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that yonder lay my true future； yes； and my true past； even
though to discover them I must pass through that portal which we
know as Death。
We reached the mouth of the cave。 It was a vast place； perhaps
the arch of it was a hundred feet high； and I could see that once
all this arch had been adorned with sculptures。 Protected as
these were by the overhanging rock； for the sculptured mouth of
the cave was cut deep into the mountain face； they were still so
worn that it was impossible to discern their details。 Time had
eaten them away like an acid。 But what length of time？ I could
not guess； but it must have been stupendous to have worked thus
upon that hard and sheltered rock。
This came home to me with added force when； from subsequent
examination； we learned that the entire mouth of this cave had
been sealed up for unnumbered ages。 It will be remembered that
Marama told me the mountain in the lake had risen much during the
frightful cyclone in which we were wrecked and with it the cave
mouth which previously had been invisible。 From the markings on
the mountain side it was obvious that something of the sort had
happened very recently； at any rate on this eastern face。 That
is； either the flat rock had sunk or the volcano had been thrown
upwards。
Once in the far past the cave had been as it was when we found
it。 Then it had gone down in such a way that the table…rock
entirely sealed the entrance。 Now this entrance was once more
open； and although of course there was a break in them； the
grooves of which I have spoken ran on into the cave at only a
slightly different level from that at which they lay upon the
flat rock。 And yet； although they had been thus sheltered by a
great stone curtain in front of them； still these sculptures were
worn away by the tooth of Time。 Of course； however； this may have
happened to them before they were buried in some ancient
cataclysm； to be thus resurrected at the hour of our arrival upon
the island。
Without pausing to make any closer examination of these
crumbled carvings； we entered the yawning mouth of that great
place； following and indeed walking in the deep grooves that I
have mentioned。 Presently it seemed to open out as a courtyard
might at the end of a passage； yes； to open on to some vast place
whereof in that gloom we could not see the roof or the limits。
All we knew was that it must be enormousthe echoes of our
voices and footsteps told us as much； for these seemed to come
back to us from high； high above and from far； far away。 Bickley
and I said nothing； we were too overcome。 But Bastin remarked：
〃Did you ever go to Olympia？ I did once to see a kind of play
where the people said nothing； only ran about dressed up。 They
told me it was religious； the sort of thing a clergyman should
study。 I didn't think it religious at all。 It was all about a nun
who had a baby。〃
〃Well； what of it？〃 snapped Bickley。
〃Nothing particular； except that nuns don't have babies； or if
they do the fact should not be advertised。 But I wasn't thinking
of that。 I was thinking that this place is like an underground
Olympia。〃
〃Oh； be quiet！〃 I said； for though Bastin's description was not
bad； his monotonous； drawling voice jarred on me in that
solemnity。
〃Be careful where you walk；〃 whispered Bickley； for even he
seemed awed； 〃there may be pits in this floor。〃
〃I wish we had a light；〃 I said； halting。
〃If candles are of any use；〃 broke in Bastin； 〃as it happens I
have a packet in my pocket。 I took them with me this morning for
a certain purpose。〃
〃Not unconnected with the paraffin and the burning of the idol；
I suppose？〃 said Bickley。 〃Hand them over。〃
〃Yes； if I had been allowed a little more time I intended〃
〃Never mind what you intended； we know what you did and that's
enough；〃 said Bickley as he snatched the packet from Bastin's
hand and proceeded to undo it； adding； 〃By heaven！ I have no
matches； nor have you； Arbuthnot！〃
〃I have a dozen boxes of wax vestas in my other pocket；〃 said
Bastin。 〃You see； they burn so well when you want to get up a
fire on a damp idol。 As you may have noticed； the dew is very
heavy here。〃
In due course these too were produced。 I took possession of
them as they were too valuable to be left in the charge of
Bastin； and； extracting a box from the packet； lit two of the
candles which were of the short thick variety； like those used in
carriage…lamps。
Presently they burned up； making two faint stars of light
which； however； were not strong enough to show us either the roof
or the sides of that vast place。 By their aid we pursued our
path； still following the grooves till suddenly these came to an
end。 Now all around us was a flat floor of rock which； as we
perceived clearly when we pushed aside the dust that had gathered
thickly on it in the course of ages； doubtless from the gradual
disintegration of the stony walls； had once been polished till it
resembled black marble。 Indeed； certain cracks in the floor
appeared to have been filled in with some dark…coloured cement。 I
stood looking at them while Bickley wandered off to the right and
a little forward； and presently called to me。 I walked to him；
Bastin sticking close to me as I had the other candle； as did the
little dog； Tommy； who did not like these new surroundings and
would not leave my heels。
〃Look；〃 said Bickley； holding up his candle； 〃and tell me
what's that？〃
Before me； faintly shown； was some curious structure of
gleaming rods made of yellowish metal； which rods appeared to be
connected by wires。 The structure might have been forty feet high
and perhaps a hundred long。 Its bottom part was buried in dust。
〃What is that？〃 asked Bickley again。
I made no answer； for I was thinking。 Bastin； however； replied：
〃It's difficult to be sure in this light； but I should think
that it may be the remains of a cage in which some people who
lived here kept monkeys； or perhaps it was an aviary。 Look at
those little ladders for the monkeys to climb by； or possibly for
the birds to sit on。〃
〃Are you sure it wasn't tame angels？〃 asked Bickley。
〃What a ridiculous remark！ How can you keep an angel in a cage？
I〃
〃Aeroplane！〃 I almost whispered to Bickley。
〃You've got it！〃 he answered。 〃The framework of an aeroplane
and a jolly large one； too。 Only why hasn't it oxidised？〃
〃Some indestructible metal；〃 I suggested。 〃Gold； for instance；
does not oxidise。〃
He nodded and said：
〃We shall have to dig it out。 The dust is feet thick about it；
we can do nothing without spades。 Come on。〃
We went round to the end of the structure； whatever it might
be； and presently came to another。 Again we went on and came to
another； all of them being berthed exactly in line。
〃What did I tell you？〃 said Bickley in a voice of triumph。 〃A
whole garage full； a regular fleet of aeroplanes！〃
〃That must be nonsense；〃 said Bastin； 〃for I am quite sure that
these Orofenans cannot make such things。 Indeed they have no
metal； and even cut the throats of pigs with wooden knives。〃
Now I began to walk forward； bearing to the left so as to
regain our former line。 We could do nothing with these metal
skeletons； and I felt that there must be more to find beyond。
Presently I saw something looming ahead of me and quickened my
pace； only to recoil。 For there； not thirty feet away and perhaps
three hundred yards from the mouth of the cave； suddenly appeared
what looked like a gigantic man。 Tommy saw it also and barked as
dogs do when they are frightened； and the sound of his yaps
echoed endlessly from every quarter； which scared him to silence。
Recovering myself I went forward； for now I guessed the truth。 It
was not a man but a statue。
The thing stood upon a huge base which lessened by successive
steps； eight of them； I think； to its summit。 The foot of this
base may have been a square of fifty feet or rather more； the
real support or pedestal of the statue； however； was only a
square of about six feet。 The figure itself was little above
life…size； or at any rate above our life…size； say seven feet in
height。 It was very peculiar in sundry ways。
To begin with； nothing of the body was visible； for it was
swathed like a corpse。 From these wrappings projected one arm；
the right； in the hand of which was the likeness of a lighted
torch。 The head was not veiled。 It was that of a man； long…nosed；
thin…lipped； stern…visaged； the countenance pervaded by an awful
and unutterable calm； as deep as that of Buddha only less benign。
On the brow was a wreathed head…dress； not unlike an Eastern
turban； from which sprang two little wings resembling in some
degree those on the famous Greek head of Hypnos； lord of Sleep。
Between the folds of the wrappings on the back sprang two other
wings； enormous wings bent like those of