章节正文
meme chose. Yet others, like Oro, consider it as a realm of
possibilities, probably unpleasant and perhaps non-existent; just
this and nothing more. Only one thing is certain, that no
creature which has life desires to leap into the fire and from
the dross of doubts, to resolve the gold--or the lead--of
certainty.
"It is time to be going," said Bastin. "In these skies the sun
seems to tumble down, not to set decently as it does in England,
and if we wait any longer we shall be late for our appointment in
the sepulchre. I am sorry because although I don't often notice
scenery, everything looks rather beautiful this evening. That
star, for instance, I think it is called Venus."
"And therefore one that Arbuthnot should admire," broke in
Bickley, attempting to lighten matters with a joke. "But come on
and let us be rid of this fool's errand. Certainly the world is a
lovely place after all, and for my part I hope that we haven't
seen the last of it," he added with a sigh.
"So do I," said Bastin, "though of course, Faith teaches us
that there are much better ones beyond. It is no use bothering
about what they are like, but I hope that the road to them
doesn't run through the hole that the old reprobate, Oro, calls
Nyo."
A few minutes later we started, each of us carrying his share
of the impedimenta. I think that Tommy was the only really
cheerful member of the party, for he skipped about and barked,
running backwards and forwards 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 in that way when it knows that it is about to descend
into the bowels of the earth. I suppose it must like them."
"Oh! no," commented Bickley, "it only likes what is in them--
like Arbuthnot. Since that little beast came in contact with the
Lady Yva, it has never been happy out of her company."
"I think that is so," said Bastin. "At any rate I have noticed
that it has been moping for the last two days, as it always does
when she is not present. It even seems to like Oro who gives me
the creeps, perhaps because he is her father. Dogs must be very
charitable animals."
By now we were in the cave marching past the wrecks of the
half-buried flying-machines, which Bickley, as he remarked
regretfully, had never found time thoroughly to examine. Indeed,
to do so would have needed more digging than we could do without
proper instruments, since the machines 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
coffins and holding up his lamp to look about him, "this place
seems fairly empty. No one is keeping the assignation, Arbuthnot,
although the sun is well down."
As he spoke the words Yva stood before us. Whence she came we
did not see, for all our backs were turned at the moment of her
arrival. But there 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 wondering what I should do under circumstances that
might, or would, arise, and in some secret fashion of which I was
but half conscious, drawing an answer from my soul. Then she
turned, and, smiling in her dazzling way, said:
"So, Bickley, as usual, you did not believe? Because you did
not see him, 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?"
Bickley asked in a rather cross voice and avoiding the direct
issue. "Do you also send thoughts to work your errands clothed in
your own shape, Lady Yva?"
"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 well down there was no one to meet you as Humphrey had
expected, and from those 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 you think," she answered, contemplating what seemed to be
solid rock with eyes 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 not know all; that there exist many
things beyond the reach of your learning and imagination? Well,
in a day or two, perhaps, even you will admit as much, and
confess it to me--elsewhere," and she sighed.
"I am ready to confess now that much happens which I do not
understand at 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 of us to stand close to her, and, stooping, lifted Tommy
in her arms. Next moment that marvel happened which I have
described already, and we were whirling downwards through space,
to find ourselves in a very little time standing safe in the
caves of Nyo, breathless with the swiftness of our descent. How
and on what we descended neither I nor the others ever learned.
It was and must remain one of the unexplained mysteries of our
great 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 all do not make him wrath, for his mood is not gentle."
So once more we proceeded down the empty streets of that
underground abode which, except that it was better illuminated,
reminded me of the Greek conception of Hades. We came to the
sacred fountain over which stood the guardianstatue of Life,
pouring from the cups she held the waters of Good and Ill that
mingled into one health-giving wine.
"Drink, all of you," she said; "for I think before the sun sets
again upon the earth we shall need strength, every one of us."
So we drank, and she drank herself, and once more felt the
blood go dancing through our veins as though the draught had been
some nectar of the gods. Then, having extinguished the lanterns
which we still carried, for here they were needless, and we
wished to save our oil, we followed her through the great doors
into the vast hall of audience and advanced up it between the
endless, empty seats. At its head, on the dais beneath the
arching shell, sat Oro on his throne. As before, he wore the
jewelled cap and the gorgeous, flowing robes, while the table in
front of him was still strewn with sheets of metal on which he
wrote with a pen, 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. Only when Tommy ran up to him he bent down and patted
the dog's head with his long, thin hand, and, as he did so, his
face softened. It was evident to me 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
his piercing glance. It rested on me, the last of the three of
us, and from me travelled to Yva.
"I wonder why I have sent for you?" he said at length, with a
mirthless laugh. "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 the strength to move. Also, perhaps, that your
lives may be spared for my own purposes in that which is about to
happen. Hearken! My labours are finished; my calculations are
complete," and he pointed to the sheets of metal before him that
were covered with cabalistic signs. "Tomorrow I am about to do
what once before I did and to plunge half the world in the deeps
of ocean and lift again from the depths that which has been
buried for a quarter of a million years."
"Which half?" asked Bickley.
"That is my secret, Physician, and the answer to it lies
written here in signs you cannot read. Certain countries will
vanish, others will be spared. I say that it is my secret."
"Then, Oro, if you could do what you threaten, you would drown
hundreds of 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 this fool? For the rest, yes, they must drown.
What does it matter? Their end will be swift; some few minutes of
terror, that is all, and in one short century 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 of which you are so fond of talking, Preacher, somewhat more
quickly than otherwise they would have found their way thither.
They have disappointed me, they have failed; therefore, let them
go and make room for others who will succeed."
"Then you are a greater assassin than any that the world has
bred, or than all of them put together. There is nobody as bad,
even in the Book of Revelation!" shouted Bastin, in a kind of
fury. "Moreover, I am not like Bickley. I know enough of you and
your hellish powers to believe that what you plan, that you can
do."
"I believe it also," sneered Oro. "But how comes it that the
Great One whom you worship does not prevent the deed, if He
exists, and it be evil?"
"He will prevent it!" raved Bastin. "Even now He commands me to
prevent it, and I obey!" Then, drawing the revolver from his
pocket, he pointed it at Oro's breast, adding: "Swear not to
commit this crime, or I will kill you!"
"So the man of peace would become a man of blood," mused Oro,
"and kill that I may not kill for the good of the world? Why,
what is the matter with 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's hand. High into the air it flew, and as it went
discharged itself, all the six chambers of it, in rapid
succession, while Bastin stood staring at his arm and hand which
he seemed unable to withdraw.
"Do you still threaten me with that outstretched hand,
Preacher?" mocked Oro.
"I can't move it," said Bastin; "it seems turned to stone."
"Be thankful that you also are not turned to stone. But,
because your courage pleases me, I will spare you, yes, and will
advance you in my New Kingdom. What shall you be? Controller of
Religions, I think, since all 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 hand are quite well again. I suppose it must have been 'pins
and needles' or something of that sort which made me throw away
the pistol and pull the trigger when I didn't mean to do so."
Then he went to fetch that article which had fallen beyond the
dais, and quite forgot his intention of executing Oro in the
interest of testing its mechanism, which proved to be destroyed.
To his proposed appointment he 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
while Bastin recovered the revolver he had been brooding. "The
possibilities, probably unpleasant and perhaps non-existent; just
this and nothing more. Only one thing is certain, that no
creature which has life desires to leap into the fire and from
the dross of doubts, to resolve the gold--or the lead--of
certainty.
"It is time to be going," said Bastin. "In these skies the sun
seems to tumble down, not to set decently as it does in England,
and if we wait any longer we shall be late for our appointment in
the sepulchre. I am sorry because although I don't often notice
scenery, everything looks rather beautiful this evening. That
star, for instance, I think it is called Venus."
"And therefore one that Arbuthnot should admire," broke in
Bickley, attempting to lighten matters with a joke. "But come on
and let us be rid of this fool's errand. Certainly the world is a
lovely place after all, and for my part I hope that we haven't
seen the last of it," he added with a sigh.
"So do I," said Bastin, "though of course, Faith teaches us
that there are much better ones beyond. It is no use bothering
about what they are like, but I hope that the road to them
doesn't run through the hole that the old reprobate, Oro, calls
Nyo."
A few minutes later we started, each of us carrying his share
of the impedimenta. I think that Tommy was the only really
cheerful member of the party, for he skipped about and barked,
running backwards and forwards 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 in that way when it knows that it is about to descend
into the bowels of the earth. I suppose it must like them."
"Oh! no," commented Bickley, "it only likes what is in them--
like Arbuthnot. Since that little beast came in contact with the
Lady Yva, it has never been happy out of her company."
"I think that is so," said Bastin. "At any rate I have noticed
that it has been moping for the last two days, as it always does
when she is not present. It even seems to like Oro who gives me
the creeps, perhaps because he is her father. Dogs must be very
charitable animals."
By now we were in the cave marching past the wrecks of the
half-buried flying-machines, which Bickley, as he remarked
regretfully, had never found time thoroughly to examine. Indeed,
to do so would have needed more digging than we could do without
proper instruments, since the machines 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
coffins and holding up his lamp to look about him, "this place
seems fairly empty. No one is keeping the assignation, Arbuthnot,
although the sun is well down."
As he spoke the words Yva stood before us. Whence she came we
did not see, for all our backs were turned at the moment of her
arrival. But there 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 wondering what I should do under circumstances that
might, or would, arise, and in some secret fashion of which I was
but half conscious, drawing an answer from my soul. Then she
turned, and, smiling in her dazzling way, said:
"So, Bickley, as usual, you did not believe? Because you did
not see him, 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?"
Bickley asked in a rather cross voice and avoiding the direct
issue. "Do you also send thoughts to work your errands clothed in
your own shape, Lady Yva?"
"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 well down there was no one to meet you as Humphrey had
expected, and from those 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 you think," she answered, contemplating what seemed to be
solid rock with eyes 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 not know all; that there exist many
things beyond the reach of your learning and imagination? Well,
in a day or two, perhaps, even you will admit as much, and
confess it to me--elsewhere," and she sighed.
"I am ready to confess now that much happens which I do not
understand at 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 of us to stand close to her, and, stooping, lifted Tommy
in her arms. Next moment that marvel happened which I have
described already, and we were whirling downwards through space,
to find ourselves in a very little time standing safe in the
caves of Nyo, breathless with the swiftness of our descent. How
and on what we descended neither I nor the others ever learned.
It was and must remain one of the unexplained mysteries of our
great 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 all do not make him wrath, for his mood is not gentle."
So once more we proceeded down the empty streets of that
underground abode which, except that it was better illuminated,
reminded me of the Greek conception of Hades. We came to the
sacred fountain over which stood the guardianstatue of Life,
pouring from the cups she held the waters of Good and Ill that
mingled into one health-giving wine.
"Drink, all of you," she said; "for I think before the sun sets
again upon the earth we shall need strength, every one of us."
So we drank, and she drank herself, and once more felt the
blood go dancing through our veins as though the draught had been
some nectar of the gods. Then, having extinguished the lanterns
which we still carried, for here they were needless, and we
wished to save our oil, we followed her through the great doors
into the vast hall of audience and advanced up it between the
endless, empty seats. At its head, on the dais beneath the
arching shell, sat Oro on his throne. As before, he wore the
jewelled cap and the gorgeous, flowing robes, while the table in
front of him was still strewn with sheets of metal on which he
wrote with a pen, 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. Only when Tommy ran up to him he bent down and patted
the dog's head with his long, thin hand, and, as he did so, his
face softened. It was evident to me 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
his piercing glance. It rested on me, the last of the three of
us, and from me travelled to Yva.
"I wonder why I have sent for you?" he said at length, with a
mirthless laugh. "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 the strength to move. Also, perhaps, that your
lives may be spared for my own purposes in that which is about to
happen. Hearken! My labours are finished; my calculations are
complete," and he pointed to the sheets of metal before him that
were covered with cabalistic signs. "Tomorrow I am about to do
what once before I did and to plunge half the world in the deeps
of ocean and lift again from the depths that which has been
buried for a quarter of a million years."
"Which half?" asked Bickley.
"That is my secret, Physician, and the answer to it lies
written here in signs you cannot read. Certain countries will
vanish, others will be spared. I say that it is my secret."
"Then, Oro, if you could do what you threaten, you would drown
hundreds of 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 this fool? For the rest, yes, they must drown.
What does it matter? Their end will be swift; some few minutes of
terror, that is all, and in one short century 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 of which you are so fond of talking, Preacher, somewhat more
quickly than otherwise they would have found their way thither.
They have disappointed me, they have failed; therefore, let them
go and make room for others who will succeed."
"Then you are a greater assassin than any that the world has
bred, or than all of them put together. There is nobody as bad,
even in the Book of Revelation!" shouted Bastin, in a kind of
fury. "Moreover, I am not like Bickley. I know enough of you and
your hellish powers to believe that what you plan, that you can
do."
"I believe it also," sneered Oro. "But how comes it that the
Great One whom you worship does not prevent the deed, if He
exists, and it be evil?"
"He will prevent it!" raved Bastin. "Even now He commands me to
prevent it, and I obey!" Then, drawing the revolver from his
pocket, he pointed it at Oro's breast, adding: "Swear not to
commit this crime, or I will kill you!"
"So the man of peace would become a man of blood," mused Oro,
"and kill that I may not kill for the good of the world? Why,
what is the matter with 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's hand. High into the air it flew, and as it went
discharged itself, all the six chambers of it, in rapid
succession, while Bastin stood staring at his arm and hand which
he seemed unable to withdraw.
"Do you still threaten me with that outstretched hand,
Preacher?" mocked Oro.
"I can't move it," said Bastin; "it seems turned to stone."
"Be thankful that you also are not turned to stone. But,
because your courage pleases me, I will spare you, yes, and will
advance you in my New Kingdom. What shall you be? Controller of
Religions, I think, since all 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 hand are quite well again. I suppose it must have been 'pins
and needles' or something of that sort which made me throw away
the pistol and pull the trigger when I didn't mean to do so."
Then he went to fetch that article which had fallen beyond the
dais, and quite forgot his intention of executing Oro in the
interest of testing its mechanism, which proved to be destroyed.
To his proposed appointment he 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
while Bastin recovered the revolver he had been brooding. "The
- resolve [ri´zɔlv]
v.决心 n.决心；刚毅 (初中英语单词) - instance [´instəns] n.例子，实例，例证 (初中英语单词)
- therefore [´ðeəfɔ:] ad.&conj.因此；所以 (初中英语单词)
- errand [´erənd] n.差使，使命 (初中英语单词)
- contact [´kɔntækt] n.接触；联系 v.联络 (初中英语单词)
- thoroughly [´θʌrəli] ad.完全地，彻底地 (初中英语单词)
- temple [´tempəl] n.庙宇；寺院；太阳穴 (初中英语单词)
- inquiry [in´kwaiəri] n.询问；质询；调查 (初中英语单词)
- conscious [´kɔnʃəs] a.意识的；自觉的 (初中英语单词)
- standing [´stændiŋ] n.持续 a.直立的 (初中英语单词)
- learning [´lə:niŋ] n.学习；学问；知识 (初中英语单词)
- imagination [i,mædʒi´neiʃən] n.想象(力) (初中英语单词)
- confess [kən´fes] vt.供认；坦白；承认 (初中英语单词)
- marvel [´mɑ:vəl] n.令人惊异的事；奇迹 (初中英语单词)
- fountain [´fauntin] n.泉水；源泉；根源 (初中英语单词)
- statue [´stætʃu:] n.塑像，雕像 (初中英语单词)
- audience [´ɔ:diəns] n.听众；观众；接见 (初中英语单词)
- advanced [əd´vɑ:nst] a.先进的；高级的 (初中英语单词)
- fierce [fiəs] a.残忍的；强烈的 (初中英语单词)
- evident [´evidənt] a.明显的，明白的 (初中英语单词)
- convince [kən´vins] vt.使确信；使认识错误 (初中英语单词)
- pointed [´pɔintid] a.尖(锐)的；中肯的 (初中英语单词)
- plunge [plʌndʒ] v.插进 n.投入；冲击 (初中英语单词)
- physician [fi´ziʃən] n.(内科)医生 (初中英语单词)
- threaten [´θretn] v.恐吓；有....的危险 (初中英语单词)
- horror [´hɔrə] n.恐怖；战栗 (初中英语单词)
- otherwise [´ʌðəwaiz] ad.另外 conj.否则 (初中英语单词)
- worship [´wə:ʃip] n.&v.崇拜；敬仰 (初中英语单词)
- unable [ʌn´eibəl] a.不能的；无能为力的 (初中英语单词)
- pistol [´pistl] n.手枪 vt.用手枪射击 (初中英语单词)
- intention [in´tenʃən] n.意图；打算；意义 (初中英语单词)
- unpleasant [ʌn´plezənt] a.不愉快的；不合意的 (高中英语单词)
- lighten [´laitn] v.减轻；点亮；启发 (高中英语单词)
- tenderness [´tendənis] n.娇嫩；柔软；温柔 (高中英语单词)
- innocence [´inəsəns] n.无罪；天真 (高中英语单词)
- breathless [´breθlis] a.屏息的 (高中英语单词)
- descent [di´sent] n.出身，家世 (高中英语单词)
- conception [kən´sepʃən] n.构思；概念；怀孕 (高中英语单词)
- guardian [´gɑ:diən] n.监护人；保护人 (高中英语单词)
- draught [drɑ:ft] n.通风，通气；吸出 (高中英语单词)
- needless [´ni:dləs] a.不必要的；无用的 (高中英语单词)
- throne [θrəun] n.宝座；王位 (高中英语单词)
- gorgeous [´gɔ:dʒəs] a.华丽的；宜人的 (高中英语单词)
- strewn [stru:n] strew的过去分词 (高中英语单词)
- preacher [´pri:tʃə] n.讲道者，传教士 (高中英语单词)
- thankful [´θæŋkfəl] a.感激的；欣慰的 (高中英语单词)
- illusion [i´lu:ʒən] n.幻觉；幻影；错觉 (高中英语单词)
- whence [wens] ad.从何处；从那里 (英语四级单词)
- drawing [´drɔ:iŋ] n.画图；制图；图样 (英语四级单词)
- perchance [pə´tʃɑ:ns] ad.偶然；可能 (英语四级单词)
- downwards [´daunwədz] ad.向下，以下 (英语四级单词)
- revolver [ri´vɔlvə] n.左轮手枪；旋转者 (英语四级单词)
- mechanism [´mekənizəm] n.机械装置；机制 (英语四级单词)
- backwards [´bækwədz] ad.向后 a.向后的 (英语六级单词)
- holding [´həuldiŋ] n.保持，固定，存储 (英语六级单词)
- swiftness [´swiftnis] n.迅速，敏捷 (英语六级单词)
- piercing [´piəsiŋ] a.刺(贯)穿的；尖刻的 (英语六级单词)
- assassin [ə´sæsin] n.刺客，暗杀者 (英语六级单词)
- outstretched [,aut´stretʃt] a.扩张的；伸长的 (英语六级单词)
- trigger [´trigə] n.扳机 vt.触发，启动 (英语六级单词)
文章标签:名著
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