when the world shook-第39节

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basin　Tommy；　who　gambolled　into　the　place　ahead　of　us；　began　to

drink　in　a　greedy　and　demonstrative　fashion。



〃The　Life…water？〃　I　said；　looking　at　our　guide。



She　nodded　and　asked　in　her　turn：



〃What　is　the　statue　and　what　does　it　signify；　Humphrey？〃



I　hesitated；　but　Bastin　answered：



〃Just　a　rather　ugly　woman　who　hid　up　her　figure　because　it　was

bad。　Probably　she　was　a　relation　of　the　artist　who　wished　to　have

her　likeness　done　and　sat　for　nothing。〃



〃The　goddess　of　Health；〃　suggested　Bickley。　〃Her　proportions

are　perfect；　a　robust；　a　thoroughly　normal　woman。〃



〃Now；　Humphrey；〃　said　Yva。



I　stared　at　the　work　and　had　not　an　idea。　Then　it　flashed　on　me

with　such　suddenness　and　certainity　that　I　am　convinced　the

answer　to　the　riddle　was　passed　to　me　from　her　and　did　not

originate　in　my　own　mind。



〃It　seems　quite　easy；〃　I　said　in　a　superior　tone。　〃The　figure

symbolises　Life　and　is　draped　because　we　only　see　the　face　of

Life；　the　rest　is　hidden。　The　arms　are　bare　because　Life　is　real

and　active。　One　cup　is　black　and　one　is　white　because　Life　brings

both　good　and　evil　gifts；　that　is　why　the　streams　mingle；　to　be

lost　beneath　in　the　darkness　of　death。　The　features　are　stern　and

even　terrifying　rather　than　lovely；　because　such　is　the　aspect　of

Life。　The　eyes　look　upward　and　far　away　from　present　things；

because　the　real　life　is　not　here。〃



〃Of　course　one　may　say　anything；〃　said　Bastin；　〃but　I　don't

understand　all　that。〃



〃Imagination　goes　a　long　way；〃　broke　in　Bickley；　who　was　vexed

that　he　had　not　thought　of　this　interpretation　himself。　But　Yva

said：



〃I　begin　to　think　that　you　are　quite　clever；　Humphrey。　I　wonder

whence　the　truth　came　to　you；　for　such　is　the　meaning　of　the

figure　and　the　cups。　Had　I　told　it　to　you　myself；　it　could　not

have　been　better　said；〃　and　she　glanced　at　me　out　of　the　corners

of　her　eyes。　〃Now；　Strangers；　will　you　drink？　Once　that　gate　was

guarded；　and　only　at　a　great　price　or　as　a　great　reward　were

certain　of　the　Highest　Blood　given　the　freedom　of　this　fountain

which　might　touch　no　common　lips。　Indeed　it　was　one　of　the　causes

of　our　last　war；　for　all　the　world　which　was；　desired　this　water

which　now　is　lapped　by　a　stranger's　hound。〃



〃I　suppose　there　is　nothing　medicinal　in　it？〃　said　Bastin。

〃Once　when　I　was　very　thirsty；　I　made　a　mistake　and　drank　three

tumblers　of　something　of　the　sort　in　the　dark；　thinking　that　it

was　Apollinaris；　and　I　don't　want　to　do　it　again。〃



〃Just　the　sort　of　thing　you　would　do；〃　said　Bickley。　〃But；　Lady

Yva；　what　are　the　properties　of　this　water？〃



〃It　is　very　health…giving；〃　she　answered；　〃and　if　drunk

continually；　not　less　than　once　each　thirty　days；　it　wards　off

sickness；　lessens　hunger　and　postpones　death　for　many；　many

years。　That　is　why　those　of　the　High　Blood　endured　so　long　and

became　the　rulers　of　the　world；　and　that；　as　I　have　said；　is　the

greatest　of　the　reasons　why　the　peoples　who　dwelt　in　the　ancient

outer　countries　and　never　wished　to　die；　made　war　upon　them；　to

win　this　secret　fountain。　Have　no　fear；　O　Bastin；　for　see；　I　will

pledge　you　in　this　water。〃



Then　she　lifted　a　strange…looking；　shallow；　metal　cup　whereof

the　handles　were　formed　of　twisted　serpents；　that　lay　in　the

basin；　filled　it　from　the　trickling　stream；　bowed　to　us　and

drank。　But　as　she　drank　I　noted　with　a　thrill　of　joy　that　her

eyes　were　fixed　on　mine　as　though　it　were　me　she　pledged　and　me

alone。　Again　she　filled　the　cup　with　the　sparkling　water；　for　it

did　sparkle；　like　that　French　liqueur　in　which　are　mingled　little

flakes　of　gold；　and　handed　it　to　me。



I　bowed　to　her　and　drank。　I　suppose　the　fluid　was　water；　but　to

me　it　tasted　more　like　strong　champagne；　dashed　with　Chateau

Yquem。　It　was　delicious。　More；　its　effects　were　distinctly

peculiar。　Something　quick　and　subtle　ran　through　my　veins；

something　that　for　a　few　moments　seemed　to　burn　away　the

obscureness　which　blurs　our　thought。　I　began　to　understand

several　problems　that　had　puzzled　me；　and　then　lost　their

explanations　in　the　midst　of　light；　inner　light；　I　mean。

Moreover；　of　a　sudden　it　seemed　to　me　as　though　a　window　had　been

opened　in　the　heart　of　that　Glittering　Lady　who　stood　beside　me。

At　least　I　knew　that　it　was　full　of　wonderful　knowledge；

wonderful　memories　and　wonderful　hopes；　and　that　in　the　latter

two　of　these　I　had　some　part；　what　part　I　could　not　tell。　Also　I

knew　that　my　heart　was　open　to　her　and　that　she　saw　in　it

something　which　caused　her　to　marvel　and　to　sigh。



In　a　few　seconds；　thirty　perhaps；　all　this　was　gone。　Nothing

remained　except　that　I　felt　extremely　strong　and　well；　happier；

too；　than　I　had　been　for　years。　Mutely　I　asked　her　for　more　of

the　water；　but　she　shook　her　head　and；　taking　the　cup　from　me；

filled　it　again　and　gave　it　to　Bickley；　who　drank。　He　flushed；

seemed　to　lose　the　self…control　which　was　his　very　strong

characteristic；　and　said　in　a　rather　thick　voice：



〃Curious！　but　I　do　not　think　at　this　moment　there　is　any

operation　that　has　ever　been　attempted　which　I　could　not　tackle

single…handed　and　with　success。〃



Then　he　was　silent；　and　Bastin's　turn　came。　He　drank　rather

noisily；　after　his　fashion；　and　began：



〃My　dear　young　lady；　I　think　the　time　has　come　when　I　should

expound　to　you〃　Here　he　broke　off　and　commenced　singing　very

badly；　for　his　voice　was　somewhat　raucous：





From　Greenland's　icy　mountains；



　　From　India's　coral　strand；



Where　Afric's　sunny　fountains



　　Roll　down　their　golden　sand。





Ceasing　from　melody；　he　added：



〃I　determined　that　I　would　drink　nothing　intoxicating　while　I

was　on　this　island　that　I　might　be　a　shining　light　in　a　dark

place；　and　now　I　fear　that　quite　unwittingly　I　have　broken　what　I

look　upon　as　a　promise。〃



Then　he；　too；　grew　silent。



〃Come；〃　said　Yva；　〃my　father；　the　Lord　Oro；　awaits　you。〃



We　crossed　the　court　of　the　Water　of　Life　and　mounted　steps

that　led　to　a　wide　and　impressive　portico；　Tommy　frisking　ahead

of　us　in　a　most　excited　way　for　a　dog　of　his　experience。

Evidently　the　water　had　produced　its　effect　upon　him　as　well　as

upon　his　masters。　This　portico　was　in　a　solemn　style　of

architecture　which　I　cannot　describe；　because　it　differed　from

any　other　that　I　know。　It　was　not　Egyptian　and　not　Greek；

although　its　solidity　reminded　me　of　the　former；　and　the　beauty

and　grace　of　some　of　the　columns；　of　the　latter。　The　profuseness

and　rather　grotesque　character　of　the　carvings　suggested　the

ruins　of　Mexico　and　Yucatan；　and　the　enormous　size　of　the　blocks

of　stone；　those　of　Peru　and　Baalbec。　In　short；　all　the　known

forms　of　ancient　architecture　might　have　found　their　inspiration

here；　and　the　general　effect　was　tremendous。



〃The　palace　of　the　King；〃　said　Yva；　〃whereof　we　approach　the

great　hall。〃



We　entered　through　mighty　metal　doors；　one　of　which　stood　ajar；

into　a　vestibule　which　from　certain　indications　I　gathered　had

once　been　a　guard；　or　perhaps　an　assembly…room。　It　was　about

forty　feet　deep　by　a　hundred　wide。　Thence　she　led　us　through　a

smaller　door　into　the　hall　itself。　It　was　a　vast　place　without

columns；　for　there　was　no　roof　to　support。　The　walls　of　marble　or

limestone　were　sculptured　like　those　of　Egyptian　temples；

apparently　with　battle　scenes；　though　of　this　I　am　not　sure　for　I

did　not　go　near　to　them。　Except　for　a　broad　avenue　along　the

middle；　up　which　we　walked；　the　area　was　filled　with　marble

benches　that　would；　I　presume；　have　accommodated　several　thousand

people。　But　they　were　emptyempty；　and　oh！　the　loneliness　of　it

all。



Far　away　at　the　head　of　the　hall　was　a　dais　enclosed；　and；　as

it　were；　roofed　in　by　a　towering　structure　that　mingled　grace　and

majesty　to　a　wonderful　degree。　It　was　modelled　on　the　pattern　of

a　huge　shell。　The　base　of　the　shell　was　the　platform；　behind　were

the　ribs；　and　above；　the　overhanging　lip　of　the　shell。　On　this

platform　was　a　throne　of　silvery　metal。　It　was　supported　on　the

arched　coils　of　snakes；　whereof　the　tails　formed　the　back　and　the

heads　the　arms　of　the　throne。



On　this　throne；　arrayed　in　gorgeous　robes；　sat　the　Lord　Oro；

his　white　beard　flowing　over　them；　and　a　jewelled　cap　upon　his

head。　In　front　of　him　was　a　low　table　on　which　lay　graven　sheets

of　metal；　and　among　them　a　large　ball　of　crystal。



There　he　sat；　solemn　and　silent　in　the　midst　of　this　awful

solitude；　looking　in　very　truth　like　a　god；　as　we　conceive　such　a

being　to　appear。　Small　as　he　was　in　that　huge　expanse　of

buildings；　he　seemed　yet　to　dominate　it；　in　a　sense　to　fill　the

emptiness　which　was　accentuated　by　his　presence。　I　know　that　the

sight　of　him　filled　me　with　true　fear　which　it　had　never　done　in

the　light　of　day；　not　even　when　he　arose　from　his　crystal　coffin。

Now　for　the　first　time　I　felt　as　though　I　were　really　in　the

presence　of　a　Being　Supernatural。　Doubtless　the　surroundings

heightened　this