when the world shook-第61部分

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of　the　virtuous　hero　of　a　romance　walking　a　pirate's　plank；　and

also　sat　down。　Only　Bastin　hesitated　until　the　stone　began　to

move　away。　Then　with　an　ejaculation　of　〃Here　goes！〃　he　jumped

over　the　intervening　crack　of　space　and　landed　in　the　middle　of

us　like　a　sack　of　coal。　Had　I　not　been　seated　really　I　think　he

would　have　knocked　me　off　the　rock。　As　it　was；　with　one　hand　he

gripped　me　by　the　beard　and　with　the　other　grasped　Yva's　robe；　of

neither　of　which　would　he　leave　go　for　quite　a　long　time；

although　we　forced　him　on　to　his　face。　The　lantern　which　he　held

flew　from　his　grasp　and　descended　the　shaft　on　its　own　account。



〃You　silly　fool！〃　exclaimed　Bickley　whose　perturbation　showed

itself　in　anger。　〃There　goes　one　of　our　lamps。〃



〃Hang　the　lamp！〃　muttered　the　prostrate　Bastin。　〃We　shan't　want

it　in　Heaven；　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　sailed　to　the　other　side　of　the　gulf。　There　it　felt　the

force　of　gravity；　or　perhaps　the　weight　of　the　returning　air

pressed　on　it；　which　I　do　not　know。　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　mouth　of　the　pit

above　us　grew　small　and　presently　vanished　quite　away。　I　looked

up　at　Yva　who　was　standing　composedly　in　the　midst　of　our

prostrate　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

lantern　which　was　sailing　alongside　of　us；　till　presently　we

passed　it。　Bastin　had　lit　it　before　we　started；　I　think　in　a

moment　of　aberration；　and　it　burned　for　quite　a　long　while；

showing　like　a　star　when　the　shaft　grew　darker　as　it　did　by

degrees；　a　circumstance　that　testifies　to　the　excellence　of　the

make；　which　is　one　advertised　not　to　go　out　in　any　wind。　Not　that

we　felt　wind；　or　even　draught；　perhaps　because　we　were　travelling

with　it。



Then　we　entered　the　heat　zone。　About　this　there　was　no　doubt；

for　the　perspiration　burst　out　all　over　me　and　the　burning　air

scorched　my　lungs。　Also　Tommy　thrust　his　head　from　beneath　the

cloak　with　his　tongue　hanging　out　and　his　mouth　wide　open。



〃Hold　your　breaths！〃　cried　Yva；　and　we　obeyed　until　we　nearly

burst。　At　least　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。　By　now　we　had　travelled　an　enormous　distance；　it　seemed　to

be　miles　on　miles；　and　I　noticed　that　our　terrific　speed　was

slackening；　also　that　the　shaft　grew　more　narrow；　till　at　length

there　were　only　a　few　feet　between　the　edge　of　the　stone　and　its

walls。　The　result　of　this；　or　so　I　supposed；　was　that　the

compressed　air　acted　as　a　buffer；　lessening　our　momentum；　till　at

length　the　huge　stone　moved　but　very　slowly。



〃Be　ready　to　follow　me；〃　cried　Yva　again；　and　we　rose　to　our

feet；　that　is；　Bickley　and　I　did；　but　poor　Bastin　was　semi…

comatose。　The　stone　stopped　and　Yva　sprang　from　it　to　a　rock

platform　level　with　which　it　lay。　We　followed；　dragging　Bastin

between　us。　As　we　did　so　something　hit　me　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

stir　again；　this　time　upwards。　In　another　twenty　seconds　it　was

away　on　its　never…ending　journey。



〃Does　it　always　go　on　like　that？〃　said　Bastin；　sitting　up　and

staring　after　it。



〃Tens　of　thousands　of　years　ago　it　was　journeying　thus；　and

tens　of　thousands　of　years　hence　it　will　still　be　journeying；　or

so　I　think；〃　she　replied。　〃Why　not；　since　the　strength　of　the

draught　never　changes　and　there　is　nothing　to　wear　it　except　the

air？〃



Somehow　the　vision　of　this　huge　stone；　first　loosed　and　set　in

motion　by　heaven　knows　what　agency；　travelling　from　aeon　to　aeon

up　and　down　that　shaft　in　obedience　to　some　law　I　did　not

understand；　impressed　my　imagination　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　but　dimly　seen；　for　here　the　light　that　flowed　down　the　shaft

from　the　upper　caves　where　it　was　mysteriously　created；　scarcely

shone；　and　often　indeed　was　entirely　cut　off；　when　the　ever…

journeying　stone　was　in　the　narrowest　parts　of　the　passage。　I

could　see；　however；　that　this　cavern　stretched　away　both　to　right

and　left　of　us；　while　I　felt　that　from　the　left；　as　we　sat　facing

the　shaft；　there　drew　down　a　strong　blast　of　fresh　air　which

suggested　that　somewhere；　however　far　away；　it　must　open　on　to

the　upper　world。　For　the　rest　its　bottom　and　walls　seemed　to　be

smooth　as　though　they　had　been　planed　in　the　past　ages　by　the

action　of　cosmic　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　me　and　Tommy　who　seemed　somewhat　depressed　and　clung　close

to　our　heels。　The　other　two　followed；　arguing　strenuously　about　I

know　not　what。　It　was　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；　〃who　do　not　know　all　Oro's　secrets；　but　as　I　think；　great

things。　We　are　now　deep　in　the　bowels　of　the　world；　and

presently；　perhaps；　you　will　see　some　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　road　that　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　any　pitfalls　in　the　path。　Would　that

we　might　tread　it　together；　Humphrey；〃　she　added　with　passion；

〃and　be　rid　of　mysteries　and　the　gloom；　or　that　light　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

would　snare　us　before　we　had　gone　a　mile。　Moreover；　if　we　fled；

by　tomorrow　half　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　by　sacrifice。　That　is　the　keystone　of　your　faith；　is　it

not？　Therefore　if　it　is　asked　of　you　to　save　the　world；　you　will

not　shrink　from　it；　will　you；　Humphrey？〃



〃I　hope　not；〃　I　replied；　without　enthusiasm；　I　admit。　Indeed　it

struck　me　that　a　business　of　this　sort　was　better　fitted　to

Bastin　than　to　myself；　or　at　any　rate　to　his　profession。　I　think

she　guessed　my　thoughts；　for　by　the　light　of　the　lamp　I　saw　her

smile　in　her　dazzling　way。　Then　after　a　swift　glance　behind　her；

she　turned　and　suddenly　kissed　me；　as　she　did　so　calling　down

everlasting　blessings　on　my　head　and　on　my　spirit。　There　was

something　very　wonderful　about　this　benediction　of　Yva's　and　it

thrilled　me　through　and　through；　so　that　to　it　I　could　make　no

answer。



Next　moment　it　was　too　late　to　retreat；　for　our　narrowing

passage　turned　and　we　found　ourselves　in　a　wondrous　place。　I　call

it　wondrous　because　of　it　we　could　see　neither　the　beginning　nor

the　end；　nor　the　roof；　nor　aught　else　save　the　rock　on　which　we

walked；　and　the　side　or　wall　that　our　hands　touched。　Nor　was　this

because　of　darkness；　since　although　it　was　not　illuminated　like

the　upper　caverns；　light　of　a　sort　was　present。　It　was　a　very

strange　light；　consisting　of　brilliant　and　intermittent　flashes；

or　globes　of　blue　and　lambent　flame　which　seemed　to　leap　from

nowhere　into　nowhere；　or　sometimes　to　hang　poised　in　mid　air。



〃How　odd　they　are；〃　said　the　voice　of　Bastin　behind　me。　〃They

remind　me　of　those　blue　sparks　which　jump　up　from　the　wires　of

the　tramways　in　London　on　a　dark　night。　You　know；　don't　you；

Bickley？　I　mean　when　the　conductor　pulls　round　that　long　stick

with　an　iron　wheel　on　the　top　of　it。〃



〃Nobody　but　you　could　have　thought　of　such　a　comparison；

Bastin；〃　answered　Bickley。　〃Still；　multiplied　a　thousandfold　they

are　not　unlike。〃



Nor　indeed　were　they；　except　that　each　blue　flash　was　as　big　as

the　full　moon　and　in　one　place　or　another　they　were　so　continuous

that　one　could　have　read　a　letter　by　their　light。　Also　the　effect

of　them　was　ghastly　and　most　unnatural；　terrifying；　too；　since

even　their　brilliance　could　not　reveal　the　extent　of　that

gigantic　hollow　in　the　bowels　of　the　world　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　Bickley　in　a　matter…of…fact　fashion　as　though　he　were

determined　not　to　be　astonished。



〃To　me　it　looks　more　like　marsh　fires　or　St。　Elmo　lights；

though　how　these　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。

It　resembled　a　shooting　star　or　a　meteor　more　than　anything　else

that　I　had　ever　seen；　and　made　me　wonder　whether　we　were　not

perhaps　standing　beneath　some　inky；　unseen　sky。



Next　moment　I　forgot　such　speculations；　for　in　its　blue　light；

which　made　him　terrible　and　ghastly；　I　perceived　Oro　standing　in

front　of　us　clad　in　a　long　cloak。



〃Dear　me！〃　said　Bastin；　〃he　looks　just　like　the　devil；　doesn't

he；　and　now　I　come　to　think　of　it；　this　isn't　at　all　a　bad

imitation　of　hell。〃



〃