when the world shook-第48部分

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tricked。　But；　supposing　that　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　to　prevent　your　being　united　to　a　woman　who　lived　thousands

of　years　ago。　I　am　sorry　to　say　it；　but　Fate　will　intervene。

Remember；　it　is　the　god　of　her　people　that　I　suppose　she

worships；　and；　I　may　add；　to　which　the　whole　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　went　away。



Shortly　after　this　Yva　came　to　sit　with　me。　She　studied　me　for

a　while　and　I　studied　her。　I　had　reason　to　do　so；　for　I　observed

that　of　late　her　dress　had　become　much　more　modern；　and　on　the

present　occasion　this　struck　me　forcibly。　I　do　not　know　exactly

in　what　the　change；　or　changes；　consisted；　because　I　am　not

skilled　in　such　matters　and　can　only　judge　of　a　woman's　garments

by　their　general　effect。　At　any　rate；　the　gorgeous　sweeping　robes

were　gone；　and　though　her　attire　still　looked　foreign　and

somewhat　oriental；　with　a　touch　of　barbaric　splendour　about　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　gave　me　pictures　of　those　your　women　wear。〃　（On　further

investigation　I　found　that　this　referred　to　an　old　copy　of　the

Queen　newspaper；　which；　somehow　or　other；　had　been　brought　with

the　books　from　the　ship。）　〃I　have　tried　to　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　is　there。〃



〃I　don't　understand；〃　I　said；　but　she　only　smiled　radiantly；

offering　no　further　explanation。　Then；　before　I　could　pursue　the

subject；　she　asked　me　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　have　been　a　great　deal　with　them　while　I　was　ill。〃



〃Yes；　a　great　deal。　They　are　the　nearest　to　you　who　were　so

sick。　Is　it　not　so？〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　I　answered　again。　〃In　my　illness　it　seemed　to

me　that　you　were　the　nearest。〃



〃About　Bastin's　words　I　can　guess；〃　she　went　on。　〃But　I　ask

againwhat　has　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；

compelling　eyes　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　would　treat　you　as　such；　must　suffer；　that　was　the

gist　of　it。〃



〃Some　might　be　content　to　suffer　for　such　as　I；〃　she　answered

with　quiet　sweetness。　〃Even　Bastin　and　Bickley　may　be　content　to

suffer　in　their　own　little　ways。〃



〃You　know　that　is　not　what　I　meant；〃　I　interrupted　angrily；　for

I　felt　that　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

something　that　takes　fire　on　an　instant；　like　the　faint　and

distant　star　which　flames　into　sudden　glory　before　the　watcher's

telescope。



〃It　is　true　that　I　am　not　as　your　women　areyour　poor；　pale

women；　the　shadows　of　an　hour　with　night　behind　them　and　before。

Because　I　am　humble　and　patient；　do　you　therefore　suppose　that　I

am　not　great？　Man　from　the　little　country　across　the　sea；　I　lived

when　the　world　was　young；　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　in　this　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　he　worships。　You　only

half　believe　and　do　not　worship；　because　memory　holds　you　back；

and　I　myself　do　not　understand。　I　only　know　though　knowing　so

much；　still　I　seek　roads　to　learning；　even　the　humble　road　called

Bastin；　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　she　dazzled　and　overwhelmed　me　with　her　blaze　of　power。



〃No；　you　do　not　understand。　How　can　you；　when　even　I　cannot？

Thus　for　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　years　I　slept；　and　they

went　by　as　a　lightning　flash。　One　moment　my　father　gave　me　the

draught　and　I　laid　me　down；　the　next　I　awoke　with　you　bending

over　me；　or　so　it　seemed。　Yet　where　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　ask　because　down　in　that

lonely　cavern　where　I　sleep　a　strange　dream　came　to　me　one　night。

It　was　of　a　journey　which；　as　I　thought；　you　and　I　seemed　to　make

together；　past　suns　and　universes　to　a　very　distant　earth。　It

meant　nothing；　Humphrey。　If　you　and　I　chanced　to　have　dreamed　the

same　thing；　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　altogether　as　your　women　are；　and　I　can　bring　no　happiness

to　any　man；　or　at　the　least；　to　one　who　cannot　wait。　Therefore；

perhaps　you　would　do　well　to　think　less　of　me；　as　I　have

counselled　Bastin　and　Bickley。〃



Then　again　she　gazed　at　me　with　her　wonderful；　great　eyes；　and；

shaking　her　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　at　last　scarcely　a　night　went　by　that　he　did　not

appear　mysteriously　in　my　sleeping…place。　The　odd　thing　was　that

neither　Bickley　nor　Bastin　seemed　to　be　aware　of　these　nocturnal

calls。　Indeed；　when　I　mentioned　them　on　one　or　two　occasions；

they　stared　at　me　and　said　it　was　strange　that　he　should　have

come　and　gone　as　they　saw　nothing　of　him。



On　my　speaking　again　of　the　matter；　Bickley　at　once　turned　the

conversation；　from　which　I　gathered　that　he　believed　me　to　be

suffering　from　delusions　consequent　on　my　illness；　or　perhaps　to

have　taken　to　dreaming。　This　was　not　wonderful　since；　as　I

learned　afterwards；　Bickley；　after　he　was　sure　that　I　was　asleep；

made　a　practice　of　tying　a　thread　across　my　doorway　and　of

ascertaining　at　the　dawn　that　it　remained　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　open　side　of　the

house；　that　he　undid　the　thread　and　fastened　it　again　when　he

left；　at　least；　that　was　Bastin's　explanation；　or；　rather；　one　of

them。　Another　was　that　he　crawled　beneath　it；　but　this　I　could

not　believe。　I　am　quite　certain　that　during　all　his　prolonged

existence　Oro　never　crawled。



At　any　rate；　he　came；　or　seemed　to　come；　and　pumped　meI　can

use　no　other　wordmost　energetically　as　to　existing　conditions

in　the　world；　especially　those　of　the　civilised　countries；　their

methods　of　government；　their　social　state；　the　physical

characteristics　of　the　various　races；　their　religions；　the　exact

degrees　of　civilisation　that　they　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　his　perennial　thirst　for　information。



〃I　should　prefer　to　judge　for　myself；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃Why

are　you　so　anxious　to　learn　about　all　these　nations；　Oro？〃　I

asked；　exhausted。



〃Because　the　knowledge　I　gather　may　affect　my　plans　for　the

future；〃　he　replied　darkly。



〃I　am　told；　Oro；　that　your　people　acquired　the　power　of

transporting　themselves　from　place　to　place。〃



〃It　is　true　that　the　lords　of　the　Sons　of　Wisdom　had　such

power；　and　that　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

short　time；〃　he　said；　contemplating　me　with　his　burning　glance

until　I　began　to　feel　uncomfortable。



To　change　the　subject　I　asked　him　whether　he　had　any　further

information　about　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　were　exhausted；〃　or　so　he　believed。　The　war　did　not　seem

greatly　to　interest　Oro。　It　was；　he　remarked；　but　a　small　affair

compared　to　those　which　he　had　known　in　the　old　days。　Then　he

departed；　and　I　went　to　sleep。



Next　night　he　appeared　again；　and；　after　talking　a　little　on

different　subjects；　remarked　quietly　that　he　had　been　thinking

over　what　I　had　said　as　to　his　visiting　the　modern　world；　and

intended　to　act　upon　the　suggestion。



〃When？〃　I　asked。



〃Now；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　going　to　visit　this　England　of　yours　and

the　town　you　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

much　better　companion　than　I　should　in　my　resent　weak　state。



〃An　empty…headed　man；　or　one　who　always　doubts　and　argues；

would　be　useless；〃　he　replied　sharply。　〃You　shall　come　and　you

only。〃



I　expostulated；　I　tried　to　get　up　and　flywhich；　indeed；　I　did

do；　in　another　sense。



But　Oro　fixed　his　eyes　upon　me　and　slowly　waved　his　thin　hand

to　and　fro　above　my　head。



My　senses　reeled。　Then　came　a　great　darkness。





They　returned　again。　Now　I　was　standing　in　an　icy；　reeking　fog；

which　I　knew　could　belong　to　one　place　onlyLondon；　in　December；

and　at　my　side　was　Oro。



〃Is　this　the　climate　of