when the world shook-第42节

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caves。〃



At　first　she　was　inclined　to　be　angry；　for　I　saw　her　start。

Then　her　mood　changed；　and　she　said　with　a　sigh：



〃Fate's　Master！　Where　does　He　dwell？〃



〃Here　amongst　other　places；〃　said　Bastin。　〃I'll　soon　explain

that　to　you。〃



〃I　thank　you；〃　she　replied　gravely。　〃But　why　have　you　not

explained　it　to　Bickley？〃　Then　waving　her　hand　to　show　that　she

wished　for　no　answer；　she　went　on：



〃Friends；　would　you　wish　to　learn　something　of　the　history　of

my　people？〃



〃Very　much；〃　said　the　irrepressible　Bastin；　〃but　I　would　rather

the　lecture　took　place　in　the　open　air。〃



〃That　is　not　possible；〃　she　answered。　〃It　must　be　here　and　now；

or　not　at　all。　Come；　stand　by　me。　Be　silent　and　do　not　move。　I　am

about　to　set　loose　forces　that　are　dangerous　if　disturbed。〃







Chapter　XVI



Visions　of　the　Past





She　led　us　to　the　back　of　the　statue　and　pointed　to　each　of　us

where　we　should　remain。　Then　she　took　her　place　at　right　angles

to　us；　as　a　showman　might　do；　and　for　a　while　stood　immovable。

Watching　her　face；　once　more　I　saw　it；　and　indeed　all　her　body；

informed　with　that　strange　air　of　power；　and　noted　that　her　eyes

flashed　and　that　her　hair　grew　even　more　brilliant　than　was

common；　as　though　some　abnormal　strength　were　flowing　through　it

and　her。　Presently　she　spoke；　saying：



〃I　shall　show　you　first　our　people　in　the　day　of　their　glory。

Look　in　front　of　you。〃



We　looked　and　by　degrees　the　vast　space　of　the　apse　before　us

became　alive　with　forms。　At　first　these　were　vague　and　shadowy；

not　to　be　separated　or　distinguished。　Then　they　became　so　real

that　until　he　was　reproved　by　a　kick；　Tommy　growled　at　them　and

threatened　to　break　out　into　one　of　his　peals　of　barking。



A　wonderful　scene　appeared。　There　was　a　palace　of　white　marble

and　in　front　of　it　a　great　courtyard　upon　which　the　sun　beat

vividly。　At　the　foot　of　the　steps　of　the　palace；　beneath　a　silken

awning；　sat　a　king　enthroned；　a　crown　upon　his　head　and　wearing

glorious　robes。　In　his　hand　was　a　jewelled　sceptre。　He　was　a

noble…looking　man　of　middle　age　and　about　him　were　gathered　the

glittering　officers　of　his　court。　Fair　women　fanned　him　and　to

right　and　left；　but　a　little　behind；　sat　other　fair　and　jewelled

women　who；　I　suppose；　were　his　wives　or　daughters。



〃One　of　the　Kings　of　the　Children　of　Wisdom　new…crowned；

receives　the　homage　of　the　world；〃　said　Yva。



As　she　spoke　there　appeared；　walking　in　front　of　the　throne　one

by　one；　other　kings；　for　all　were　crowned　and　bore　sceptres。　At

the　foot　of　the　throne　each　of　them　kneeled　and　kissed　the　foot

of　him　who　sat　thereon；　as　he　did　so　laying　down　his　sceptre

which　at　a　sign　he　lifted　again　and　passed　away。　Of　these　kings

there　must　have　been　quite　fifty；　men　of　all　colours　and　of

various　types；　white　men；　black　men；　yellow　men；　red　men。



Then　came　their　ministers　bearing　gifts；　apparently　of　gold　and

jewels；　which　were　piled　on　trays　in　front　of　the　throne。　I

remember　noting　an　incident。　An　old　fellow　with　a　lame　leg

stumbled　and　upset　his　tray；　so　that　the　contents　rolled　hither

and　thither。　His　attempts　to　recover　them　were　ludicrous　and

caused　the　monarch　on　the　throne　to　relax　from　his　dignity　and

smile。　I　mention　this　to　show　that　what　we　witnessed　was　no　set

scene　but　apparently　a　living　piece　of　the　past。　Had　it　been　so

the　absurdity　of　the　bedizened　old　man　tumbling　down　in　the　midst

of　the　gorgeous　pageant　would　certainly　have　been　omitted。



No；　it　must　be　life；　real　life；　something　that　had　happened；

and　the　same　may　be　said　of　what　followed。　For　instance；　there

was　what　we　call　a　review。　Infantry　marched；　some　of　them　armed

with　swords　and　spears；　though　these　I　took　to　be　an　ornamental

bodyguard；　and　others　with　tubes　like　savage　blowpipes　of　which　I

could　not　guess　the　use。　There　were　no　cannon；　but　carriages　came

by　loaded　with　bags　that　had　spouts　to　them。　Probably　these　were

charged　with　poisonous　gases。　There　were　some　cavalry　also；

mounted　on　a　different　stamp　of　horse　from　ours；　thicker　set　and

nearer　the　ground；　but　with　arched　necks　and　fiery　eyes　and；　I

should　say；　very　strong。　These　again；　I　take　it；　were　ornamental。

Then　came　other　men　upon　a　long　machine；　slung　in　pairs　in

armoured　sacks；　out　of　which　only　their　heads　and　arms　projected。

This　machine；　which　resembled　an　elongated　bicycle；　went　by　at　a

tremendous　rate；　though　whence　its　motive　power　came　did　not

appear。　It　carried　twenty　pairs　of　men；　each　of　whom　held　in　his

hand　some　small　but　doubtless　deadly　weapon；　that　in　appearance

resembled　an　orange。　Other　similar　machines　which　followed

carried　from　forty　to　a　hundred　pairs　of　men。



The　marvel　of　the　piece；　however；　were　the　aircraft。　These　came

by　in　great　numbers。　Sometimes　they　flew　in　flocks　like　wild

geese；　sometimes　singly；　sometimes　in　line　and　sometimes　in

ordered　squadrons；　with　outpost　and　officer　ships　and　an　exact

distance　kept　between　craft　and　craft。　None　of　them　seemed　to　be

very　large　or　to　carry　more　than　four　or　five　men；　but　they　were

extraordinarily　swift　and　as　agile　as　swallows。　Moreover　they

flew　as　birds　do　by　beating　their　wings；　but　again　we　could　not

guess　whence　came　their　motive　power。



The　review　vanished；　and　next　appeared　a　scene　of　festivity　in

a　huge；　illuminated　hall。　The　Great　King　sat　upon　a　dais　and

behind　him　was　that　statue　of　Fate；　or　one　very　similar　to　it；

beneath　which　we　stood。　Below　him　in　the　hall　were　the　feasters

seated　at　long　tables；　clad　in　the　various　costumes　of　their

countries。　He　rose　and；　turning；　knelt　before　the　statue　of　Fate。

Indeed　he　prostrated　himself　thrice　in　prayer。　Then　taking　his

seat　again；　he　lifted　a　cup　of　wine　and　pledged　that　vast

company。　They　drank　back　to　him　and　prostrated　themselves　before

him　as　he　had　done　before　the　image　of　Fate。　Only　I　noted　that

certain　men　clad　in　sacerdotal　garments　not　at　all　unlike　those

which　are　worn　in　the　Greek　Church　to…day；　remained　standing。



Now　all　this　exhibition　of　terrestrial　pomp　faded。　The　next

scene　was　simple；　that　of　the　death…bed　of　this　same　kingwe

knew　him　by　his　wizened　features。　There　he　lay；　terribly　old　and

dying。　Physicians；　women；　courtiers；　all　were　there　watching　the

end。　The　tableau　vanished　and　in　place　of　it　appeared　that　of　the

youthful　successor　amidst　cheering　crowds；　with　joy　breaking

through　the　clouds　of　simulated　grief　upon　his　face。　It　vanished

also。



〃Thus　did　great　king　succeed　great　king　for　ages　upon　ages；〃

said　Yva。　〃There　were　eighty　of　them　and　the　average　of　their

reigns　was　700　years。　They　ruled　the　earth　as　it　was　in　those

days。　They　gathered　up　learning；　they　wielded　power；　their　wealth

was　boundless。　They　nurtured　the　arts；　they　discovered　secrets。

They　had　intercourse　with　the　stars；　they　were　as　gods。　But　like

the　gods　they　grew　jealous。　They　and　their　councillors　became　a

race　apart　who　alone　had　the　secret　of　long　life。　The　rest　of　the

world　and　the　commonplace　people　about　them　suffered　and　died。

They　of　the　Household　of　Wisdom　lived　on　in　pomp　for　generations

till　the　earth　was　mad　with　envy　of　them。



〃Fever　and　fewer　grew　the　divine　race　of　the　Sons　of　Wisdom

since　children　are　not　given　to　the　aged　and　to　those　of　an

ancient；　outworn　blood。　Then　the　World　said：



〃'They　are　great　but　they　are　not　many；　let　us　make　an　end　of

them　by　numbers　and　take　their　place　and　power　and　drink　of　their

Life…water；　that　they　will　not　give　to　us。　If　myriads　of　us

perish　by　their　arts；　what　does　it　matter；　since　we　are

countless？'　So　the　World　made　war　upon　the　Sons　of　Wisdom。　See！〃



Again　a　picture　formed。　The　sky　was　full　of　aircraft　which

rained　down　fire　like　flashes　of　lightning　upon　cities　beneath。

From　these　cities　leapt　up　other　fires　that　destroyed　the　swift…

travelling　things　above；　so　that　they　fell　in　numbers　like　gnats

burned　by　a　lamp。　Still　more　and　more　of　them　came　till　the

cities　crumbled　away　and　the　flashes　that　darted　from　them　ceased

to　rush　upwards。　The　Sons　of　Wisdom　were　driven　from　the　face　of

the　earth。



Again　the　scene　changed。　Now　it　showed　this　subterranean　hall

in　which　we　stood。　There　was　pomp　here；　yet　it　was　but　a　shadow

of　that　which　had　been　in　the　earlier　days　upon　the　face　of　the

earth。　Courtiers　moved　about　the　palace　and　there　were　people　in

the　radiant　streets　and　the　houses；　for　most　of　them　were

occupied；　but　rarely　did　the　vision　show　children　coming　through

their　gates。



Of　a　sudden　this　scene　shifted。　Now　we　saw　that　same　hall　in

which　we　had　visited　Oro　not　an　hour　before。　There　he　sat；　yes；

Oro　himself；　upon　the　dais　beneath　the　overhanging　marble　shell。

Round　him　were　some　ancient　councillors。　In　the　body　of　the　hall

on　either　side　of　the　dais　were　men　in　military　array；　guards

without　doubt　though　their　only　weapon　was　a　black　rod　not　unlike

a　ruler；　if　indeed　it　were　a　weapon　and　not　a　badge