when the world shook-第59部分

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number　of　my　foes。



〃Then　I　slept。　Through　countless　generations　I　slept　on　and　at

my　side　was　the　one　child　of　my　body　that　was　left　to　me。　What

chanced　to　my　spirit　and　to　hers　during　that　sleep；　thou　knowest

alone；　but　doubtless　they　went　forth　to　work　thy　ends。



〃At　the　appointed　time　which　thou　didst　decree；　I　awoke　again

and　found　in　my　house　strangers　from　another　land。　In　the　company

of　one　of　those　whose　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　them　also；　and　on　their　wreck　to　rebuild　a

glorious　empire；　such　as　was　that　of　the　Sons　of　Wisdom　at　its

prime。



〃A　sign！　O　Fate；　ruler　of　the　world；　give　me　a　sign　that　my

desire　shall　be　fulfilled。〃



He　paused；　stretching　out　his　arms　and　staring　upwards。　While

he　waited　I　felt　the　solid　rock　on　which　I　stood　quiver　and　sway

beneath　my　feet　so　that　Yva　and　I　clung　to　each　other　lest　we

should　fall。　This　chanced　also。　The　shock　of　the　earth　tremor；

for　such　without　doubt　it　was；　threw　down　the　figures　of　the

ancient　man　and　the　lovely　woman　which　knelt　as　though　making

prayers　to　Fate；　and　shook　the　marble　sword　from　off　its　knees。

As　it　fell　Oro　caught　it　by　the　hilt；　and；　rising；　waved　it　in

triumph。



〃I　thank　thee；　God　of　my　people　from　the　beginning；〃　he　cried。

〃Thou　hast　given　to　me；　thy　last　servant；　thine　own　sword　and　I

will　use　it　well。　For　these　worshippers　of　thine　who　have　fallen；

thou　shalt　have　others；　yes；　all　those　who　dwell　in　the　new　world

that　is　to　be。　My　daughter　and　the　man　whom　she　has　chosen　to　be

the　father　of　the　kings　of　the　earth；　and　with　him　his

companions；　shall　be　the　first　of　the　hundreds　of　millions　that

are　to　follow；　for　they　shall　kiss　thy　feet　or　perish。　Thou　shalt

set　thy　foot　upon　the　necks　of　all　other　gods；　thou　shalt　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　are　overthrown。　His　sword　of　power　is　fallen；　but　not　into

the　hands　that　clasped　it；　and　he　totters　on　his　throne。　A

greater　God　asserts　dominion　of　the　world　and　this　Fate　is　but

his　instrument。〃



Oro　rose　again。



〃One　prayer　more；〃　he　cried。　〃Give　me　life；　long　life；　that　I

may　execute　thy　decrees。　By　word　or　gesture　show　me　a　sign　that　I

shall　be　satisfied　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

not　speak　or　bow　its　head；　as　Yva　had　told　me　it　was　wont　to　do

in　sign　of　accepted　prayer；　how；　she　knew　not。　Only　I　thought　I

heard　the　echo　of　Oro'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

a　veritable　agony。



〃God　of　my　forefathers；　God　of　my　lost　people；　I　will　hide

naught　from　thee；〃　he　said。　〃I　who　fear　nothing　else；　fear　death。

The　priest…fool　yonder　with　his　new　faith；　has　spoken　blundering

words　of　judgment　and　damnation　which；　though　I　do　not　believe

them；　yet　stick　in　my　heart　like　arrows。　I　will　stamp　out　his

faith；　and　with　this　ancient　sword　of　thine　drive　back　the　new

gods　into　the　darkness　whence　they　came。　Yet　what　if　some　water

of　Truth　flows　through　the　channel　of　his　leaden　lips；　and　what

if　because　I　have　ruled　and　will　rule　as　thou　didst　decree；

therefore；　in　some　dim　place　of　souls；　I　must　bear　these　burdens

of　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　to　make　a　slave　of　Oro　and　to　afflict　him

with　stripes？



〃Yet　this　can　be　and　mayhap　will　be；　that　presently　I　lose　my

path　in　the　ways　of　everlasting　darkness；　and　become　strengthless

and　forgotten　as　are　those　who　went　before　me；　while　my　crown　of

Power　shines　on　younger　brows。　Alas！　I　grow　old；　since　aeons　of

sleep　have　not　renewed　my　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　the　death　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　statue　with　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　from　thine　immemorial　throne。　While　I　live　I　still　have

powers；　I　who　am　the　last　of　thy　worshippers；　since　it　seems　that

my　daughter　turns　her　back　on　thee。　I　will　get　me　to　the

sepulchre　of　the　kings　and　take　counsel　with　the　dust　of　that

wizard　who　first　taught　me　wisdom。　Even　from　the　depths　of　death

he　must　come　to　my　call　clad　in　a　mockery　of　life；　and　comfort

me。　A　little　while　yet　I　will　wait；　and　if　thou　answer　not；　then

Fate；　soon　I'll　tear　the　sceptre　from　thy　hand；　and　thou　shalt

join　the　company　of　dead　gods。〃　And　throwing　aside　the　sword；

again　Oro　laid　down　his　head　upon　the　ground　and　stretched　out

his　arms　in　the　last　abasement　of　supplication。



〃Come；〃　whispered　Yva；　〃while　there　is　yet　time。　Presently　he

will　seek　this　place　to　descend　to　the　sepulchre；　and　if　he

learns　that　we　have　read　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　the　great　dome　till　we　reached　the　gates。　Here　I　glanced　back

and　perceived　that　Oro；　looking　unutterably　small　in　that

vastness；　looking　like　a　dead　man；　still　lay　outstretched　before

the　stern…faced；　unanswering　Effigy　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　of　Amon；　Jupiter　and

Baal；　and　he　was　its　last　worshipper。



Now　we　were　safe；　but　still　we　sped　on　till　we　reached　the

portico　of　our　sleeping　place。　Then　Yva　turned　and　spoke。



〃It　is　horrible；〃　she　said；　〃and　my　soul　sickens。　Oh；　I　thank

the　Strength　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　true　name；　and；　with　it　written　on　his　brow；　he　stands　upon

the　neck　of　Fate　who　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　Oro　threatens；　and　perchance　dare　do　in　his　rage；　I　have

broken　his　chain；　though　in　another　fashion。　Ask　me　no　more；

perhaps　one　day　you　will　learn　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

your　companions　to　a　terrible　place。　Yet　whatever　you　may　see　or

hear；　be　not　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　too　have　knowledge；　shall　find　strength　to

save　the　world。〃



Then　of　a　sudden；　once　again　she　grew　splendid；　almost　divine；

no　more　a　woman　but　as　it　were　an　angel。　Some　fire　of　pure

purpose　seemed　to　burn　up　in　her　and　to　shine　out　of　her　eyes。

Yet　she　said　little。　Only　this　indeed：



〃To　everyone；　I　think；　there　comes　the　moment　of　opportunity

when　choice　must　be　made　between　what　is　great　and　what　is　small；

between　self　and　its　desires　and　the　good　of　other　wanderers　in

the　way。　This　day　that　moment　may　draw　near　to　you　or　me；　and　if

so；　surely　we　shall　greet　it　well。　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

mother　might；　and　was　gone。





Strangely　enough；　perhaps　because　of　my　mental　exhaustion；　for

what　I　had　passed　through　seemed　to　overwhelm　me　so　that　I　could

no　longer　so　much　as　think　with　clearness；　even　after　all　that　I

have　described　I　slept　like　a　child　and　awoke　refreshed　and　well。



I　looked　at　my　watch　to　find　that　it　was　now　eight　o'clock　in

the　morning　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

fill　our　bottles　with　the　Life…water。　Presently　they　returned　and

we　ate　a　little；　with　that　water　to　drink　one　did　not　need　much

food。　It　was　a　somewhat　silent　meal；　for　our　circumstances　were　a

check　on　talk；　moreover；　I　thought　that　the　others　looked　at　me

rather　oddly。　Perhaps　they　guessed　something　of　my　midnight　visit

to　the　temple；　but　if　so　they　thought　it　wisest　to　say　nothing。

Nor　did　I　enlighten　them。



Shortly　after　we　had　finished　Yva　appeared。　She　was　wonderfully

quiet　and　gentle　in　her　manner；　calm　also；　and　greeted　all　of　us

with　much　sweetness。　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　wear　before。　They　were　close　fitting；　save　for

a　flowing　cape；　and　made　of　some　grey　material；　not　unlike　a

coarse　homespun　or　even　asbestos　cloth。　Still　they　became　her

very　well；　and　when　I　remarked　upon　them；　all　she　answered　was

that　part　of　our　road　would　be　rough。　Even　her　feet　were　shod

with　high　buskins　of　this　grey　stuff。



Presently　she　touched　Bastin　on　the　shoulder　and　said　that　she

would　speak　with　him　apart。　They　went　together　into　one　of　the

chambers　of　that　dwelling　and　there　remained　for　perhaps　the　half

of　an　hour。　It　was　towards　the　end　of　this　time　that　in　the

intense　silence　I　heard　a　crash　from　the　direction　of　the　te