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when the world shook-第45部分

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of white silk fastened about her middle with a jewelled girdle。

On her neck also was a collar of jewels。 I forget the colour;

indeed this seemed to change continually as the light from the

different moons struck when she moved; but I think its prevailing

tinge was blue。 In her arms this woman nursed a beauteous;

sleeping child; singing happily as she rocked it to and fro。 Yva

went towards the woman who looked up at her step and uttered a

little cry。 Then for the first time I saw the woman's face。 It

was that of my dead wife!



As I followed in my dream; a little cloud of mist seemed to

cover both my wife and Yva; and when I reached the place Yva was

gone。 Only my wife remained; she and the child。 There she stood;

solemn and sweet。 While I drew near she laid down the child upon

the cushioned seat from which she had risen。 She stretched out

her arms and flung them about me。 She embraced me and I embraced

her in a rapture of reunion。 Then turning she lifted up the

child; it was a girl; for me to kiss。



〃See your daughter;〃 she said; 〃and behold all that I am making

ready for 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 the house?〃



〃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;

and Yva's eyes that gazed into mine。 Only she was garbed as my

wife had been; 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 as yet。 Love Yva if you will and I shall not be jealous; for

in loving Yva you love me。 You cannot understand? Then know this;

that the spirit has many 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 thing I saw was the palm roof of our house upon the rock。 I

knew it was our house; for just above me was a palm leaf of which

I had myself tied the stalk to the framework with a bit of

coloured ribbon i had I had chanced to find in my pocket。 It came

originally from the programme card of a dance that I had attended

at Honolulu and I had kept it because I thought 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 I was

thus engaged I heard voices talking; and listenedBickley's

voice; and the Lady Yva's。



〃Yes;〃 Bickley was saying; 〃he will do well now; but he went

near; very near。〃



〃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 and that of the mind。 I was afraid that even if he lived;

his reason would go; but from certain indications I do not think

that will happen now。 He will get quite well againthough〃 and

he stopped。



〃I am very glad to hear you say so;〃 chimed in Bastin。 〃For

weeks I thought that I should have to read the Burial Service

over poor Arbuthnot。 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 it isn't rock; in which one can't dig and the

soil is not liable to be flooded。 In fact I went so far as to

clear away the bush and to mark out the 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 like Bastin。



〃Well; you wasted your labour;〃 exclaimed Bickley。



〃Yes; I am glad to say I did。 But I don't think it was your

operations and 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 the stuff 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 went to sleep。



When I woke up again it was to find the Lady Yva seated at my

side watching me。



〃Forgive me; Humphrey; because I here; others gone out

walking;〃 she said 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 he was hundred thousand years ago;〃 she added

enigmatically。 〃All think one woman beautiful when no other woman

there。〃



〃Indeed;〃 I replied; wondering to what proceedings on the part

of Bastin and Bickley she alluded。 Could that self…centred pair

oh! it was impossible。



〃How long have I been ill?〃 I asked to escape the subject which

I felt to be uncomfortable。



She lifted her beautiful eyes in search of words and began to

count upon her fingers。



〃Two moon; one half moon; yes; ten week; counting Sabbath;〃 she

answered triumphantly。



〃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 so perfectly; although it was not her own。 That

language of hers I never learned; but I know she thought in it

and only translated into Orofenan; because of the great

difficulty which she had in rendering her high and refined ideas

into its simpler metaphor; and the strange words which often 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 not have 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 was the son of the sorcerer whom my father destroyedcrushed

in the bone of 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 I ever 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

that young man I can make no excuse; it was cowardly and wicked。

Well; Bickley performed what he calls operation; and the Lord

Oro; he came up from 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; holding hot water and linen and jar of the

stuff that made you feel like nothing; although the sight made me

feel more sick than anything since I saw one I loved killed; oh;

long; long ago。〃



〃Was the operation successful?〃 I asked; for I did not dare to

begin to thank her。



〃Yes; that clever man; Bickley; lifted the bone which had been

crushed in。 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 vein had 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 as though I loved Bickley;

though afterwards Bastin said that I ought to have loved him;

since it was not Bickley who stopped the bleeding; but his

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 had bitten 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 lost your mind; and it seemed as

though you must die。 Then; Humphrey; I went to the Lord Oro and

kneeled before him and prayed you life; for I knew that he could

cure you if he would; though Bickley's skill was at an end。



〃'Daughter;' he said to me; 'not once but again and again you

have set up your will against mine in the past。 Why then should I

trouble myself to grant this desire of yours in the present; and

save a man who is nothing to me?'



〃I rose to my feet and answered; 'I do not know; my Father; yet

I am certain that for your own sake it will be well to do so。 I

am sure that of everything even you must give an account at last;

great though you be; and who knows; perhaps one life which you

have saved may turn the balance 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

talking to me。'〃



〃What did you mean by that?〃 I asked。



〃It matters nothing what I meant; Humphrey。 Be still and listen

to my story。 My father thought a while and answered:



〃'I am jealous of this stranger。 What is he but a short…lived

half…barbarian such as we knew in the old days? And yet already

you think more of him than you do of me; your father; the divine

Oro who has lived 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 if I will。'



〃'Then save him yourself;' he said。



〃'Perhaps I shall; my Father;' I answered; 'but if so it will

not be here。 I say that if so we part and you shall be left to

rule in your majesty alone。'



〃Now this frightened the Lord Oro; for he has the weakness that

he hates to 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 answeredfor your sake; Hump
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