world, which in our circumstances may happen any day. Now Imust change my clothes before I see to the cooking and other things."

"I am bound to admit," said Bickley, looking after him, "that old Bastinis not so stupid as he seems. From his point of view the arguments headvances are quite logical. Moreover I think he is right when he saysthat we look at things through the wrong end of the telescope. After allthe universe is very big and who knows what may happen there? Who knowseven what may have happened on this little earth during the aeons of itsexistence, whenever its balance chanced to shift, as the Ice Ages showus it has often done? Still I believe that old Oro to be a Prince ofLiars."

"That remains to be proved," I answered cautiously. "All I know is thathe is a wonderfully learned person of most remarkable appearance, andthat his daughter is the loveliest creature I ever saw."

"There I agree," said Bickley decidedly, "and as brilliant as she islovely. If she belongs to a past civilisation, it is a pity that it everbecame extinct. Now let's go and have a nap. Bastin will call us whensupper is ready."

Chapter XIV - The Under-world

That night we slept well and without fear, being quite certain thatafter their previous experience the Orofenans would make no furtherattempts upon us. Indeed our only anxiety was for Tommy, whom we couldnot find when the time came to give him his supper. Bastin, however,seemed to remember having seen him following the Glittering Lady intothe cave. This, of course, was possible, as certainly he had taken anenormous fancy to her and sat himself down as close to her as he couldon every occasion. He even seemed to like the ancient Oro, and was notafraid to jump up and plant his dirty paws upon that terrific person'sgorgeous robe. Moreover Oro liked him, for several times I observed himpat the dog upon the head; as I think I have said, the only human touchthat I had perceived about him. So we gave up searching and calling inthe hope that he was safe with our supernatural friends.

The next morning quite early the Lady Yva appeared alone; no, not alone,for with her came our lost Tommy looking extremely spry and well atease. The faithless little wretch just greeted us in a casual fashionand then went and sat by Yva. In fact when the awkward Bastin managedto stumble over the end of her dress Tommy growled at him and showed histeeth. Moreover the dog was changed. He was blessed with a shiny blackcoat, but now this coat sparkled in the sunlight, like the Lady Yva'shair.

"The Glittering Lady is all very well, but I'm not sure that I carefor a glittering dog. It doesn't look quite natural," said Bastin,contemplating him.

"Why does Tommy shine, Lady?" I asked.

"Because I washed him in certain waters that we have, so that now helooks beautiful and smells sweet," she answered, laughing.

It was true, the dog did smell sweet, which I may add had not alwaysbeen the case with him, especially when there were dead fish about. Alsohe appeared to have been fed, for he turned up his nose at the bits wehad saved for his breakfast.

"He has drunk of the Life-water," explained Yva, "and will want no foodfor two days."

Bickley pricked up his ears at this statement and looked incredulous.

"You do not believe, O Bickley," she said, studying him gravely."Indeed, you believe nothing. You think my father and I tell you manylies. Bastin there, he believes all. Humphrey? He is not sure; he thinksto himself, I will wait and find out whether or no these funny peoplecheat me."

Bickley coloured and made some remark about things which were contraryto experience, also that Tommy in a general way was rather a greedylittle dog.

"You, too, like to eat, Bickley" (this was true, he had an excellentappetite), "but when you have drunk the Life-water you will care muchless."

"I am glad to hear it," interrupted Bastin, "for Bickley wants a lot ofcooking done, and I find it tedious."

"You eat also, Lady," said Bickley.

"Yes, I eat sometimes because I like it, but I can go weeks and noteat, when I have the Life-water. Just now, after so long a sleep, I amhungry. Please give me some of that fruit. No, not the flesh, flesh Ihate."

We handed it to her. She took two plantains, peeled and ate them withextraordinary grace. Indeed she reminded me, I do not know why, of somelovely butterfly drawing its food from a flower.

While she ate she observed us closely; nothing seemed to escape thequick glances of those beautiful eyes. Presently she said:

"What, O Humphrey, is that with which you fasten your neckdress?" andshe pointed to the little gold statue of Osiris that I used as a pin.

I told her that it was a statuette of a god named Osiris and very, veryancient, probably quite five thousand years old, a statement at whichshe smiled a little; also that it came from Egypt.

"Ah!" she answered, "is it so? I asked because we have figures thatare very like to that one, and they also hold in their hands a staffsurmounted by a loop. They are figures of Sleep's brother--Death."

"So is this," I said. "Among the Egyptians Osiris was the god of Death."

She nodded and replied that doubtless the symbol had come down to them.

"One day you shall take me to see this land which you call so very old.Or I will take you, which would be quicker," she added.

We all bowed and said we should be delighted. Even Bastin appearedanxious to revisit Egypt in such company, though when he was thereit seemed to bore him. But what she meant about taking us I could notguess. Nor had we time to ask her, for she went on, watching our facesas she spoke.

"The Lord Oro sends you a message, Strangers. He asks whether it is yourwish to see where we dwell. He adds that you are not to come if you donot desire, or if you fear danger."

We all answered that there was nothing we should like better, but Bastinadded that he had already seen the tomb.

"Do you think, Bastin, that we live in a tomb because we slept there fora while, awaiting the advent of you wanderers at the appointed hour?"

"I don't see where else it could be, unless it is further down thatcave," said Bastin. "The top of the mountain would not be convenient asa residence."

"It has not been convenient for many an age, for reasons that I willshow you. Think now, before you come. You have naught to fear from us,and I believe that no harm will happen to you. But you will see manystrange things that will anger Bickley because he cannot understandthem, and perhaps will weary Bastin because his heart turns from whatis wondrous and ancient. Only Humphrey will rejoice in them becausethe doors of his soul are open and he longs--what do you long for,Humphrey?"

"That which I have lost and fear I shall never find again," I answeredboldly.

"I know that you have lost many things--last night, for instance,you lost Tommy, and when he slept with me he told me much about youand--others."

"This is ridiculous," broke in Bastin. "Can a dog talk?"

"Everything can talk, if you understand its language, Bastin. But keep agood heart, Humphrey, for the bold seeker finds in the end. Oh! foolishman, do you not understand that all is yours if you have but the soul toconceive and the will to grasp? All, all, below, between, above! Even Iknow that, I who have so much to learn."

So she spoke and became suddenly magnificent. Her face which had beenbut that of a super-lovely woman, took on grandeur. Her bosom swelled;her presence radiated some subtle power, much as her hair radiatedlight.

In a moment it was gone and she was smiling and jesting.

"Will you come, Strangers, where Tommy was not afraid to go, down tothe Under-world? Or will you stay here in the sun? Perhaps you will dobetter to stay here in the sun, for the Under-world has terrors for weakhearts that were born but yesterday, and feeble feet may stumble in thedark."

"I shall take my electric torch," said Bastin with decision, "and Iadvise you fellows to do the same. I always hated cellars, and thecatacombs at Rome are worse, though full of sacred interest."

Then we started, Tommy frisking on ahead in a most provoking way asthough he were bored by a visit to a strange house and going home, andYva gliding forward with a smile upon her face that was half mystic andhalf mischievous. We passed the remains of the machines, and Bickleyasked her what they were.

"Carriages in which once we travelled through the skies, until we founda better way, and that the uninstructed used till the end," she answeredcarelessly, leaving me wondering what on earth she meant.

We came to the statue and the sepulchre beneath without trouble, for theglint of her hair, and I may add of Tommy's back, were quite sufficientto guide us through the gloom. The crystal coffins were still there, forBastin flashed his torch and we saw them, but the boxes of radium hadgone.

"Let that light die," she said to Bastin. "Humphrey, give me your righthand and give your left to Bickley. Let Bastin cling to him and fearnothing."

We passed to the end of the tomb and stood against what appeared to be arock wall, all close together, as she directed.

"Fear nothing," she said again, but next second I was never more fullof fear in my life, for we were whirling downwards at a speed that wouldhave made an American elevator attendant turn pale.

"Don't choke me," I heard Bickley say to Bastin, and the latter'smurmured reply of:

"I never could bear these moving staircases and tubelifts. They alwaysmake me feel sick."

I admit that for my part I also felt rather sick and clung tightly tothe hand of the Glittering Lady. She, however, placed her other handupon my shoulder, saying in a low voice:

"Did I not tell you to have no fear?"

Then I felt comforted, for somehow I knew that it was not her desireto harm and much less to destroy me. Also Tommy was seated quite at hisease with his head resting against my leg, and his absence of alarm wasreassuring. The only stoic of the party was Bickley. I have no doubtthat he was quite as frightened as we were, but rather than show it hewould have died.

"I presume this machinery is pneumatic," he began when suddenly andwithout shock, we arrived at the end of our journey. How far we hadfallen I am sure I do not know, but I should judge from the awful speedat which we travelled, that it must have been several thousand feet,probably four or five.

"Everything seems steady now," remarked Bastin, "so I suppose thisluggage lift has stopped. The odd thing is that I can't see anythingof it. There ought to be a shaft, but we seem to be standing on a levelfloor."

"The odd thing is," said Bickley, "that we can see at all. Where thedevil does the light come from thousands of feet underground?"

"I don't know," answered Bastin, "unless there is natural gas here, as Iam told there is at a town called Medicine Hat in Canada."

"Natural gas be blowed," said Bickley. "It is more like moonlightmagnified ten times."

So it was. The whole place was filled with a soft radiance, equal tothat of the sun at noon, but gentler and without heat.

"Where does it come from?" I whispered to Yva.

"Oh!" she replied, as I thought evasively. "It is the light of theUnder-world which we know how to use. The earth is full of light, whichis not wonderful, is it, seeing that its heart is fire? Now look aboutyou."

I looked and leant on her harder than ever, since amazement made meweak. We were in some vast place whereof the roof seemed almost as faroff as the sky at night. At least all that I could make out was a dimand distant arch which might have been one of cloud. For the rest, inevery direction stretched vastness, illuminated far as the eye couldreach by the soft light of which I have spoken, that is, probably forseveral miles. But this vastness was not empty. On the contrary it wasoccupied by a great city. There were streets much wider than Piccadilly,all bordered by houses, though these, I observed, were roofless, veryfine houses, some of them, built of white stone or marble. There wereroadways and pavements worn by the passage of feet. There, farther on,were market-places or public squares, and there, lastly, was a hugecentral enclosure one or two hundred acres in extent, which was filledwith majestic buildings that looked like palaces, or town-halls; and, inthe midst of them all, a vast temple with courts and a central dome. Forhere, notwithstanding the lack of necessity, its builders seemed to haveadhered to the Over-world tradition, and had roofed their fane.

And now came the terror. All of this enormous city was dead. Had itstood upon the moon it could not have been more dead. None paced itsstreets; none looked from its window-places. None trafficked in itsmarkets, none worshipped in its temple. Swept, garnished, lighted,practically untouched by the hand of Time, here where no rains fell andno winds blew, it was yet a howling wilderness. For what wilderness isthere to equal that which once has been the busy haunt of men? Letthose who have stood among the buried cities of Central Asia, or ofAnarajapura in Ceylon, or even amid the ruins of Salamis on the coastof Cyprus, answer the question. But here was something infinitely moreawful. A huge human haunt in the bowels of the earth utterly devoid ofhuman beings, and yet as perfect as on the day when these ceased to be.

"I do not care for underground localities," remarked Bastin, his gruffvoice echoing strangely in that terrible silence, "but it does seem apity that all these fine buildings should be wasted. I suppose theirinhabitants left them in search of fresh air."

"Why did they leave them?" I asked of Yva.

"Because death took them," she answered solemnly. "Even those who live athousand years die at last, and if they have no children, with them diesthe race."

"Then were you the last of your people?" I asked.

"Inquire of my father," she replied, and led the way through the massivearch of a great building.

It led into a walled courtyard in the centre of which was a plain cupolaof marble with a gate of some pale metal that looked like platinum mixedwith gold. This gate stood open. Within it was the statue of a womanbeautifully executed in white marble and set in a niche of some blackstone. The figure was draped as though to conceal the shape, and theface was stern and majestic rather than beautiful. The eyes of thestatue were cunningly made of some enamel which gave them a strange andlifelike appearance. They stared upwards as though looking away from theearth and its concerns. The arms were outstretched. In the right handwas a cup of black marble, in the left a similar cup of white marble.From each of these cups trickled a thin stream of sparkling water, whichtwo streams met and mingled at a distance of about three feet beneaththe cups. Then they fell into a metal basin which, although it must havebeen quite a foot thick, was cut right through by their constant impact,and apparently vanished down some pipe beneath. Out of this metal basinTommy, who gambolled into the place ahead of us, began to drink in agreedy and demonstrative fashion.

"The Life-water?" I said, looking at our guide.

She nodded and asked in her turn:

"What is the statue and what does it signify, Humphrey?"

I hesitated, but Bastin answered:

"Just a rather ugly woman who hid up her figure because it was bad.Probably she was a relation of the artist who wished to have herlikeness done and sat for nothing."

"The goddess of Health," suggested Bickley. "Her proportions areperfect; a robust, a thoroughly normal woman."

"Now, Humphrey," said Yva.

I stared at the work and had not an idea. Then it flashed on me withsuch suddenness and certainty that I am convinced the answer to theriddle was passed to me from her and did not originate in my own mind.

"It seems quite easy," I said in a superior tone. "The figure symbolisesLife and is draped because we only see the face of Life, the rest ishidden. The arms are bare because Life is real and active. One cup isblack and one is white because Life brings both good and evil gifts;that is why the streams mingle, to be lost beneath in the darkness ofdeath. The features are stern and even terrifying rather than lovely,because such is the aspect of Life. The eyes look upward and far awayfrom present things, because the real life is not here."

"Of course one may say anything," said Bastin, "but I don't understandall that."

"Imagination goes a long way," broke in Bickley, who was vexed that hehad not thought of this interpretation himself. But Yva said:

"I begin to think that you are quite clever, Humphrey. I wonder whencethe truth came to you, for such is the meaning of the figure and thecups. Had I told it to you myself, it could not have been better said,"and she glanced at me out of the corners of her eyes. "Now, Strangers,will you drink? Once that gate was guarded, and only at a great price oras a great reward were certain of the Highest Blood given the freedom ofthis fountain which might touch no common lips. Indeed it was one of thecauses of our last war, for all the world which was, desired this waterwhich now is lapped by a stranger's hound."

"I suppose there is nothing medicinal in it?" said Bastin. "Once when Iwas very thirsty, I made a mistake and drank three tumblers of somethingof the sort in the dark, thinking that it was Apollinaris, and I don'twant to do it again."

"Just the sort of thing you would do," said Bickley. "But, Lady Yva,what are the properties of this water?"

"It is very health-giving," she answered, "and if drunk continually, notless than once each thirty days, it wards off sickness, lessens hungerand postpones death for many, many years. That is why those of the HighBlood endured so long and became the rulers of the world, and that, asI have said, is the greatest of the reasons why the peoples who dwelt inthe ancient outer countries and never wished to die, made war upon them,to win this secret fountain. Have no fear, O Bastin, for see, I willpledge you in this water."

Then she lifted a strange-looking, shallow, metal cup whereof thehandles were formed of twisted serpents, that lay in the basin, filledit from the trickling stream, bowed to us and drank. But as she drank Inoted with a thrill of joy that her eyes were fixed on mine as thoughit were me she pledged and me alone. Again she filled the cup with thesparkling water, for it did sparkle, like that French liqueur in whichare mingled little flakes of gold, and handed it to me.

I bowed to her and drank. I suppose the fluid was water, but to me ittasted more like strong champagne, dashed with Chateau Yquem. It wasdelicious. More, its effects were distinctly peculiar. Something quickand subtle ran through my veins; something that for a few momentsseemed to burn away the obscureness which blurs our thought. I beganto understand several problems that had puzzled me, and then lost theirexplanations in the midst of light, inner light, I mean. Moreover, of asudden it seemed to me as though a window had been opened in the heartof that Glittering Lady who stood beside me. At least I knew that it wasfull of wonderful knowledge, wonderful memories and wonderful hopes, andthat in the latter two of these I had some part; what part I could nottell. Also I knew that my heart was open to her and that she saw in itsomething which caused her to marvel and to sigh.

In a few seconds, thirty perhaps, all this was gone. Nothing remainedexcept that I felt extremely strong and well, happier, too, than I hadbeen for years. Mutely I asked her for more of the water, but she shookher head and, taking the cup from me, filled it again and gave it toBickley, who drank. He flushed, seemed to lose the self-control whichwas his very strong characteristic, and said in a rather thick voice:

"Curious! but I do not think at this moment there is any operation thathas ever been attempted which I could not tackle single-handed and withsuccess."

Then he was silent, and Bastin's turn came. He drank rather noisily,after his fashion, and began:

"My dear young lady, I think the time has come when I should expound toyou--" Here he broke off and commenced singing very badly, for his voicewas somewhat raucous:

From Greenland's icy mountains,       From India's coral strand,     Where Afric's sunny fountains       Roll down their golden sand.

Ceasing from melody, he added:

"I determined that I would drink nothing intoxicating while I was onthis island that I might be a shining light in a dark place, and nowI fear that quite unwittingly I have broken what I look upon as apromise."

Then he, too, grew silent.

"Come," said Yva, "my father, the Lord Oro, awaits you."

We crossed the court of the Water of Life and mounted steps that ledto a wide and impressive portico, Tommy frisking ahead of us in amost excited way for a dog of his experience. Evidently the water hadproduced its effect upon him as well as upon his masters. This porticowas in a solemn style of architecture which I cannot describe, becauseit differed from any other that I know. It was not Egyptian and notGreek, although its solidity reminded me of the former, and the beautyand grace of some of the columns, of the latter. The profuseness andrather grotesque character of the carvings suggested the ruins of Mexicoand Yucatan, and the enormous size of the blocks of stone, those of Peruand Baalbec. In short, all the known forms of ancient architecturemight have found their inspiration here, and the general effect wastremendous.

"The palace of the King," said Yva, "whereof we approach the greathall."

We entered through mighty metal doors, one of which stood ajar, intoa vestibule which from certain indications I gathered had once been aguard, or perhaps an assembly-room. It was about forty feet deep by ahundred wide. Thence she led us through a smaller door into the hallitself. It was a vast place without columns, for there was no roof tosupport. The walls of marble or limestone were sculptured like those ofEgyptian temples, apparently with battle scenes, though of this I am notsure for I did not go near to them. Except for a broad avenue along themiddle, up which we walked, the area was filled with marble benches thatwould, I presume, have accommodated several thousand people. But theywere empty--empty, and oh! the loneliness of it all.

Far away at the head of the hall was a dais enclosed, and, as it were,roofed in by a towering structure that mingled grace and majesty to awonderful degree. It was modelled on the pattern of a huge shell. Thebase of the shell was the platform; behind were the ribs, and above, theoverhanging lip of the shell. On this platform was a throne of silverymetal. It was supported on the arched coils of snakes, whereof the tailsformed the back and the heads the arms of the throne.

On this throne, arrayed in gorgeous robes, sat the Lord Oro, his whitebeard flowing over them, and a jewelled cap upon his head. In front ofhim was a low table on which lay graven sheets of metal, and among thema large ball of crystal.

There he sat, solemn and silent in the midst of this awful solitude,looking in very truth like a god, as we conceive such a being to appear.Small as he was in that huge expanse of buildings, he seemed yet todominate it, in a sense to fill the emptiness which was accentuatedby his presence. I know that the sight of him filled me with true fearwhich it had never done in the light of day, not even when he arosefrom his crystal coffin. Now for the first time I felt as though Iwere really in the presence of a Being Supernatural. Doubtless thesurroundings heightened this impression. What were these mighty edificesin the bowels of the world? Whence came this wondrous, all-pervading andtranslucent light, whereof we could see no origin? Whither had vanishedthose who had reared and inhabited them? How did it happen that of themall, 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, alonesurvived of their departed multitudes?

The thing was crushing. I looked at Bickley for encouragement, butgot none, for he only shook his head. Even Bastin, now that the firsteffects of the Life-water had departed, seemed overwhelmed, and mutteredsomething about the halls of Hades.

Only the little dog Tommy remained quite cheerful. He trotted down thehall, jumped on to the dais and sat himself comfortably at the feet ofits occupant.

"I greet you," Oro said in his slow, resonant voice. "Daughter, leadthese 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 downin four curious chairs of metal that were more or less copied from thatwhich served Oro as a throne; at least the arms ended in graven heads ofsnakes. These chairs were so comfortable that I concluded the seats werefixed on springs, also we noticed that they were beautifully polished.

"I wonder how they keep everything so clean," said Bastin as we mountedthe dais. "In this big place it must take a lot of housemaids, though Idon't see any. But perhaps there is no dust here."

I shrugged my shoulders while we seated ourselves, the Lady Yva and I onOro's right, Bickley and Bastin on his left, as he indicated by pointingwith 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 worldthere is nothing like to it."

"Perchance there will be in the future when the nations grow moreskilled in the arts of war," said Oro darkly.

"Be pleased, Lord Oro," I went on, "if it is your will, to tell us whythe people who built this place chose to live in the bowels of the earthinstead of upon its surface."

"They did not choose; it was forced upon them," was the answer. "Thisis a city of refuge that they occupied in time of war, not becausethey hated the sun. In time of peace and before the Barbarians dared toattack them, they dwelt in the city Pani which signifies Above. You mayhave noted some of its remaining ruins on the mount and throughout theisland. The rest of them are now beneath the sea. But when trouble cameand the foe rained fire on them from the air, they retreated to thistown, Nyo, which signifies Beneath."

"And then?"

"And then they died. The Water of Life may prolong life, but it cannotmake women bear children. That they will only do beneath the blue ofheaven, not deep in the belly of the world where Nature never designedthat they should dwell. How would the voices of children sound in suchhalls as these? Tell me, you, Bickley, who are a physician."

"I cannot. I cannot imagine children in such a place, and if born herethey would die," said Bickley.

Oro nodded.

"They did die, and if they went above to Pani they were murdered. Sosoon the habit of birth was lost and the Sons of Wisdom perished one byone. Yes, they who ruled the world and by tens of thousands of yearsof 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 hadthreatened, and unchained the forces that work at the world's heart, anddestroyed them who were my enemies and evil, so that they perished bymillions, and with them all their works. Afterwards we slept, leavingthe 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 nothide his disbelief.

"Why do you question me, Bickley, you who believe nothing of what I tellyou, and therefore make wrath? Still I will say this, that what I causedto happen I can cause once more--only once, I think--as perchance youshall learn before all is done. Now, since you do not believe, I willtell you no more of our mysteries, no, not whence this light comes norwhat are the properties of the Water of Life, both of which you longto know, nor how to preserve the vital spark of Being in the grave ofdreamless sleep, like a live jewel in a casket of dead stone, nor aughtelse. As to these matters, Daughter, I bid you also to be silent, sinceBickley mocks at us. Yes, with all this around him, he who saw us risefrom 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 thetomb in ignorance, and his companions with him, they who might have beenas wise as I am."

Thus Oro spoke in a voice of icy rage, his deep eyes glowing likecoals. Hearing him I cursed Bickley in my heart for I was sure that oncespoken, his decree was like to that of the Medes and Persians and couldnot be altered. Bickley, however, was not in the least dismayed. Indeedhe argued the point. He told Oro straight out that he would not believein the impossible until it had been shown to him to be possible, andthat the law of Nature never had been and never could be violated. Itwas no answer, he said, to show him wonders without explaining theircause, since all that he seemed to see might be but mental illusionsproduced he knew not how.

Oro listened patiently, then answered:

"Good. So be it, they are illusions. I am an illusion; those savages whodied upon the rock will tell you so. This fair woman before you is anillusion; Humphrey, I am sure, knows it as you will also before you havedone with her. These halls are illusions. Live on in your illusions,O little man of science, who because you see the face of things, thinkthat you know the body and the heart, and can read the soul at workwithin. You are a worthy child of tens of thousands of your breed whowere 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 inmy finger-point than you with all the physicians of your world added toyou, have in your brains and bodies, yet desire to learn from those whocan give me knowledge. I understand from your words to my daughter thatyou, Bastin, teach a faith that is new to me, and that this faith tellsof 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 yourfaith, as he does all else, holding it with justice or without, to bebut another illusion. Yet you shall teach me and on it I will form myown judgment."

"I shall be delighted," said Bastin. Then a doubt struck him, and headded: "But why do you wish to learn? Not that you may make a mock of myreligion, is it?"

"I mock at no man's belief, because I think that what men believe istrue--for them. I will tell you why I wish to hear of yours, since Inever hide the truth. I who am so wise and old, yet must die; thoughthat time may be far away, still I must die, for such is the lot of manborn of woman. And I do not desire to die. Therefore I shall rejoice tolearn of any faith that promises to the children of earth a life eternalbeyond 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 thetable.

We rose and bowed, wondering what he could have to do down in thisluminous hole, he who had been for so many thousands of years out oftouch with the world. It occurred to me, however, that during this longperiod he might have got in touch with other worlds, indeed he lookedlike it.

"Wait," he said, "I have something to tell you. I have been studyingthis book of writings, or world pictures," and he pointed to my atlaswhich, as I now observed for the first time, was also lying upon thetable. "It interests me much. Your country is small, very small. WhenI caused it to be raised up I think that it was larger, but since thenthat seas have flowed in."

Here Bickley groaned aloud.

"This one is much greater," went on Oro, casting a glance at Bickleythat must have penetrated him like a searchlight. Then he opened the mapof Europe and with his finger indicated Germany and Austria-Hungary."I know nothing of the peoples of these lands," he added, "but as youbelong to one of them and are my guests, I trust that yours may succeedin the war."

"What war?" we asked with one voice.

"Since Bickley is so clever, surely he should know better than anillusion such as I. All I can tell you is that I have learned that thereis war between this country and that," and he pointed to Great Britainand to Germany upon the map; "also between others."

"It is quite possible," I said, remembering many things. "But how do youknow?"

"If I told you, Humphrey, Bickley would not believe, so I will not tell.Perhaps I saw it in that crystal, as did the necromancers of the earlyworld. Or perhaps the crystal serves some different purpose and I saw itotherwise--with my soul. At least what I say is true."

"Then who will win?" asked Bastin.

"I cannot read the future, Preacher. If I could, should I ask you toexpound to me your religion which probably is of no more worth than ascore of others I have studied, just because it tells of the future?If I could read the future I should be a god instead of only anearth-lord."

"Your daughter called you a god and you said that you knew we werecoming to wake you up, which is reading the future," answered Bastin.

"Every father is a god to his daughter, or should be; also in my daymillions named me a god because I saw further and struck harder thanthey could. As for the rest, it came to me in a vision. Oh! Bickley, ifyou were wiser than you think you are, you would know that all thingsto come are born elsewhere and travel hither like the light from stars.Sometimes they come faster before their day into a single mind, and thatis what men call prophecy. But this is a gift which cannot be commanded,even by me. Also I did not know that you would come. I knew only thatwe should awaken and by the help of men, for if none had been present atthat destined hour we must have died for lack of warmth and sustenance."

"I deny your hypothesis in toto," exclaimed Bickley, but nobody paid anyattention to him.

"My father," said Yva, rising and bowing before him with her swan-likegrace, "I have noted your commands. But do you permit that I show thetemple to these strangers, also something of our past?"

"Yes, yes," he said. "It will save much talk in a savage tongue that isdifficult to me. But bring them here no more without my command, saveBastin only. When the sun is four hours high in the upper world, lethim come tomorrow to teach me, and afterwards if so I desire. Or if hewills, he can sleep here."

"I think I would rather not," said Bastin hurriedly. "I make no pretenseto being particular, but this place does not appeal to me as a bedroom.There are degrees in the pleasures of solitude and, in short, I will notdisturb your privacy at night."

Oro waved his hand and we departed down that awful and most dreary hall.

"I hope you will spend a pleasant time here, Bastin," I said, lookingback from the doorway at its cold, illuminated vastness.

"I don't expect to," he answered, "but duty is duty, and if I can dragthat old sinner back from the pit that awaits him, it will be worthdoing. Only I have my doubts about him. To me he seems to bear a strongfamily resemblance to Beelzebub, and he's a bad companion week in andweek out."

We went through the portico, Yva leading us, and passed the fountain ofLife-water, of which she cautioned us to drink no more at present,and to prevent him from doing so, dragged Tommy past it by his collar.Bickley, however, lingered under the pretence of making a furtherexamination of the statue. As I had seen him emptying into his pocketthe contents of a corked bottle of quinine tabloids which he alwayscarried with him, I guessed very well that his object was to procure asample of this water for future analysis. Of course I said nothing, andYva and Bastin took no note of what he was doing.

When we were clear of the palace, of which we had only seen one hall,we walked across an open space made unutterably dreary by the absenceof any vegetation or other sign of life, towards a huge building ofglorious proportions that was constructed of black stone or marble. Itis impossible for me to give any idea of the frightful solemnity ofthis doomed edifice, for as I think I have said, it alone had a roof,standing there in the midst of that brilliant, unvarying and mostunnatural illumination which came from nowhere and yet was everywhere.Thus, when one lifted a foot, there it was between the sole of the bootand the floor, or to express it better, the boot threw no shadow.I think this absence of shadows was perhaps the most terrifyingcircumstance connected with that universal and pervading light. Throughit we walked on to the temple. We passed three courts, pillared allof them, and came to the building which was larger than St. Paul'sin London. We entered through huge doors which still stood open, andpresently found ourselves beneath the towering dome. There were nowindows, why should there be in a place that was full of light? Therewas no ornamentation, there was nothing except black walls. And yet thegeneral effect was magnificent in its majestic grace.

"In this place," said Yva, and her sweet voice went whispering roundthe walls and the arching dome, "were buried the Kings of the Sonsof Wisdom. They lie beneath, each in his sepulchre. Its entrance isyonder," and she pointed to what seemed to be a chapel on the right."Would you wish to see them?"

"Somehow I don't care to," said Bastin. "The place is dreary enough asit is without the company of a lot of dead kings."

"I should like to dissect one of them, but I suppose that would not beallowed," said Bickley.

"No," she answered. "I think that the Lord Oro would not wish you to cutup his forefathers."

"When you and he went to sleep, why did you not choose the familyvault?" asked Bastin.

"Would you have found us there?" she queried by way of answer. Then,understanding that the invitation was refused by general consent, thoughpersonally I should have liked to accept it, and have never ceasedregretting that I did not, she moved towards a colossal object whichstood beneath the centre of the dome.

On a stepped base, not very different from that in the cave but muchlarger, sat a figure, draped in a cloak on which was graved a number ofstars, doubtless to symbolise the heavens. The fastening of the cloakwas shaped like the crescent moon, and the foot-stool on which restedthe figure's feet was fashioned to suggest the orb of the sun. Thiswas of gold or some such metal, the only spot of brightness in all thattemple. It was impossible to say whether the figure were male or female,for the cloak falling in long, straight folds hid its outlines. Nor didthe head tell us, for the hair also was hidden beneath the mantle andthe face might have been that of either man or woman. It was terrible inits solemnity and calm, and its expression was as remote and mystic asthat of Buddha, only more stern. Also without doubt it was blind; it wasimpossible to mistake the sightlessness of those staring orbs. Acrossthe knees lay a naked sword and beneath the cloak the arms were hidden.In its complete simplicity the thing was marvelous.

On either side upon the pedestal knelt a figure of the size of life. Onewas an old and withered man with death stamped upon his face; the otherwas a beautiful, naked woman, her hands clasped in the attitude ofprayer and with vague terror written on her vivid features.

Such was this glorious group of which the meaning could not be mistaken.It was Fate throned upon the sun, wearing the constellations as hisgarment, armed with the sword of Destiny and worshipped by Life andDeath. This interpretation I set out to the others.

Yva knelt before the statue for a little while, bowing her head inprayer, and really I felt inclined to follow her example, though in theend I compromised, as did Bickley, by taking off my hat, which, like theothers, I still wore from force of habit, though in this place none wereneeded. Only Bastin remained covered.

"Behold the god of my people," said Yva. "Have you no reverence for it,O Bastin?"

"Not much," he answered, "except as a work of art. You see I worshipFate's Master. I might add that your god doesn't seem to have done muchfor you, Lady Yva, as out of all your greatness there's nothing left buttwo people and a lot of old walls and caves."

At first she was inclined to be angry, for I saw her start. Then hermood changed, and she said with a sigh:

"Fate's Master! Where does He dwell?"

"Here amongst other places," said Bastin. "I'll soon explain that toyou."

"I thank you," she replied gravely. "But why have you not explained itto Bickley?" Then waving her hand to show that she wished for no answer,she went on:

"Friends, would you wish to learn something of the history of mypeople?"

"Very much," said the irrepressible Bastin, "but I would rather thelecture took place in the open air."

"That is not possible," she answered. "It must be here and now, or notat all. Come, stand by me. Be silent and do not move. I am about to setloose forces that are dangerous if disturbed."

Chapter XVI - Visions of the Past

She led us to the back of the statue and pointed to each of us wherewe should remain. Then she took her place at right angles to us, as ashowman might do, and for a while stood immovable. Watching her face,once more I saw it, and indeed all her body, informed with that strangeair of power, and noted that her eyes flashed and that her hair greweven more brilliant than was common, as though some abnormal strengthwere flowing through it and her. Presently she spoke, saying:

"I shall show you first our people in the day of their glory. Look infront of you."

We looked and by degrees the vast space of the apse before us becamealive with forms. At first these were vague and shadowy, not to beseparated or distinguished. Then they became so real that until he wasreproved by a kick, Tommy growled at them and threatened to break outinto one of his peals of barking.

A wonderful scene appeared. There was a palace of white marble and infront of it a great courtyard upon which the sun beat vividly. At thefoot of the steps of the palace, beneath a silken awning, sat a kingenthroned, a crown upon his head and wearing glorious robes. In his handwas a jewelled sceptre. He was a noble-looking man of middle age andabout him were gathered the glittering officers of his court. Fair womenfanned him and to right and left, but a little behind, sat other fairand jewelled women who, I suppose, were his wives or daughters.

"One of the Kings of the Children of Wisdom new-crowned, receives thehomage of the world," said Yva.

As she spoke there appeared, walking in front of the throne one by one,other kings, for all were crowned and bore sceptres. At the foot of thethrone each of them kneeled and kissed the foot of him who sat thereon,as he did so laying down his sceptre which at a sign he lifted again andpassed away. Of these kings there must have been quite fifty, men of allcolours and of various types, white men, black men, yellow men, red men.

Then came their ministers bearing gifts, apparently of gold and jewels,which were piled on trays in front of the throne. I remember noting anincident. An old fellow with a lame leg stumbled and upset his tray,so that the contents rolled hither and thither. His attempts to recoverthem were ludicrous and caused the monarch on the throne to relax fromhis dignity and smile. I mention this to show that what we witnessed wasno set scene but apparently a living piece of the past. Had it been sothe absurdity of the bedizened old man tumbling down in the midst of thegorgeous pageant would certainly have been omitted.

No, it must be life, real life, something that had happened, and thesame may be said of what followed. For instance, there was what we calla review. Infantry marched, some of them armed with swords and spears,though these I took to be an ornamental bodyguard, and others with tubeslike savage blowpipes of which I could not guess the use. There were nocannon, but carriages came by loaded with bags that had spouts tothem. Probably these were charged with poisonous gases. There were somecavalry also, mounted on a different stamp of horse from ours, thickerset and nearer the ground, but with arched necks and fiery eyes and, Ishould say, very strong. These again, I take it, were ornamental. Thencame other men upon a long machine, slung in pairs in armoured sacks,out of which only their heads and arms projected. This machine, whichresembled an elongated bicycle, went by at a tremendous rate, thoughwhence its motive power came did not appear. It carried twenty pairsof men, each of whom held in his hand some small but doubtless deadlyweapon, that in appearance resembled an orange. Other similar machineswhich followed carried from forty to a hundred pairs of men.

The marvel of the piece, however, were the aircraft. These came by ingreat numbers. Sometimes they flew in flocks like wild geese, sometimessingly, sometimes in line and sometimes in ordered squadrons, withoutpost and officer ships and an exact distance kept between craft andcraft. None of them seemed to be very large or to carry more thanfour or five men, but they were extraordinarily swift and as agile asswallows. Moreover they flew as birds do by beating their wings, butagain we could not guess whence came their motive power.

The review vanished, and next appeared a scene of festivity in a huge,illuminated hall. The Great King sat upon a dais and behind him was thatstatue of Fate, or one very similar to it, beneath which we stood. Belowhim in the hall were the feasters seated at long tables, clad in thevarious costumes of their countries. He rose and, turning, knelt beforethe statue of Fate. Indeed he prostrated himself thrice in prayer. Thentaking his seat again, he lifted a cup of wine and pledged that vastcompany. They drank back to him and prostrated themselves before him ashe had done before the image of Fate. Only I noted that certain men cladin sacerdotal garments not at all unlike those which are worn in theGreek Church to-day, remained standing.

Now all this exhibition of terrestrial pomp faded. The next scene wassimple, that of the death-bed of this same king--we knew him by hiswizened features. There he lay, terribly old and dying. Physicians,women, courtiers, all were there watching the end. The tableau vanishedand in place of it appeared that of the youthful successor amidstcheering crowds, with joy breaking through the clouds of simulated griefupon his face. It vanished also.

"Thus did great king succeed great king for ages upon ages," said Yva."There were eighty of them and the average of their reigns was 700years. They ruled the earth as it was in those days. They gathered uplearning, they wielded power, their wealth was boundless. They nurturedthe arts, they discovered secrets. They had intercourse with the stars;they were as gods. But like the gods they grew jealous. They and theircouncillors became a race apart who alone had the secret of long life.The rest of the world and the commonplace people about them suffered anddied. They of the Household of Wisdom lived on in pomp for generationstill the earth was mad with envy of them.

"Fewer and fewer grew the divine race of the Sons of Wisdom sincechildren are not given to the aged and to those of an ancient, outwornblood. Then the World said:

"'They are great but they are not many; let us make an end of them bynumbers and take their place and power and drink of their Life-water,that they will not give to us. If myriads of us perish by their arts,what does it matter, since we are countless?' So the World made war uponthe Sons of Wisdom. See!"

Again a picture formed. The sky was full of aircraft which rained downfire like flashes of lightning upon cities beneath. From these citiesleapt up other fires that destroyed the swift-travelling things above,so that they fell in numbers like gnats burned by a lamp. Still moreand more of them came till the cities crumbled away and the flashes thatdarted from them ceased to rush upwards. The Sons of Wisdom were drivenfrom the face of the earth.

Again the scene changed. Now it showed this subterranean hall in whichwe stood. There was pomp here, yet it was but a shadow of that whichhad been in the earlier days upon the face of the earth. Courtiers movedabout the palace and there were people in the radiant streets and thehouses, for most of them were occupied, but rarely did the vision showchildren coming through their gates.

Of a sudden this scene shifted. Now we saw that same hall in which wehad visited Oro not an hour before. There he sat, yes, Oro himself,upon the dais beneath the overhanging marble shell. Round him were someancient councillors. In the body of the hall on either side of thedais were men in military array, guards without doubt though their onlyweapon was a black rod not unlike a ruler, if indeed it were a weaponand not a badge of office.

Yva, whose face had suddenly grown strange and fixed, began to detailto us what was passing in this scene, in a curious monotone such as aperson might use who was repeating something learned by heart. This wasthe substance of what she said:

"The case of the Sons of Wisdom is desperate. But few of them are left.Like other men they need food which is hard to come by, since the foeholds the upper earth and that which their doctors can make here in theShades does not satisfy them, even though they drink the Life-water.They die and die. There comes an embassy from the High King of theconfederated Nations to talk of terms of peace. See, it enters."

As she spoke, up the hall advanced the embassy. At the head of it walkeda young man, tall, dark, handsome and commanding, whose aspect seemed insome way to be familiar to me. He was richly clothed in a purple cloakand wore upon his head a golden circlet that suggested royal rank.Those who followed him were mostly old men who had the astute facesof diplomatists, but a few seemed to be generals. Yva continued in hermonotonous voice:

"Comes the son of the King of the confederated Nations, the Prince whowill be king. He bows before the Lord Oro. He says 'Great and AncientMonarch of the divine blood, Heaven-born One, your strait, and that ofthose who remain to you, is sore. Yet on behalf of the Nations I am sentto offer terms of peace, but this I may only do in the presence of yourchild who is your heiress and the Queen-to-be of the Sons of Wisdom.'"

Here, in the picture, Oro waved his hand and from behind the marbleshell appeared Yva herself, gloriously apparelled, wearing royalornaments and with her train held by waiting ladies. She bowed to thePrince and his company and they bowed back to her. More, we saw a glanceof recognition pass between her and the Prince.

Now the real Yva by our side pointed to the shadow Yva of the vision orthe picture, whichever it might be called, a strange thing to see herdo, and went on:

"The daughter of the Lord Oro comes. The Prince of the Nations salutesher. He says that the great war has endured for hundreds of yearsbetween the Children of Wisdom fighting for absolute rule and the commonpeople of the earth fighting for liberty. In that war many millions ofthe Sons of the Nations had perished, brought to their death by fearfularts, by wizardries and by plagues sown among them by the Sons ofWisdom. Yet they were winning, for the glorious cities of the Sons ofWisdom were destroyed and those who remained of them were driven todwell in the caves of the earth where with all their strength and magicthey 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 shallteach all their wisdom to the wise men among the Nations. That theyshall give them to drink of the Life-water, so that their length of daysalso may be increased. That they shall cease to destroy them by sicknessand 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 ceasefrom war, will rebuild the cities they have destroyed by means of theirflying ships that rain down death, and will agree that the Lord Oro andhis 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 notall. He says that when he dwelt a hostage at the court of the Sons ofWisdom he and the divine Lady, the daughter of the Lord Oro, and hisonly living child, learned to love each other. He demands, and theNations demand, that she shall be given to him to wife, that in a day tocome he may rule with her and their children after them.

"See!" went on Yva in her chanting, dreamy voice, "the Lord Oro asks hisdaughter if this be true. She says," here the real Yva at my side turnedand looked me straight in the eyes, "that it is true; that she loves thePrince of the Nations and that if she lives a million years she will wedno other man, since she who is her father's slave in all else isstill the mistress of herself, as has ever been the right of her royalmothers.

"See again! The Lord Oro, the divine King, the Ancient, grows wroth. Hesays that it is enough and more than enough that the Barbariansshould ask to eat of the bread of hidden learning and to drink of theLife-water of the Sons of Wisdom, gifts that were given to them of oldby 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 ofthe divine Lady, the Heiress, the Queen of the Earth to be, and claim toshare her imperial throne that had been held by her pure race from ageto age, was an insult that could only be purged by death. Sooner wouldhe give his daughter in marriage to an ape than to a child of theBarbarians who had worked on them so many woes and striven to break thegolden fetters of their rule.

"Look again!" continued Yva. "The Lord Oro, the divine, grows angrierstill" (which in truth he did, for never did I see such dreadful rageas that which the picture revealed in him). "He warns, he threatens.He says that hitherto out of gentle love and pity he has held hishand; that he has strength at his command which will slay them, not bymillions in slow war, but by tens of millions at one blow; that willblot them and their peoples from the face of earth and that will causethe deep seas to roll where now their pleasant lands are fruitful in thesun. They shrink before his fury; behold, their knees tremble becausethey 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 ofthe 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 themin all things to the ends of the earth. Some of the ambassadors wouldyield. They look about them like wild things that are trapped. Butmadness takes the Prince. He cries that the oath of an ape is of noaccount, but that he will tear up the Children of Wisdom as an ape tearsleaves, 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 andpleads with him. He thrusts her away. She would spring to the side ofthe Prince; he commands his councillors to hold her. She cries to thePrince that she loves him and him only, and that in a day to come himshe 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. Sheswoons. The Lord Oro motions with his hand to the guard. They lift theirdeath-rods. Fire leaps from them. The Prince and his companions, allsave those who were afraid and would have sworn the oath, twist andwrithe. They turn black; they die. The Lord Oro commands those who areleft to enter their flying ships and bear to the Nations of the Earthtidings of what befalls those who dare to defy and insult him; to warnthem also to eat and drink and be merry while they may, since for theirwickedness they are about to perish."

The scene faded and there followed another which really I cannotdescribe. It represented some vast underground place and what appearedto be a huge mountain of iron clothed in light, literally a thinglike an alp, rocking and spinning down a declivity, which farther onseparated into two branches because of a huge razor-edge precipice thatrose between. There in the middle of this vast space with the dazzlingmountain whirling towards him, stood Oro encased in some transparentarmour, as though to keep off heat, and with him his daughter who underhis direction was handling something in the rock behind her. Then therewas a blinding flash and everything vanished. All of this picturepassed so swiftly that we could not grasp its details; only a generalimpression remained.

"The Lord Oro, using the strength that is in the world whereof he alonehas the secret, changes the world's balance causing that which was landto become sea and that which was sea to become land," said Yva in herchanting, unnatural voice.

Another scene of stupendous and changing awfulness. Countries weresinking, cities crashing down, volcanoes were spouting fire; the end ofthe earth seemed to be at hand. We could see human beings running to andfro in thousands like ants. Then in huge waves hundreds and hundreds offeet high, the ocean flowed in and all was troubled, yeasty sea.

"Oro carries out his threat to destroy the Nations who had rebelledagainst him," said Yva. "Much of the world sinks beneath the waves, butin place of it other lands arise above the waves, to be inhabited by theseed of those who remain living in those portions of the Earth that thedeluge spared."

This horrible vision passed and was succeeded by one more, that of Orostanding in the sepulchre of the cave by the side of the crystal coffinwhich contained what appeared to be the body of his daughter. He gazedat her, then drank some potion and laid himself down in the companioncoffin, 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 itis 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 hisamazement. "I have heard a great deal of these moving-picture showswhich are becoming so popular, but have always avoided attending thembecause their influence on the young is supposed to be doubtful, and apriest must set a good example to his congregation. Now I see that theycan have a distinct educational value, even if it is presented in theform of romance."

"How is it done?" asked Bickley, almost fiercely.

"I do not altogether know," she answered. "This I do know, however, thateverything which has happened on this world can be seen from moment tomoment at some point in the depths of space, for thither the sun's lighttakes it. There, too, it can be caught and thence in an instant returnedto earth again, to be reflected in the mirror of the present by thosewho know how that mirror should be held. Ask me no more; one so wise asyou, O Bickley, can solve such problems for himself."

"If you don't mind, Lady Yva," said Bastin, "I think I should like toget out of this place, interesting as it is. I have food to cook upabove and lots of things to attend to, especially as I understand I amto come back here tomorrow. Would you mind showing me the way to thatlift or moving staircase?"

"Come," she said, smiling.

So we went past the image of Fate, out of the temple, down the vast andlonely streets so unnaturally illuminated, to the place where we hadfirst found ourselves on arrival in the depths. There we stood.

A moment later and we were whirling up as we had whirled down. I supposethat Yva came with us though I never saw her do so, and the odd thingwas that when we arrived in the sepulchre, she seemed already to bestanding there waiting to direct us.

"Really," remarked Bastin, "this is exactly like Maskelyne and Cook. Didyou ever see their performance, Bickley? If so, it must have given youlots to explain for quite a long while."

"Jugglery never appealed to me, whether in London or in Orofena,"replied Bickley in a sour voice as he extracted from his pocket an endof candle to which he set light.

"What is jugglery?" asked Bastin, and they departed arguing, leaving mealone with Yva in the sepulchre.

"What have I seen?" I asked her.

"I do not know, Humphrey. Everyone sees different things, but perhapssomething of the truth."

"I hope not, Yva, for amongst other things I seemed to see you swearyourself to a man for ever."

"Yes, and this I did. What of it?"

"Only that it might be hard for another man."

"Yes, for another man it might be hard. You were once married, were younot, Humphrey, to a wife who died?"

"Yes, I was married."

"And did you not swear to that wife that you would never look in loveupon another woman?"

"I did," I answered in a shamed voice. "But how do you know? I nevertold you so."

"Oh! I know you and therefore guessed."

"Well, what of it, Yva?"

"Nothing, except that you must find your wife before you love again, andbefore I love again I must find him whom I wish to be my husband."

"How can that happen," I asked, "when both are dead?"

"How did all that you have seen to-day in Nyo happen?" she replied,laughing softly. "Perhaps you are very blind, Humphrey, or perhaps weboth are blind. If so, mayhap light will come to us. Meanwhile do notbe sad. Tomorrow I will meet you and you shall teach me--your Englishtongue, Humphrey, and other things."

"Then let it be in the sunlight, Yva. I do not love those darksome hallsof Nyo that glow like something dead."

"It is fitting, for are they not dead?" she answered, with a littlelaugh. "So be it. Bastin shall teach my father down below, since sun andshade are the same to him who only thinks of his religion, and you shallteach me up above."

"I am not so certain about Bastin and of what he thinks," I saiddoubtfully. "Also will the Lord Oro permit you to come?"

"Yes, for in such matters I rule myself. Also," she added meaningly,"he remembers my oath that I will wed no man--save one who is dead.Now farewell a while and bid Bastin be here when the sun is three hourshigh, not before or after."

Then I left her.

Chapter XVII - Yva Explains

When I reached the rock I was pleased to find Marama and about twentyof his people engaged in erecting the house that we had ordered themto build for our accommodation. Indeed, it was nearly finished, sincehouse-building in Orofena is a simple business. The framework of poleslet into palm trunks, since they could not be driven into the rock, hadbeen put together on the further shore and towed over bodily by canoes.The overhanging rock formed one side of the house; the ends were of palmleaves tied to the poles, and the roof was of the same material. Theother side was left open for the present, which in that equable andbalmy clime was no disadvantage. The whole edifice was about thirty feetlong by fifteen deep and divided into two portions, one for sleepingand one for living, by a palm leaf partition. Really, it was quite acomfortable abode, cool and rainproof, especially after Bastin had builthis hut in which to cook.

Marama and his people were very humble in their demeanour and imploredus to visit them on the main island. I answered that perhaps we wouldlater on, as we wished to procure certain things from the wreck. Also,he requested Bastin to continue his ministrations as the latter greatlydesired to do. But to this proposal I would not allow him to give anydirect answer at the moment. Indeed, I dared not do so until I was sureof Oro's approval.

Towards evening they departed in their canoes, leaving behind them theusual ample store of provisions.

We cooked our meal as usual, only to discover that what Yva had saidabout the Life-water was quite true, since we had but little appetitefor solid food, though this returned upon the following day. The samething happened upon every occasion after drinking of that water whichcertainly was a most invigorating fluid. Never for years had any of usfelt so well as it caused us to do.

So we lit our pipes and talked about our experiences though of these,indeed, we scarcely knew what to say. Bastin accepted them as somethingout of the common, of course, but as facts which admitted of nodiscussion. After all, he said, the Old Testament told much the samestory of people called the Sons of God who lived very long lives and ranafter the daughters of men whom they should have left alone, and thusbecame the progenitors of a remarkable race. Of this race, he presumedthat Oro and his daughter were survivors, especially as they spoke oftheir family as "Heaven born." How they came to survive was more than hecould understand and really scarcely worth bothering over, since therethey were.

It was the same about the Deluge, continued Bastin, although naturallyOro spoke falsely, or, at any rate, grossly exaggerated, when hedeclared that he had caused this catastrophe, unless indeed he wastalking about a totally different deluge, though even then he could nothave brought it about. It was curious, however, that the people drownedwere said to have been wicked, and Oro had the same opinion about thosewhom he claimed to have drowned, though for the matter of that, he couldnot conceive anyone more wicked than Oro himself. On his own showing hewas a most revengeful person and one who declined to agree to a quitesuitable alliance, apparently desired by both parties, merely because itoffended his family pride. No, on reflection he might be unjust to Oroin this particular, since he never told that story; it was only shownin some pictures which very likely were just made up to astonish us.Meanwhile, it was his business to preach to this old sinner down in thathole, and he confessed honestly that he did not like the job. Still, itmust be done, so with our leave he would go apart and seek inspiration,which at present seemed to be quite lacking.

Thus declaimed Bastin and departed.

"Don't you tell your opinion about the Deluge or he may cause anotherjust to show that you are wrong," called Bickley after him.

"I can't help that," answered Bastin. "Certainly I shall not hide thetruth to save Oro's feelings, if he has got any. If he revenges himselfupon us in any way, we must just put up with it like other martyrs."

"I haven't the slightest ambition to be a martyr," said Bickley.

"No," shouted Bastin from a little distance, "I am quite aware of that,as you have often said so before. Therefore, if you become one, I amsorry to say that I do not see how you can expect any benefit. Youwould only be like a man who puts a sovereign into the offertory bag inmistake for a shilling. The extra nineteen shillings will do him no goodat all, since in his heart he regrets the error and wishes that he couldhave them back."

Then he departed, leaving me laughing. But Bickley did not laugh.

"Arbuthnot," he said, "I have come to the conclusion that I have gonequite mad. I beg you if I should show signs of homicidal mania, whichI feel developing in me where Bastin is concerned, or of other abnormalviolence, that you will take whatever steps you consider necessary, evento putting me out of the way if that is imperative."

"What do you mean?" I asked. "You seem sane enough."

"Sane, when I believe that I have seen and experienced a great number ofthings which I know it to be quite impossible that I should have seenor experienced. The only explanation is that I am suffering fromdelusions."

"Then is Bastin suffering from delusions, too?"

"Certainly, but that is nothing new in his case."

"I don't agree with you, Bickley--about Bastin, I mean. I am by no meanscertain that he is not the wisest of the three of us. He has a faith andhe sticks to it, as millions have done before him, and that is betterthan making spiritual experiments, as I am sorry to say I do, orrejecting things because one cannot understand them, as you do, which isonly a form of intellectual vanity."

"I won't argue the matter, Arbuthnot; it is of no use. I repeat that Iam mad, and Bastin is mad."

"How about me? I also saw and experienced these things. Am I mad, too?"

"You ought to be, Arbuthnot. If it isn't enough to drive a man madwhen he sees himself exactly reproduced in an utterly impossiblemoving-picture show exhibited by an utterly impossible young woman in anutterly impossible underground city, then I don't know what is."

"What do you mean?" I asked, starting.

"Mean? Well, if you didn't notice it, there's hope for you."

"Notice what?"

"All that envoy scene. There, as I thought, appeared Yva. Do you admitthat?"

"Of course; there could be no mistake on that point."

"Very well. Then according to my version there came a man, still young,dressed in outlandish clothes, who made propositions of peace and wantedto marry Yva, who wanted to marry him. Is that right?"

"Absolutely."

"Well, and didn't you recognise the man?"

"No; I only noticed that he was a fine-looking fellow whose appearancereminded me of someone."

"I suppose it must be true," mused Bickley, "that we do not knowourselves."

"So the old Greek thought, since he urged that this should be ourspecial study. 'Know thyself,' you remember."

"I meant physically, not intellectually. Arbuthnot, do you mean to tellme that you did not recognise your own double in that man? Shave offyour beard and put on his clothes and no one could distinguish youapart."

I sprang up, dropping my pipe.

"Now you mention it," I said slowly, "I suppose there was a resemblance.I didn't look at him very much; I was studying the simulacrum of Yva.Also, you know it is some time since--I mean, there are no pier-glassesin Orofena."

"The man was you," went on Bickley with conviction. "If I weresuperstitious I should think it a queer sort of omen. But as I am not, Iknow that I must be mad."

"Why? After all, an ancient man and a modern man might resemble eachother."

"There are degrees in resemblance," said Bickley with one of hiscontemptuous snorts. "It won't do, Humphrey, my boy," he added. "I canonly think of one possible explanation--outside of the obvious one ofmadness."

"What is that?"

"The Glittering Lady produced what Bastin called that cinematograph showin some way or other, did she not? She said that in order to do this sheloosed some hidden forces. I suggest that she did nothing of the sort."

"Then whence did the pictures come and why?"

"From her own brain, in order to impress us with a cock-and-bull,fairy-book story. If this were so she would quite naturally fill therole of the lover of the piece with the last man who had happened toimpress her. Hence the resemblance."

"You presuppose a great deal, Bickley, including supernatural cunningand unexampled hypnotic influence. I don't know, first, why she shouldbe so anxious to add another impression to the many we have receivedin this place; and, secondly, if she was, how she managed to mesmerisethree average but totally different men into seeing the same things. Myexplanation is that you were deceived as to the likeness, which, mindyou, I did not recognise; nor, apparently, did Bastin."

"Bastin never recognises anything. But if you are in doubt, askYva herself. She ought to know. Now I'm off to try to analyse thatconfounded Life-water, which I suspect is of the ordinary springvariety, lightened up with natural carbonic acid gas and possibly notuninfluenced by radium. The trouble is that here I can only apply somevery elementary tests."

So he went also, in an opposite direction to Bastin, and I was leftalone with Tommy, who annoyed me much by attempting continually towander off into the cave, whence I must recall him. I suppose that myexperiences of the day, reviewed beneath the sweet influences of thewonderful tropical night, affected me. At any rate, that mysticalside of my nature, to which I think I alluded at the beginning of thisrecord, sprang into active and, in a sense, unholy life. The normalvanished, the abnormal took possession, and that is unholy to most of uscreatures of habit and tradition, at any rate, if we are British. I lostmy footing on the world; my spirit began to wander in strange places;of course, always supposing that we have a spirit, which Bickley woulddeny.

I gave up reason; I surrendered myself to unreason; it is a notunpleasant process, occasionally. Supposing now that all we see andaccept is but the merest fragment of the truth, or perhaps only arefraction thereof? Supposing that we do live again and again, and thatour animating principle, whatever it might be, does inhabit variousbodies, which, naturally enough, it would shape to its own taste andlikeness? Would that taste and likeness vary so very much over, letus say, a million years or so, which, after all, is but an hour, or aminute, in the aeons of Eternity?

On this hypothesis, which is so wild that one begins to suspect that itmay be true, was it impossible that I and that murdered man of thefar past were in fact identical? If the woman were the same, preservedacross the gulf in some unknown fashion, why should not her lover be thesame? What did I say--her lover? Was I her lover? No, I was the lover ofone who had died--my lost wife. Well, if I had died and lived again,why should not--why should not that Sleeper--have lived again during herlong sleep? Through all those years the spirit must have had some home,and, if so, in what shapes did it live? There were points, similarities,which rushed in upon me--oh! it was ridiculous. Bickley was right. Wewere all mad!

There was another thing. Oro had declared that we were at war withGermany. If this were so, how could he know it? Such knowledge wouldpresume powers of telepathy or vision beyond those given to man. I couldnot believe that he possessed these; as Bickley said, it would be pastexperience. Yet it was most strange that he who was uninformed as to ournational history and dangers, should have hit upon a country with whichwe might well have been plunged into sudden struggle. Here again I wasbewildered and overcome. My brain rocked. I would seek sleep, and in itescape, or at any rate rest from all these mysteries.

On the following morning we despatched Bastin to keep his rendezvous inthe sepulchre at the proper time. Had we not done so I felt sure thathe would have forgotten it, for on this occasion he was for oncean unwilling missioner. He tried to persuade one of us to come withhim--even Bickley would have been welcome; but we both declared that wecould not dream of interfering in such a professional matter; also thatour presence was forbidden, and would certainly distract the attentionof his pupil.

"What you mean," said the gloomy Bastin, "is that you intend to enjoyyourselves up here in the female companionship of the Glittering Ladywhilst I sit thousands of feet underground attempting to lighten thedarkness of a violent old sinner whom I suspect of being in league withSatan."

"With whom you should be proud to break a lance," said Bickley.

"So I am, in the daylight. For instance, when he uses your mouth toadvance his arguments. Bickley, but this is another matter. However, ifI do not appear again you will know that I died in a good cause, and, Ihope, try to recover my remains and give them decent burial. Also, youmight inform the Bishop of how I came to my end, that is, if you everget an opportunity, which is more than doubtful."

"Hurry up, Bastin, hurry up!" said the unfeeling Bickley, "or you willbe late for your appointment and put your would-be neophyte into a badtemper."

Then Bastin went, carrying under his arm a large Bible printed in thelanguage of the South Sea Islands.

A little while later Yva appeared, arrayed in her wondrous robes which,being a man, it is quite impossible for me to describe. She saw uslooking at these, and, after greeting us both, also Tommy, who wasenraptured at her coming, asked us how the ladies of our country attiredthemselves.

We tried to explain, with no striking success.

"You are as stupid about such matters as were the men of the Old World,"she said, shaking her head and laughing. "I thought that you had withyou pictures of ladies you have known which would show me."

Now, in fact, I had in a pocket-book a photograph of my wife inevening-dress, also a miniature of her head and bust painted on ivory,a beautiful piece of work done by a master hand, which I always wore.These, after a moment's hesitation, I produced and showed to her,Bickley having gone away for a little while to see about somethingconnected with his attempted analysis of the Life-water. She examinedthem with great eagerness, and as she did so I noted that her face grewtender and troubled.

"This was your wife," she said as one who states what she knows to be afact. I nodded, and she went on:

"She was sweet and beautiful as a flower, but not so tall as I am, Ithink."

"No," I answered, "she lacked height; given that she would have been alovely woman."

"I am glad you think that women should be tall," she said, glancing ather shadow. "The eyes were such as mine, were they not--in colour, Imean?"

"Yes, very like yours, only yours are larger."

"That is a beautiful way of wearing the hair. Would you be angry if Itried it? I weary of this old fashion."

"Why should I be angry?" I asked.

At this moment Bickley reappeared and she began to talk of the detailsof the dress, saying that it showed more of the neck than had been thecustom among the women of her people, but was very pretty.

"That is because we are still barbarians," said Bickley; "at least, ourwomen are, and therefore rely upon primitive methods of attraction, likethe savages yonder."

She smiled, and, after a last, long glance, gave me back the photographand the miniature, saying as she delivered the latter:

"I rejoice to see that you are faithful, Humphrey, and wear this pictureon your heart, as well as in it."

"Then you must be a very remarkable woman," said Bickley. "Neverbefore did I hear one of your sex rejoice because a man was faithful tosomebody else."

"Has Bickley been disappointed in his love-heart, that he is so angryto us women?" asked Yva innocently of me. Then, without waiting foran answer, she inquired of him whether he had been successful in hisanalysis of the Life-water.

"How do you know what I was doing with the Life-water? Did Bastin tellyou?" exclaimed Bickley.

"Bastin told me nothing, except that he was afraid of the descent toNyo; that he hated Nyo when he reached it, as indeed I do, and that hethought that my father, the Lord Oro, was a devil or evil spirit fromsome Under-world which he called hell."

"Bastin has an open heart and an open mouth," said Bickley, "for whichI respect him. Follow his example if you will, Lady Yva, and tell us whoand what is the Lord Oro, and who and what are you."

"Have we not done so already? If not, I will repeat. The Lord Oro andI are two who have lived on from the old time when the world wasdifferent, and yet, I think, the same. He is a man and not a god, and Iam a woman. His powers are great because of his knowledge, which he hasgathered from his forefathers and in a life of a thousand years beforehe went to sleep. He can do things you cannot do. Thus, he can passthrough space and take others with him, and return again. He can learnwhat is happening in far-off parts of the world, as he did when hetold you of the war in which your country is concerned. He has terriblepowers; for instance, he can kill, as he killed those savages. Also, heknows the secrets of the earth, and, if it pleases him, can change itsturning so that earthquakes happen and sea becomes land, and land sea,and the places that were hot grow cold, and those that were cold growhot."

"All of which things have happened many times in the history of theglobe," said Bickley, "without the help of the Lord Oro."

"Others had knowledge before my father, and others doubtless will haveknowledge after him. Even I, Yva, have some knowledge, and knowledge isstrength."

"Yes," I interposed, "but such powers as you attribute to your fatherare not given to man."

"You mean to man as you know him, man like Bickley, who thinks that hehas learned everything that was ever learned. But it is not so. Hundredsof thousands of years ago men knew more than it seems they do today, tentimes more, as they lived ten times longer, or so you tell me."

"Men?" I said.

"Yes, men, not gods or spirits, as the uninstructed nations supposedthem to be. My father is a man subject to the hopes and terrors of man.He desires power which is ambition, and when the world refused his rule,he destroyed that part of it which rebelled, which is revenge. Moreover,above all things he dreads death, which is fear. That is why hesuspended life in himself and me for two hundred and fifty thousandyears, as his knowledge gave him strength to do, because death was nearand he thought that sleep was better than death."

"Why should he dread to die," asked Bickley, "seeing that sleep anddeath are the same?"

"Because his knowledge tells him that Sleep and Death are not the same,as you, in your foolishness, believe, for there Bastin is wiser thanyou. Because for all his wisdom he remains ignorant of what happens toman when the Light of Life is blown out by the breath of Fate. That iswhy he fears to die and why he talks with Bastin the Preacher, who sayshe has the secret of the future."

"And do you fear to die?" I asked.

"No, Humphrey," she answered gently. "Because I think that there is nodeath, and, having done no wrong, I dread no evil. I had dreams while Iwas asleep, O Humphrey, and it seemed to me that--"

Here she ceased and glanced at where she knew the miniature was hangingupon my breast.

"Now," she continued, after a little pause, "tell me of your world,of its history, of its languages, of what happens there, for I long toknow."

So then and there, assisted by Bickley, I began the education of theLady Yva. I do not suppose that there was ever a more apt pupil in thewhole earth. To begin with, she was better acquainted with every subjecton which I touched than I was myself; all she lacked was information asto its modern aspect. Her knowledge ended two hundred and fifty thousandyears ago, at which date, however, it would seem that civilisation hadalready touched a higher water-mark than it has ever since attained.Thus, this vanished people understood astronomy, natural magnetism, theforce of gravity, steam, also electricity to some subtle use of which,I gathered, the lighting of their underground city was to be attributed.They had mastered architecture and the arts, as their buildings andstatues showed; they could fly through the air better than we havelearned to do within the last few years.

More, they, or some of them, had learned the use of the FourthDimension, that is their most instructed individuals, could move throughopposing things, as well as over them, up into them and across them.This power these possessed in a two-fold form. I mean, that they couldeither disintegrate their bodies at one spot and cause them to integrateagain at another, or they could project what the old Egyptians calledthe Ka or Double, and modern Theosophists name the Astral Shape, toany distance. Moreover, this Double, or Astral Shape, while itselfinvisible, still, so to speak, had the use of its senses. It could see,it could hear, and it could remember, and, on returning to the body, itcould avail itself of the experience thus acquired.

Thus, at least, said Yva, while Bickley contemplated her with a coldand unbelieving eye. She even went further and alleged that in certaininstances, individuals of her extinct race had been able to pass throughthe ether and to visit other worlds in the depths of space.

"Have you ever done that?" asked Bickley.

"Once or twice I dreamed that I did," she replied quietly.

"We can all dream," he answered.

As it was my lot to make acquaintance with this strange and uncannypower at a later date, I will say no more of it now.

Telepathy, she declared, was also a developed gift among the Sons ofWisdom; indeed, they seem to have used it as we use wireless messages.Only, in their case, the sending and receiving stations were skilled andsusceptible human beings who went on duty for so many hours at a time.Thus intelligence was transmitted with accuracy and despatch. Those whohad this faculty were, she said, also very apt at reading the minds ofothers and therefore not easy to deceive.

"Is that how you know that I had been trying to analyse yourLife-water?" asked Bickley.

"Yes," she answered, with her unvarying smile. "At the moment I spokethereof you were wondering whether my father would be angry if he knewthat you had taken the water in a little flask." She studied him for amoment, then added: "Now you are wondering, first, whether I did notsee you take the water from the fountain and guess the purpose, and,secondly, whether perhaps Bastin did not tell me what you were doingwith it when we met in the sepulchre."

"Look here," said the exasperated Bickley, "I admit that telepathy andthought-reading are possible to a certain limited extent. But supposingthat you possess those powers, as I think in English, and you do notknow English, how can you interpret what is passing in my mind?"

"Perhaps you have been teaching me English all this while withoutknowing it, Bickley. In any case, it matters little, seeing that whatI read is the thought, not the language with which it is clothed. Thethought comes from your mind to mine--that is, if I wish it, which isnot often--and I interpret it in my own or other tongues."

"I am glad to hear it is not often, Lady Yva, since thoughts aregenerally considered private."

"Yes, and therefore I will read yours no more. Why should I, when theyare so full of disbelief of all I tell you, and sometimes of otherthings about myself which I do not seek to know?"

"No wonder that, according to the story in the pictures, those Nations,whom you named Barbarians, made an end of your people, Lady Yva."

"You are mistaken, Bickley; the Lord Oro made an end of the Nations,though against my prayer," she added with a sigh.

Then Bickley departed in a rage, and did not appear again for an hour.

"He is angry," she said, looking after him; "nor do I wonder. It is hardfor the very clever like Bickley, who think that they have mastered allthings, to find that after all they are quite ignorant. I am sorry forhim, and I like him very much."

"Then you would be sorry for me also, Lady Yva?"

"Why?" she asked with a dazzling smile, "when your heart is athirst forknowledge, gaping for it like a fledgling's mouth for food, and, asit chances, though I am not very wise, I can satisfy something of yoursoul-hunger."

"Not very wise!" I repeated.

"No, Humphrey. I think that Bastin, who in many ways is so stupid, hasmore true wisdom than I have, because he can believe and accept withoutquestion. After all, the wisdom of my people is all of the universeand its wonders. What you think magic is not magic; it is only gatheredknowledge and the finding out of secrets. Bickley will tell you thesame, although as yet he does not believe that the mind of man canstretch so far."

"You mean that your wisdom has in it nothing of the spirit?"

"Yes, Humphrey, that is what I mean. I do not even know if there is sucha thing as spirit. Our god was Fate; Bastin's god is a spirit, and Ithink yours also."

"Yes."

"Therefore, I wish you and Bastin to teach me of your god, as does Oro,my father. I want--oh! so much, Humphrey, to learn whether we live afterdeath."

"You!" I exclaimed. "You who, according to the story, have slept fortwo hundred and fifty thousand years! You, who have, unless I mistake,hinted that during that sleep you may have lived in other shapes! Do youdoubt whether we can live after death?"

"Yes. Sleep induced by secret arts is not death, and during that sleepthe I within might wander and inhabit other shapes, because it isforbidden to be idle. Moreover, what seems to be death may not be death,only another form of sleep from which the I awakes again upon the world.But at last comes the real death, when the I is extinguished to theworld. That much I know, because my people learned it."

"You mean, you know that men and women may live again and again upon theworld?"

"Yes, Humphrey, I do. For in the world there is only a certain store oflife which in many forms travels on and on, till the lot of each I isfulfilled. Then comes the real death, and after that--what, oh!--what?"

"You must ask Bastin," I said humbly. "I cannot dare to teach of suchmatters."

"No, but you can and do believe, and that helps me, Humphrey, who amin tune with you. Yes, it helps me much more than do Bastin and his newreligion, because such is woman's way. Now, I think Bickley will soonreturn, so let us talk of other matters. Tell me of the history of yourpeople, Humphrey, that my father says are now at war."

Chapter XVIII - The Accident

Bickley did return, having recovered his temper, since after all it wasimpossible for anyone to remain angry with the Lady Yva for long, and wespent a very happy time together. We instructed and she was the humblepupil.

How swift and nimble was her intelligence! In that one morning shelearned all our alphabet and how to write our letters. It appeared thatamong her people, at any rate in their later periods, the only form ofwriting that was used was a highly concentrated shorthand which savedlabour. They had no journals, since news which arrived telepathicallyor by some form of wireless was proclaimed to those who cared to listen,and on it all formed their own judgments. In the same way poems and evenromances were repeated, as in Homer's day or in the time of the Norsesagas, by word of mouth. None of their secret knowledge was writtendown. Like the ritual of Freemasonry it was considered too sacred.

Moreover, when men lived for hundreds of years this was not sonecessary, especially as their great fear was lest it should fall intothe hands of the outside nations, whom they called Barbarians. For, beit remembered, these Sons of Wisdom were always a very small peoplewho ruled by the weight of their intelligence and the strength of theiraccumulated lore. Indeed, they could scarcely be called a people; ratherwere they a few families, all of them more or less connected with theoriginal ruling Dynasty which considered itself half divine. Thesefamilies were waited upon by a multitude of servants or slaves drawnfrom the subject nations, for the most part skilled in one art oranother, or perhaps, remarkable for their personal beauty. Still theyremained outside the pale.

The Sons of Wisdom did not intermarry with them or teach them theirlearning, or even allow them to drink of their Life-water. They ruledthem as men rule dogs, treating them with kindness, but no more, and asmany dogs run their course and die in the lifetime of one master, so didmany of these slaves in that of one of the Sons of Wisdom. Therefore,the slaves came to regard their lords not as men, but gods. They livedbut three score years and ten like the rest of us, and went their way,they, whose great-great-grandfathers had served the same master andwhose great-great-great-grandchildren would still serve him. What shouldwe think of a lord who we knew was already adult in the time of Williamthe Conqueror, and who remained still vigorous and all-powerful in thatof George V? One, moreover, who commanded almost infinite knowledge towhich we were denied the key? We might tremble before him and look uponhim as half-divine, but should we not long to kill him and possess hisknowledge and thereby prolong our own existence to his wondrous measure?

Such, said Yva, was the case with their slaves and the peoples fromwhence these sprang. They grew mad with jealous hate, till at lengthcame the end we knew.

Thus we talked on for hours till the time came for us to eat. As beforeYva partook of fruit and we of such meats as we had at hand. These,we noticed, disgusted her, because, as she explained, the Children ofWisdom, unless driven thereto by necessity, touched no flesh, but livedon the fruits of the earth and wine alone. Only the slaves and theBarbarians ate flesh. In these views Bickley for once agreed withher, that is, except as regards the wine, for in theory, if not inpractice--he was a vegetarian.

"I will bring you more of the Life-water," she said, "and then you willgrow to hate these dead things, as I do. And now farewell. My fathercalls me. I hear him though you do not. To-morrow I cannot come, but theday after I will come and bring you the Life-water. Nay, accompany menot, but as I see he wishes it, let Tommy go with me. I will care forhim, and he is a friend in all that lonely place."

So she went, and with her Tommy, rejoicing.

"Ungrateful little devil!" said Bickley. "Here we've fed and pettedhim from puppyhood, or at least you have, and yet he skips off with thefirst stranger. I never saw him behave like that to any woman, exceptyour poor wife."

"I know," I answered. "I cannot understand it. Hullo! here comesBastin."

Bastin it was, dishevelled and looking much the worse for wear, alsominus his Bible in the native tongue.

"Well, how have you been getting on?" said Bickley.

"I should like some tea, also anything there is to eat."

We supplied him with these necessaries, and after a while he said slowlyand solemnly:

"I cannot help thinking of a childish story which Bickley told orinvented one night at your house at home. I remember he had an argumentwith my wife, which he said put him in mind of it, I am sure I don'tknow why. It was about a monkey and a parrot that were left togetherunder a sofa for a long while, where they were so quiet that everybodyforgot them. Then the parrot came out with only one feather left in itstail and none at all on its body, saying, 'I've had no end of a time!'after which it dropped down and died. Do you know, I feel just like thatparrot, only I don't mean to die, and I think I gave the monkey quite asgood as he gave me!"

"What happened?" I asked, intensely interested.

"Oh! the Glittering Lady took me into that palace hall where Oro wassitting like a spider in a web, and left me there. I got to work atonce. He was much interested in the Old Testament stories and said therewere points of truth about them, although they had evidently come downto the modern writer--he called him a modern writer--in a legendaryform. I thought his remarks impertinent and with difficulty refrainedfrom saying so. Leaving the story of the Deluge and all that, I spoke ofother matters, telling him of eternal life and Heaven and Hell, of whichthe poor benighted man had never heard. I pointed out especially thatunless he repented, his life, by all accounts, had been so wicked, thathe was certainly destined to the latter place."

"What did he say to that?" I asked.

"Do you know, I think it frightened him, if one could imagine Oro beingfrightened. At any rate he remarked that the truth or falsity of what Isaid was an urgent matter for him, as he could not expect to live morethan a few hundred years longer, though perhaps he might prolong theperiod by another spell of sleep. Then he asked me why I thought him sowicked. I replied because he himself said that he had drowned millionsof people, which showed an evil heart and intention even if it werenot a fact. He thought a long while and asked what could be done in thecircumstances. I replied that repentance and reparation were the onlycourses open to him."

"Reparation!" I exclaimed.

"Yes, reparation was what I said, though I think I made a mistake there,as you will see. As nearly as I can remember, he answered that he wasbeginning to repent, as from all he had learned from us, he gatheredthat the races which had arisen as a consequence of his action, wereworse than those which he had destroyed. As regards reparation, whathe had done once he could do again. He would think the matter overseriously, and see if it were possible and advisable to raise thoseparts of the world which had been sunk, and sink those which had beenraised. If so, he thought that would make very handsome amends to thedeparted nations and set him quite right with any superior Power, ifsuch a thing existed. What are you laughing at, Bickley? I don't thinkit a laughing matter, since such remarks do not seem to me to indicateany real change in Oro's heart, which is what I was trying to effect."

Bickley, who was convulsed with merriment, wiped his eyes and said:

"You dear old donkey, don't you see what you have done, or rather wouldhave done if there were a word of truth in all this ridiculous storyabout a deluge? You would be in the way of making your precious pupil,who certainly is the most masterly old liar in the world, repeat hisoffence and send Europe to the bottom of the sea."

"That did occur to me, but it doesn't much matter as I am quite certainthat such a thing would never be allowed. Of course there was a realdeluge once, but Oro had no more to do with it than I had. Don't youagree, Arbuthnot?"

"I think so," I answered cautiously, "but really in this place I ambeginning to lose count of what is or is not possible. Also, of course,there may have been many deluges; indeed the history of the world showsthat this was so; it is written in its geological strata. What was theend of it?"

"The end was that he took the South Sea Bible and, after I had explaineda little about our letters, seemed to be able to read it at once. Isuppose he was acquainted with the art of printing in his youth. At anyrate he said that he would study it, I don't know how, unless he canread, and that in two days' time he would let me know what he thoughtabout the matter of my religion. Then he told me to go. I said that Idid not know the way and was afraid of losing myself. Thereupon he wavedhis hand, and I really can't say what happened."

"Did you levitate up here," asked Bickley, "like the late lamented Mr.Home at the spiritualistic seances?"

"No, I did not exactly levitate, but something or someone seemed to geta hold of me, and I was just rushed along in a most tumultuous fashion.The next thing I knew was that I was standing at the door of thatsepulchre, though I have no recollection of going up in the lift, orwhatever it is. I believe those beastly caves are full of ghosts, ordevils, and the worst of it is that they have kept my solar-tope, whichI put on this morning forgetting that it would be useless there."

"The Lady Yva's Fourth Dimension in action," I suggested, "only itwouldn't work on solar-topes."

"I don't know what you are talking about," said Bastin, "but if my hathad to be left, why not my boots and other garments? Please stop yournonsense and pass the tea. Thank goodness I haven't got to go down theretomorrow, as he seems to have had enough of me for the present, so Ivote we all pay a visit to the ship. It will be a very pleasant change.I couldn't stand two days running with that old fiend, and his ghosts ordevils in the cave."

Next morning accordingly, fearing no harm from the Orofenans, we tookthe canoe and rowed to the main island. Marama had evidently seenus coming, for he and a number of his people met us with everydemonstration of delight, and escorted us to the ship. Here we foundthings just as we had left them, for there had been no attempt at theftor other mischief.

While we were in the cabin a fit of moral weakness seemed to overcomeBickley, the first and I may add the last from which I ever saw himsuffer.

"Do you know," he said, addressing us, "I think that we should dowell to try to get out of this place. Eliminating a great deal of themarvelous with which we seem to have come in touch here, it isstill obvious that we find ourselves in very peculiar and unhealthysurroundings. I mean mentally unhealthy, indeed I think that if we stayhere much longer we shall probably go off our heads. Now that boat onthe deck remains sound and seaworthy. Why should not we provision herand take our chance? We know more or less which way to steer."

Bastin and I looked at each other. It was he who spoke first.

"Wouldn't it be rather a risky job in an open boat?" he asked. "However,that doesn't matter much because I don't take any account of risks,knowing that I am of more value than a sparrow and that the hairs of myhead are all numbered."

"They might be numbered under water as well as above it," mutteredBickley, "and I feel sure that on your own showing, you would be asvaluable dead as alive."

"What I seem to feel," went on Bastin, "is that I have work to my handhere. Also, the locum tenens at Fulcombe no doubt runs the parish aswell as I could. Indeed I consider him a better man for the place thanI am. That old Oro is a tough proposition, but I do not despair of himyet, and besides him there is the Glittering Lady, a most open-mindedperson, whom I have not yet had any real opportunity of approaching ina spiritual sense. Then there are all these natives who cannot learnwithout a teacher. So on the whole I think I would rather stay where Iam until Providence points out some other path."

"I am of the same opinion, if for somewhat different reasons," I said."I do not suppose that it has often been the fortune of men to come intouch with such things as we have found upon this island. They may beillusions, but at least they are very interesting illusions. One mightlive ten lifetimes and find nothing else of the sort. Therefore I shouldlike to see the end of the dream."

Bickley reflected a little, then said:

"On the whole I agree with you. Only my brain totters and I am terriblyafraid of madness. I cannot believe what I seem to hear and see, andthat way madness lies. It is better to die than to go mad."

"You'll do that anyway when your time comes, Bickley, I mean decease,of course," interrupted Bastin. "And who knows, perhaps all this is anopportunity given by Providence to open your eyes, which, I must say,are singularly blind. You think you know everything there is to learn,but the fact is that like the rest of us, you know nothing at all, andgood man though you are, obstinately refuse to admit the truth and toseek support elsewhere. For my part I believe that you are afraid offalling in love with that Glittering Lady and of being convinced by herthat you are wrong in your most unsatisfactory conclusions."

"I am out-voted anyway," said Bickley, "and for the rest, Bastin, lookafter yourself and leave me alone. I will add that on the whole I thinkyou are both right, and that it is wisest for us to stop where we are,for after all we can only die once."

"I am not so sure, Bickley. There is a thing called the second death,which is what is troubling that old scoundrel, Oro. Now I will go andlook for those books."

So the idea of flight was abandoned, although I admit that even tomyself it had attractions. For I felt that I was being wrapped in anet of mysteries from which I saw no escape. Yes, and of more thanmysteries; I who had sworn that I would never look upon another woman,was learning to love this sweet and wondrous Yva, and of that what couldbe the end?

We collected all we had come to seek, and started homewards escortedby Marama and his people, including a number of young women who dancedbefore us in a light array of flowers.

Passing our old house, we came to the grove where the idol Oro had stoodand Bastin was so nearly sacrificed. There was another idol there nowwhich he wished to examine, but in the end did not as the natives soobviously objected. Indeed Marama told me that notwithstanding themysterious death of the sorcerers on the Rock of Offerings, there wasstill a strong party in the island who would be glad to do us a mischiefif any further affront were offered to their hereditary god.

He questioned us also tentatively about the apparition, for such heconceived it to be, which had appeared upon the rock and killed thesorcerers, and I answered him as I thought wisest, telling him that aterrible Power was afoot in the land, which he would do well to obey.

"Yes," he said; "the God of the Mountain of whom the tradition has comedown to us from our forefathers. He is awake again; he sees, he hearsand we are afraid. Plead with him for us, O Friend-from-the-Sea."

As he spoke we were passing through a little patch of thick bush.Suddenly from out of this bush, I saw a lad appear. He wore a mask uponhis face, but from his shape could not have been more than thirteen orfourteen years of age. In his hand was a wooden club. He ran forward,stopped, and with a yell of hate hurled it, I think at Bastin, but ithit me. At any rate I felt a shock and remembered no more.

Dreams. Dreams. Endless dreams! What were they all about? I do not know.It seemed to me that through them continually I saw the stately figureof old Oro contemplating me gravely, as though he were making up hismind about something in which I must play a part. Then there was anotherfigure, that of the gracious but imperial Yva, who from time to time,as I thought, leant over me and whispered in my ear words of restand comfort. Nor was this all, since her shape had a way of changingsuddenly into that of my lost wife who would speak with her voice. Orperhaps my wife would speak with Yva's voice. To my disordered sense itwas as though they were one personality, having two shapes, either ofwhich could be assumed at will. It was most strange and yet to me mostblessed, since in the living I seemed to have found the dead, and in thedead the living. More, I took journeys, or rather some unknown part ofme seemed to do so. One of these I remember, for its majestic characterstamped itself upon my mind in such a fashion that all the waters ofdelirium could not wash it out nor all its winds blow away that memory.

I was travelling through space with Yva a thousand times faster thanlight can flash. We passed sun after sun. They drew near, they grew intoenormous, flaming Glories round which circled world upon world. Theybecame small, dwindled to points of light and disappeared.

We found footing upon some far land and passed a marvelous white citywherein were buildings with domes of crystal and alabaster, in thelatter of which were set windows made of great jewels; sapphires orrubies they seemed to me. We went on up a lovely valley. To the leftwere hills, down which tumbled waterfalls; to the right was a riverbroad and deep that seemed to overflow its banks as does the Nile.Behind were high mountains on the slopes of which grew forests ofglorious trees, some of them aflame with bloom, while far away up theircrests stood colossal golden statues set wide apart. They looked likeguardian angels watching that city and that vale. The land was lit witha light such as that of the moon, only intensified and of many colours.Indeed looking up, I saw that above us floated three moons, each of thembigger than our own at the full, and gathered that here it was night.

We came to a house set amid scented gardens and having in front of itterraces of flowers. It seemed not unlike my own house at home, but Itook little note of it, because of a woman who sat upon the verandah, ifI may call it so. She was clad in garments of white silk fastened abouther middle with a jewelled girdle. On her neck also was a collar ofjewels. I forget the colour; indeed this seemed to change continuallyas the light from the different moons struck when she moved, but Ithink its prevailing tinge was blue. In her arms this woman nursed abeauteous, sleeping child, singing happily as she rocked it to andfro. Yva went towards the woman who looked up at her step and uttered alittle cry. Then for the first time I saw the woman's face. It was thatof my dead wife!

As I followed in my dream, a little cloud of mist seemed to cover bothmy wife and Yva, and when I reached the place Yva was gone. Only my wiferemained, she and the child. There she stood, solemn and sweet. While Idrew near she laid down the child upon the cushioned seat from whichshe had risen. She stretched out her arms and flung them about me. Sheembraced me and I embraced her in a rapture of reunion. Then turning shelifted up the child, it was a girl, for me to kiss.

"See your daughter," she said, "and behold all that I am making readyfor you where we shall dwell in a day to come."

I grew confused.

"Yva," I said. "Where is Yva who brought me here? Did she go into thehouse?"

"Yes," she answered happily. "Yva went into the house. Look again!"

I looked and it was Yva's face that was pressed against my own, andYva's eyes that gazed into mine. Only she was garbed as my wife hadbeen, and on her bosom hung the changeful necklace.

"You may not stay," she whispered, and lo! it was my wife that spoke,not Yva.

"Tell me what it means?" I implored.

"I cannot," she answered. "There are mysteries that you may not know asyet. Love Yva if you will and I shall not be jealous, for in loving Yvayou love me. You cannot understand? Then know this, that the spirit hasmany shapes, and yet is the same spirit--sometimes. Now I who am far,yet near, bid you farewell a while."

Then all passed in a flash and the dream ended.

Such was the only one of those visions which I can recall.

I seemed to wake up as from a long and tumultuous sleep. The first thingI saw was the palm roof of our house upon the rock. I knew it was ourhouse, for just above me was a palm leaf of which I had myself tied thestalk to the framework with a bit of coloured ribbon that I had chancedto find in my pocket. It came originally from the programme card ofa dance that I had attended at Honolulu and I had kept it because Ithought it might be useful. Finally I used it to secure that loose leaf.I stared at the ribbon which brought back a flood of memories, and as Iwas thus engaged I heard voices talking, and listened--Bickley's voice,and the Lady Yva's.

"Yes," Bickley was saying, "he will do well now, but he went near, verynear."

"I knew he would not die," she answered, "because my father said so."

"There are two sorts of deaths," replied Bickley, "that of the body andthat of the mind. I was afraid that even if he lived, his reason wouldgo, but from certain indications I do not think that will happen now. Hewill get quite well again--though--" and he stopped.

"I am very glad to hear you say so," chimed in Bastin. "For weeksI thought that I should have to read the Burial Service over poorArbuthnot. Indeed I was much puzzled as to the best place to bury him.Finally I found a very suitable spot round the corner there, where itisn't rock, in which one can't dig and the soil is not liable to beflooded. In fact I went so far as to clear away the bush and to mark outthe grave with its foot to the east. In this climate one can't delay,you know."

Weak as I was, I smiled. This practical proceeding was so exactly likeBastin.

"Well, you wasted your labour," exclaimed Bickley.

"Yes, I am glad to say I did. But I don't think it was your operationsand the rest that cured him, Bickley, although you take all the credit.I believe it was the Life-water that the Lady Yva made him drink and thestuff that Oro sent which we gave him when you weren't looking."

"Then I hope that in the future you will not interfere with my cases,"said the indignant Bickley, and either the voices passed away or I wentto sleep.

When I woke up again it was to find the Lady Yva seated at my sidewatching me.

"Forgive me, Humphrey, because I here; others gone out walking," shesaid slowly in English.

"Who taught you my language?" I asked, astonished. "Bastin and Bickley,while you ill, they teach; they teach me much. Man just same now as hewas hundred thousand years ago," she added enigmatically. "All think onewoman beautiful when no other woman there."

"Indeed," I replied, wondering to what proceedings on the part ofBastin and Bickley she alluded. Could that self-centred pair--oh! it wasimpossible.

"How long have I been ill?" I asked to escape the subject which I feltto be uncomfortable.

She lifted her beautiful eyes in search of words and began to count uponher fingers.

"Two moon, one half moon, yes, ten week, counting Sabbath," she answeredtriumphantly.

"Ten weeks!" I exclaimed.

"Yes, Humphrey, ten whole weeks and three days you first bad, then mad.Oh!" she went on, breaking into the Orofenan tongue which she spoke soperfectly, although it was not her own. That language of hers I neverlearned, but I know she thought in it and only translated into Orofenan,because of the great difficulty which she had in rendering her high andrefined ideas into its simpler metaphor, and the strange words whichoften she introduced. "Oh! you have been very ill, friend of my heart.At times I thought that you were going to die, and wept and wept.Bickley thinks that he saved you and he is very clever. But he could nothave saved you; that wanted more knowledge than any of your people have;only I pray you, do not tell him so because it would hurt his pride."

"What was the matter with me then, Yva?"

"All was the matter. First, the weapon which that youth threw--he wasthe son of the sorcerer whom my father destroyed--crushed in the boneof your head. He is dead for his crime and may he be accursed for ever,"she added in the only outbreak of rage and vindictiveness in which Iever saw her indulge.

"One must make excuses for him; his father had been killed," I said.

"Yes, that is what Bastin tells me, and it is true. Still, for thatyoung man I can make no excuse; it was cowardly and wicked. Well,Bickley performed what he calls operation, and the Lord Oro, he came upfrom his house and helped him, because Bastin is no good in such things.Then he can only turn away his head and pray. I, too, helped, holdinghot water and linen and jar of the stuff that made you feel likenothing, although the sight made me feel more sick than anything since Isaw one I loved killed, oh, long, long ago."

"Was the operation successful?" I asked, for I did not dare to begin tothank her.

"Yes, that clever man, Bickley, lifted the bone which had been crushedin. Only then something broke in your head and you began to bleed here,"and she touched what I believe is called the temporal artery. "The veinhad been crushed by the blow, and gave way. Bickley worked and worked,and just in time he tied it up before you died. Oh! then I felt asthough I loved Bickley, though afterwards Bastin said that I ought tohave loved him, since it was not Bickley who stopped the bleeding, buthis prayer."

"Perhaps it was both," I suggested.

"Perhaps, Humphrey, at least you were saved. Then came another trouble.You took fever. Bickley said that it was because a certain gnat hadbitten you when you went down to the ship, and my father, the Lord Oro,told me that this was right. At the least you grew very weak and lostyour mind, and it seemed as though you must die. Then, Humphrey, I wentto the Lord Oro and kneeled before him and prayed for your life, for Iknew that he could cure you if he would, though Bickley's skill was atan end.

"'Daughter,' he said to me, 'not once but again and again you have setup your will against mine in the past. Why then should I trouble myselfto grant this desire of yours in the present, and save a man who isnothing to me?'

"I rose to my feet and answered, 'I do not know, my Father, yet I amcertain that for your own sake it will be well to do so. I am sure thatof everything even you must give an account at last, great though yoube, and who knows, perhaps one life which you have saved may turn thebalance in your favour.'

"'Surely the priest Bastin has been talking to you,' he said.

"'He has,' I answered, 'and not he alone. Many voices have been talkingto me.'"

"What did you mean by that?" I asked.

"It matters nothing what I meant, Humphrey. Be still and listen to mystory. My father thought a while and answered:

"'I am jealous of this stranger. What is he but a short-livedhalf-barbarian such as we knew in the old days? And yet already youthink more of him than you do of me, your father, the divine Oro who haslived a thousand years. At first I helped that physician to save him,but now I think I wish him dead.'

"'If you let this man die, my Father,' I answered, 'then we part.Remember that I also have of the wisdom of our people, and can use it ifI will.'

"'Then save him yourself,' he said.

"'Perhaps I shall, my Father,' I answered, 'but if so it will not behere. I say that if so we part and you shall be left to rule in yourmajesty alone.'

"Now this frightened the Lord Oro, for he has the weakness that he hatesto be alone.

"'If I do what you will, do you swear never to leave me, Yva?' he asked.'Know that if you will not swear, the man dies.'

"'I swear,' I answered--for your sake, Humphrey--though I did not lovethe oath.

"Then he gave me a certain medicine to mix with the Life-water, and whenyou were almost gone that medicine cured you, though Bickley does notknow it, as nothing else could have done. Now I have told you the truth,for your own ear only, Humphrey."

"Yva," I asked, "why did you do all this for me?"

"Humphrey, I do not know," she answered, "but I think because I must.Now sleep a while."

Chapter XIX - The Proposals of Bastin and Bickley

So far as my body was concerned I grew well with great rapidity, thoughit was long before I got back my strength. Thus I could not walk far orendure any sustained exertion. With my mind it was otherwise. I can notexplain what had happened to it; indeed I do not know, but in a sense itseemed to have become detached and to have assumed a kind of personalityof its own. At times it felt as though it were no longer an inhabitantof the body, but rather its more or less independent partner. I wasperfectly clear-headed and of insanity I experienced no symptoms. Yet mymind, I use that term from lack of a better, was not entirely under mycontrol. For one thing, at night it appeared to wander far away, thoughwhither it went and what it saw there I could never remember.

I record this because possibly it explains certain mysterious events, ifthey were events and not dreams, which shortly I must set out. I spoketo Bickley about the matter. He put it by lightly, saying that it wasonly a result of my long and most severe illness and that I shouldsteady down in time, especially if we could escape from that island andits unnatural atmosphere. Yet as he spoke he glanced at me shrewdlywith his quick eyes, and when he turned to go away I heard him muttersomething to himself about "unholy influences" and "that confounded oldOro."

The words were spoken to himself and quite beneath his breath, and ofcourse not meant to reach me. But one of the curious concomitants of mystate was that all my senses, and especially my hearing, had become mostabnormally acute. A whisper far away was now to me like a loud remarkmade in a room.

Bickley's reflection, for I can scarcely call it more, set me thinking.Yva had said that Oro sent me medicine which was administered to mewithout Bickley's knowledge, and as she believed, saved my life, orcertainly my reason. What was in it? I wondered. Then there was thatLife-water which Yva brought and insisted upon my drinking every day.Undoubtedly it was a marvelous tonic and did me good. But it had othereffects also. Thus, as she said would be the case, after a course ofit I conceived the greatest dislike, which I may add has never entirelyleft me, of any form of meat, also of alcohol. All I seemed to want wasthis water with fruit, or such native vegetables as there were. Bickleydisapproved and made me eat fish occasionally, but even this revoltedme, and since I gained steadily in weight, as we found out by a simplecontrivance, and remained healthy in every other way, soon he allowed meto choose my own diet.

About this time Oro began to pay me frequent visits. He always came atnight, and what is more I knew when he was coming, although he nevergave me warning. Here I should explain that during my illness Bastin,who was so ingenious in such matters, had built another hut in which heand Bickley slept, of course when they were not watching me, leaving ourold bed-chamber to myself.

Well, I would wake up and be aware that Oro was coming. Then he appearedin a silent and mysterious way, as though he had materialised in theroom, for I never saw him pass the doorway. In the moonlight, or thestarlight, which flowed through the entrance and the side of the hutthat was only enclosed with latticework, I perceived him seat himselfupon a certain stool, looking like a most majestic ghost with hisflowing robes, long white beard, hooked nose and hawk eyes. In theday-time he much resembled the late General Booth whom I had oftenseen, except for certain added qualities of height and classic beauty ofcountenance. At night, however, he resembled no one but himself, indeedthere was something mighty and godlike in his appearance, something thatmade one feel that he was not as are other men.

For a while he would sit and look at me. Then he began to speak in alow, vibrant voice. What did he speak of? Well, many matters. It was asthough he were unburdening that hoary soul of his because it could nolonger endure the grandeur of its own loneliness. Amongst sundry secretthings, he told me of the past history of this world of ours, and of themighty civilisations which for uncounted ages he and his forefathers hadruled by the strength of their will and knowledge, of the dwindlingof their race and of the final destruction of its enemies, although Inoticed that now he no longer said that this was his work alone. Onenight I asked him if he did not miss all such pomp and power.

Then suddenly he broke out, and for the first time I really learned whatambition can be when it utterly possesses the soul of man.

"Are you mad," he asked, "that you suppose that I, Oro, the King ofkings, can be content to dwell solitary in a great cave with none butthe shadows of the dead to serve me? Nay, I must rule again and be evengreater than before, or else I too will die. Better to face the future,even if it means oblivion, than to remain thus a relic of a gloriouspast, still living and yet dead, like that statue of the great god Fatewhich you saw in the temple of my worship."

"Bastin does not think that the future means oblivion," I remarked.

"I know it. I have studied his faith and find it too humble for mytaste, also too new. Shall I, Oro, creep a suppliant before any Power,and confess what Bastin is pleased to call my sins? Nay, I who am greatwill be the equal of all greatness, or nothing."

He paused a while, then went on:

"Bastin speaks of 'eternity.' Where and what then is this eternity whichif it has no end can have had no beginning? I know the secret of thesuns and their attendant worlds, and they are no more eternal than theinsect which glitters for an hour. Out of shapeless, rushing gases theygathered to live their day, and into gases at last they dissolve againwith all they bore."

"Yes," I answered, "but they reform into new worlds."

"That have no part with the old. This world, too, will melt, departingto whence it came, as your sacred writings say, and what then of thosewho dwelt and dwell thereon? No, Man of today, give me Time in which Irule and keep your dreams of an Eternity that is not, and in which youmust still crawl and serve, even if it were. Yet, if I might, I confessit, I would live on for ever, but as Master not as Slave."

On another night he began to tempt me, very subtly. "I see a spark ofgreatness in you, Humphrey," he said, "and it comes into my heart thatyou, too, might learn to rule. With Yva, the last of my blood, it isotherwise. She is the child of my age and of a race outworn; too gentle,too much all womanly. The soul that triumphs must shine like steel inthe sun, and cut if need be; not merely be beauteous and shed perfumelike a lily in the shade. Yet she is very wise and fair," here helooked at me, "perchance of her might come children such as were theirforefathers, who again would wield the sceptre of the dominion of theearth."

I made no answer, wondering what he meant exactly and thinking it wisestto be silent.

"You are of the short-lived races," he went on, "yet very much a man,not without intelligence, and by the arts I have I can so strengthenyour frame that it will endure the shocks of time for three such livesas yours, or perchance for more, and then--"

Again he paused and went on:

"The Daughter of kings likes you also, perhaps because you resemble--"here he fixed me with his piercing eyes, "a certain kinglet of baseblood whom once she also liked, but whom it was my duty to destroy.Well, I must think. I must study this world of yours also and thereinyou may help me. Perhaps afterwards I will tell you how. Now sleep."

In another moment he was gone, but notwithstanding his powerful command,for a while I could not sleep. I understood that he was offering Yva tome, but upon what terms? That was the question. With her was to go greatdominion over the kingdoms of the earth. I could not help rememberingthat always this has been and still is Satan's favourite bait. To me itdid not particularly appeal. I had been ambitious in my time--who isnot that is worth his salt? I could have wished to excel in something,literature or art, or whatever it might be, and thus to ensure thememory of my name in the world.

Of course this is a most futile desire, seeing that soon or late everyname must fade out of the world like an unfixed photograph which isexposed to the sun. Even if it could endure, as the old demigod, ordemidevil, Oro, had pointed out, very shortly, by comparison with Time'sunmeasured vastness, the whole solar system will also fade. So of whatuse is this feeble love of fame and this vain attempt to be rememberedthat animates us so strongly? Moreover, the idea of enjoying meretemporal 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 andthe evil that, often enough, they work in their little day.

Also if I needed any further example, there was that of Oro himself. Hehad 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 quitealone in the world, save for a daughter with whom he did not agree orsympathise. In short, he was but a kind of animated mummy inspired byone idea which I felt quite sure would be disappointed, namely, to renewhis former greatness. To me he seemed as miserable a figure as one couldimagine, brooding and plotting in his illuminated cave, at the end of anextended but misspent life.

Also I wondered what he, or rather his ego, had been doing during allthose two hundred and fifty thousand years of sleep. Possibly if Yva'stheory, 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 dreadof death, but consumed now as ever by his insatiable and most uselessfinite ambitions.

Yva, also! Her case was his, but yet how different. In all this longnight of Time she had but ripened into one of the sweetest and mostgentle 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 ferocityof her father? Where his desire to reach to splendour by treading on ablood-stained road paved with broken human hearts? It did not exist.Her nature was different although her body came of a long line of thesepower-loving kings. Why this profound difference of the spirit? Likeeverything else it was a mystery. The two were as far apart as thePoles. Everyone must have hated Oro, from the beginning, however much hefeared 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 theirown confession, proved to be true of two such various persons as Bastinand 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 longillness I fell in love, I suppose that is the right word, with theGlittering Lady. After thinking the matter over also, I conceived thatit would be proper to tell her so if only to clear the air and preventfuture misunderstandings. As I remarked to her on that occasion, I hadhesitated long, as I was not certain how she would fill the place of thewife 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 beconsidered, who might have objected to the introduction into the dioceseof a striking person who so recently had been a heathen, and to one insuch strong contrast to my late beloved wife."

"I suppose you didn't consider the late Mrs. Bastin's views on thesubject of re-marriage. I remember that they were strong," I remarkedrather maliciously.

"No, I did not think it necessary, since the Scriptural instructions onthe matter are very clear, and in another world no doubt all jealousies,even Sarah's, will be obliterated. Upon that point my conscience wasquite easy. So when I found that, unlike her parent, the Lady Yva wasmuch inclined to accept the principles of the faith in which it is myprivilege to instruct her, I thought it proper to say to her that ifultimately she made up her mind to do so--of course this was a sine quanon--I should be much honoured, and as a man, not as a priest, itwould make me most happy if she would take me as a husband. Of courseI explained to her that I considered, under the circumstances, I couldquite lawfully perform the marriage ceremony myself with you and Bickleyas witnesses, even should Oro refuse to give her away. Also I toldher that although after her varied experiences in the past, life atFulcombe, 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 otherChurch activities."

"Well, and what did she say, Bastin?"

"Oh! she was most kind and flattering. Indeed that hour will alwaysremain the pleasantest of my life. I don't know how it happened, butwhen it was over I felt quite delighted that she had refused me. Indeedon second thoughts, I am not certain but that I shall be much happier inthe capacities of a brother and teacher which she asked me to fill, thanI should have been as her husband. To tell you the truth, Arbuthnot,there are moments when I am not sure whether I entirely understand theLady Yva. It was rather like proposing to one's guardian angel."

"Yes," I said, "that's about it, old fellow. 'Guardian Angel' is not abad name for her."

Afterwards I received the confidence of Bickley.

"Look here, Arbuthnot," he said. "I want to own up to something. Ithink I ought to, because of certain things I have observed, in order toprevent possible future misunderstandings."

"What's that?" I asked innocently.

"Only this. As you know, I have always been a confirmed bacheloron principle. Women introduce too many complications into life, andalthough it involves some sacrifice, on the whole, I have thoughtit best to do without them and leave the carrying on of the world toothers."

"Well, what of it? Your views are not singular, Bickley."

"Only this. While you were ill the sweetness of that Lady Yva and herwonderful qualities as a nurse overcame me. I went to pieces all of asudden. I saw in her a realisation of every ideal I had ever entertainedof perfect womanhood. So to speak, my resolves of a lifetime melted likewax in the sun. Notwithstanding her queer history and the marvels withwhich she is mixed up, I wished to marry her. No doubt her physicalloveliness was at the bottom of it, but, however that may be, there itwas."

"She is beautiful," I commented; "though I daresay older than shelooks."

"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. Youknow, Arbuthnot," he mused, "however lovely a woman may be, it would putone off if suddenly she announced that she was--let us say--a hundredand fifty years old."

"Yes," I admitted, "for nobody wants to marry the contemporary of hisgreat-grandmother. However, she gave her age as twenty-seven years andthree moons."

"And doubtless for once did not tell the truth. But, as she does notlook more than twenty-five, I think that we may all agree to let itstand at that, namely, twenty-seven, plus an indefinite period of sleep.At any rate, she is a sweet and most gracious woman, apparently in thebloom 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 thatclerical oaf presumed--well, well, after all, I suppose that he is aman, so one mustn't be hard on him. But who could have thought that hewould 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 berefused by her, she puts one so thoroughly at one's ease." (Here,remembering Bastin and his story, I turned away my face to hide asmile.) "She said--what did she say exactly? Such a lot that it isdifficult to remember. Oh! that she was not thinking of marriage. Also,that she had not yet recovered from some recent love affair which lefther heart sore, since the time of her sleep did not count. Also, thather father would never consent, and that the mere idea of such a thingwould excite his animosity against all of us."

"Is that all?" I asked.

"Not quite. She added that she felt wonderfully flattered and extremelyhonoured by what I had been so good as to say to her. She hoped,however, that I should never repeat it or even allude to the matteragain, as her dearest wish was to be able to look upon me as her mostintimate friend to whom she could always come for sympathy and counsel."

"What happened then?"

"Nothing, of course, except that I promised everything that she wished,and mean to stick to it, too. Naturally, I was very sore and upset, butI am getting over it, having always practised self-control."

"I am sorry for you, old fellow."

"Are you?" he asked suspiciously. "Then perhaps you have tried yourluck, too?"

"No, Bickley."

His face fell a little at this denial, and he answered:

"Well, it would have been scarcely decent if you had, seeing how latelyyou were married. But then, so was that artful Bastin. Perhaps you willget over it--recent marriage, I mean--as he has." He hesitated a while,then went on: "Of course you will, old fellow; I know it, and, what ismore, I seem to know that when your turn comes you will get a differentanswer. If so, it will keep her in the family as it were--and good luckto you. Only--"

"Only what?" I asked anxiously.

"To be honest, Arbuthnot, I don't think that there will be real goodluck for any one of us over this woman--not in the ordinary sense, Imean. The whole business is too strange and superhuman. Is she quite awoman, and could she really marry a man as others do?"

"It is curious that you should talk like that," I said uneasily. "Ithought that you had made up your mind that the whole business waseither illusion or trickery--I mean, the odd side of it."

"If it is illusion, Arbuthnot, then a man cannot marry an illusion. Andif it is trickery, then he will certainly be tricked. But, supposingthat I am wrong, what then?"

"You mean, supposing things are as they seem to be?"

"Yes. In that event, Arbuthnot, I am sure that something will occur toprevent your being united to a woman who lived thousands of years ago. Iam sorry to say it, but Fate will intervene. Remember, it is the godof her people that I suppose she worships, and, I may add, to which thewhole world bows."

At his words a kind of chill fell upon me. I think he saw or divined it,for after a few remarks upon some indifferent matter, he turned and wentaway.

Shortly after this Yva came to sit with me. She studied me for a whileand I studied her. I had reason to do so, for I observed that of lateher dress had become much more modern, and on the present occasionthis struck me forcibly. I do not know exactly in what the change, orchanges, consisted, because I am not skilled in such matters and canonly judge of a woman's garments by their general effect. At any rate,the gorgeous sweeping robes were gone, and though her attire stilllooked foreign and somewhat oriental, with a touch of barbaric splendourabout it--it was simpler than it had been and showed more of her figure,which was delicate, yet gracious.

"You have changed your robes, Lady," I said. "Yes, Humphrey. Bastin gaveme pictures of those your women wear." (On further investigation I foundthat this referred to an old copy of the Queen newspaper, which, somehowor other, had been brought with the books from the ship.) "I have triedto copy them a little," she added doubtfully.

"How do you do it? Where do you get the material?" I asked.

"Oh!" she answered with an airy wave of her hand, "I make it--it isthere."

"I don't understand," I said, but she only smiled radiantly, offering nofurther explanation. Then, before I could pursue the subject, she askedme suddenly:

"What has Bickley been saying to you about me?" I fenced, answering:"I don't know. Bastin and Bickley talk of little else. You seem to havebeen a great deal with them while I was ill."

"Yes, a great deal. They are the nearest to you who were so sick. Is itnot so?"

"I don't know," I answered again. "In my illness it seemed to me thatyou were the nearest."

"About Bastin's words I can guess," she went on. "But I ask again--whathas Bickley been saying to you about me? Of the first part, let it be;tell me the rest."

I intended to evade her question, but she fixed those violet, compellingeyes upon me and I was obliged to answer.

"I believe you know as well as I do," I said; "but if you will have it,it was that you are not as other human women are, and that he who wouldtreat you as such, must suffer; that was the gist of it."

"Some might be content to suffer for such as I," she answered with quietsweetness. "Even Bastin and Bickley may be content to suffer in theirown little ways."

"You know that is not what I meant," I interrupted angrily, for I feltthat she was throwing reflections on me.

"No; you meant that you agreed with Bickley that I am not quite a woman,as you know women."

I was silent, for her words were true.

Then she blazed out into one of her flashes of splendour, like somethingthat takes fire on an instant; like the faint and distant star whichflames into sudden glory before the watcher's telescope.

"It is true that I am not as your women are--your poor, pale women,the shadows of an hour with night behind them and before. Because I amhumble and patient, do you therefore suppose that I am not great? Manfrom the little country across the sea, I lived when the world wasyoung, and gathered up the ancient wisdom of a greater race than yours,and when the world is old I think that I still shall live, though not inthis shape or here, with all that wisdom's essence burning in my breast,and with all beauty in my eyes. Bickley does not believe although heworships. You only half believe and do not worship, because memory holdsyou back, and I myself do not understand. I only know though knowingso much, still I seek roads to learning, even the humble road calledBastin, that yet may lead my feet to the gate of an immortal city."

"Nor do I understand how all this can be, Yva," I said feebly, for shedazzled and overwhelmed me with her blaze of power.

"No, you do not understand. How can you, when even I cannot? Thus fortwo hundred and fifty thousand years I slept, and they went by as alightning flash. One moment my father gave me the draught and I laid medown, the next I awoke with you bending over me, or so it seemed. Yetwhere was I through all those centuries when for me time had ceased?Tell me, Humphrey, did you dream at all while you were ill? I askbecause down in that lonely cavern where I sleep a strange dream came tome one night. It was of a journey which, as I thought, you and I seemedto make together, past suns and universes to a very distant earth. Itmeant nothing, Humphrey. If you and I chanced to have dreamed the samething, it was only because my dream travelled to you. It is most common,or used to be. Humphrey, Bickley is quite right, I am not altogetheras your women are, and I can bring no happiness to any man, or at theleast, to one who cannot wait. Therefore, perhaps you would do well tothink less of me, as I have counselled Bastin and Bickley."

Then again she gazed at me with her wonderful, great eyes, and, shakingher glittering head a little, smiled and went.

But oh! that smile drew my heart after her.

Chapter XX - Oro and Arbuthnot Travel by Night

As time went on, Oro began to visit me more and more frequently, till atlast scarcely a night went by that he did not appear mysteriously in mysleeping-place. The odd thing was that neither Bickley nor Bastin seemedto be aware of these nocturnal calls. Indeed, when I mentioned them onone or two occasions, they stared at me and said it was strange that heshould have come and gone as they saw nothing of him.

On my speaking again of the matter, Bickley at once turned theconversation, from which I gathered that he believed me to be sufferingfrom delusions consequent on my illness, or perhaps to have takento dreaming. This was not wonderful since, as I learned afterwards,Bickley, after he was sure that I was asleep, made a practice of tyinga thread across my doorway and of ascertaining at the dawn that itremained unbroken. But Oro was not to be caught in that way. I suppose,as it was impossible for him to pass through the latticework of the openside of the house, that he undid the thread and fastened it again whenhe left; at least, that was Bastin's explanation, or, rather, one ofthem. Another was that he crawled beneath it, but this I could notbelieve. I am quite certain that during all his prolonged existence Oronever crawled.

At any rate, he came, or seemed to come, and pumped me--I can use noother word--most energetically as to existing conditions in theworld, especially those of the civilised countries, their methods ofgovernment, their social state, the physical characteristics of thevarious races, their religions, the exact degrees of civilisation thatthey had developed, their attainments in art, science and literature,their martial capacities, their laws, and I know not what besides.

I told him all I could, but did not in the least seem to satisfy hisperennial thirst for information.

"I should prefer to judge for myself," he said at last. "Why are you soanxious to learn about all these nations, Oro?" I asked, exhausted.

"Because the knowledge I gather may affect my plans for the future," hereplied darkly.

"I am told, Oro, that your people acquired the power of transportingthemselves from place to place."

"It is true that the lords of the Sons of Wisdom had such power, andthat I have it still, O Humphrey."

"Then why do you not go to look with your own eyes?" I suggested.

"Because I should need a guide; one who could explain much in a shorttime," he said, contemplating me with his burning glance until I beganto feel uncomfortable.

To change the subject I asked him whether he had any further informationabout the war, which he had told me was raging in Europe.

He answered: "Not much; only that it was going on with varying success,and would continue to do so until the nations involved therein wereexhausted," or so he believed. The war did not seem greatly to interestOro. It was, he remarked, but a small affair compared to those which hehad known in the old days. Then he departed, and I went to sleep.

Next night he appeared again, and, after talking a little on differentsubjects, remarked quietly that he had been thinking over what I hadsaid as to his visiting the modern world, and intended to act upon thesuggestion.

"When?" I asked.

"Now," he said. "I am going to visit this England of yours and the townyou call London, and you will accompany me."

"It is not possible!" I exclaimed. "We have no ship."

"We can travel without a ship," said Oro.

I grew alarmed, and suggested that Bastin or Bickley would be a muchbetter companion than I should in my present weak state.

"An empty-headed man, or one who always doubts and argues, would beuseless," he replied sharply. "You shall come and you only."

I expostulated; I tried to get up and fly--which, indeed, I did do, inanother sense.

But Oro fixed his eyes upon me and slowly waved his thin hand to and froabove my head.

My senses reeled. Then came a great darkness.

They returned again. Now I was standing in an icy, reeking fog, which Iknew could belong to one place only--London, in December, and at my sidewas Oro.

"Is this the climate of your wonderful city?" he asked, or seemed toask, in an aggrieved tone.

I replied that it was, for about three months in the year, and began tolook about me.

Soon I found my bearings. In front of me were great piles of buildings,looking dim and mysterious in the fog, in which I recognised the Housesof Parliament and Westminster Abbey, for both could be seen from wherewe stood in front of the Westminster Bridge Station. I explained theiridentity to Oro.

"Good," he said. "Let us enter your Place of Talk."

"But I am not a member, and we have no passes for the Strangers'Gallery," I expostulated.

"We shall not need any," he replied contemptuously. "Lead on."

Thus adjured, I crossed the road, Oro following me. Looking round, tomy horror I saw him right in the path of a motor-bus which seemed to goover him.

"There's an end to Oro," thought I to myself. "Well, at any rate, I havegot home."

Next instant he was at my side quite undisturbed by the incident of thebus. We came to a policeman at the door and I hesitated, expecting tobe challenged. But the policeman seemed absolutely indifferent to ourpresence, even when Oro marched past him in his flowing robes. SoI followed with a like success. Then I understood that we must beinvisible.

We passed to the lobby, where members were hurrying to and fro, andconstituents and pressmen were gathered, and so on into the House. Orowalked up its floor and took his stand by the table, in front of theSpeaker. I followed him, none saying us No.

As it chanced there was what is called a scene in progress--I think itwas over Irish matters; the details are of no account. Members shouted,Ministers prevaricated and grew angry, the Speaker intervened. On thewhole, it was rather a degrading spectacle. I stood, or seemed tostand, and watched it all. Oro, in his sweeping robes, which lookedso incongruous in that place, stepped, or seemed to step, up to theprincipal personages of the Government and Opposition, whom I indicatedto him, and inspected them one by one, as a naturalist might examinestrange insects. Then, returning to me, he said:

"Come away; I have seen and heard enough. Who would have thought thatthis nation of yours was struggling for its life in war?"

We passed out of the House and somehow came to Trafalgar Square. Ameeting was in progress there, convened, apparently, to advocate therights of Labour, also those of women, also to protest against thingsin general, especially the threat of Conscription in the service of thecountry.

Here the noise was tremendous, and, the fog having lifted somewhat, wecould see everything. Speakers bawled from the base of Nelson's column.Their supporters cheered, their adversaries rushed at them, and in oneor two instances succeeded in pulling them down. A woman climbed upand began to scream out something which could only be heard by a fewreporters gathered round her. I thought her an unpleasant-lookingperson, and evidently her remarks were not palatable to the majority ofher auditors. There was a rush, and she was dragged from the base of oneof Landseer's lions on which she stood. Her skirt was half rent offher and her bodice split down the back. Finally, she was conveyedaway, kicking, biting, and scratching, by a number of police. It was adisgusting sight, and tumult ensued.

"Let us go," said Oro. "Your officers of order are good; the rest is notgood."

Later we found ourselves opposite to the doors of a famous restaurantwhere a magnificent and gigantic commissionaire helped ladies frommotor-cars, receiving in return money from the men who attended on them.We entered; it was the hour of dinner. The place sparkled with gems,and the naked backs of the women gleamed in the electric light. Coursefollowed upon course; champagne flowed, a fine band played, everythingwas costly; everything was, in a sense, repellent.

"These are the wealthy citizens of a nation engaged in fighting for itslife," remarked Oro to me, stroking his long beard. "It is interesting,very interesting. Let us go."

We went out and on, passing a public-house crowded with women who hadleft their babies in charge of children in the icy street. It was aday of Intercession for the success of England in the war. This wasplacarded everywhere. We entered, or, rather, Oro did, I followinghim, one of the churches in the Strand where an evening service was inprogress. The preacher in the pulpit, a very able man, was holding forthupon the necessity for national repentance and self-denial; also ofprayer. In the body of the church exactly thirty-two people, mostof them elderly women, were listening to him with an air of placidacceptance.

"The priest talks well, but his hearers are not many," said Oro. "Let usgo."

We came to the flaunting doors of a great music-hall and passed throughthem, though to others this would have been impossible, for the placewas filled from floor to roof. In its promenades men were drinking andsmoking, while gaudy women, painted and low-robed, leered at them. Onthe stage girls danced, throwing their legs above their heads. Then theyvanished amidst applause, and a woman in a yellow robe, who pretendedto be tipsy, sang a horrible and vulgar song full of topical allusions,which was received with screams of delight by the enormous audience.

"Here the hearers are very many, but those to whom they listen do nottalk well. Let us go," said Oro, and we went.

At a recruiting station we paused a moment to consider posters supposedto be attractive, the very sight of which sent a thrill of shame throughme. I remember that the inscription under one of them was: "What willyour best girl say?"

"Is that how you gather your soldiers? Later it will be otherwise," saidOro, and passed on.

We reached Blackfriars and entered a hall at the doors of which stoodwomen in poke-bonnets, very sweet-faced, earnest-looking women. Theircountenances seemed to strike Oro, and he motioned me to follow himinto the hall. It was quite full of a miserable-looking congregationof perhaps a thousand people. A man in the blue and red uniform of theSalvation Army was preaching of duty to God and country, of self-denial,hope and forgiveness. He seemed a humble person, but his words wereearnest, and love flowed from him. Some of his miserable congregationwept, others stared at him open-mouthed, a few, who were very weary,slept. He called them up to receive pardon, and a number, led by thesweet-faced women, came and knelt before him. He and others whispered tothem, then seemed to bless them, and they rose with their faces changed.

"Let us go," said Oro. "I do not understand these rites, but at lastin your great and wonderful city I have seen something that is pure andnoble."

We went out. In the streets there was great excitement. People ran toand fro pointing upwards. Searchlights, like huge fingers of flame,stole across the sky; guns boomed. At last, in the glare of asearchlight, we saw a long and sinister object floating high above usand gleaming as though it were made of silver. Flashes came from itfollowed by terrible booming reports that grew nearer and nearer. Ahouse collapsed with a crash just behind us.

"Ah!" said Oro, with a smile. "I know this--it is war, war as it waswhen the world was different and yet the same."

As he spoke, a motor-bus rumbled past. Another flash and explosion. Aman, walking with his arms round the waist of a girl just ahead ofus; seemed to be tossed up and to melt. The girl fell in a heap on thepavement; somehow her head and her feet had come quite close togetherand yet she appeared to be sitting down. The motor-bus burst intofragments and its passengers hurtled through the air, mere hideous lumpsthat had been men and women. The head of one of them came dancing downthe pavement towards us, a cigar still stuck in the corner of its mouth.

"Yes, this is war," said Oro. "It makes me young again to see it. Butdoes this city of yours understand?"

We watched a while. A crowd gathered. Policemen ran up, ambulances came.The place was cleared, and all that was left they carried away. A fewminutes later another man passed by with his arm round the waist ofanother girl. Another motor-bus rumbled up, and, avoiding the hole inthe roadway, travelled on, its conductor keeping a keen look-out forfares.

The street was cleared by the police; the airship continued its course,spawning bombs in the distance, and vanished. The incident was closed.

"Let us go home," said Oro. "I have seen enough of your great andwonderful city. I would rest in the quiet of Nyo and think."

The next thing that I remember was the voice of Bastin, saying:

"If you don't mind, Arbuthnot, I wish that you would get up. TheGlittering Lady (he still called her that) is coming here to have a talkwith me which I should prefer to be private. Excuse me for disturbingyou, but you have overslept yourself; indeed, I think it must be nineo'clock, so far as I can judge by the sun, for my watch is very erraticnow, ever since Bickley tried to clean it."

"I am sorry, my dear fellow," I said sleepily, "but do you know Ithought I was in London--in fact, I could swear that I have been there."

"Then," interrupted Bickley, who had followed Bastin into the hut,giving me that doubtful glance with which I was now familiar, "I wish togoodness that you had brought back an evening paper with you."

A night or two later I was again suddenly awakened to feel that Oro wasapproaching. He appeared like a ghost in the bright moonlight, greetedme, and said:

"Tonight, Humphrey, we must make another journey. I would visit the seatof the war."

"I do not wish to go," I said feebly.

"What you wish does not matter," he replied. "I wish that you should go,and therefore you must."

"Listen, Oro," I exclaimed. "I do not like this business; it seemsdangerous to me."

"There is no danger if you are obedient, Humphrey."

"I think there is. I do not understand what happens. Do you make use ofwhat the Lady Yva called the Fourth Dimension, so that our bodiespass over the seas and through mountains, like the vibrations of ourWireless, of which I was speaking to you?"

"No, Humphrey. That method is good and easy, but I do not use it becauseif I did we should be visible in the places which we visit, since thereall the atoms that make a man would collect together again and be aman."

"What, then, do you do?" I asked, exasperated.

"Man, Humphrey, is not one; he is many. Thus, amongst other things hehas a Double, which can see and hear, as he can in the flesh, if it isseparated from the flesh."

"The old Egyptians believed that," I said.

"Did they? Doubtless they inherited the knowledge from us, the Sons ofWisdom. The cup of our learning was so full that, keep it secret as wewould, from time to time some of it overflowed among the vulgar, anddoubtless thus the light of our knowledge still burns feebly in theworld."

I reflected to myself that whatever might be their othercharacteristics, the Sons of Wisdom had lost that of modesty, but I onlyasked how he used his Double, supposing that it existed.

"Very easily," he answered. "In sleep it can be drawn from the body andsent upon its mission by one that is its master."

"Then while you were asleep for all those thousands of years your Doublemust have made many journeys."

"Perhaps," he replied quietly, "and my spirit also, which is anotherpart of me that may have dwelt in the bodies of other men. Butunhappily, if so I forget, and that is why I have so much to learn andmust even make use of such poor instruments as you, Humphrey."

"Then if I sleep and you distil my Double out of me, I suppose that yousleep too. In that case who distils your Double out of you, Lord Oro?"

He grew angry and answered:

"Ask no more questions, blind and ignorant as you are. It is your partnot to examine, but to obey. Sleep now," and again he waved his handover me.

In an instant, as it seemed, we were standing in a grey old town that Ijudged from its appearance must be either in northern France or Belgium.It was much shattered by bombardment; the church, for instance, was aruin; also many of the houses had been burnt. Now, however, no firingwas going on for the town had been taken. The streets were full of armedmen wearing the German uniform and helmet. We passed down them andwere able to see into the houses. In some of these were German soldiersengaged in looting and in other things so horrible that even the unmovedOro turned away his head.

We came to the market-place. It was crowded with German troops, alsowith a great number of the inhabitants of the town, most of them elderlymen and women with children, who had fallen into their power. TheGermans, under the command of officers, were dragging the men fromthe arms of their wives and children to one side, and with rifle-buttsbeating back the screaming women. Among the men I noticed two or threepriests who were doing their best to soothe their companions and evengiving them absolution in hurried whispers.

At length the separation was effected, whereon at a hoarse word ofcommand, a company of soldiers began to fire at the men and continueddoing so until all had fallen. Then petty officers went among theslaughtered and with pistols blew out the brains of any who still moved.

"These butchers, you say, are Germans?" asked Oro of me.

"Yes," I answered, sick with horror, for though I was in the mind andnot in the body, I could feel as the mind does. Had I been in the bodyalso, I should have fainted.

"Then we need not waste time in visiting their country. It is enough;let us go on."

We passed out into the open land and came to a village. It was in theoccupation of German cavalry. Two of them held a little girl of nineor ten, one by her body, the other by her right hand. An officer stoodbetween them with a drawn sword fronting the terrified child. He wasa horrible, coarse-faced man who looked to me as though he had beendrinking.

"I'll teach the young devil to show us the wrong road and let thoseFrench swine escape," he shouted, and struck with the sword. The girl'sright hand fell to the ground.

"War as practised by the Germans!" remarked Oro. Then he stepped, orseemed to step up to the man and whispered, or seemed to whisper, in hisear.

I do not know what tongue or what spirit speech he used, or what hesaid, but the bloated-faced brute turned pale. Yes, he drew sick withfear.

"I think there are spirits in this place," he said with a German oath."I could have sworn that something told me that I was going to die.Mount!"

The Uhlans mounted and began to ride away.

"Watch," said Oro.

As he spoke out of a dark cloud appeared an aeroplane. Its pilot saw theband of Germans beneath and dropped a bomb. The aim was good, for themissile exploded in the midst of them, causing a great cloud of dustfrom which arose the screams of men and horses.

"Come and see," said Oro.

We were there. Out of the cloud of dust appeared one man gallopingfuriously. He was a young fellow who, as I noted, had turned his headaway and hidden his eyes with his hand when the horror was done yonder.All the others were dead except the officer who had worked the deed. Hewas still living, but both his hands and one of his feet had been blownaway. Presently he died, screaming to God for mercy.

We passed on and came to a barn with wide doors that swung a little inthe wind, causing the rusted hinges to scream like a creature in pain.On each of these doors hung a dead man crucified. The hat of one ofthem lay upon the ground, and I knew from the shape of it that he was aColonial soldier.

"Did you not tell me," said Oro after surveying them, "that theseGermans are of your Christian faith?"

"Yes; and the Name of God is always on their ruler's lips."

"Ah!" he said, "I am glad that I worship Fate. Bastin the priest needtrouble me no more."

"There is something behind Fate," I said, quoting Bastin himself.

"Perhaps. So indeed I have always held, but after much study I cannotunderstand the manner of its working. Fate is enough for me."

We went on and came to a flat country that was lined with ditches, allof them full of men, Germans on one side, English and French upon theother. A terrible bombardment shook the earth, the shells raining uponthe ditches. Presently that from the English guns ceased and out of thetrenches in front of them thousands of men were vomited, who ran forwardthrough a hail of fire in which scores and hundreds fell, across an openpiece of ground that was pitted with shell craters. They came to barbedwire defenses, or what remained of them, cut the wire with nippers andpulled up the posts. Then through the gaps they surged in, shouting andhurling hand grenades. They reached the German trenches, they leapt intothem and from those holes arose a hellish din. Pistols were fired andeverywhere bayonets flashed.

Behind them rushed a horde of little, dark-skinned men, Indians whocarried great knives in their hands. Those leapt over the first trenchand running on with wild yells, dived into the second, those who wereleft of them, and there began hacking with their knives at the defendersand the soldiers who worked the spitting maxim guns. In twenty minutesit was over; those lines of trenches were taken, and once more fromeither side the guns began to boom.

"War again," said Oro, "clean, honest war, such as the god I call Fatedecrees for man. I have seen enough. Now I would visit those whom youcall Turks. I understand they have another worship and perhaps they arenobler than these Christians."

We came to a hilly country which I recognised as Armenia, for once Itravelled there, and stopped on an seashore. Here were the Turks inthousands. They were engaged in driving before them mobs of men, womenand children in countless numbers. On and on they drove them tillthey reached the shore. There they massacred them with bayonets, withbullets, or by drowning. I remember a dreadful scene of a poor womanstanding up to her waist in the water. Three children were clinging toher--but I cannot go on, really I cannot go on. In the end a Turk wadedout and bayoneted her while she strove to protect the last living childwith her poor body whence it sprang.

"These, I understand," said Oro, pointing to the Turkish soldiers,"worship a prophet who they say is the voice of God."

"Yes," I answered, "and therefore they massacre these who are Christiansbecause they worship God without a prophet."

"And what do the Christians massacre each other for?"

"Power and the wealth and territories that are power. That is, the Kingof the Germans wishes to rule the world, but the other Nations do notdesire his dominion. Therefore they fight for Liberty and Justice."

"As it was, so it is and shall be," remarked Oro, "only with thisdifference. In the old world some were wise, but here--" and he stopped,his eyes fixed upon the Armenian woman struggling in her death agonywhile the murderer drowned her child, then added: "Let us go."

Our road ran across the sea. On it we saw a ship so large that itattracted Oro's attention, and for once he expressed astonishment.

"In my day," he said, "we had no vessels of this greatness in the world.I wish to look upon it."

We landed on the deck of the ship, or rather the floating palace, andexamined her. She carried many passengers, some English, some American,and I pointed out to Oro the differences between the two peoples. Thesewere not, he remarked, very wide except that the American women woremore jewels, also that some of the American men, to whom we listenedas they conversed, spoke of the greatness of their country, whereasthe Englishmen, if they said anything concerning it, belittled theircountry.

Presently, on the surface of the sea at a little distance appearedsomething strange, a small and ominous object like a can on the top of apole. A voice cried out "Submarine!" and everyone near rushed to look.

"If those Germans try any of their monkey tricks on us, I guess theUnited States will give them hell," said another voice near by.

Then from the direction of the pole with the tin can on the top ofit, came something which caused a disturbance in the smooth water andbubbles to rise in its wake.

"A torpedo!" cried some.

"Shut your mouth," said the voice. "Who dare torpedo a vessel full ofthe citizens of the United States?"

Next came a booming crash and a flood of upthrown water, in the wash ofwhich that speaker was carried away into the deep. Then horror! horror!horror! indescribable, as the mighty vessel went wallowing to her doom.Boats launched; boats overset; boats dragged under by her rush throughthe water which could not be stayed. Maddened men and women runningto and fro, their eyes starting from their heads, clasping children,fastening lifebelts over their costly gowns, or appearing from theircabins, their hands filled with jewels that they sought to save. Orderscried from high places by stern-faced officers doing their duty to thelast. And a little way off that thin pole with a tin can on the top ofit watching its work.

Then the plunge of the enormous ship into the deep, its huge screwsstill whirling in the air and the boom of the bursting boilers. Lastlyeverything gone save a few boats floating on the quiet sea and aroundthem dots that were the heads of struggling human beings.

"Let us go home," said Oro. "I grow tired of this war of your Christianpeoples. It is no better than that of the barbarian nations of the earlyworld. Indeed it is worse, since then we worshipped Fate and but a fewof us had wisdom. Now you all claim wisdom and declare that you worshipa God of Mercy."

With these words still ringing in my ears I woke up upon the Island ofOrofena, filled with terror at the horrible possibilities of nightmare.

What else could it be? There was the brown and ancient cone of theextinct volcano. There were the tall palms of the main island and thelake glittering in the sunlight between. There was Bastin conductinga kind of Sunday school of Orofenans upon the point of the Rock ofOfferings, as now he had obtained the leave of Oro to do. There was themouth of the cave, and issuing from it Bickley, who by help of one ofthe hurricane lamps had been making an examination of the buriedremains of what he supposed to be flying machines. Without doubt it wasnightmare, and I would say nothing to them about it for fear of mockery.

Yet two nights later Oro came again and after the usual preliminaries,said:

"Humphrey, this night we will visit that mighty American nation, ofwhich you have told me so much, and the other Neutral Countries."

[At this point there is a gap in Mr. Arbuthnot's M.S., so Oro'sreflections on the Neutral Nations, if any, remain unrecorded. Itcontinues:]

On our homeward way we passed over Australia, making a detour to do so.Of the cities Oro took no account. He said that they were too large andtoo many, but the country interested him so much that I gathered he musthave given great attention to agriculture at some time in the past. Hepointed out to me that the climate was fine, and the land so fertilethat with a proper system of irrigation and water-storage it couldsupport tens of millions and feed not only itself but a great part ofthe outlying world.

"But where are the people?" he asked. "Outside of those huge hives," andhe indicated the great cities, "I see few of them, though doubtless someof the men are fighting in this war. Well, in the days to come this mustbe remedied."

Over New Zealand, which he found beautiful, he shook his head for thesame reason.

On another night we visited the East. China with its teeming millionsinterested him extremely, partly because he declared these to be thedescendants of one of the barbarian nations of his own day. He madea remark to the effect that this race had always possessed pointsand capacities, and that he thought that with proper government andinstruction their Chinese offspring would be of use in a regeneratedworld.

For the Japanese and all that they had done in two short generations, hewent so far as to express real admiration, a very rare thing with Oro,who was by nature critical. I could see that mentally he put a whitemark against their name.

India, too, really moved him. He admired the ancient buildings at Delhiand Agra, especially the Taj Mahal. This, he declared, was reminiscentof some of the palaces that stood at Pani, the capital city of the Sonsof Wisdom, before it was destroyed by the Barbarians.

The English administration of the country also attracted a word ofpraise from him, I think because of its rather autocratic character.Indeed he went so far as to declare that, with certain modifications,it should be continued in the future, and even to intimate that he wouldbear the matter in mind. Democratic forms of government had no charmsfor Oro.

Amongst other places, we stopped at Benares and watched the funeralrites in progress upon the banks of the holy Ganges. The bearers of thedead brought the body of a woman wrapped in a red shroud that glitteredwith tinsel ornaments. Coming forward at a run and chanting as they ran,they placed it upon the stones for a little while, then lifted it upagain and carried it down the steps to the edge of the river. Here theytook water and poured it over the corpse, thus performing the rite ofthe baptism of death. This done, they placed its feet in the waterand left it looking very small and lonely. Presently appeared a tall,white-draped woman who took her stand by the body and wailed. It was thedead one's mother. Again the bearers approached and laid the corpse uponthe flaming pyre.

"These rites are ancient," said Oro. "When I ruled as King of the Worldthey were practised in this very place. It is pleasant to me to findsomething that has survived the changefulness of Time. Let it continuetill the end."

Here I will cease. These experiences that I have recorded are butsamples, for also we visited Russia and other countries. Perhaps, too,they were not experiences at all, but only dreams consequent on my stateof health. I cannot say for certain, though much of what I seemed tosee fitted in very well indeed with what I learned in after days, andcertainly at the time they appeared as real as though Oro and I hadstood together upon those various shores.

Chapter XXI - Love's Eternal Altar

Now of all these happenings I said very little to Bastin and Bickley.The former would not have understood them, and the latter attributedwhat I did tell him to mental delusions following on my illness. To YvaI did speak about them, however, imploring her to explain their originand to tell me whether or not they were but visions of the night.

She listened to me, as I thought not without anxiety, from which Igathered that she too feared for my mind. It was not so, however, forshe said:

"I am glad, O Humphrey, that your journeyings are done, since suchthings are not without danger. He who travels far out of the body maychance to return there no more."

"But were they journeyings, or dreams?" I asked.

She evaded a direct answer.

"I cannot say. My father has great powers. I do not know them all. It ispossible that they were neither journeyings nor dreams. Mayhap he usedyou as the sorcerers in the old days used the magic glass, and afterhe had put his spell upon you, read in your mind that which passeselsewhere."

I understood her to refer to what we call clairvoyance, when the personentranced reveals secret or distant things to the entrancer. This isa more or less established phenomenon and much less marvelous than theactual transportation of the spiritual self through space. Only I neverknew of an instance in which the seer, on awaking, remembered the thingsthat he had seen, as in my case. There, however, the matter rested, orrests, for I could extract nothing more from Yva, who appeared to me tohave her orders on the point.

Nor did Oro ever talk of what I had seemed to see in his company,although he continued from time to time to visit me at night. But nowour conversation was of other matters. As Bastin had discovered, by someextraordinary gift he had soon learned how to read the English language,although he never spoke a single word in that tongue. Among ourreference books that we brought from the yacht, was a thin paper editionof the Encyclopedia Britannica, which he borrowed when he discoveredthat it contained compressed information about the various countries ofthe world, also concerning almost every other matter. My belief isthat within a month or so that marvelous old man not only read thisstupendous work from end to end, but that he remembered everything ofinterest which it contained. At least, he would appear and show thefullest acquaintance with certain subjects or places, seeking furtherlight from me concerning them, which very often I was quite unable togive him.

An accident, as it chanced, whereof I need not set out the details,caused me to discover that his remarkable knowledge was limited. Thus,at one period, he knew little about any modern topic which began with aletter later in the alphabet than, let us say, C. A few days afterwardshe was acquainted with those up to F, or G; and so on till he reached Z,when he appeared to me to know everything, and returned the book. Now,indeed, he was a monument of learning, very ancient and very new, andwith some Encyclopedia-garnered facts or deductions of what had happenedbetween.

Moreover, he took to astronomical research, for more than once we sawhim standing on the rock at night studying the heavens. On one of theseoccasions, when he had the two metal plates, of which I have spoken, inhis hands, I ventured to approach and ask what he did. He replied thathe was checking his calculations that he found to be quite correct,an exact period of two hundred and fifty thousand years having goneby since he laid himself down to sleep. Then, by aid of the plates,he pointed out to me certain alterations that had happened during thatperiod in the positions of some of the stars.

For instance, he showed me one which, by help of my glasses, Irecognised as Sirius, and remarked that two hundred and fifty thousandyears ago it was further away and much smaller. Now it was precisely inthe place and of the size which he had predicted, and he pointed to iton his prophetic map. Again he indicated a star that the night-glasstold me was Capella, which, I suppose, is one of the most brilliantstars in the sky, and showed me that on the map he had made two hundredand fifty thousand years ago, it did not exist, as then it was too farnorth to appear thereon. Still, he observed, the passage of this vastperiod of time had produced but little effect upon the face of theheavens. To the human eye the majority of the stars had not moved sovery far.

"And yet they travel fast, O Humphrey," he said. "Consider then howgreat is their journey between the time they gather and that day when,worn-out, once more they melt to vaporous gas. You think me long-livedwho compared to them exist but a tiny fraction of a second, nearly allof which I have been doomed to pass in sleep. And, Humphrey, I desireto live--I, who have great plans and would shake the world. But myday draws in; a few brief centuries and I shall be gone, and--whither,whither?"

"If you lived as long as those stars, the end would be the same, Oro."

"Yes, but the life of the stars is very long, millions of millionsof years; also, after death, they reform, as other stars. But shall Ireform as another Oro? With all my wisdom, I do not know. It is knownto Fate only--Fate-the master of worlds and men and the gods theyworship--Fate, whom it may please to spill my gathered knowledge, to belost in the sands of Time."

"It seems that you are great," I said, "and have lived long and learnedmuch. Yet the end of it is that your lot is neither worse nor betterthan that of us creatures of an hour."

"It is so, Humphrey. Presently you will die, and within a few centuriesI shall die also and be as you are. You believe that you will live againeternally. It may be so because you do believe, since Fate allows Faithto shape the future, if only for a little while. But in me Wisdom hasdestroyed Faith and therefore I must die. Even if I sleep again fortens of thousands of years, what will it help me, seeing that sleep isunconsciousness and that I shall only wake again to die, since sleepdoes not restore to us our youth?"

He ceased, and walked up and down the rock with a troubled mien. Then hestood in front of me and said in a triumphant voice:

"At least, while I live I will rule, and then let come what may come. Iknow that you do not believe, and the first victory of this new day ofmine shall be to make you believe. I have great powers and you shallsee them at work, and afterwards, if things go right, rule with me for alittle while, perhaps, as the first of my subjects. Hearken now; in onesmall matter my calculations, made so long ago, have gone wrong. Theyshowed me that at this time a day of earthquakes, such as those thatagain and again have rocked and split the world, would recur. But nowit seems that there is an error, a tiny error of eleven hundred years,which must go by before those earthquakes come."

"Are you sure," I suggested humbly, "that there is not also an error inthose star-maps you hold?"

"I am sure, Humphrey. Some day, who knows? You may return to your worldof modern men who, I gather, have knowledge of the great science ofastronomy. Take now these maps with which I have done, and submit themto the most learned of those men, and let them tell you whether I wasright or wrong in what I wrote upon this metal two hundred and fiftythousand years ago. Whatever else is false, at least the stars in theirmotions can never die."

Then he handed me the maps and was gone. I have them today, and if everthis book is published, they will appear with it, that those who arequalified may judge of them and of the truth or otherwise of Oro'swords.

From that night forward for quite a long time I saw Oro no more. Norindeed did any of us, since for some reason of his own he forbade us tovisit the under ground city of Nyo. Oddly enough, however, he commandedYva to bring down the spaniel, Tommy, to be with him from time to time.When I asked her why, she said it was because he was lonely anddesired the dog's companionship. It seemed to us very strange that thissuper-man, who had the wisdom of ten Solomons gathered in one within hisbreast, should yet desire the company of a little dog. What then was theworth of learning and long life, or, indeed, of anything? Well, Solomonhimself asked the question ages since, and could give no answer savethat all is vanity.

I noted about this time that Yva began to grow very sad and troubled;indeed, looking at her suddenly on two or three occasions, I saw thather beautiful eyes were aswim with tears. Also, I noted that always asshe grew sadder she became, in a sense, more human. In the beginning shewas, as it were, far away. One could never forget that she was thechild of some alien race whose eyes had looked upon the world when, bycomparison, humanity was young; at times, indeed, she might have beenthe denizen of another planet, strayed to earth. Although she neverflaunted it, one felt that her simplest word hid secret wisdom; thatto her books were open in which we could not read. Moreover, as I havesaid, occasionally power flamed out of her, power that was beyond ourken and understanding.

Yet with all this there was nothing elfish about her, nothinguncanny. She was always kind, and, as we could feel, innately good andgentle-hearted, just a woman made half-divine by gifts and experiencethat others lack. She did not even make use of her wondrous beauty tomadden men, as she might well have done had she been so minded. It istrue that both Bastin and Bickley fell in love with her, but that wasonly because all with whom she had to do must love her, and then, whenshe told them that it might not be, it was in such a fashion that nosoreness was left behind. They went on loving her, that was all, but asmen love their sisters or their daughters; as we conceive that they maylove in that land where there is no marrying or giving in marriage.

But now, in her sadness, she drew ever nearer to us, and especially tomyself, more in tune with our age and thought. In truth, save for herroyal and glittering loveliness in which there was some quality whichproclaimed her of another blood, and for that reserve of hidden powerwhich at times would look out of her eyes or break through her words,she might in most ways have been some singularly gifted and beautifulmodern woman.

The time has come when I must speak of my relations with Yva and oftheir climax. As may have been guessed, from the first I began to loveher. While the weeks went on that love grew and grew, until it utterlypossessed me, although for a certain reason connected with one dead, atfirst I fought against it. Yet it did not develop quite in the fashionthat might have been expected. There was no blazing up of passion'sfire; rather was there an ever-increasing glow of the holiest affection,till at last it became a lamp by which I must guide my feet through lifeand death. This love of mine seemed not of earth but from the stars. Asyet I had said nothing to her of it because in some way I felt that shedid not wish me to do so, felt also that she was well aware of all thatpassed within my heart, and desired, as it were, to give it time toripen there. Then one day there came a change, and though no glance ortouch of Yva's told me so, I knew that the bars were taken down and thatI might speak.

It was a night of full moon. All that afternoon she had been talking toBastin apart, I suppose about religion, for I saw that he had some booksin his hand from which he was expounding something to her in his slow,earnest way. Then she came and sat with us while we took our eveningmeal. I remember that mine consisted of some of the Life-water whichshe had brought with her and fruit, for, as I think I have said, I hadacquired her dislike to meat, also that she ate some plantains, throwingthe skins for Tommy to fetch and laughing at his play. When it was over,Bastin and Bickley went away together, whether by chance or design I donot know, and she said to me suddenly:

"Humphrey, you have often asked me about the city Pani, of which alittle portion of the ruins remains upon this island, the rest beingburied beneath the waters. If you wish I will show you where our royalpalace was before the barbarians destroyed it with their airships. Themoon is very bright, and by it we can see."

I nodded, for, knowing what she meant, somehow I could not answer her,and we began the ascent of the hill. She explained to me the plan of thepalace when we reached the ruins, showing me where her own apartmentshad been, and the rest. It was very strange to hear her quietly tellingof buildings which had stood and of things that had happened over twohundred and fifty thousand years before, much as any modern lady mightdo of a house that had been destroyed a month ago by an earthquake or aZeppelin bomb, while she described the details of a disaster which nowfrightened her no more. I think it was then that for the first time Ireally began to believe that in fact Yva had lived all those aeons sinceand been as she still appeared.

We passed from the palace to the ruins of the temple, through what,as she said, had been a pleasure-garden, pointing out where a certainavenue of rare palms had grown, down which once it was her habit to walkin the cool of the day. Or, rather, there were two terraced temples,one dedicated to Fate like that in the underground city of Nyo, and theother to Love. Of the temple to Fate she told me her father had been theHigh Priest, and of the temple to Love she was the High Priestess.

Then it was that I understood why she had brought me here.

She led the way to a marble block covered with worn-out carvings andalmost buried in the debris. This, she said, was the altar of offerings.I asked her what offerings, and she replied with a smile:

"Only wine, to signify the spirit of life, and flowers to symboliseits fragrance," and she laid her finger on a cup-like depression, stillapparent in the marble, into which the wine was poured.

Indeed, I gathered that there was nothing coarse or bacchanalian aboutthis worship of a prototype of Aphrodite; on the contrary, that it wasmore or less spiritual and ethereal. We sat down on the altar stone. Iwondered a little that she should have done so, but she read my thought,and answered:

"Sometimes we change our faiths, Humphrey, or perhaps they grow. Also,have I not told you that sacrifices were offered on this altar?" and shesighed and smiled.

I do not know which was the sweeter, the smile or the sigh.

We looked at the water glimmering in the crater beneath us on the edgeof which we sat. We looked at heaven above in which the great moonsailed royally. Then we looked into each other's eyes.

"I love you," I said.

"I know it," she answered gently. "You have loved me from the first,have you not? Even when I lay asleep in the coffin you began to love me,but until you dreamed a certain dream you would not admit it."

"Yva, what was the meaning of that dream?"

"I cannot say, Humphrey. But I tell you this. As you will learn in time,one spirit may be clothed in different garments of the flesh."

I did not understand her, but, in some strange way, her words brought tomy mind those that Natalie spoke at the last, and I answered:

"Yva, when my wife lay dying she bade me seek her elsewhere, forcertainly I should find her. Doubtless she meant beyond the shores ofdeath--or perhaps she also dreamed."

She bent her head, looking at me very strangely.

"Your wife, too, may have had the gift of dreams, Humphrey. As you dreamand I dream, so mayhap she dreamed. Of dreams, then, let us say no more,since I think that they have served their purpose, and all three of usunderstand."

Then I stretched out my arms, and next instant my head lay upon herperfumed breast. She lifted it and kissed me on the lips, saying:

"With this kiss again I give myself to you. But oh! Humphrey, do not asktoo much of the god of my people, Fate," and she looked me in the eyesand sighed.

"What do you mean?" I asked, trembling.

"Many, many things. Among them, that happiness is not for mortals, andremember that though my life began long ago, I am mortal as you are, andthat in eternity time makes no difference."

"And if so, Yva, what then? Do we meet but to part?"

"Who said it? Not I. Humphrey, I tell you this. Nor earth, nor heaven,nor hell have any bars through which love cannot burst its way towardsreunion and completeness. Only there must be love, manifested in manyshapes and at many times, but ever striving to its end, which is not ofthe flesh. Aye, love that has lost itself, love scorned, love defeated,love that seems false, love betrayed, love gone astray, love wanderingthrough the worlds, love asleep and living in its sleep, love awake andyet sleeping; all love that has in it the germ of life. It matters notwhat form love takes. If it be true I tell you that it will win itsway, and in the many that it has seemed to worship, still find the one,though perchance not here."

At her words a numb fear gripped my heart.

"Not here? Then where?" I said.

"Ask your dead wife, Humphrey. Ask the dumb stars. Ask the God youworship, for I cannot answer, save in one word--Somewhere! Man, be notafraid. Do you think that such as you and I can be lost in the achingabysms of space? I know but little, yet I tell you that we are itsrulers. I tell you that we, too, are gods, if only we can aspire andbelieve. For the doubting and timid there is naught. For those who seewith the eyes of the soul and stretch out their hands to grasp there isall. Even Bastin will tell you this."

"But," I said, "life is short. Those worlds are far away, and you arenear."

She became wonderful, mysterious.

"Near I am far," she said; "and far I am near, if only this love ofyours is strong enough to follow and to clasp. And, Humphrey, it needsstrength, for here I am afraid that it will bear little of such fruit asmen desire to pluck."

Again terror took hold of me, and I looked at her, for I did not knowwhat to say or ask.

"Listen," she went on. "Already my father has offered me to you inmarriage, has he not, but at a price which you do not understand?Believe me, it is one that you should never pay, since the rule of theworld can be too dearly bought by the slaughter of half the world. Andif you would pay it, I cannot."

"But this is madness!" I exclaimed. "Your father has no powers over ourearth."

"I would that I could think so, Humphrey. I tell you that he has powersand that it is his purpose to use them as he has done before. You, too,he would use, and me."

"And, if so, Yva, we are lords of ourselves. Let us take each otherwhile we may. Bastin is a priest."

"Lords of ourselves! Why, for ought I know, at this very moment Orowatches us in his thought and laughs. Only in death, Humphrey, shall wepass beyond his reach and become lords of ourselves."

"It is monstrous!" I cried. "There is the boat, let us fly away."

"What boat can bear us out of stretch of the arm of the old god of mypeople, Fate, whereof Oro is the high priest? Nay, here we must wait ourdoom."

"Doom," I said--"doom? What then is about to happen?"

"A terrible thing, as I think, Humphrey. Or, rather, it will nothappen."

"Why not, if it must?"

"Beloved," she whispered, "Bastin has expounded to me a new faithwhereof the master-word is Sacrifice. The terrible thing will not happenbecause of sacrifice! Ask me no more."

She mused a while, seated there in the moonlight upon the ancient altarof sacrifice, the veil she wore falling about her face and makingher mysterious. Then she threw it back, showing her lovely eyes andglittering hair, and laughed.

"We have still an earthly hour," she said; "therefore let us forget thefar, dead past and the eternities to come and be joyful in that hour.Now throw your arms about me and I will tell you strange stories of lostdays, and you shall look into my eyes and learn wisdom, and you shallkiss my lips and taste of bliss--you, who were and are and shallbe--you, the beloved of Yva from the beginning to the end of Time."

Chapter XXII - The Command

I think that both Bastin and Bickley, by instinct as it were, knew whathad passed between Yva and myself and that she had promised herself tome. They showed this by the way in which they avoided any mention ofher name. Also they began to talk of their own plans for the futureas matters in which I had no part. Thus I heard them discussing thepossibility of escape from the island whereof suddenly they seemed tohave grown weary, and whether by any means two men (two, not three)could manage to sail and steer the lifeboat that remained upon thewreck. In short, as in all such cases, the woman had come between; alsothe pressure of a common loss caused them to forget their differencesand to draw closer together. I who had succeeded where they both hadfailed, was, they seemed to think, out of their lives, so much that ourancient intimacy had ended.

This attitude hurt me, perhaps because in many respects the situationwas awkward. They had, it is true, taken their failures extremely well,still the fact remained that both of them had fallen in love with thewonderful creature, woman and yet more than woman, who had boundherself to me. How then could we go on living together, I in prospectivepossession of the object that all had desired, and they without thepale?

Moreover, they were jealous in another and quite a different fashionbecause they both loved me in their own ways and were convinced that Iwho had hitherto loved them, henceforward should have no affection leftto spare, since surely this Glittering Lady, this marvel of wisdom andphysical perfections would take it all. Of course they were in error,since even if I could have been so base and selfish, this was no conductthat Yva would have wished or even suffered. Still that was theirthought.

Mastering the situation I reflected a little while and then spokestraight out to them.

"My friends," I said, "as I see that you have guessed, Yva and I areaffianced to each other and love each other perfectly."

"Yes, Arbuthnot," said Bastin, "we saw that in your face, and in hersas she bade us good night before she went into the cave, and wecongratulate you and wish you every happiness."

"We wish you every happiness, old fellow," chimed in Bickley. Hepaused a while, then added, "But to be honest, I am not sure that Icongratulate you."

"Why not, Bickley?"

"Not for the reason that you may suspect, Arbuthnot, I mean not becauseyou have won where we have lost, as it was only to be expected that youwould do, but on account of something totally different. I told youa while ago and repetition is useless and painful. I need only addtherefore that since then my conviction has strengthened and I amsure, sorry as I am to say it, that in this matter you must prepare fordisappointment and calamity. That woman, if woman she really is, willnever be the wife of mortal man. Now be angry with me if you like, orlaugh as you have the right to do, seeing that like Bastin and yourself,I also asked her to marry me, but something makes me speak what Ibelieve to be the truth."

"Like Cassandra," I suggested.

"Yes, like Cassandra who was not a popular person." At first I wasinclined to resent Bickley's words--who would not have been in thecircumstances? Then of a sudden there rushed in upon my mind theconviction that he spoke the truth. In this world Yva was not for me orany man. Moreover she knew it, the knowledge peeped out of every wordshe spoke in our passionate love scene by the lake. She was aware, andsubconsciously I was aware, that we were plighting our troth, not fortime but for eternity. With time we had little left to do; not for longwould she wear the ring I gave her on that holy night.

Even Bastin, whose perceptions normally were not acute, felt that thesituation was strained and awkward and broke in with a curious air offorced satisfaction:

"It's uncommonly lucky for you, old boy, that you happen to havea clergyman in your party, as I shall be able to marry you in arespectable fashion. Of course I can't say that the Glittering Lady isas yet absolutely converted to our faith, but I am certain that shehas absorbed enough of its principles to justify me in uniting her inChristian wedlock."

"Yes," I answered, "she has absorbed its principles; she told me asmuch herself. Sacrifice, for instance," and as I spoke the word my eyesfilled with tears.

"Sacrifice!" broke in Bickley with an angry snort, for he needed a ventto his mental disturbance. "Rubbish. Why should every religion demandsacrifice as savages do? By it alone they stand condemned."

"Because as I think, sacrifice is the law of life, at least of all lifethat is worth the living," I answered sadly enough. "Anyhow I believeyou are right, Bickley, and that Bastin will not be troubled to marryus."

"You don't mean," broke in Bastin with a horrified air, "that youpropose to dispense--"

"No, Bastin, I don't mean that. What I mean is that it comes upon methat something will prevent this marriage. Sacrifice, perhaps, though inwhat shape I do not know. And now good night. I am tired."

That night in the chill dead hour before the dawn Oro came again. Iwoke up to see him seated by my bed, majestic, and, as it seemed to me,lambent, though this may have been my imagination.

"You take strange liberties with my daughter, Barbarian, or shetakes strange liberties with you, it does not matter which," he said,regarding me with his calm and terrible eyes.

"Why do you presume to call me Barbarian?" I asked, avoiding the mainissue.

"For this reason, Humphrey. All men are the same. They have the sameorgans, the same instincts, the same desires, which in essence arebut two, food and rebirth that Nature commands; though it is true thatmillions of years before I was born, as I have learned from the recordsof the Sons of Wisdom, it was said that they were half ape. Yet beingthe same there is between them a whole sea of difference, since somehave knowledge and others none, or little. Those who have none orlittle, among whom you must be numbered, are Barbarians. Those whohave much, among whom my daughter and I are the sole survivors, are theInstructed."

"There are nearly two thousand millions of living people in this world,"I said, "and you name all of them Barbarians?"

"All, Humphrey, excepting, of course, myself and my daughter who arenot known to be alive. You think that you have learned much, whereas intruth you are most ignorant. The commonest of the outer nations, when Idestroyed them, knew more than your wisest know today."

"You are mistaken, Oro; since then we have learned something of thesoul."

"Ah!" he exclaimed, "that interests me and perhaps it is true. Also, iftrue it is very important, as I have told you before--or was it Bastin?If a man has a soul, he lives, whereas even we Sons of Wisdom die, andin Death what is the use of Wisdom? Because you can believe, you havesouls and are therefore, perhaps, heirs to life, foolish and ignorant asyou are today. Therefore I admit you and Bastin to be my equals, thoughBickley, who like myself believes nothing, is but a common chemist anddoctor of disease."

"Then you bow to Faith, Oro?"

"Yes, and I think that my god Fate also bows to Faith. Perhaps, indeed,Faith shapes Fate, not Fate, Faith. But whence comes that faith whicheven I with all my learning cannot command? Why is it denied to me andgiven to you and Bastin?"

"Because as Bastin would tell you, it is a gift, though one that isnever granted to the proud and self-sufficient. Become humble as achild, Oro, and perchance you too may acquire faith."

"And how shall I become humble?"

"By putting away all dreams of power and its exercise, if such you have,and in repentance walking quietly to the Gates of Death," I replied.

"For you, Humphrey, who have little or none of these things, that may beeasy. But for me who have much, if not all, it is otherwise. You ask meto abandon the certain for the uncertain, the known for the unknown,and from a half-god communing with the stars, to become an earthwormcrawling in mud and lifting blind eyes towards the darkness ofeverlasting night."

"A god who must die is no god, half or whole, Oro; the earthworm thatlives on is greater than he."

"Mayhap. Yet while I endure I will be as a god, so that when nightcomes, if come it must, I shall have played my part and left my markupon this little world of ours. Have done!" he added with a burst ofimpatience. "What will you of my daughter?"

"What man has always willed of woman--herself, body and soul."

"Her soul perchance is yours, if she has one, but her body is mine togive or withhold. Yet it can be bought at a price," he added slowly.

"So she told me, Oro."

"I can guess what she told you. Did I not watch you yonder by thelake when you gave her a ring graved with the signs of Life andEverlastingness? The question is, will you pay the price?"

"Not so; the question is--what is the price?"

"This; to enter my service and henceforth do my will--without debate orcavil."

"For what reward, Oro?"

"Yva and the dominion of the earth while you shall live, neither morenor less."

"And what is your will?"

"That you shall learn in due course. On the second night from this Icommand the three of you to wait upon me at sundown in the buried hallsof Nyo. Till then you see no more of Yva, for I do not trust her. She,too, has powers, though as yet she does not use them, and perchanceshe would forget her oaths, and following some new star of love, for alittle while vanish with you out of my reach. Be in the sepulchre at thehour of sundown on the second day from this, all three of you, if youwould continue to live upon the earth. Afterwards you shall learn mywill and make your choice between Yva with majesty and her loss withdeath."

Then suddenly he was gone.

Next morning I told the others what had passed, and we talked the matterover. The trouble was, of course, that Bickley did not believe me. Hehad no faith in my alleged interviews with Oro, which he set down todelusions of a semi-mesmeric character. This was not strange, sinceit appeared that on the previous night he had watched the door ofmy sleeping-place until dawn broke, which it did long after Oro haddeparted, and he had not seen him either come or go, although the moonwas shining brightly.

When he told me this I could only answer that all the same he had beenthere as, if he could speak, Tommy would have been able to certify. Asit chanced the dog was sleeping with me and at the first sound of theapproach of someone, woke up and growled. Then recognising Oro, he wentto him, wagged his tail and curled himself up at his feet.

Bastin believed my story readily enough, saying that Oro was a peculiarperson who no doubt had ways of coming and going which we did notunderstand. His point was, however, that he did not in the least wish tovisit Nyo any more. The wonders of its underground palaces and templeshad no charms for him. Also he did not think he could do any good bygoing, since after "sucking him as dry as an orange" with reference toreligious matters "that old vampire-bat Oro had just thrown him awaylike the rind," and, he might add, "seemed no better for the juice hehad absorbed."

"I doubt," continued Bastin, "whether St. Paul himself could haveconverted Oro, even if he performed miracles before him. What is theuse of showing miracles to a man who could always work a bigger onehimself?"

In short, Bastin's one idea, and Bickley's also for the matter of that,was to get away to the main island and thence escape by means of theboat, or in some other fashion.

I pointed out that Oro had said we must obey at the peril of our lives;indeed that he had put it even more strongly, using words to the effectthat if we did not he would kill us.

"I'd take the risk," said Bickley, "since I believe that you dreamt itall, Arbuthnot. However, putting that aside, there is a natural reasonwhy you should wish to go, and for my own part, so do I in a way. I wantto see what that old fellow has up his extremely long sleeve, if thereis anything there at all."

"Well, if you ask me, Bickley," I answered, "I believe it is thedestruction of half the earth, or some little matter of that sort."

At this suggestion Bickley only snorted, but Bastin said cheerfully:

"I dare say. He is bad enough even for that. But as I am quite convincedthat it will never be allowed, his intentions do not trouble me."

I remarked that he seemed to have carried them out once before.

"Oh! you mean the Deluge. Well, no doubt there was a deluge, but I amsure that Oro had no more to do with it than you or I, as I think I havesaid already. Anyhow it is impossible to leave you to descend into thathole alone. I suggest, therefore, that we should go into the sepulchreat the time which you believe Oro appointed, and see what happens. Ifyou are not mistaken, the Glittering Lady will come there to fetch us,since it is quite certain that we cannot work the lift or whatever itis, alone. If you are mistaken we can just go back to bed as usual."

"Yes, that's the best plan," said Bickley, shortly, after which theconversation came to an end.

All that day and the next I watched and waited in vain for the comingof Yva, but no Yva appeared. I even went as far as the sepulchre, but itwas as empty as were the two crystal coffins, and after waiting a whileI returned. Although I did not say so to Bickley, to me it was evidentthat Oro, as he had said, was determined to cut off all communicationbetween us.

The second day drew to its close. Our simple preparations were complete.They consisted mainly in making ready our hurricane lamps and packingup a little food, enough to keep us for three or four days if necessary,together with some matches and a good supply of oil, since, as Bastinput it, he was determined not to be caught like the foolish virgins inthe parable.

"You see," he added, "one never knows when it might please that oldwretch to turn off the incandescent gas or electric light, or whateverit is he uses to illumine his family catacombs, and then it would beawkward if we had no oil."

"For the matter of that he might steal our lamps," suggested Bickley,"in which case we should be where Moses was when the light went out."

"I have considered that possibility," answered Bastin, "and therefore,although it is a dangerous weapon to carry loaded, I am determined totake my revolver. If necessary I shall consider myself quite justifiedin shooting him to save our lives and those of thousands of others."

At this we both laughed; somehow the idea of Bastin trying to shoot Orostruck us as intensely ludicrous. Yet that very thing was to happen.

It was a peculiarly beautiful sunset over the southern seas. To thewest the great flaming orb sank into the ocean, to the east appearedthe silver circle of the full moon. To my excited fancy they were likescales hanging from the hand of a materialised spirit of calm. Over thevolcano and the lake, over the island with its palm trees, over the seasbeyond, this calm brooded. Save for a few travelling birds the skywas empty; no cloud disturbed its peace; the world seemed steeped ininnocence and quiet.

All these things struck me, as I think they did the others, because bythe action of some simultaneous thought it came to our minds that veryprobably we were looking on them for the last time. It is all very wellto talk of the Unknown and the Infinite whereof we are assured we arethe heirs, but that does not make it any easier for us to part with theKnown and the Finite. The contemplation of the wonders of Eternity doesnot conceal the advantages of actual and existent Time. In short thereis no one of us, from a sainted archbishop down to a sinful suicide, whodoes not regret the necessity of farewell to the pleasant light and thekindly race of men wherewith we are acquainted.

For after all, who can be quite certain of the Beyond? It may besplendid, but it will probably be strange, and from strangeness, after acertain age, we shrink. We know that all things will be different there;that our human relationships will be utterly changed, that perhaps sexwhich shapes so many of them, will vanish to be replaced by somethingunknown, that ambitions will lose their hold of us, and that, at thebest, the mere loss of hopes and fears will leave us empty. So at leastwe think, who seek not variation but continuance, since the spirit mustdiffer from the body and that thought alarms our intelligence.

At least some of us think so; others, like Bickley, write downthe future as a black and endless night, which after all has itsconsolations since, as has been wisely suggested, perhaps oblivion isbetter than any memories. Others again, like Bastin, would say ofit with the Frenchman, plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose. Yetothers, like Oro, consider it as a realm of possibilities, probablyunpleasant and perhaps non-existent; just this and nothing more. Onlyone thing is certain, that no creature which has life desires to leapinto the fire and from the dross of doubts, to resolve the gold--or thelead--of certainty.

"It is time to be going," said Bastin. "In these skies the sun seems totumble down, not to set decently as it does in England, and if we waitany longer we shall be late for our appointment in the sepulchre. I amsorry because although I don't often notice scenery, everything looksrather beautiful this evening. That star, for instance, I think it iscalled Venus."

"And therefore one that Arbuthnot should admire," broke in Bickley,attempting to lighten matters with a joke. "But come on and let us berid of this fool's errand. Certainly the world is a lovely place afterall, and for my part I hope that we haven't seen the last of it," headded with a sigh.

"So do I," said Bastin, "though of course, Faith teaches us that thereare much better ones beyond. It is no use bothering about what they arelike, but I hope that the road to them doesn't run through the hole thatthe old reprobate, Oro, calls Nyo."

A few minutes later we started, each of us carrying his share of theimpedimenta. I think that Tommy was the only really cheerful memberof the party, for he skipped about and barked, running backwards andforwards into the mouth of the cave, as though to hurry our movements.

"Really," said Bastin, "it is quite unholy to see an animal going on inthat way when it knows that it is about to descend into the bowels ofthe earth. I suppose it must like them."

"Oh! no," commented Bickley, "it only likes what is in them--likeArbuthnot. Since that little beast came in contact with the Lady Yva, ithas never been happy out of her company."

"I think that is so," said Bastin. "At any rate I have noticed that ithas been moping for the last two days, as it always does when she isnot present. It even seems to like Oro who gives me the creeps, perhapsbecause he is her father. Dogs must be very charitable animals."

By now we were in the cave marching past the wrecks of the half-buriedflying-machines, which Bickley, as he remarked regretfully, had neverfound time thoroughly to examine. Indeed, to do so would have neededmore digging than we could do without proper instruments, since themachines were big and deeply entombed in dust.

We came to the sepulchre and entered.

"Well," said Bickley, seating himself on the edge of one of the coffinsand holding up his lamp to look about him, "this place seems fairlyempty. No one is keeping the assignation, Arbuthnot, although the sun iswell down."

As he spoke the words Yva stood before us. Whence she came we did notsee, for all our backs were turned at the moment of her arrival. Butthere she was, calm, beautiful, radiating light.

Chapter XXIII - In the Temple of Fate

Yva glanced at me, and in her eyes I read tenderness and solicitude,also something of inquiry. It seemed to me as though she were wonderingwhat I should do under circumstances that might, or would, arise, and insome secret fashion of which I was but half conscious, drawing an answerfrom my soul. Then she turned, and, smiling in her dazzling way, said:

"So, Bickley, as usual, you did not believe? Because you did not seehim, therefore the Lord Oro, my father, never spoke with Humphrey.As though the Lord Oro could not pass you without your knowledge, or,perchance, send thoughts clothed in his own shape to work his errand."

"How do you know that I did not believe Arbuthnot's story?" Bickleyasked in a rather cross voice and avoiding the direct issue. "Do youalso send thoughts to work your errands clothed in your own shape, LadyYva?"

"Alas! not so, though perhaps I could if I might. It is very simple,Bickley. Standing here, I heard you say that although the sun was welldown there was no one to meet you as Humphrey had expected, and fromthose words and your voice I guessed the rest."

"Your knowledge of the English language is improving fast, Lady Yva.Also, when I spoke, you were not here."

"At least I was very near, Bickley, and these walls are thinner than youthink," she answered, contemplating what seemed to be solid rock witheyes that were full of innocence. "Oh! friend," she went on suddenly,"I wonder what there is which will cause you to believe that you do notknow all; that there exist many things beyond the reach of your learningand imagination? Well, in a day or two, perhaps, even you will admit asmuch, and confess it to me--elsewhere," and she sighed.

"I am ready to confess now that much happens which I do not understandat present, because I have not the key to the trick," he replied.

Yva shook her head at him and smiled again. Then she motioned to all ofus to stand close to her, and, stooping, lifted Tommy in her arms. Nextmoment that marvel happened which I have described already, and we werewhirling downwards through space, to find ourselves in a very littletime standing safe in the caves of Nyo, breathless with the swiftness ofour descent. How and on what we descended neither I nor the others everlearned. It was and must remain one of the unexplained mysteries of ourgreat experience.

"Whither now, Yva?" I asked, staring about me at the radiant vastness.

"The Lord Oro would speak with you, Humphrey. Follow. And I pray you alldo not make him wrath, for his mood is not gentle."

So once more we proceeded down the empty streets of that undergroundabode which, except that it was better illuminated, reminded me of theGreek conception of Hades. We came to the sacred fountain over whichstood the guardian statue of Life, pouring from the cups she held thewaters of Good and Ill that mingled into one health-giving wine.

"Drink, all of you," she said; "for I think before the sun sets againupon the earth we shall need strength, every one of us."

So we drank, and she drank herself, and once more felt the blood godancing through our veins as though the draught had been some nectar ofthe gods. Then, having extinguished the lanterns which we still carried,for here they were needless, and we wished to save our oil, we followedher through the great doors into the vast hall of audience and advancedup it between the endless, empty seats. At its head, on the daisbeneath the arching shell, sat Oro on his throne. As before, he wore thejewelled cap and the gorgeous, flowing robes, while the table in frontof him was still strewn with sheets of metal on which he wrote with apen, or stylus, that glittered like a diamond or his own fierce eyes.Then he lifted his head and beckoned to us to ascend the dais.

"You are here. It is well," he said, which was all his greeting. Onlywhen Tommy ran up to him he bent down and patted the dog's head with hislong, thin hand, and, as he did so, his face softened. It was evident tome that Tommy was more welcome to him than were the rest of us.

There was a long silence while, one by one, he searched us with hispiercing glance. It rested on me, the last of the three of us, and fromme travelled to Yva.

"I wonder why I have sent for you?" he said at length, with a mirthlesslaugh. "I think it must be that I may convince Bickley, the sceptic,that there are powers which he does not understand, but that I have thestrength to move. Also, perhaps, that your lives may be spared for myown purposes in that which is about to happen. Hearken! My labours arefinished; my calculations are complete," and he pointed to the sheets ofmetal before him that were covered with cabalistic signs. "Tomorrow I amabout to do what once before I did and to plunge half the world in thedeeps of ocean and lift again from the depths that which has been buriedfor a quarter of a million years."

"Which half?" asked Bickley.

"That is my secret, Physician, and the answer to it lies written herein signs you cannot read. Certain countries will vanish, others will bespared. I say that it is my secret."

"Then, Oro, if you could do what you threaten, you would drown hundredsof millions of people."

"If I could do! If I could do!" he exclaimed, glaring at Bickley. "Well,tomorrow you shall see what I can do. Oh! why do I grow angry with thisfool? For the rest, yes, they must drown. What does it matter? Their endwill be swift; some few minutes of terror, that is all, and in one shortcentury every one of them would have been dead."

An expression of horror gathered on Bastin's face.

"Do you really mean to murder hundreds of millions of people?" he asked,in a thick, slow voice.

"I have said that I intend to send them to that heaven or that hell ofwhich you are so fond of talking, Preacher, somewhat more quicklythan otherwise they would have found their way thither. They havedisappointed me, they have failed; therefore, let them go and make roomfor others who will succeed."

"Then you are a greater assassin than any that the world has bred, orthan all of them put together. There is nobody as bad, even in the Bookof Revelation!" shouted Bastin, in a kind of fury. "Moreover, I am notlike Bickley. I know enough of you and your hellish powers to believethat what you plan, that you can do."

"I believe it also," sneered Oro. "But how comes it that the Great Onewhom you worship does not prevent the deed, if He exists, and it beevil?"

"He will prevent it!" raved Bastin. "Even now He commands me to preventit, and I obey!" Then, drawing the revolver from his pocket, he pointedit at Oro's breast, adding: "Swear not to commit this crime, or I willkill you!"

"So the man of peace would become a man of blood," mused Oro, "and killthat I may not kill for the good of the world? Why, what is the matterwith that toy of yours, Preacher?" and he pointed to the pistol.

Well might he ask, for as he spoke the revolver flew out of Bastin'shand. High into the air it flew, and as it went discharged itself, allthe six chambers of it, in rapid succession, while Bastin stood staringat his arm and hand which he seemed unable to withdraw.

"Do you still threaten me with that outstretched hand, Preacher?" mockedOro.

"I can't move it," said Bastin; "it seems turned to stone."

"Be thankful that you also are not turned to stone. But, because yourcourage pleases me, I will spare you, yes, and will advance you in myNew Kingdom. What shall you be? Controller of Religions, I think, sinceall the qualities that a high priest should have are yours--faith,fanaticism and folly."

"It is very strange," said Bastin, "but all of a sudden my arm and handare quite well again. I suppose it must have been 'pins and needles' orsomething of that sort which made me throw away the pistol and pull thetrigger when I didn't mean to do so."

Then he went to fetch that article which had fallen beyond the dais, andquite forgot his intention of executing Oro in the interest of testingits mechanism, which proved to be destroyed. To his proposed appointmenthe made no illusion. If he comprehended what was meant, which I doubt,he took it as a joke.

"Hearken all of you," said Oro, lifting his head suddenly, for whileBastin recovered the revolver he had been brooding. "The great thingwhich I shall do tomorrow must be witnessed by you because thereby onlycan you come to understand my powers. Also yonder where I bring it aboutin the bowels of the earth, you will be safer than elsewhere, since whenand perhaps before it happens, the whole world will heave and shake andtremble, and I know not what may chance, even in these caves. For thisreason also, do not forget to bring the little hound with you, sincehim least of all of you would I see come to harm, perhaps because once,hundreds of generations ago as you reckon time, I had a dog very like tohim. Your mother loved him much, Yva, and when she died, this dog diedalso. He lies embalmed with her on her coffin yonder in the temple, andyesterday I went to look at both of them. The beasts are wonderfullyalike, which shows the everlastingness of blood."

He paused a while, lost in thought, then continued: "After the deed isdone I'll speak with you and you shall choose, Strangers, whether youwill die your own masters, or live on to serve me. Now there is oneproblem that is left to me to solve--whether I can save a certainland--do not ask which it is, Humphrey, though I see the question inyour eyes--or must let it go with the rest. I only answer you thatI will do my best because you love it. So farewell for a while, and,Preacher, be advised by me and do not aim too high again."

"It doesn't matter where I aim," answered Bastin sturdily, "or whetherI hit or miss, since there is something much bigger than me waiting todeal with you. The countries that you think you are going to destroywill sleep quite as well tomorrow as they do tonight, Oro."

"Much better, I think, Preacher, since by then they will have leftsorrow and pain and wickedness and war far behind them."

"Where are we to go?" I asked.

"The Lady Yva will show you," he answered, waving his hand, and oncemore bent over his endless calculations.

Yva beckoned to us and we turned and followed her down the hall. She ledus to a street near the gateway of the temple and thence into one of thehouses. There was a portico to it leading to a court out of which openedrooms somewhat in the Pompeian fashion. We did not enter the rooms, forat the end of the court were a metal table and three couches also ofmetal, on which were spread rich-looking rugs. Whence these came I donot know and never asked, but I remember that they were very beautifuland soft as velvet.

"Here you may sleep," she said, "if sleep you can, and eat of the foodthat you have brought with you. Tomorrow early I will call you when itis time for us to start upon our journey into the bowels of the earth."

"I don't want to go any deeper than we are," said Bastin doubtfully.

"I think that none of us want to go, Bastin," she answered with a sigh."Yet go we must. I pray of you, anger the Lord Oro no more on this orany other matter. In your folly you tried to kill him, and as it chancedhe bore it well because he loves courage. But another time he may strikeback, and then, Bastin--"

"I am not afraid of him," he answered, "but I do not like tunnels.Still, perhaps it would be better to accompany you than to be left inthis place alone. Now I will unpack the food."

Yva turned to go.

"I must leave you," she said, "since my father needs my help. The matterhas to do with the Force that he would let loose tomorrow, and itsmeasurements; also with the preparation of the robes that we must wearlest it should harm us in its leap."

Something in her eyes told me that she wished me to follow her, andI did so. Outside the portico where we stood in the desolate, lightedstreet, she halted.

"If you are not afraid," she said, "meet me at midnight by the statue ofFate in the great temple, for I would speak with you, Humphrey, where,if anywhere, we may be alone."

"I will come, Yva."

"You know the road, and the gates are open, Humphrey."

Then she gave me her hand to kiss and glided away. I returned to theothers and we ate, somewhat sparingly, for we wished to save our food incase of need, and having drunk of the Life-water, were not hungry. Alsowe talked a little, but by common consent avoided the subject of themorrow and what it might bring forth.

We knew that terrible things were afoot, but lacking any knowledge ofwhat these might be, thought it useless to discuss them. Indeed wewere too depressed, so much so that even Bastin and Bickley ceased fromarguing. The latter was so overcome by the exhibition of Oro's powerswhen he caused the pistol to leap into the air and discharge itself,that he could not even pluck up courage to laugh at the failure ofBastin's efforts to do justice on the old Super-man, or rather toprevent him from attempting a colossal crime.

At length we lay down on the couches to rest, Bastin remarking that hewished he could turn off the light, also that he did not in the leastregret having tried to kill Oro. Sleep seemed to come to the othersquickly, but I could only doze, to wake up from time to time. Of this Iwas not sorry, since whenever I dropped off dreams seemed to pursue me.For the most part they were of my dead wife. She appeared to be tryingto console me for some loss, but the strange thing was that sometimesshe spoke with her own voice and sometimes with Yva's, and sometimeslooked at me with her own eyes and sometimes with those of Yva. Iremember nothing else about these dreams, which were very confused.

After one of them, the most vivid of all, I awoke and looked at mywatch. It was half-past eleven, almost time for me to be starting. Theother two seemed to be fast asleep. Presently I rose and crept down thecourt without waking them. Outside the portico, which by the way was acurious example of the survival of custom in architecture, since nonewas needed in that weatherless place, I turned to the right and followedthe wide street to the temple enclosure. Through the pillared courtsI went, my footsteps, although I walked as softly as I could, echoingloudly in that intense silence, through the great doors into the uttersolitude of the vast and perfect fane.

Words can not tell the loneliness of that place. It flowed over me likea sea and seemed to swallow up my being, so that even the wildest andmost dangerous beast would have been welcome as a companion. I was asterrified as a child that wakes to find itself deserted in the dark.Also an uncanny sense of terrors to come oppressed me, till I could havecried aloud if only to hear the sound of a mortal voice. Yonder wasthe grim statue of Fate, the Oracle of the Kings of the Sons of Wisdom,which was believed to bow its stony head in answer to their prayers. Iran to it, eager for its terrible shelter, for on either side of it werefigures of human beings. Even their cold marble was company of a sort,though alas! over all frowned Fate.

Let anyone imagine himself standing alone beneath the dome of St.Paul's; in the centre of that cathedral brilliant with mysterious light,and stretched all about it a London that had been dead and absolutelyunpeopled for tens of thousands of years. If he can do this he willgather some idea of my physical state. Let him add to his mind-picturea knowledge that on the following day something was to happen not unlikethe end of the world, as prognosticated by the Book of Revelation and bymost astronomers, and he will have some idea of my mental perturbations.Add to the mixture a most mystic yet very real love affair and anassignation before that symbol of the cold fate which seems to sway theuniverses down to the tiniest detail of individual lives, and he maybegin to understand what I, Humphrey Arbuthnot, experienced during myvigil in this sanctuary of a vanished race.

It seemed long before Yva came, but at last she did come. I caught sightof her far away beyond the temple gate, flitting through the unholybrightness of the pillared courts like a white moth at night and seemingquite as small. She approached; now she was as a ghost, and then drawingnear, changed into a living, breathing, lovely woman. I opened myarms, and with something like a sob she sank into them and we kissed asmortals do.

"I could not come more quickly," she said. "The Lord Oro needed me, andthose calculations were long and difficult. Also twice he must visit theplace whither we shall go tomorrow, and that took time."

"Then it is close at hand?" I said.

"Humphrey, be not foolish. Do you not remember, who have travelled withhim, that Oro can throw his soul afar and bring it back again laden withknowledge, as the feet of a bee are laden with golden dust? Well, hewent and went again, and I must wait. And then the robes and shields;they must be prepared by his arts and mine. Oh! ask not what they are,there is no time to tell, and it matters nothing. Some folk are wise andsome are foolish, but all which matters is that within them flows theblood of life and that life breeds love, and that love, as I believe,although Oro does not, breeds immortality. And if so, what is Time butas a grain of sand upon the shore?"

"This, Yva; it is ours, who can count on nothing else."

"Oh! Humphrey, if I thought that, no more wretched creature wouldbreathe tonight upon this great world."

"What do you mean?" I asked, growing fearful, more at her manner and herlook than at her words.

"Nothing, nothing, except that Time is so very short. A kiss, a touch,a little light and a little darkness, and it is gone. Ask my father Orowho has lived a thousand years and slept for tens of thousands, as Ihave, and he will say the same. It is against Time that he fights; hewho, believing in nothing beyond, will inherit nothing, as Bastinsays; he to whom Time has brought nothing save a passing, blood-stainedgreatness, and triumph ending in darkness and disaster, and hope thatwill surely suffer hope's eclipse, and power that must lay down itscoronet in dust."

"And what has it brought to you, Yva, beyond a fair body and a soul ofstrength?"

"It has brought a spirit, Humphrey. Between them the body and the soulhave bred a spirit, and in the fires of tribulation from that spirit hasbeen distilled the essence of eternal love. That is Time's gift to me,and therefore, although still he rules me here, I mock at Fate," and shewaved her hand with a gesture of defiance at the stern-faced, sexlesseffigy which sat above us, the sword across its knees.

"Look! Look!" she went on in a swelling voice of music, pointing to thestatues of the dotard and the beauteous woman. "They implore Fate, theyworship Fate. I do not implore, I do not worship or ask a sign as evenOro does and as did his forefathers. I rise above and triumph. As Fate,the god of my people, sets his foot upon the sun, so I set my foot uponFate, and thence, like a swimmer from a rock, leap into the waters ofImmortality."

I looked at her whose presence, as happened from time to time, had grownmajestic beyond that of woman; I studied her deep eyes which were fullof lights, not of this world, and I grew afraid.

"What do you mean?" I asked. "Yva, you talk like one who has finishedwith life."

"It passes," she answered quickly. "Life passes like breath fading froma mirror. So should all talk who breathe beneath the sun."

"Yes, Yva, but if you went and left me still breathing on that mockingglass--"

"If so, what of it? Will not your breath fade also and join mine whereall vapours go? Or if it were yours that faded and mine that remainedfor some few hours, is it not the same? I think, Humphrey, that alreadyyou 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 thattwo breaths may yet be one breath? How do you know that there is adifference between them?"

"You drive me mad, Yva. I cannot understand."

"Nor can I altogether, Humphrey. Why should I, seeing that I am nomore than woman, as you are no more than man? I would always haveyou remember, Humphrey, that I am no spirit or sorceress, but just awoman--like her you lost."

I looked at her doubtfully and answered:

"Women do not sleep for two hundred thousand years. Women do not takedream journeys to the stars. Women do not make the dead past live againbefore the watcher's eyes. Their hair does not glimmer in the dusk nordo their bodies gleam, nor have they such strength of soul or eyes sowonderful, or loveliness so great."

These words appeared to distress her who, as it seemed to me, was aboveall things anxious to prove herself woman and no more.

"All these qualities are nothing, Humphrey," she cried. "As for thebeauty, such as it is, it comes to me with my blood, and with it theglitter of my hair which is the heritage of those who for generationshave drunk of the Life-water. My mother was lovelier than I, as was hermother, or so I have heard, since only the fairest were the wives ofthe Kings of the Children of Wisdom. For the rest, such arts as I havespring not from magic, but from knowledge which your people will acquirein days to come, that is, if Oro spares them. Surely you above allshould know that I am only woman," she added very slowly and searchingmy face with her eyes.

"Why, Yva? During the little while that we have been together I haveseen 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." Sheglanced about her as though she were frightened lest someone shouldoverhear her words or read her thoughts. Then she stretched out herhands and drawing my head towards her, put her lips to my ear andwhispered:

"Because once you saw me die, as women often die--giving 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 inwhich you will find me, not knowing that you have found me. Good-bye fora 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 shouldhave fallen to the ground, had she not supported me with her strongarms.

"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 youyourself, awake or sleeping, though once, by the lake yonder, yousaid to me that when a certain one lay dying, she bade you seek herelsewhere, for certainly you would find her. Humphrey, I cannot say whotold 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 calledYva."

"The same as one who was called Natalie, Humphrey," she replied insolemn 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 earthfor ever. Of this, indeed, I am sure, for that knowledge was part of thesecret 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 aninstant, or so it seemed. Only the shell of the body remained preservedby mortal arts, and when the returning spirit and the light of life werepoured into it again, it awoke. But during this long death-sleep, thatspirit may have spoken through other lips and that light may have shonethrough 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 heldto be a phantasy."

"It was natural, Humphrey, that you should not believe. Hearken! In thistemple a while ago I showed you a picture of myself and of a man wholoved me and whom I loved, and of his death at Oro's hands. Did you noteanything 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 setislands of life; perhaps many of them. But I remember much who seem tohave left him but a very little while ago."

"When you awoke in your coffin and threw your arms about me, what didyou think, Yva?"

"I thought you were that man, Humphrey."

There was silence between us and in that silence the truth came home tome. Then there before the effigy of Fate and in the desolate, glowingtemple we plighted anew our troth made holy by a past that thus sowonderfully 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 thoughwith tears, "if it chances that we should be separated again for alittle while, you will not grieve over much?"

"Knowing all I should try not to grieve, Yva, seeing that in truth wenever can be parted. But do you mean that I shall die?"

"Being mortal either of us might seem to die, Humphrey," and she benther head as though to hide her face. "You know we go into dangers thisday."

"Does Oro really purpose to destroy much of the world and has he intruth the power, Yva?"

"He does so purpose and most certainly he has the power, unless--unlesssome other Power should stay his hand."

"What other power, Yva?"

"Oh! perhaps that which you worship, that which is called Love. The loveof 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 whoare very far from his thought tonight. Follow me. Swiftly."

She sped across the temple to where a chapel opened out of it, which wasfull of the statues of dead kings, for here was the entrance to theirburial vault. We reached it and hid behind the base of one of thesestatues. By standing to our full height, without being seen we stillcould 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 headvanced into the temple, which suggested a monarch surrounded by thepomp and panoply of a great court. He marched, his head held high, asthough heralds and pursuivants went in front of him, as though noblessurrounded him and guards or regiments followed after him. Let it beadmitted that he was a great figure in his gorgeous robes, with his longwhite beard, his hawk-like features, his tall shape and his glitteringeyes, which even at that distance I could see. Indeed once or twice Ithought that he glanced out of the corners of them towards the chapelwhere we were hid. But this I think was fancy. For as Yva said, histhoughts were set elsewhere.

He reached the statue of Fate and stood for a while contemplating it andthe suppliant figures on either side, as though he were waiting for hisinvisible court to arrange itself. Then he doffed his jewelled cap tothe 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 insupplication to this image of stone which he believed to be the homeof a spirit, thereby showing himself to be after all not so far removedfrom the savages whose idol Bastin had destroyed. More, in a clear andresonant voice which reached us even across that great space, he putup his prayer. It ran something as follows, for although I did notunderstand the language in which he spoke Yva translated it to me in awhisper:

"God of the Sons of Wisdom, God of the whole earth, only God to whommust bow every other Power and Dominion, to thee I, Oro the Great King,make prayer and offer sacrifice. Twenty times ten thousand years andmore have gone by since I, Oro, visited this, thy temple and kneltbefore this, thy living effigy, yet thou, ruler of the world, dostremember the prayer I made and the sacrifice I offered. The prayer wasfor triumph over my enemies and the sacrifice a promise of the lives ofhalf of those who in that day dwelt upon the earth. Thou heardest theprayer, thou didst bow thy head and accept the sacrifice. Yea, theprayer was granted and the sacrifice was made, and in it were countedthe number of my foes.

"Then I slept. Through countless generations I slept on and at my sidewas the one child of my body that was left to me. What chanced to myspirit and to hers during that sleep, thou knowest alone, but doubtlessthey went forth to work thy ends.

"At the appointed time which thou didst decree, I awoke again and foundin my house strangers from another land. In the company of one of thosewhose spirit I drew forth, I visited the peoples of the new earth,and found them even baser and more evil than those whom I had known.Therefore, since they cannot be bettered. I purpose to destroy themalso, and on their wreck to rebuild a glorious empire, such as was thatof the Sons of Wisdom at its prime.

"A sign! O Fate, ruler of the world, give me a sign that my desire shallbe fulfilled."

He paused, stretching out his arms and staring upwards. While he waitedI felt the solid rock on which I stood quiver and sway beneath my feetso that Yva and I clung to each other lest we should fall. This chancedalso. The shock of the earth tremor, for such without doubt it was,threw down the figures of the ancient man and the lovely woman whichknelt as though making prayers to Fate, and shook the marble sword fromoff its knees. As it fell Oro caught it by the hilt, and, rising, wavedit in triumph.

"I thank thee, God of my people from the beginning," he cried. "Thouhast given to me, thy last servant, thine own sword and I will use itwell. For these worshippers of thine who have fallen, thou shalt haveothers, yes, all those who dwell in the new world that is to be. Mydaughter and the man whom she has chosen to be the father of the kingsof the earth, and with him his companions, shall be the first of thehundreds of millions that are to follow, for they shall kiss thy feet orperish. Thou shalt set thy foot upon the necks of all other gods; thoushalt rule and thou alone, and, as of old, Oro be thy minister."

Still holding the sword, he flung himself down as though in an ecstasy,and was silent.

"I read the omen otherwise," whispered Yva. "The worshippers of Fate areoverthrown. His sword of power is fallen, but not into the hands thatclasped it, and he totters on his throne. A greater God asserts dominionof the world and this Fate is but his instrument."

Oro rose again.

"One prayer more," he cried. "Give me life, long life, that I mayexecute thy decrees. By word or gesture show me a sign that I shall besatisfied with life, a year for every year that I have lived, or twain!"

He waited, staring about him, but no token came; the idol did notspeak or bow its head, as Yva had told me it was wont to do in sign ofaccepted prayer, how, she knew not. Only I thought I heard the echo ofOro's cries run in a whisper of mockery round the soaring dome.

Once more Oro flung himself upon his knees and began to pray in averitable agony.

"God of my forefathers, God of my lost people, I will hide naught fromthee," he said. "I who fear nothing else, fear death. The priest-foolyonder with his new faith, has spoken blundering words of judgment anddamnation which, though I do not believe them, yet stick in my heartlike arrows. I will stamp out his faith, and with this ancient sword ofthine drive back the new gods into the darkness whence they came. Yetwhat if some water of Truth flows through the channel of his leadenlips, and what if because I have ruled and will rule as thou didstdecree, therefore, in some dim place of souls, I must bear these burdensof terror and of doom which I have bound upon the backs of others! Nay,it cannot be, for what power is there in all the universe that dares tomake a slave of Oro and to afflict him with stripes?

"Yet this can be and mayhap will be, that presently I lose my path inthe ways of everlasting darkness, and become strengthless and forgottenas are those who went before me, while my crown of Power shines onyounger brows. Alas! I grow old, since aeons of sleep have not renewedmy strength. My time is short and yet I would not die as mortals must.Oh! God of my people, whom I have served so well, save me from thedeath I dread. For I would not die. Give me a sign; give me the ancient,sacred sign!"

So he spoke, lifting his proud and splendid head and watching the statuewith wide, expectant eyes.

"Thou dost not answer," he cried again. "Wouldst thou desert me, Fate?Then beware lest I set up some new god against thee and hurl thee fromthine immemorial throne. While I live I still have powers, I who am thelast of thy worshippers, since it seems that my daughter turns her backon thee. I will get me to the sepulchre of the kings and take counselwith the dust of that wizard who first taught me wisdom. Even from thedepths of death he must come to my call clad in a mockery of life, andcomfort me. A little while yet I will wait, and if thou answer not, thenFate, soon I'll tear the sceptre from thy hand, and thou shalt join thecompany of dead gods." And throwing aside the sword, again Oro laiddown his head upon the ground and stretched out his arms in the lastabasement of supplication.

"Come," whispered Yva, "while there is yet time. Presently he will seekthis place to descend to the sepulchre, and if he learns that we haveread his heart and know him for a coward deserted of his outworn god,surely he will blot us out. Come, and be swift and silent."

We crept out of the chapel, Yva leading, and along the circle of thegreat dome till we reached the gates. Here I glanced back and perceivedthat Oro, looking unutterably small in that vastness, looking like adead man, still lay outstretched before the stern-faced, unansweringEffigy which, with all his wisdom, he believed to be living and divine.Perhaps once it was, but if so its star had set for ever, like those ofAmon, Jupiter and Baal, and he was its last worshipper.

Now we were safe, but still we sped on till we reached the portico ofour sleeping place. Then Yva turned and spoke.

"It is horrible," she said, "and my soul sickens. Oh, I thank theStrength which made it that I have no desire to rule the earth, and,being innocent of death, do not fear to die and cross his threshold."

"Yes, it is horrible," I answered. "Yet all men fear death."

"Not when they have found love, Humphrey, for that I think is his truename, and, with it written on his brow, he stands upon the neck of Fatewho is still my father's god."

"Then he is not yours, Yva?"

"Nay. Once it was so, but now I reject him; he is no longer mine. As Orothreatens, and perchance dare do in his rage, I have broken his chain,though in another fashion. Ask me no more; perhaps one day you willlearn the path I trod to freedom."

Then before I could speak, she went off:

"Rest now, for within a few hours I must come to lead you and yourcompanions to a terrible place. Yet whatever you may see or hear, benot afraid, Humphrey, for I think that Oro's god has no power over you,strong though he was, and that Oro's plans will fail, while I, who toohave knowledge, shall find strength to save the world."

Then of a sudden, once again she grew splendid, almost divine; no more awoman but as it were an angel. Some fire of pure purpose seemed to burnup in her and to shine out of her eyes. Yet she said little. Only thisindeed:

"To everyone, I think, there comes the moment of opportunity when choicemust be made between what is great and what is small, between self andits desires and the good of other wanderers in the way. This day thatmoment may draw near to you or me, and if so, surely we shall greet itwell. Such is Bastin's lesson, which I have striven to learn."

Then she flung her arms about me and kissed me on the brow as a mothermight, and was gone.

Strangely enough, perhaps because of my mental exhaustion, for what Ihad passed through seemed to overwhelm me so that I could no longer somuch as think with clearness, even after all that I have described Islept like a child and awoke refreshed and well.

I looked at my watch to find that it was now eight o'clock in themorning in this horrible place where there was neither morn, nor noon,nor night, but only an eternal brightness that came I knew not whence,and never learned.

I found that I was alone, since Bickley and Bastin had gone to fillour bottles with the Life-water. Presently they returned and we ate alittle; with that water to drink one did not need much food. It wasa somewhat silent meal, for our circumstances were a check on talk;moreover, I thought that the others looked at me rather oddly. Perhapsthey guessed something of my midnight visit to the temple, but if sothey thought it wisest to say nothing. Nor did I enlighten them.

Shortly after we had finished Yva appeared. She was wonderfully quietand gentle in her manner, calm also, and greeted all of us with muchsweetness. Of our experiences during the night she said no word to me,even when we were alone. One difference I noticed about her, however;that she was clothed in garments such as I had never seen her wearbefore. They were close fitting, save for a flowing cape, and made ofsome grey material, not unlike a coarse homespun or even asbestos cloth.Still they became her very well, and when I remarked upon them, all sheanswered was that part of our road would be rough. Even her feet wereshod with high buskins of this grey stuff.

Presently she touched Bastin on the shoulder and said that she wouldspeak with him apart. They went together into one of the chambers ofthat dwelling and there remained for perhaps the half of an hour. It wastowards the end of this time that in the intense silence I heard a crashfrom the direction of the temple, as though something heavy hadfallen to the rocky floor. Bickley also heard this sound. When the tworeappeared I noticed that though still quite calm, Yva looked radiant,and, if I may say so, even more human and womanly than I had ever seenher, while Bastin also seemed very happy.

"One has strange experiences in life, yes, very strange," he remarked,apparently addressing the air, which left me wondering to whatparticular experience he might refer. Well, I thought that I couldguess.

"Friends," said Yva, "it is time for us to be going and I am your guide.You will meet the Lord Oro at the end of your journey. I pray you tobring those lamps of yours with you, since all the road is not lightenedlike this place."

"I should like to ask," said Bickley, "whither we go and for whatobject, points on which up to the present we have had no definiteinformation."

"We go, friend Bickley, deep into the bowels of the world, far deeper, Ithink, than any mortal men have gone hitherto, that is, of your race."

"Then we shall perish of heat," said Bickley, "for with every thousandfeet the temperature rises many degrees."

"Not so. You will pass through a zone of heat, but so swiftly that ifyou hold your breath you will not suffer overmuch. Then you will come toa place where a great draught blows which will keep you cool, and thencetravel on to the end."

"Yes, but to what end, Lady Yva?"

"That you will see for yourselves, and with it other wondrous things."

Here some new idea seemed to strike her, and after a little hesitationshe added:

"Yet why should you go? Oro has commanded it, it is true, but I thinkthat at the last he will forget. It must be decided swiftly. There isyet time. I can place you in safety in the sepulchre of Sleep where youfound us. Thence cross to the main island and sail away quickly in yourboat out into the great sea, where I believe you will find succour. Knowthat after disobeying him, you must meet Oro no more lest it should bethe worse for you. If that be your will, let us start. What say you?"

She looked at me.

"I say, Yva, that I am willing to go if you come with us. Nototherwise."

"I say," said Bickley, "that I want to see all this supernatural rubbishthoroughly exploded, and that therefore I should prefer to go on withthe business."

"And I say," said Bastin, "that my most earnest desire is to be clearof the whole thing, which wearies and perplexes me more than I can tell.Only I am not going to run away, unless you think it desirable to doso too, Lady Yva. I want you to understand that I am not in the leastafraid of the Lord Oro, and do not for one moment believe that he willbe allowed to bring about disaster to the world, as I understand ishis wicked object. Therefore on the whole I am indifferent and quiteprepared to accept any decision at which the rest of you may arrive."

"Be it understood," said Yva with a little smile when Bastin hadfinished his sermonette, "that I must join my father in the bowels ofthe earth for a reason which will be made plain afterwards. Therefore,if you go we part, as I think to meet no more. Still my advice is thatyou should go." [*]

[ * It is fortunate that we did not accept Yva's offer. Had     we done so we should have found ourselves shut in, and     perished, as shall be told.--H. A. ]

To this our only answer was to attend to the lighting of our lamps andthe disposal of our small impedimenta, such as our tins of oil and waterbottles. Yva noted this and laughed outright.

"Courage did not die with the Sons of Wisdom," she said.

Then we set out, Yva walking ahead of us and Tommy frisking at her side.

Our road led us through the temple. As we passed the great gates Istarted, for there, in the centre of that glorious building, I perceiveda change. The statue of Fate was no more! It lay broken upon thepavement among those fragments of its two worshippers which I had seenshaken down some hours before.

"What does this mean?" I whispered to Yva. "I have felt no otherearthquake."

"I do not know," she answered, "or if I know I may not say. Yet learnthat no god can live on without a single worshipper, and, in a fashion,that idol was alive, though this you will not believe."

"How very remarkable," said Bastin, contemplating the ruin. "If I weresuperstitious, which I am not, I should say that this occurrence was anomen indicating the final fall of a false god. At any rate it is deadnow, and I wonder what caused it?"

"I felt an earth tremor last night," said Bickley, "though it is oddthat it should only have affected this particular statue. A thousandpities, for it was a wonderful work of art."

Then I remembered and reminded Bickley of the crash which we had heardwhile Yva and Bastin were absent on some secret business in the chamber.

Walking the length of the great church, if so it could be called, wecame to an apse at the head of it where, had it been Christian, thealtar would have stood. In this apse was a little open door throughwhich we passed. Beyond it lay a space of rough rock that looked asthough it had been partially prepared for the erection of buildings andthen abandoned. All this space was lighted, however, like the rest ofthe City of Nyo, and in the same mysterious way. Led by Yva, we threadedour path between the rough stones, following a steep downward slope.Thus we walked for perhaps half a mile, till at length we came to themouth of a huge pit that must, I imagine, have lain quite a thousandfeet below the level of the temple.

I looked over the edge of this pit and shrank back terrified. It seemedto be bottomless. Moreover, a great wind rushed up it with a roaringsound like to that of an angry sea. Or rather there were two winds,perhaps draughts would be a better term, if I may apply it to an airmovement of so fierce and terrible a nature. One of these rushed upthe pit, and one rushed down. Or it may have been that the up rushalternated with the down rush. Really it is impossible to say.

"What is this place?" I asked, clinging to the others and shrinking backin alarm from its sheer edge and bottomless depth, for that this wasenormous we could see by the shaft of light which flowed downwardsfarther than the eye could follow.

"It is a vent up and down which air passes from and to the centralhollows of the earth," Yva answered. "Doubtless in the beginning throughit travelled that mighty force which blew out these caves in the heatedrocks, as the craftsman blows out glass."

"I understand," said Bastin. "Just like one blows out a bubble on apipe, only on a larger scale. Well, it is very interesting, but I haveseen enough of it. Also I am afraid of being blown away."

"I fear that you must see more," answered Yva with a smile, "since weare about to descend this pit."

"Do you mean that we are to go down that hole, and if so, how? I don'tsee any lift, or moving staircase, or anything of that sort."

"Easily and safely enough, Bastin. See."

As she spoke a great flat rock of the size of a small room appeared,borne upwards, as I suppose, by the terrific draught which roared pastus on its upward course. When it reached the lip of the shaft, it hunga little while, then moved across and began to descend with suchincredible swiftness that in a few seconds it had vanished from view.

"Oh!" said Bastin, with his eyes almost starting out of his head,"that's the lift, is it? Well, I tell you at once I don't like the lookof the thing. It gives me the creeps. Suppose it tilted."

"It does not tilt," answered Yva, still smiling. "I tell you, Bastin,that there is naught to fear. Only yesterday, I rode this rock andreturned unharmed."

"That is all very well, Lady Yva, but you may know how to balance it;also when to get on and off."

"If you are afraid, Bastin, remain here until your companions return.They, I think, will make the journey."

Bickley and I intimated that we would, though to tell the truth, if lessfrank we were quite as alarmed as Bastin.

"No, I'll come too. I suppose one may as well die this way as any other,and if anything were to happen to them and I were left alone, it wouldbe worse still."

"Then be prepared," said Yva, "for presently this air-chariot of ourswill return. When it appears and hangs upon the edge, step on to it andthrow yourselves upon your faces and all will be well. At the foot ofthe shaft the motion lessens till it almost stops, and it is easy tospring, or even crawl to the firm earth."

Then she stooped down and lifted Tommy who was sniffing suspiciouslyat the edge of the pit, his long ears blown straight above his head,holding him beneath her left arm and under her cloak, that he might notsee and be frightened.

We waited a while in silence, perhaps for five or six minutes, amongthe most disagreeable, I think, that I ever passed. Then far down in thebrightness below appeared a black speck that seemed to grow in size asit rushed upwards.

"It comes," said Yva. "Prepare and do as I do. Do not spring, or run,lest you should go too far. Step gently on to the rock and to itscentre, and there lie down. Trust in me, all of you."

"There's nothing else to do," groaned Bastin.

The great stone appeared and, as before, hung at the edge of the pit.Yva stepped on to it quietly, as she did so, catching hold of my wristwith her disengaged hand. I followed her feeling very sick, and promptlysat down. Then came Bickley with the air of the virtuous hero ofa romance walking a pirate's plank, and also sat down. Only Bastinhesitated until the stone began to move away. Then with an ejaculationof "Here goes!" he jumped over the intervening crack of space and landedin the middle of us like a sack of coal. Had I not been seated really Ithink he would have knocked me off the rock. As it was, with one handhe gripped me by the beard and with the other grasped Yva's robe, ofneither of which would he leave go for quite a long time, although weforced him on to his face. The lantern which he held flew from his graspand descended the shaft on its own account.

"You silly fool!" exclaimed Bickley whose perturbation showed itself inanger. "There goes one of our lamps."

"Hang the lamp!" muttered the prostrate Bastin. "We shan't want it inHeaven, or the other place either."

Now the stone which had quivered a little beneath the impact of Bastin,steadied itself again and with a slow and majestic movement sailedto the other side of the gulf. There it felt the force of gravity, orperhaps the weight of the returning air pressed on it, which I do notknow. At any rate it began to fall, slowly at first, then more swiftly,and afterwards at an incredible pace, so that in a few seconds the mouthof the pit above us grew small and presently vanished quite away.I looked up at Yva who was standing composedly in the midst of ourprostrate shapes. She bent down and called in my ear:

"All is well. The heat begins, but it will not endure for long."

I nodded and glanced over the edge of the stone at Bastin's lanternwhich was sailing alongside of us, till presently we passed it. Bastinhad lit it before we started, I think in a moment of aberration, and itburned for quite a long while, showing like a star when the shaftgrew darker as it did by degrees, a circumstance that testifies to theexcellence of the make, which is one advertised not to go out in anywind. Not that we felt wind, or even draught, perhaps because we weretravelling with it.

Then we entered the heat zone. About this there was no doubt, for theperspiration burst out all over me and the burning air scorched mylungs. Also Tommy thrust his head from beneath the cloak with his tonguehanging out and his mouth wide open.

"Hold your breaths!" cried Yva, and we obeyed until we nearly burst. Atleast I did, but what happened to the others I do not know.

Fortunately it was soon over and the air began to grow cool again. Bynow we had travelled an enormous distance, it seemed to be miles onmiles, and I noticed that our terrific speed was slackening, also thatthe shaft grew more narrow, till at length there were only a few feetbetween the edge of the stone and its walls. The result of this, or soI supposed, was that the compressed air acted as a buffer, lessening ourmomentum, till at length the huge stone moved but very slowly.

"Be ready to follow me," cried Yva again, and we rose to our feet, thatis, Bickley and I did, but poor Bastin was semi-comatose. The stonestopped and Yva sprang from it to a rock platform level with which itlay. We followed, dragging Bastin between us. As we did so something hitme gently on the head. It was Bastin's lamp, which I seized.

"We are safe. Sit down and rest," said Yva, leading us a few paces away.

We obeyed and presently by the dim light saw the stone begin to stiragain, this time upwards. In another twenty seconds it was away on itsnever-ending journey.

"Does it always go on like that?" said Bastin, sitting up and staringafter it.

"Tens of thousands of years ago it was journeying thus, and tens ofthousands of years hence it will still be journeying, or so I think,"she replied. "Why not, since the strength of the draught never changesand there is nothing to wear it except the air?"

Somehow the vision of this huge stone, first loosed and set in motion byheaven knows what agency, travelling from aeon to aeon up and downthat shaft in obedience to some law I did not understand, impressed myimagination like a nightmare. Indeed I often dream of it to this day.

I looked about me. We were in some cavernous place that could be butdimly seen, for here the light that flowed down the shaft from theupper caves where it was mysteriously created, scarcely shone, and oftenindeed was entirely cut off, when the ever-journeying stone was in thenarrowest parts of the passage. I could see, however, that this cavernstretched away both to right and left of us, while I felt that fromthe left, as we sat facing the shaft, there drew down a strong blast offresh air which suggested that somewhere, however far away, it must openon to the upper world. For the rest its bottom and walls seemed to besmooth as though they had been planed in the past ages by the action ofcosmic forces. Bickley noticed this the first and pointed it out to me.We had little time to observe, however, for presently Yva said:

"If you are rested, friends, I pray you light those lamps of yours,since we must walk a while in darkness."

We did and started, still travelling downhill. Yva walked ahead with meand Tommy who seemed somewhat depressed and clung close to our heels.The other two followed, arguing strenuously about I know not what. Itwas their way of working off irritation and alarms.

I asked Yva what was about to happen, for a great fear oppressed me.

"I am not sure, Beloved," she answered in a sweet and gentle voice, "whodo not know all Oro's secrets, but as I think, great things. We are nowdeep in the bowels of the world, and presently, perhaps, you will seesome of its mighty forces whereof your ignorant races have no knowledge,doing their everlasting work."

"Then how is it that we can breathe here?" I asked. "Because this roadthat we are following connects with the upper air or used to do so,since once I followed it. It is a long road and the climb is steep,but at last it leads to the light of the blessed sun, nor are there anypitfalls in the path. Would that we might tread it together, Humphrey,"she added with passion, "and be rid of mysteries and the gloom, or thatlight which is worse than gloom."

"Why not?" I asked eagerly. "Why should we not turn and flee?"

"Who can flee from my father, the Lord Oro?" she replied. "He wouldsnare us before we had gone a mile. Moreover, if we fled, by tomorrowhalf the world must perish."

"And how can we save it by not flying, Yva?"

"I do not know, Humphrey, yet I think it will be saved, perchance bysacrifice. That is the keystone of your faith, is it not? Therefore ifit is asked of you to save the world, you will not shrink from it, willyou, Humphrey?"

"I hope not," I replied, without enthusiasm, I admit. Indeed it struckme that a business of this sort was better fitted to Bastin thanto myself, or at any rate to his profession. I think she guessed mythoughts, for by the light of the lamp I saw her smile in her dazzlingway. Then after a swift glance behind her, she turned and suddenlykissed me, as she did so calling down everlasting blessings on myhead and on my spirit. There was something very wonderful about thisbenediction of Yva's and it thrilled me through and through, so that toit I could make no answer.

Next moment it was too late to retreat, for our narrowing passage turnedand we found ourselves in a wondrous place. I call it wondrous becauseof it we could see neither the beginning nor the end, nor the roof, noraught else save the rock on which we walked, and the side or wall thatour hands touched. Nor was this because of darkness, since although itwas not illuminated like the upper caverns, light of a sort was present.It was a very strange light, consisting of brilliant and intermittentflashes, or globes of blue and lambent flame which seemed to leap fromnowhere into nowhere, or sometimes to hang poised in mid air.

"How odd they are," said the voice of Bastin behind me. "They remindme of those blue sparks which jump up from the wires of the tramways inLondon on a dark night. You know, don't you, Bickley? I mean when theconductor pulls round that long stick with an iron wheel on the top ofit."

"Nobody but you could have thought of such a comparison, Bastin,"answered Bickley. "Still, multiplied a thousandfold they are notunlike."

Nor indeed were they, except that each blue flash was as big as the fullmoon and in one place or another they were so continuous that one couldhave read a letter by their light. Also the effect of them was ghastlyand most unnatural, terrifying, too, since even their brilliance couldnot reveal the extent of that gigantic hollow in the bowels of theworld wherein they leapt to and fro like lightnings, or hung like huge,uncanny lanterns.

Chapter XXV - Sacrifice

"The air in this place must be charged with some form of electricity,but the odd thing is that it does not seem to harm us," said Bickleyin a matter-of-fact fashion as though he were determined not to beastonished.

"To me it looks more like marsh fires or St. Elmo lights, though howthese can be where there is no vapour, I do not know," I answered.

As I spoke a particularly large ball of flame fell from above. Itresembled a shooting star or a meteor more than anything else that Ihad ever seen, and made me wonder whether we were not perhaps standingbeneath some inky, unseen sky.

Next moment I forgot such speculations, for in its blue light, whichmade him terrible and ghastly, I perceived Oro standing in front of usclad in a long cloak.

"Dear me!" said Bastin, "he looks just like the devil, doesn't he, andnow I come to think of it, this isn't at all a bad imitation of hell."

"How do you know it is an imitation?" asked Bickley.

"Because whatever might be the case with you, Bickley, if it were, theLady Yva and I should not be here."

Even then I could not help smiling at this repartee, but the argumentwent no further for Oro held up his hand and Yva bent the knee ingreeting to him.

"So you have come, all of you," he said. "I thought that perhaps therewere one or two who would not find courage to ride the flying stone. Iam glad that it is not so, since otherwise he who had shown himself acoward should have had no share in the rule of that new world which isto be. Therefore I chose yonder road that it might test you."

"Then if you will be so good as to choose another for us to return by, Ishall be much obliged to you, Oro," said Bastin.

"How do you know that if I did it would not be more terrible, Preacher?How do you know indeed that this is not your last journey from whichthere is no return?"

"Of course I can't be sure of anything, Oro, but I think the questionis one which you might more appropriately put to yourself. Accordingto your own showing you are now extremely old and therefore your end islikely to come at any moment. Of course, however, if it did you wouldhave one more journey to make, but it wouldn't be polite for me to sayin what direction."

Oro heard, and his splendid, icy face was twisted with sudden rage.Remembering the scene in the temple where he had grovelled before hisgod, uttering agonised, unanswered prayers for added days, I understoodthe reason of his wrath. It was so great that I feared lest he shouldkill Bastin (who only a few hours before, be it remembered, had tried tokill him) then and there, as doubtless he could have done if he wished.Fortunately, if he felt it; the impulse passed.

"Miserable fool!" he said. "I warn you to keep a watch upon your words.Yesterday you would have slain me with your toy. Today you stab me withyour ill-omened tongue. Be fearful lest I silence it for ever."

"I am not in the least fearful, Oro, since I am sure that you can't hurtme at all any more than I could hurt you last night because, you see, itwasn't permitted. When the time comes for me to die, I shall go, but youwill have nothing to do with that. To tell the truth, I am very sorryfor you, as with all your greatness, your soul is of the earth, earthy,also sensual and devilish, as the Apostle said, and, I am afraid, verymalignant, and you will have a great deal to answer for shortly. Yourswon't be a happy deathbed, Oro, because, you see, you glory in your sinsand don't know what repentance means."

I must add that when I heard these words I was filled with the mostunbounded admiration for Bastin's fearless courage which enabled himthus to beard this super-tyrant in his den. So indeed were we all, for Iread it in Yva's face and heard Bickley mutter:

"Bravo! Splendid! After all there is something in faith!"

Even Oro appreciated it with his intellect, if not with his heart, forhe stared at the man and made no answer. In the language of the ring, hewas quite "knocked out" and, almost humbly, changed the subject.

"We have yet a little while," he said, "before that happens which I havedecreed. Come, Humphrey, that I may show you some of the marvels of thisbubble blown in the bowels of the world," and he motioned to us to pickup the lanterns.

Then he led us away from the wall of the cavern, if such it was, for adistance of perhaps six or seven hundred paces. Here suddenly we came toa great groove in the rocky floor, as broad as a very wide roadway, andmayhap four feet in depth. The bottom of this groove was polished andglittered; indeed it gave us the impression of being iron, or other orewhich had been welded together beneath the grinding of some immeasurableweight. Just at the spot where we struck the groove, it divided intotwo, for this reason.

In its centre the floor of iron, or whatever it may have been, rose, thefraction of an inch at first, but afterwards more sharply, and this ata spot where the groove had a somewhat steep downward dip which appearedto extend onwards I know not how far.

Following along this central rise for a great way, nearly a mile, Ishould think, we observed that it became ever more pronounced, till atlength it ended in a razor-edge cliff which stretched up higher thanwe could see, even by the light of the electrical discharges. Standingagainst the edge of this cliff, we perceived that at a distance from itthere were now two grooves of about equal width. One of these ran awayinto the darkness on our right as we faced the sharp edge, and at anever-widening angle, while the other, at a similar angle, ran into thedarkness to the left of the knife of cliff. That was all.

No, there were two more notable things. Neither of the grooves now laywithin hundreds of yards of the cliff, perhaps a quarter of a mile, forbe it remembered we had followed the rising rock between them. To put itquite clearly, it was exactly as though one line of rails had separatedinto two lines of rails, as often enough they do, and an observerstanding on high ground between could see them both vanishing intotunnels to the right and left, but far apart.

The second notable thing was that the right-hand groove, where first wesaw it at the point of separation, was not polished like the left-handgroove, although at some time or other it seemed to have been subjectedto the pressure of the same terrific weight which cut its fellow out ofthe bed of rock or iron, as the sharp wheels of a heavily laden wagonsink ruts into a roadway.

"What does it all mean, Lord Oro?" I asked when he had led us back tothe spot where the one groove began to be two grooves, that is, a mileor so away from the razor-edged cliff.

"This, Humphrey," he answered. "That which travels along yonder road,when it reaches this spot on which we stand, follows the left-hand pathwhich is made bright with its passage. Yet, could a giant at that momentof its touching this exact spot on which I lay my hand, thrust it withsufficient strength, it would leave the left-hand road and take theright-hand road."

"And if it did, what then; Lord Oro?"

"Then within an hour or so, when it had travelled far enough upon itsway, the balance of the earth would be changed, and great things wouldhappen in the world above, as once they happened in bygone days. Now doyou understand, Humphrey?"

"Good Heavens! Yes, I understand now," I answered. "But fortunatelythere is no such giant."

Oro broke into a mocking laugh and his grey old face lit up with afiendish exultation, as he cried:

"Fool! I, Oro, am that giant. Once in the dead days I turned the balanceof the world from the right-hand road which now is dull with disuse, tothe left-hand road which glitters so brightly to your eyes, and the faceof the earth was changed. Now again I will turn it from the left-handroad to the right-hand road in which for millions of years it was wontto run, and once more the face of the earth shall change, and those whoare left living upon the earth, or who in the course of ages shall cometo live upon the new earth, must bow down to Oro and take him and hisseed to be their gods and kings."

When I heard this I was overwhelmed and could not answer. Also Iremembered a certain confused picture which Yva had shown to us in theTemple of Nyo. But supported by his disbelief, Bickley asked:

"And how often does the balance of which you speak come this way, LordOro?"

"Once only in many years; the number is my secret, Bickley," he replied.

"Then there is every reason to hope that it will not trouble us,"remarked Bickley with a suspicion of mockery in his voice.

"Do you think so, you learned Bickley?" asked Oro. "If so, I do not.Unless my skill has failed me and my calculations have gone awry, thatTraveller of which I tell should presently be with us. Hearken now! Whatis that sound we hear?"

As he spoke there reached our ears the first, far-off murmurs ofa dreadful music. I cannot describe it in words because that isimpossible, but it was something like to the buzz of a thousandhumming-tops such as are loved by children because of their weird song.

"Back to the wall!" cried Oro triumphantly. "The time is short!"

So back we went, Oro pausing a while behind and overtaking us with long,determined strides. Yva led us, gliding at my side and, as I thought,now and again glanced at my face with a look that was half anxious andhalf pitiful. Also twice she stooped and patted Tommy.

We reached the wall, though not quite at the spot whence we had startedto examine the grooved roads. At least I think this was so, since nowfor the first time I observed a kind of little window in its rockyface. It stood about five feet from its floor level, and was perhaps teninches square, not more. In short, except for its shape it resembled aship's porthole rather than a window. Its substance appeared to be talc,or some such material, and inches thick, yet through it, after Orohad cast aside some sort of covering, came a glare like that of asearch-light. In fact it was a search-light so far as concerned one ofits purposes.

By this window or porthole lay a pile of cloaks, also four objects whichlooked like Zulu battle shields cut in some unknown metal or material.Very deftly, very quietly, Yva lifted these cloaks and wrapped one ofthem about each of us, and while she was thus employed I noticed thatthey were of a substance very similar to that of the gown she wore,which I have described, but harder. Next she gave one of the metal-likeshields to each of us, bidding us hold them in front of our bodies andheads, and only to look through certain slits in them in which wereeyepieces that appeared to be of the same horny stuff as the searchlightwindow. Further, she commanded us to stand in a row with our backsagainst the rock wall, at certain spots which she indicated with greatprecision, and whatever we saw or heard on no account to move.

So there we stood, Bickley next to me, and beyond him Bastin. Then Yvatook the fourth shield, as I noted a much larger one than ours, andplaced herself between me and the search-light or porthole. On the otherside of this was Oro who had no shield.

These arrangements took some minutes and during that time occupied allour attention. When they were completed, however, our curiosity and fearbegan to reassert themselves. I looked about me and perceived that Orohad his right hand upon what seemed to be a rough stone rod, in shapenot unlike that with which railway points are moved. He shouted to usto stand still and keep the shields over our faces. Then very gently hepressed upon the lever. The porthole sank the fraction of an inch, andinstantly there leapt from it a most terrific blaze of lightning, whichshot across the blackness in front and, as lightning does, revealedfar, far away another wall, or rather cliff, like that against which weleant.

"All works well," exclaimed Oro in a satisfied voice, lifting his handfrom the rod, "and the strength which I have stored will be more thanenough."

Meanwhile the humming noise came nearer and grew in volume.

"I say," said Bickley, "as you know, I have been sceptical, but I don'tlike this business. Oro, what are you going to do?"

"Sink half the world beneath the seas," said Oro, "and raise up thatwhich I drowned more than two thousand centuries ago. But as you do notbelieve that I have this power, Bickley, why do you ask such questions?"

"I believe that you have it, which was why I tried to shoot youyesterday," said Bastin. "For your soul's sake I beg you to desist froman attempt which I am sure will not succeed, but which will certainlyinvolve your eternal damnation, since the failure will be no fault ofyours."

Then I spoke also, saying:

"I implore you, Lord Oro, to let this business be. I do not know exactlyhow much or how little you can do, but I understand that your object isto slay men by millions in order to raise up another world of which youwill be the absolute king, as you were of some past empire that has beendestroyed, either through your agency or otherwise. No good can come ofsuch ambitions. Like Bastin, for your soul's sake I pray you to let thembe."

"What Humphrey says I repeat," said Yva. "My Father, although you knowit not, you seek great evil, and from these hopes you sow you willharvest nothing save a loss of which you do not dream. Moreover, yourplans will fail. Now I who am, like yourself, of the Children of Wisdom,have spoken, for the first and last time, and my words are true. I prayyou give them weight, my Father."

Oro heard, and grew furious.

"What!" he said. "Are you against me, every one, and my own daughteralso? I would lift you up, I would make you rulers of a new world; Iwould destroy your vile civilisations which I have studied with my eyes,that I may build better! To you, Humphrey, I would give my only childin marriage that from you may spring a divine race of kings! And yet youare against me and set up your puny scruples as a barrier across my pathof wisdom. Well, I tread them down, I go on my appointed way. But bewarehow you try to hold me back. If any one of you should attempt to comebetween me and my ends, know that I will destroy you all. Obey or die."

"Well, he has had his chance and he won't take it," said Bastin in thesilence that followed. "The man must go to the devil his own way andthere is nothing more to be said."

I say the silence, but it was no more silent. The distant humming grewto a roar, the roar to a hellish hurricane of sound which presentlydrowned all attempts at ordinary speech.

Then bellowing like ten millions of bulls, at length far away thereappeared something terrible. I can only describe its appearance as thatof an attenuated mountain on fire. When it drew nearer I perceived thatit was more like a ballet-dancer whirling round and round upon her toes,or rather all the ballet-dancers in the world rolled into one and thenmultiplied a million times in size. No, it was like a mushroom with twostalks, one above and one below, or a huge top with a point on which itspun, a swelling belly and another point above. But what a top! Itmust have been two thousand feet high, if it was an inch, and itscircumference who could measure?

On it came, dancing, swaying and spinning at a rate inconceivable, sothat it looked like a gigantic wheel of fire. Yet it was not fire thatclothed it but rather some phosphorescence, since from it came no heat.Yes, a phosphorescence arranged in bands of ghastly blue and lurid red,with streaks of other colours running up between, and a kind of wavingfringe of purple.

The fire-mountain thundered on with a voice like to that of avalanchesor of icebergs crashing from their parent glaciers to the sea. Itsterrific aspect was appalling, and its weight caused the solid rockto quiver like a leaf. Watching it, we felt as ants might feel at theadvent of the crack of doom, for its mere height and girth and sizeoverwhelmed us. We could not even speak. The last words I heard werefrom the mouth of Oro who screamed out:

"Behold the balance of the World, you miserable, doubting men, andbehold me change its path--turning it as the steersman turns a ship!"

Then he made certain signs to Yva, who in obedience to them approachedthe porthole or search-light to which she did something that I could notdistinguish. The effect was to make the beam of light much strongerand sharper, also to shift it on to the point or foot of the spinningmountain and, by an aiming of the lens from time to time, to keep itthere.

This went on for a while, since the dreadful thing did not travel fastnotwithstanding the frightful speed of its revolutions. I should doubtindeed if it advanced more quickly than a man could walk; at any rateso it seemed to us. But we had no means of judging its real rate ofprogress whereof we knew as little as we did of the course it followedin the bowels of the earth. Perhaps that was spiral, from the world'sdeep heart upwards, and this was the highest point it reached. Orperhaps it remained stationary, but still spinning, for scores orhundreds of years in some central powerhouse of its own, whence, inobedience to unknown laws, from time to time it made these terrificjourneys.

No one knows, unless perhaps Oro did, in which case he kept theinformation to himself, and no one will ever know. At any rate there itwas, travelling towards us on its giant butt, the peg of the top as itwere, which, hidden in a cloud of friction-born sparks that enveloped itlike the cup of a curving flower of fire, whirled round and round atan infinite speed. It was on this flaming flower that the search-lightplayed steadily, doubtless that Oro might mark and measure its monstrousprogress.

"He is going to try to send the thing down the right-hand path," Ishouted into Bickley's ear.

"Can't be done! Nothing can shift a travelling weight of tens ofmillions of tons one inch," Bickley roared back, trying to lookconfident.

Clearly, however, Yva thought that it could be done, for of a sudden shecast down her shield and, throwing herself upon her knees, stretched outher hands in supplication to her father. I understood, as did we all,that she was imploring him to abandon his hellish purpose. He glared ather and shook his head. Then, as she still went on praying, he struckher across the face with his hand and pushed her to her feet again. Myblood boiled as I saw it and I think I should have sprung at him, hadnot Bickley caught hold of me, shouting, "Don't, or he will kill her andus too."

Yva lifted her shield and returned to her station, and in the bluedischarges which now flashed almost continuously, and the phosphorescentglare of the advancing mountain, I saw that though her beautiful faceworked beneath the pain of the blow, her eyes remained serene andpurposeful. Even then I wondered--what was the purpose shining throughthem. Also I wondered if I was about to be called upon to make thatsacrifice of which she had spoken, and if so, how. Of one thing I wasdetermined--that if the call came it should not find me deaf. Yet allthe while I was horribly afraid.

At another sign from Oro, Yva did something more to the lens--again,being alongside of her, I could not see what it was. The beam of lightshifted and wandered till, far away, it fell exactly upon that spotwhere the rock began to rise into the ridge which separated the twogrooves or roads and ended in the razor-edged cliff. Moreover I observedthat Oro, who left it the last of us, had either placed something whiteto mark this first infinitesimal bulging of the floor of the groove, orhad smeared it with chalk or shining pigment. I observed also what Ihad not been able to see before, that a thin white line ran across thefloor, no doubt to give the precise direction of this painted rise ofrock, and that the glare of the search-light now lay exactly over thatline.

The monstrous, flaming gyroscope fashioned in Nature's workshop, forsuch without doubt it was, was drawing near, emitting as it camea tumult of sounds which, with the echoes that they caused, almostover-whelmed our senses. Poor little Tommy, already cowed, although hewas a bold-natured beast, broke down entirely, and I could see from hisopen mouth that he was howling with terror. He stared about him, thenran to Yva and pawed at her, evidently asking to be taken into her arms.She thrust him away, almost fiercely, and made signs to me to lift himup and hold him beneath my shield. This I did, reflecting sadly thatif I was to be sacrificed, Tommy must share my fate. I even thought ofpassing him on to Bickley, but had no time. Indeed I could not attracthis attention, for Bickley was staring with all his eyes at thenightmare-like spectacle which was in progress about us. Indeed nonightmare, no wild imagination of which the mind of man is capable,could rival the aspect of its stupendous facts.

Think of them! The unmeasured space of blackness threaded by thoseglobes of ghastly incandescence that now hung a while and now shotupwards, downwards, across, apparently without origin or end, like astream of meteors that had gone mad. Then the travelling mountain, twothousand feet in height, or more, with its enormous saucer-like rimpainted round with bands of lurid red and blue, and about its grindingfoot the tulip bloom of emitted flame. Then the fierce-faced Oro at hispost, his hand upon the rod, waiting, remorseless, to drown half of thisgreat world, with the lovely Yva standing calm-eyed like a saint in helland watching me above the edge of the shield which such a saint mightbear to turn aside the fiery darts of the wicked. And lastly we threemen flattened terror-stricken, against the wall.

Nightmare! Imagination! No, these pale before that scene which it wasgiven to our human eyes to witness.

And all the while, bending, bowing towards us--away from us--makingobeisance to the path in front as though in greeting, to the path behindas though in farewell; instinct with a horrible life, with a hideous andgigantic grace, that titanic Terror whirled onwards to the mark of fate.

At the moment nothing could persuade me that it was not alive and didnot know its awful mission. Visions flashed across my mind. I thoughtof the peoples of the world sleeping in their beds, or going about theirbusiness, or engaged even in the work of war. I thought of the shipsupon the seas steaming steadily towards their far-off ports. Then Ithought of what presently might happen to them, of the tremors followedby convulsions, of the sudden crashing down of cities, such as we hadseen in the picture Yva showed us in the Temple, of the inflow of thewaters of the deep piled up in mighty waves, of the woe and desolationas of the end of the world, and of the quiet, following death. SoI thought and in my heart prayed to the great Arch-Architect of theUniverse to stretch out His Arm to avert this fearsome ruin of Hishandiwork.

Oro glared, his thin fingers tightened their grip upon the rod, his hairand long beard seemed to bristle with furious and delighted excitement.The purple-fringed rim of the Monster had long overshadowed the whitedpatch of rock; its grinding foot was scarce ten yards away. Oro mademore signs to Yva who, beneath the shelter of her shield, again bentdown and did something that I could not see. Then, as though her partwere played, she rose, drew the grey hood of her cloak all about herface so that her eyes alone remained visible, took one step towards meand in the broken English we had taught her, called into my ear.

"Humphrey, God you bless! Humphrey, we meet soon. Forget not me!"

She stepped back again before I could attempt to answer, and nextinstant with a hideous, concentrated effort, Oro bending himself double,thrust upon the rod, as I could see from his open mouth, shouting whilehe thrust.

At the same moment, with a swift spring, Yva leapt immediately infront of the lens or window, so that the metallic shield with which shecovered herself pressed against its substance.

Simultaneously Oro flung up his arms as though in horror.

Too late! The shutter fell and from behind it there sprang out a rush ofliving flame. It struck on Yva's shield and expanded to right and left.The insulated shield and garments that she wore seemed to resist it.For a fraction of time she stood there like a glowing angel, wrapped infire.

Then she was swept outwards and upwards and at a little distancedissolved like a ghost and vanished from our sight.

Yva was ashes! Yva was gone! The sacrifice was consummated!

And not in vain! Not in vain! On her poor breast she had received thefull blast of that hellish lightning flash. Yet whilst destroying, itturned away from her, seeking the free paths of the air. So it cameabout that its obstructed strength struck the foot of the travellinggyroscope, diffused and did not suffice to thrust it that one necessaryinch on which depended the fate of half the world, or missing italtogether, passed away on either side. Even so the huge, gleamingmountain rocked and trembled. Once, twice, thrice, it bowed itselftowards us as though in majestic homage to greatness passed away. For asecond, too, its course was checked, and at the check the earth quakedand trembled. Yes, then the world shook, and the blue globes of firewent out, while I was thrown to the ground.

When they returned again, the flaming monster was once more sailingmajestically upon its way and down the accustomed left-hand path!

Indeed the sacrifice was not in vain. The world shook--but Yva had savedthe world!

Chapter XXVI - Tommy

I lay still a while, on my back as I had fallen, and beneath theshield-like defence which Yva had given to me. Notwithstanding thefire-resisting, metalised stuff of which it was made, I noted thatit was twisted and almost burnt through. Doubtless the stored-upelectricity or earth magnetism, or whatever it may have been that hadleapt out of that hole, being diffused by the resistance with which itwas met, had grazed me with its outer edge, and had it not been for theshield and cloak, I also should have been burned up. I wished, oh! howI wished that it had been so. Then, by now all must have finished andI should have known the truth as to what awaits us beyond the change:sleep, or dreams, or perchance the fullest life. Also I should not havelearned alone.

Lying there thus, idly, as though in a half-sleep, I felt Tommy lickingmy face, and throwing my arm about the poor little frightened beast, Iwatched the great world-balance as it retreated on its eternal journey.At one time its vast projecting rim had overshadowed us and almostseemed to touch the cliff of rock against which we leant. I rememberthat the effect of that shining arch a thousand feet or so above ourheads was wonderful. It reminded me of a canopy of blackest thunderclouds supported upon a framework of wheeling rainbows, while beneathit all the children of the devil shouted together in joy. I noted thiseffect only a few seconds before Yva spoke to me and leapt into the pathof the flash.

Now, however, it was far away, a mere flaming wheel that becamegradually smaller, and its Satanic voices were growing faint. As I havesaid, I watched its disappearance idly, reflecting that I should neverlook upon its like again; also that it was something well worth goingforth to see. Then I became aware that the humming, howling din haddecreased sufficiently to enable me to hear human voices without effort.Bastin was addressing Bickley--like myself they were both upon theground.

"Her translation, as you may have noticed, Bickley, if you were not toofrightened, was really very remarkable. No doubt it will have remindedyou, as it did me, of that of Elijah. She had exactly the appearance ofa person going up to Heaven in a vehicle of fire. The destination wascertainly the same, and even the cloak she wore added a familiar touchand increased the similarity."

"At any rate it did not fall upon you," answered Bickley with somethinglike a sob, in a voice of mingled awe and exasperation. "For goodness'sake! Bastin, stop your Biblical parallels and let us adore, yes, let usadore the divinest creature that the earth has borne!"

Never have I loved Bickley more than when I heard him utter those words.

"'Divinest' is a large term, Bickley, and one to which I hesitate tosubscribe, remembering as I do certain of the prophets and the EarlyFathers with all their faults, not of course to mention the Apostles.But--" here he paused, for suddenly all three of us became aware of Oro.

He also has been thrown to the ground by the strength of the prisonedforces which he gathered and loosed upon their unholy errand, but, asI rejoiced to observe, had suffered from them much more than ourselves.Doubtless this was owing to the fact that he had sprung forward ina last wild effort to save his daughter, or to prevent her frominterfering with his experiment, I know not which. As a result his rightcheek was much scorched, his right arm was withered and helpless, andhis magnificent beard was half burnt off him. Further, very evidently hewas suffering from severe shock, for he rocked upon his feet and shooklike an aspen leaf. All this, however, did not interfere with theliveliness of his grief and rage.

There he stood, a towering shape, like a lightning-smitten statue, andcursed us, especially Bastin.

"My daughter has gone!" he cried, "burned up by the fiery power that ismy servant. Nothing remains of her but dust, and, Priest, this is yourdoing. You poisoned her heart with your childish doctrines of mercy andsacrifice, and the rest, so that she threw herself into the path of theflash to save some miserable races that she had never even known."

He paused exhausted, whereon Bastin answered him with spirit:

"Yes, Oro, she being a holy woman, has gone where you will never followher. Also it is your own fault since you should have listened to herentreaties instead of boxing her ears like the brute you are."

"My daughter is gone," went on Oro, recovering his strength, "and mygreat designs are ruined. Yet only for a while," he added, "for theworld-balance will return again, if not till long after your life-spansare done."

"If you don't doctor yourself, Lord Oro," said Bickley, also rising,"I may tell you as one who understands such things, that most likely itwill be after your life-span is done also. Although their effect may bedelayed, severe shocks from burns and over-excitement are apt to provefatal to the aged."

Oro snarled at him; no other word describes it.

"And there are other things, Physician," he said, "which are apt toprove fatal to the young. At least now you will no longer deny mypower."

"I am not so sure," answered Bickley, "since it seems that there is agreater Power, namely that of a woman's love and sacrifice."

"And a greater still," interrupted Bastin, "Which put those ideas intoher head."

"As for you, Humphrey," went on Oro, "I rejoice to think that you atleast have lost two things that man desires above all other things--thewoman you sought and the future kingship of the world."

I stood up and faced him.

"The first I have gained, although how, you do not understand, Oro,"I answered. "And of the second, seeing that it would have come throughyou, on your conditions, I am indeed glad to be rid. I wish no powerthat springs from murder, and no gifts from one who answered hisdaughter's prayer with blows."

For a moment he seemed remorseful.

"She vexed me with her foolishness," he said. Then his rage blazed upagain:

"And it was you who taught it to her," he went on. "You are guilty, allthree of you, and therefore I am left with none to serve me in my age;therefore also my mighty schemes are overthrown."

"Also, Oro, if you speak truth, therefore half the world is saved," Iadded quietly, "and one has left it of whom it was unworthy."

"You think that these civilisations of yours, as you are pleased to callthem, are saved, do you?" he sneered. "Yet, even if Bickley were rightand I should die and become powerless, I tell you that they are alreadydamned. I have studied them in your books and seen them with my eyes,and I say that they are rotten before ever they are ripe, and that theirend shall be the end of the Sons of Wisdom, to die for lack of increase.That is why I would have saved the East, because in it alone there isincrease, and thence alone can rise the great last race of man which Iwould have given to your children for an heritage. Moreover, think notthat you Westerners have done with wars. I tell you that they are butbegun and that the sword shall eat you up, and what the sword sparesclass shall snatch from class in the struggle for supremacy and ease."

Thus he spoke with extraordinary and concentrated bitterness that Iconfess would have frightened me, had I been capable of fear, which atthe moment I was not. Who is afraid when he has lost all?

Nor was Bastin alarmed, if for other reasons.

"I think it right to tell you, Oro," he said, "that the only future youneed trouble about is your own. God Almighty will look after the westerncivilisations in whatever way He may think best, as you may remember Hedid just now. Only I am sure you won't be here to see how it is done."

Again fury blazed in Oro's eyes.

"At least I will look after you, you half-bred dogs, who yap outill-omened prophecies of death into my face. Since the three of youloved my daughter whom you brought to her doom, and were by her beloved,if differently, I think it best that you should follow on her road.How? That is the question? Shall I leave you to starve in these greatcaves?--Nay, look not towards the road of escape which doubtless shepointed out to you, for, as Humphrey knows, I can travel swiftly and Iwill make sure that you find it blocked. Or shall I--" and he glancedupwards at the great globes of wandering fire, as though he purposed tosummon them to be our death, as doubtless he could have done.

"I do not care what you do," I answered wearily. "Only I would beg youto strike quickly. Yet for my friends I am sorry, since it was I who ledthem on this quest, and for you, too, Tommy," I added, looking at thepoor little hound. "You were foolish, Tommy," I went on, "when youscented out that old tyrant in his coffin, at least for our own sake."

Indeed the dog was terribly scared. He whined continually and from timeto time ran a little way and then returned to us, suggesting that weshould go from this horror-haunted spot. Lastly, as though he understoodthat it was Oro who kept us there, he went to him and jumping up, lickedhis hand in a beseeching fashion.

The super-man looked at the dog and as he looked the rage went out ofhis face and was replaced by something resembling pity.

"I do not wish the beast to die," he muttered to himself in lowreflective tones, as though he thought aloud, "for of them all it aloneliked and did not fear me. I might take it with me but still it wouldperish of grief in the loneliness of the caves. Moreover, she loved itwhom I shall see no more; yes, Yva--" as he spoke the name his voicebroke a little. "Yet if I suffer them to escape they will tell my storyto the world and make me a laughingstock. Well, if they do, what does itmatter? None of those Western fools would believe it; thinking that theyknew all; like Bickley they would mock and say that they were mad, orliars."

Again Tommy licked his hand, but more confidently, as though instincttold him something of what was passing in Oro's mind. I watched withan idle wonder, marvelling whether it were possible that this mercilessbeing would after all spare us for the sake of the dog.

So, strange to say, it came about, for suddenly Oro looked up and said:

"Get you gone, and quickly, before my mood changes. The hound has savedyou. For its sake I give you your lives, who otherwise should certainlyhave died. She who has gone pointed out to you, I doubt not, a road thatruns to the upper air. I think that it is still open. Indeed," he added,closing his eyes for a moment, "I see that it is still open, if longand difficult. Follow it, and should you win through, take your boat andsail away as swiftly as you can. Whether you die or live I care nothing,but my hands will be clean of your blood, although yours are stainedwith Yva's. Begone! and my curse go with you."

Without waiting for further words we went to fetch our lanterns,water-bottles and bag of food which we had laid down at a littledistance. As we approached them I looked up and saw Oro standing someway off. The light from one of the blue globes of fire which passedclose above his head, shone upon him and made him ghastly. Moreover, itseemed to me as though approaching death had written its name upon hismalevolent countenance.

I turned my head away, for about his aspect in those sinistersurroundings there was something horrible, something menacing andrepellent to man and of him I wished to see no more. Nor indeed did I,for when I glanced in that direction again Oro was gone. I suppose thathe had retreated into the shadows where no light played.

We gathered up our gear, and while the others were relighting thelanterns, I walked a few paces forward to the spot where Yva had beendissolved in the devouring fire. Something caught my eye upon the rockyfloor. I picked it up. It was the ring, or rather the remains of thering that I had given her on that night when we declared our love amidstthe ruins by the crater lake. She had never worn it on her hand but forher own reasons, as she told me, suspended it upon her breast beneathher robe. It was an ancient ring that I had bought in Egypt, fashionedof gold in which was set a very hard basalt or other black stone. Onthis was engraved the ank or looped cross, which was the Egyptian symbolof Life, and round it a snake, the symbol of Eternity. The gold was forthe most part melted, but the stone, being so hard and protected by theshield and asbestos cloak, for such I suppose it was, had resisted thefury of the flash. Only now it was white instead of black, like a burntonyx that had known the funeral pyre. Indeed, perhaps it was an onyx. Ikissed it and hid it away, for it seemed to me to convey a greeting andwith it a promise.

Then we started, a very sad and dejected trio. Leaving with a shudderthat vast place where the blue lights played eternally, we came to theshaft 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 withoutour guide, Yva."

I looked at him and he ceased. Somehow I could not bear, as yet, to hearher beloved name spoken by other lips.

Then we entered the passage that she pointed out to us, and began a mostterrible journey which, so far as we could judge, for we lost any exactcount of time, took us about sixty hours. The road, it is true, wassmooth 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 liedown 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 strengthto push on. Also we had some food, and fortunately our spare oil heldout, for the darkness in that tunnel was complete. Tommy became soexhausted that at length we must carry him by turns. He would have diedhad it not been for the water; indeed I thought that he was going todie.

After our last rest and a short sleep, however, he seemed to begin torecover, and generally there was something in his manner which suggestedto us that he knew himself to be not far from the surface of the earthtowards which we had crawled upwards for thousands upon thousands offeet, fortunately without meeting with any zone of heat which was notbearable.

We were right, for when we had staggered forward a little further,suddenly Tommy ran ahead of us and vanished. Then we heard him barkingbut where we could not see, since the tunnel appeared to take a turnand continue, but this time on a downward course, while the sound of thebarks came from our right. We searched with the lanterns which werenow beginning to die and found a little hole almost filled with fallenpieces of rock. We scooped these away with our hands, making an aperturelarge enough to creep through. A few more yards and we saw light, theblessed light of the moon, and in it stood Tommy barking hoarsely. Nextwe heard the sound of the sea. We struggled on desperately and presentlypushed our way through bushes and vegetation on to a steep declivity.Down this we rolled and scrambled, to find ourselves at last lying upona 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 therehad been rain towards the dawn, though as we were lying beneath theshelter of some broad-leaved tree, from it we had suffered littleinconvenience. Oh! how beautiful, after our sojourn in those unholycaves, were the sun and the sea and the sweet air and the raindropshanging on the leaves.

We did not wake of ourselves; indeed if we had been left alone I amsure that we should have slept the clock round, for we were terriblyexhausted. What woke us was the chatter of a crowd of Orofenans who weregathered at a distance from the tree and engaged in staring at us in afrightened way, also the barks of Tommy who objected to their intrusion.Among the people I recognised our old friend the chief Marama by hisfeather cloak, and sitting up, beckoned to him to approach. After a gooddeal of hesitation he came, walking delicately like Agag, and stoppingfrom time to time to study us, as though he were not sure that we werereal.

"What frightens you, Marama?" I asked him.

"You frighten us, O Friend-from-the-Sea. Whence did you and the Healerand the Bellower come and why do your faces look like those of ghostsand why is the little black beast so large-eyed and so thin? Overthe 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 beenpossible."

"Why not?" I asked idly.

"Come and see," he answered.

Rising stiffly we emerged from beneath the tree and perceived that wewere at the foot of the cliff against which the remains of the yacht hadbeen borne by the great tempest. Indeed there it was within a couple ofhundred yards of us.

Following Marama we climbed the sloping path which ran up the cliffand ascended a knoll whence we could see the lake and the cone of thevolcano in its centre. At least we used to be able to see this cone, butnow, at any rate with the naked eye, we could make out nothing, except asmall brown spot in the midst of the waters of the lake.

"The mountain which rose up many feet in that storm which brought you toOrofena, Friend-from-the-Sea, has now sunk till only the very top of itis to be seen," said Marama solemnly. "Even the Rock of Offerings hasvanished beneath the water, and with it the house that we built foryou."

"Yes," I said, affecting no surprise. "But when did that happen?"

"Five nights ago the world shook, Friend-from-the-Sea, and when the sunrose we saw that the mouth of the cave which appeared on the day of yourcoming, 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 youand your companions are. Therefore we beg you who can arise out of theearth like spirits, to leave us at once before our island and all of uswho dwell thereon are drowned beneath the ocean. Leave us before we killyou, if indeed you be men, or die at your hands if, as we think, you beevil spirits who can throw up mountains and drag them down, and creategods that slay, and move about in the bowels of the world."

"That is our intention, for our business here is done," I answeredcalmly. "Come now and help us to depart. But first bring us food. Bringit in plenty, for we must victual our boat."

Marama bowed and issued the necessary orders. Indeed food sufficient forour immediate needs was already there as an offering, and of it we atewith thankfulness.

Then we boarded the ship and examined the lifeboat. Thanks to ourprecautions it was still in very fair order and only needed some littlecaulking which we did with grass fibre and pitch from the stores. Afterthis with the help of the Orofenans who worked hard in their desperatedesire to be rid of us, we drew the boat into the sea, and provisionedher with stores from the ship, and with an ample supply of water.Everything being ready at last, we waited for the evening wind whichalways blew off shore, to start. As it was not due for half an hour ormore, I walked back to the tree under which we had slept and tried tofind the hole whence we had emerged from the tunnel on to the face ofthe cliff.

My hurried search proved useless. The declivity of the cliff was coveredwith tropical growth, and the heavy rain had washed away every trace ofour descent, and very likely filled the hole itself with earth. At anyrate, of it I could discover nothing. Then as the breeze began to blowI returned to the boat and here bade adieu to Marama, who gave me hisfeather cloak as a farewell gift.

"Good-bye, Friend-from-the-Sea," he said to me. "We are glad to haveseen you and thank you for many things. But we do not wish to see youany more."

"Good-bye, Marama," I answered. "What you say, we echo. At least youhave now no great lump upon your neck and we have rid you of yourwizards. But beware of the god Oro who dwells in the mountain, for ifyou anger him he will sink your island beneath the sea."

"And remember all that I have taught you," shouted Bastin.

Marama shivered, though whether at the mention of the god Oro, of whosepowers the Orofenans had so painful a recollection, or at the result ofBastin's teachings, I do not know. And that was the last we shall eversee of each other in this world.

The island faded behind us and, sore at heart because of all that we hadfound and lost again, for three days we sailed northward with a fairand steady wind. On the fourth evening by an extraordinary stroke offortune, we fell in with an American tramp steamer, trading from theSouth Sea Islands to San Francisco. To the captain, who treated us verykindly, we said simply that we were a party of Englishmen whose yachthad been wrecked on a small island several hundreds of miles away, ofwhich we knew neither the name, if it had one, nor the position.

This story was accepted without question, for such things often happenin those latitudes, and in due course we were landed at San Francisco,where we made certain depositions before the British Consul as to theloss of the yacht Star of the South. Then we crossed America, havingobtained funds by cable, and sailed for England in a steamer flying theflag of the United States.

Of the great war which made this desirable I do not speak since ithas nothing, or rather little, to do with this history. In the endwe arrived safely at Liverpool, and thence travelled to our homes inDevonshire.

Thus ended the history of our dealings with Oro, the super-man who beganhis life more than two hundred and fifty thousand years ago, and withhis daughter, Yva, whom Bastin still often calls the Glittering Lady.

Chapter XXVII - Bastin Discovers a Resemblance

There is little more to tell.

Shortly after our return Bickley, like a patriotic Englishman,volunteered for service at the front and departed in the uniform of theR.A.M.C. Before he left he took the opportunity of explaining to Bastinhow much better it was in such a national emergency as existed, tobelong to a profession in which a man could do something to help thebodies of his countrymen that had been broken in the common cause, thanto one like his in which it was only possible to pelt them with vainwords.

"You think that, do you, Bickley?" answered Bastin. "Well, I hold thatit is better to heal souls than bodies, because, as even you will havelearned out there in Orofena, they last so much longer."

"I am not certain that I learned anything of the sort," said Bickley,"or even that Oro was more than an ordinary old man. He said that hehad lived a thousand years, but what was there to prove this except hisword, which is worth nothing?"

"There was the Lady Yva's word also, which is worth a great deal,Bickley."

"Yes, but she may have meant a thousand moons. Further, as accordingto her own showing she was still quite young, how could she know herfather's age?"

"Quite so, Bickley. But all she actually said was that she was of thesame age as one of our women of twenty-seven, which may have meant twohundred and seventy for all I know. However, putting that aside youwill admit that they had both slept for two hundred and fifty thousandyears."

"I admit that they slept, Bastin, because I helped to awaken them, butfor how long there is nothing to show, except those star maps which areprobably quite inaccurate."

"They are not inaccurate," I broke in, "for I have had them checked byleading astronomers who say that they show a marvelous knowledge of theheavens as these were two hundred and fifty thousand years ago, and aretoday."

Here I should state that those two metal maps and the ring which I gaveto Yva and found again after the catastrophe, were absolutely the onlythings connected with her or with Oro that we brought away with us.The former I would never part with, feeling their value as evidence.Therefore, when we descended to the city Nyo and the depths beneath,I took them with me wrapped in cloth in my pocket. Thus they werepreserved. Everything else went when the Rock of Offerings and the cavemouth sank beneath the waters of the lake.

This may have happened either in the earth tremor, which no doubtwas caused by the advance of the terrific world-balance, or when theelectric power, though diffused and turned by Yva's insulated body,struck the great gyroscope's travelling foot with sufficient strength,not to shift it indeed on to the right-hand path as Oro had designed,but still to cause it to stagger and even perhaps to halt for thefraction of a second. Even this pause may have been enough to causeconvulsions of the earth above; indeed, I gathered from Marama and otherOrofenans that such convulsions had occurred on and around the islandat what must have corresponded with that moment of the loosing of theforce.

This loss of our belongings in the house of the Rock of Offerings wasthe more grievous because among them were some Kodak photographs whichI had taken, including portraits of Oro and one of Yva that was reallyexcellent, to say nothing of pictures of the mouth of the cave and ofthe ruins and crater lake above. How bitterly I regret that I did notkeep these photographs in my pocket with the map-plates.

"Even if the star-maps are correct, still it proves nothing," saidBickley, "since possibly Oro's astronomical skill might have enabledhim to draw that of the sky at any period, though I allow this isimpossible."

"I doubt his taking so much trouble merely to deceive three wandererswho lacked the knowledge even to check them," I said. "But all thismisses the point, Bickley. However long they had slept, that man andwoman did arise from seeming death. They did dwell in those marvelouscaves with their evidences of departed civilisations, and they did showus that fearful, world-wandering gyroscope. These things we saw."

"I admit that we saw them, Arbuthnot, and I admit that they are one andall beyond human comprehension. To that extent I am converted, and, Imay add, humbled," said Bickley.

"So you ought to be," exclaimed Bastin, "seeing that you always sworethat there was nothing in the world that is not capable of a perfectlynatural explanation."

"Of which all these things may be capable, Bastin, if only we held thekey."

"Very well, Bickley, but how do you explain what the Lady Yva did? I maytell you now what she commanded me to conceal at the time, namely, thatshe became a Christian; so much so that by her own will, I baptised andconfirmed her on the very morning of her sacrifice. Doubtless it wasthis that changed her heart so much that she became willing, of coursewithout my knowledge, to leave everything she cared for," here he lookedhard at me, "and lay down her life to save the world, half of which shebelieved was about to be drowned by Oro. Now, considering her historyand upbringing, I call this a spiritual marvel, much greater than anyyou now admit, and one you can't explain, Bickley."

"No, I cannot explain, or, at any rate, I will not try," he answered,also staring hard at me. "Whatever she believed, or did not believe, andwhatever would or would not have happened, she was a great and wonderfulwoman whose memory I worship."

"Quite so, Bickley, and now perhaps you see my point, that what youdescribe as mere vain words may also be helpful to mankind; more so,indeed, than your surgical instruments and pills."

"You couldn't convert Oro, anyway," exclaimed Bickley, with irritation.

"No, Bickley; but then I have always understood that the devil is beyondconversion because he is beyond repentance. You see, I think that ifthat old scoundrel was not the devil himself, at any rate he was abit of him, and, if I am right, I am not ashamed to have failed in hiscase."

"Even Oro was not utterly bad, Bastin," I said, reflecting on certaintraits of mercy that he had shown, or that I dreamed him to have shownin the course of our mysterious midnight journeys to various parts ofthe earth. Also I remembered that he had loved Tommy and for his sakehad spared our lives. Lastly, I do not altogether wonder that he came tocertain hasty conclusions as to the value of our modern civilisations.

"I am very glad to hear it, Humphrey, since while there is a spark leftthe whole fire may burn up again, and I believe that to the Divine mercythere are no limits, though Oro will have a long road to travel beforehe finds it. And now I have something to say. It has troubled me verymuch that I was obliged to leave those Orofenans wandering in a kind ofreligious twilight."

"You couldn't help that," said Bickley, "seeing that if you had stopped,by now you would have been wandering in religious light."

"Still, I am not sure that I ought not to have stopped. I seem to havedeserted a field that was open to me. However, it can't be helped, sinceit is certain that we could never find that island again, even if Orohas not sunk it beneath the sea, as he is quite capable of doing, tocover his tracks, so to speak. So I mean to do my best in another fieldby way of atonement."

"You are not going to become a missionary?" I said.

"No, but with the consent of the Bishop, who, I think, believes that mylocum got on better in the parish than I do, as no doubt was the case,I, too, have volunteered for the Front, and been accepted as a chaplainof the 201st Division."

"Why, that's mine!" said Bickley.

"Is it? I am very glad, since now we shall be able to pursue ourpleasant arguments and to do our best to open each other's minds."

"You fellows are more fortunate than I am," I remarked. "I alsovolunteered, but they wouldn't take me, even as a Tommy, although Imisstated my age. They told me, or at least a specialist whom I saw didafterwards, that the blow I got on the head from that sorcerer's boy--"

"I know, I know!" broke in Bickley almost roughly. "Of course, thingsmight go wrong at any time. But with care you may live to old age."

"I am sorry to hear it," I said with a sigh, "at least I think I am.Meanwhile, fortunately there is much that I can do at home; indeed acourse of action has been suggested to me by an old friend who is now inauthority."

Once more Bickley and Bastin in their war-stained uniforms were diningat my table and on the very night of their return from the Front, whichwas unexpected. Indeed Tommy nearly died of joy on hearing their voicesin the hall. They, who played a worthy part in the great struggle,had much to tell me, and naturally their more recent experiences hadoverlaid to some extent those which we shared in the mysterious islandof Orofena. Indeed we did not speak of these until, just as they weregoing away, Bastin paused beneath a very beautiful portrait of my latewife, the work of an artist famous for his power of bringing out theinner character, or what some might call the soul, of the sitter. Hestared at it for a while in his short-sighted way, then said: "Do youknow, Arbuthnot, it has sometimes occurred to me, and never more thanat this moment, that although they were different in height and so on,there was a really curious physical resemblance between your late wifeand the Lady Yva."

"Yes," I answered. "I think so too."

Bickley also examined the portrait very carefully, and as he did so Isaw him start. Then he turned away, saying nothing.

Such is the summary of all that has been important in my life. It is, Iadmit, an odd story and one which suggests problems that I cannot solve.Bastin deals with such things by that acceptance which is the privilegeand hall-mark of faith; Bickley disposes, or used to dispose, of them bya blank denial which carries no conviction, and least of all to himself.

What is life to most of us who, like Bickley, think ourselves learned?A round, short but still with time and to spare wherein to be dull andlonesome; a fateful treadmill to which we were condemned we know nothow, but apparently through the casual passions of those who went beforeus and are now forgotten, causing us, as the Bible says, to be born insin; up which we walk wearily we know not why, seeming never to makeprogress; off which we fall outworn we know not when or whither.

Such upon the surface it appears to be, nor in fact does our ascertainedknowledge, as Bickley would sum it up, take us much further. No prophethas yet arisen who attempted to define either the origin or the reasonsof life. Even the very Greatest of them Himself is quite silent on thismatter. We are tempted to wonder why. Is it because life as expressed inthe higher of human beings, is, or will be too vast, too multiform andtoo glorious for any definition which we could understand? Is itbecause in the end it will involve for some, if not for all, majesty onunfathomed majesty, and glory upon unimaginable glory such as at presentfar outpass the limits of our thought?

The experiences which I have recorded in these pages awake in my heart ahope that this may be so. Bastin is wont, like many others, to talk ina light fashion of Eternity without in the least comprehending what hemeans by that gigantic term. It is not too much to say that Eternity,something without beginning and without end, and involving, itwould appear, an everlasting changelessness, is a state beyondhuman comprehension. As a matter of fact we mortals do not think inconstellations, so to speak, or in aeons, but by the measures of our ownsmall earth and of our few days thereon. We cannot really conceive ofan existence stretching over even one thousand years, such as thatwhich Oro claimed and the Bible accords to a certain early race of men,omitting of course his two thousand five hundred centuries of sleep. Andyet what is this but one grain in the hourglass of time, one day in thelost record of our earth, of its sisters the planets and its father thesun, to say nothing of the universes beyond?

It is because I have come in touch with a prolonged though perfectlyfinite existence of the sort, that I try to pass on the reflectionswhich the fact of it awoke in me. There are other reflections connectedwith Yva and the marvel of her love and its various manifestationswhich arise also. But these I keep to myself. They concern the wonder ofwoman's heart, which is a microcosm of the hopes and fears and desiresand despairs of this humanity of ours whereof from age to age she is themother.

HUMPHREY ARBUTHNOT.

NOTE By J. R. Bickley, M.R.C.S.

Within about six months of the date on which he wrote the last wordsof this history of our joint adventures, my dear friend, HumphreyArbuthnot, died suddenly, as I had foreseen that probably he would do,from the results of the injury he received in the island of Orofena.

He left me the sole executor to his will, under which he divided hisproperty into three parts. One third he bequeathed to me, one third(which is strictly tied up) to Bastin, and one third to be devoted,under my direction, to the advancement of Science.

His end appears to have been instantaneous, resulting from an effusionof blood upon the brain. When I was summoned I found him lying dead bythe writing desk in his library at Fulcombe Priory. He had been writingat the desk, for on it was a piece of paper on which appear these words:"I have seen her. I--" There the writing ends, not stating whom hethought he had seen in the moments of mental disturbance or delusionwhich preceded his decease.

Save for certain verbal corrections, I publish this manuscript withoutcomment as the will directs, only adding that it sets out our mutualexperiences very faithfully, though Arbuthnot's deductions from them arenot always my own.

I would say also that I am contemplating another visit to the South SeaIslands, where I wish to make some further investigations. I daresay, however, that these will be barren of results, as the fountain ofLife-water is buried for ever, nor, as I think, will any human beingstand again in the Hades-like halls of Nyo. It is probable also that itwould prove impossible to rediscover the island of Orofena, if indeedthat volcanic land still remains above the waters of the deep.

Now that he is a very wealthy man, Bastin talks of accompanying me forpurposes quite different from my own, but on the whole I hope he willabandon this idea. I may add that when he learned of his unexpectedinheritance he talked much of the "deceitfulness of riches," but that hehas not as yet taken any steps to escape their golden snare. Indeed henow converses of his added "opportunities of usefulness," I gather inconnection with missionary enterprise.

J. R. BICKLEY.

P.S.--I forgot to state that the spaniel Tommy died within three days ofhis owner. The poor little beast was present in the room at the timeof Arbuthnot's passing away, and when found seemed to be suffering fromshock. From that moment Tommy refused food and finally was discoveredquite dead and lying by the body on Marama's feather cloak, whichArbuthnot often used as a dressing-gown. As Bastin raised some religiousobjections, I arranged without his knowledge that the dog's ashes shouldrest not far from those of the master and mistress whom it loved sowell.

J.R.B.

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