when the world shook-第28节

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crumble　into　dust。　But　if　by　chance　he　doesn't　I'll　jam　a　little

strychnine；　mixed　with　some　other　drugs；　of　which　you　don't　know

the　names；　into　one　of　his　veins　and　see　if　anything　happens。　If

it　doesn't；　it　won't　hurt　him；　and　if　it　doeswell；　who　knows？

Now　give　me　a　hand。〃



We　went　to　the　left…hand　coffin　and　by　inserting　the　hook　on

the　back　of　my　knife；　of　which　the　real　use　is　to　pick　stones　out

of　horses'　hoofs；　into　one　of　the　little　air…holes　I　have

described；　managed　to　raise　the　heavy　crystal　lid　sufficiently　to

enable　us　to　force　a　piece　of　wood　between　it　and　the　top。　The

rest　was　easy；　for　the　hinges　being　of　crystal　had　not　corroded。

In　two　minutes　it　was　open。



From　the　chest　came　an　overpowering　spicy　odour；　and　with　it　a

veritable　breath　of　warm　air　before　which　we　recoiled　a　little。

Bickley　took　a　pocket　thermometer　which　he　had　at　hand　and

glanced　at　it。　It　marked　a　temperature　of　82　degrees　in　the

sepulchre。　Having　noted　this；　he　thrust　it　into　the　coffin

between　the　crystal　wall　and　its　occupant。　Then　we　went　out　and

waited　a　little　while　to　give　the　odours　time　to　dissipate；　for

they　made　the　head　reel。



After　five　minutes　or　so　we　returned　and　examined　the

thermometer。　It　had　risen　to　98　degrees；　the　natural　temperature

of　the　human　body。



〃What　do　you　make　of　that　if　the　man　is　dead？〃　he　whispered。



I　shook　my　head；　and　as　we　had　agreed；　set　to　helping　him　to

lift　the　body　from　the　coffin。　It　was　a　good　weight；　quite　eleven

stone　I　should　say；　moreover；　it　was　not　still；　for　the　hip

joints　bent。　We　got　it　out　and　laid　it　on　a　blanket　we　had　spread

on　the　floor　of　the　sepulchre。　Whilst　I　was　thus　engaged　I　saw

something　that　nearly　caused　me　to　loose　my　hold　from

astonishment。　Beneath　the　head；　the　centre　of　the　back　and　the

feet　were　crystal　boxes　about　eight　inches　square；　or　rather

crystal　blocks；　for　in　them　I　could　see　no　opening；　and　these

boxes　emitted　a　faint　phosphorescent　light。　I　touched　one　of　them

and　found　that　it　was　quite　warm。



〃Great　heavens！〃　I　exclaimed；　〃here's　magic。〃



〃There's　no　such　thing；〃　answered　Bickley　in　his　usual　formula。

Then　an　explanation　seemed　to　strike　him　and　he　added；　〃Not　magic

but　radium　or　something　of　the　sort。　That's　how　the　temperature

was　kept　up。　In　sufficient　quantity　it　is　practically

indestructible；　you　see。　My　word！　this　old　gentleman　knew　a　thing

or　two。〃



Again　we　waited　a　little　while　to　see　if　the　body　begun　to

crumble　on　exposure　to　the　air；　I　taking　the　opportunity　to　make

a　rough　sketch　of　it　in　my　pocket…book　in　anticipation　of　that

event。　But　it　did　not；　it　remained　quite　sound。



〃Here　goes；〃　said　Bickley。　〃If　he　should　be　alive；　he　will

catch　cold　in　his　lungs　after　lying　for　ages　in　that　baby

incubator；　as　I　suppose　he　has　done。　So　it　is　now　or　never。〃



Then　bidding　me　hold　the　man's　right　arm；　he　took　the

sterilized　syringe　which　he　had　prepared；　and　thrusting　the

needle　into　a　vein　he　selected　just　above　the　wrist；　injected　the

contents。



〃It　would　have　been　better　over　the　heart；〃　he　whispered；　〃but

I　thought　I　would　try　the　arm　first。　I　don't　like　risking　chills

by　uncovering　him。〃



I　made　no　answer　and　again　we　waited　and　watched。



〃Great　heavens；　he's　stirring！〃　I　gasped　presently。



Stirring　he　was；　for　his　fingers　began　to　move。



Bickley　bent　down　and　placed　his　ear　to　the　heartI　forgot　to

say　that　he　had　tested　this　before　with　a　stethoscope；　but　had

been　unable　to　detect　any　movement。



〃I　believe　it　is　beginning　to　beat；〃　he　said　in　an　awed　voice。



Then　he　applied　the　stethoscope；　and　added；　〃It　is；　it　is！〃



Next　he　took　a　filament　of　cotton　wool　and　laid　it　on　the　man's

lips。　Presently　it　moved；　he　was　breathing；　though　very　faintly。

Bickley　took　more　cotton　wool　and　having　poured　something　from

his　medicine…chest　on　to　it；　placed　it　over　the　mouth　beneath　the

man's　nostrilsI　believe　it　was　sal　volatile。



Nothing　further　happened　for　a　little　while；　and　to　relieve　the

strain　on　my　mind　I　stared　absently　into　the　empty　coffin。　Here　I

saw　what　had　escaped　our　notice；　two　small　plates　of　white　metal

and　cut　upon　them　what　I　took　to　be　star　maps。　Beyond　these　and

the　glowing　boxes　which　I　have　mentioned；　there　was　nothing　else

in　the　coffin。　I　had　no　time　to　examine　them；　for　at　that　moment

the　old　man　opened　his　mouth　and　began　to　breathe；　evidently　with

some　discomfort　and　effort；　as　his　empty　lungs　filled　themselves

with　air。　Then　his　eyelids　lifted；　revealing　a　wonderful　pair　of

dark　glowing　eyes　beneath。　Next　he　tried　to　sit　up　but　would　have

fallen；　had　not　Bickley　supported　him　with　his　arm。



I　do　not　think　he　saw　Bickley；　indeed　he　shut　his　eyes　again　as

though　the　light　hurt　them；　and　went　into　a　kind　of　faint。　Then

it　was　that　Tommy；　who　all　this　while　had　been　watching　the

proceedings　with　grave　interest；　came　forward；　wagging　his　tail；

and　licked　the　man's　face。　At　the　touch　of　the　dog's　red　tongue；

he　opened　his　eyes　for　the　second　time。　Now　he　sawnot　us　but

Tommy；　for　after　contemplating　him　for　a　few　seconds；　something

like　a　smile　appeared　upon　his　fierce　but　noble　face。　More；　he

lifted　his　hand　and　laid　it　on　the　dog's　head；　as　though　to　pat

it　kindly。　Half　a　minute　or　so　later　his　awakening　senses

appreciated　our　presence。　The　incipient　smile　vanished　and　was

replaced　by　a　somewhat　terrible　frown。



Meanwhile　Bickley　had　poured　out　some　of　the　hot　coffee　laced

with　brandy　into　the　cup　that　was　screwed　on　the　top　of　the

thermos　flask。　Advancing　to　the　man　whom　I　supported；　he　put　it

to　his　lips。　He　tasted　and　made　a　wry　face；　but　presently　he

began　to　sip；　and　ultimately　swallowed　it　all。　The　effect　of　the

stimulant　was　wonderful；　for　in　a　few　minutes　he　came　to　life

completely　and　was　even　able　to　sit　up　without　support。



For　quite　a　long　while　he　gazed　at　us　gravely；　talking　us　in　and

everything　connected　with　us。　For　instance；　Bickley's　medicine…

case　which　lay　open　showing　the　little　vulcanite　tubes；　a　few

instruments　and　other　outfit；　engaged　his　particular　attention；

and　I　saw　at　once　that　he　understood　what　it　was。　Thus　his　arm

still　smarted　where　the　needle　had　been　driven　in　and　on　the

blanket　lay　the　syringe。　He　looked　at　his　arm；　then　looked　at　the

syringe；　and　nodded。　The　paraffin　hurricane　lamps　also　seemed　to

interest　and　win　his　approval。　We　two　men；　as　I　thought；

attracted　him　least　of　all；　he　just　summed　us　up　and　our

garments；　more　especially　the　garments；　with　a　few　shrewd

glances；　and　then　seemed　to　turn　his　thoughts　to　Tommy；　who　had

seated　himself　quite　contentedly　at　his　side；　evidently　accepting

him　as　a　new　addition　to　our　party。



I　confess　that　this　behaviour　on　Tommy's　part　reassured　me　not

a　little。　I　am　a　great　believer　in　the　instincts　of　animals；

especially　of　dogs；　and　I　felt　certain　that　if　this　man　had　not

been　in　all　essentials　human　like　ourselves；　Tommy　would　not　have

tolerated　him。　In　the　same　way　the　sleeper's　clear　liking　for

Tommy；　at　whom　he　looked　much　oftener　and　with　greater　kindness

than　he　did　at　us；　suggested　that　there　was　goodness　in　him

somewhere；　since　although　a　dog　in　its　wonderful　tolerance　may

love　a　bad　person　in　whom　it　smells　out　hidden　virtue；　no　really

bad　person　ever　loved　a　dog；　or；　I　may　add；　a　child　or　a　flower。



As　a　matter　of　fact；　the　〃old　god；〃　as　we　had　christened　him

while　he　was　in　his　coffin；　during　all　our　association　with　him；

cared　infinitely　more　for　Tommy　than　he　did　for　any　of　us；　a

circumstance　that　ultimately　was　not　without　its　influence　upon

our　fortunes。　But　for　this　there　was　a　reason　as　we　learned

afterwards；　also　he　was　not　really　so　amiable　as　I　hoped。



When　we　had　looked　at　each　other　for　a　long　while　the　sleeper

began　to　arrange　his　beard；　of　which　the　length　seemed　to

surprise　him；　especially　as　Tommy　was　seated　on　one　end　of　it。

Finding　this　out　and　apparently　not　wishing　to　disturb　Tommy；　he

gave　up　the　occupation；　and　after　one　or　two　attempts；　for　his

tongue　and　lips　still　seemed　to　be　stiff；　addressed　us　in　some

sonorous　and　musical　language；　unlike　any　that　we　had　ever　heard。

We　shook　our　heads。　Then　by　an　afterthought　I　said　〃Good　day〃　to

him　in　the　language　of　the　Orofenans。　He　puzzled　over　the　word　as

though　it　were　more　or　less　familiar　to　him；　and　when　I　repeated

it；　gave　it　back　to　me　with　a　difference　indeed；　but　in　a　way

which　convinced　us　that　he　quite　understood　what　I　meant。　The

conversation　went　no　further　at　the　moment　because　just　then　some

memory　seemed　to　strike　him。



He　was　sitting　with　his　back　against　the　coffin　of　the

Glittering　Lady；　whom　therefore　he　had　not　seen。　Now　he　began　to

turn　round；　and　being　too　weak　to　do　so；　motioned　me　to　help　him。

I　obeyed；　while　Bickley；　guessing　his　purpose；　held　up　one　of　the

hurricane　lamps　that　he　might　see　better。　With　a　kind　of　fierce

eagerness　he　surveyed　her　wh