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for I saw her sigh in relief。 No wonder； for he was conveying his
decision to spare our lives and admit us to their fellowship。
After this again they talked； but in quite a different tone and
manner。 Then the Glittering Lady said to me in her slow and
archaic Orofenan：
〃We go to rest。 You must not follow。 We come back perhaps
tonight； perhaps next night。 We are quite safe。 You are quite
safe under the beard of Oro。 Spirit of Oro watch you。 You
understand？〃
I said I understood； whereon she answered：
〃Good…bye； O Humfe…ry。〃
〃Good…bye； O Yva；〃 I replied； bowing。
Thereon they turned and refusing all assistance from us；
vanished into the darkness of the cave leaning upon each other
and walking slowly。
Chapter XII
Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Years！
〃You seem to have made the best of your time； old fellow；〃 said
Bickley in rather a sour voice。
〃I never knew people begin to call each other by their
Christian names so soon；〃 added Bastin； looking at me with a
suspicious eye。
〃I know no other；〃 I said。
〃Perhaps not； but at any rate you have another； though you
don't seem to have told it to her。 Anyway； I am glad they are
gone； for I was getting tired of being ordered by everybody to
carry about wood and water for them。 Also I am terribly hungry as
I can't eat before it is light。 They have taken most of the best
fruit to which I was looking forward； but thank goodness they do
not seem to care for pork。〃
〃So am I；〃 said Bickley； who really looked exhausted。 〃Get the
food； there's a good fellow。 We'll talk afterwards。〃
When we had eaten； somewhat silently； I asked Bickley what he
made of the business； also whither he thought the sleepers had
gone。
〃I think I can answer the last question；〃 interrupted Bastin。
〃I expect it is to a place well known to students of the Bible
which even Bickley mentions sometimes when he is angry。 At any
rate； they seem to be very fond of heat； for they wouldn't part
from it even in their coffins； and you will admit that they are
not quite natural； although that Glittering Lady is so attractive
as regards her exterior。〃
Bickley waved these remarks aside and addressed himself to me。
〃I don't know what to think of it；〃 he said； 〃but as the
experience is not natural and everything in the Universe； so far
as we know it； has a natural explanation； I am inclined to the
belief that we are suffering from hallucinations； which in their
way are also quite natural。 It does not seem possible that two
people can really have been asleep for an unknown length of time
enclosed in vessels of glass or crystal； kept warm by radium or
some such substance； and then emerge from them comparatively
strong and well。 It is contrary to natural law。〃
〃How about microbes？〃 I asked。 〃They are said to last
practically for ever； and they are living things。 So in their
case your natural law breaks down。〃
〃That is true；〃 he answered。 〃Some microbes in a sealed tube
and under certain conditions do appear to possess indefinite
powers of life。 Also radium has an indefinite life； but that is a
mineral。 Only these people are not microbes nor are they
minerals。 Also； experience tells us that they could not have
lived for more than a few months at the outside in such
circumstances as we seemed to find them。〃
〃Then what do you suggest？〃
〃I suggest that we did not really find them at all； that we
have all been dreaming。 You know that there are certain gases
which produce illusions； laughing gas is one of them； and that
these gases are sometimes met with in caves。 Now there were very
peculiar odours in that place under the statue； which may have
worked upon our imaginations in some such way。 Otherwise we are
up against a miracle； and； as you know； I do not believe in
miracles。〃
〃I do；〃 said Bastin calmly。 〃You'll find all about it in the
Bible if you will only take the trouble to read。 Why do you talk
such rubbish about gases？〃
〃Because only gas； or something of the sort； could have made us
imagine them。〃
〃Nonsense； Bickley！ Those people were here right enough。 Didn't
they eat our fruit and drink the water I brought them without
ever saying thank you？ Only； they are not human。 They are evil
spirits； and for my part I don't want to see any more of them；
though I have no doubt Arbuthnot does； as that Glittering Lady
threw her arms round his neck when she woke up； and already he is
calling her by her Christian name； if the word Christian can be
used in connection with her。 The old fellow had the impudence to
tell us that he was a god； and it is remarkable that he should
have called himself Oro； seeing that the devil they worship on
the island is also called Oro and the place itself is named
Orofena。〃
〃As to where they have gone；〃 continued Bickley； taking no
notice of Bastin； 〃I really don't know。 My expectation is；
however； that when we go to look tomorrow morningand I suggest
that we should not do so before then in order that we may give
our minds time to clearwe shall find that sepulchre place quite
empty； even perhaps without the crystal coffins we have imagined
to stand there。〃
〃Perhaps we shall find that there isn't a cave at all and that
we are not sitting on a flat rock outside of it；〃 suggested
Bastin with heavy sarcasm； adding； 〃You are clever in your way；
Bickley； but you can talk more rubbish than any man I ever knew。〃
〃They told us they would come back tonight or tomorrow；〃 I
said。 〃If they do； what will you say then； Bickley？〃
〃I will wait till they come to answer that question。 Now let us
go for a walk and try to change our thoughts。 We are all
over…strained and scarcely know what we are saying。〃
〃One more question；〃 I said as we rose to start。 〃Did Tommy
suffer from hallucinations as well as ourselves？〃
〃Why not？〃 answered Bickley。 〃He is an animal just as we are；
or perhaps we thought we saw Tommy do the things he did。〃
〃When you found that basket of fruit； Bastin； which the natives
brought over in the canoe； was there a bough covered with red
flowers lying on the top of it？〃
〃Yes； Arbuthnot； one bough only； I threw it down on the rock as
it got in the way when I was carrying the basket。〃
〃Which flowering bough we all thought we saw the Sleeper Oro
carry away after Tommy had brought it to him。〃
〃Yes； he made me pick it up and give it to him；〃 said Bastin。
〃Well； if we did not see this it should still be lying on the
rock； as there has been no wind and there are no animals here to
carry it away。 You will admit that； Bickley？〃
He nodded。
〃Then if it has gone you will admit also that the presumption
is that we saw what we thought we did see？〃
〃I do not know how that conclusion can be avoided； at any rate
so far as the incident of the bough is concerned；〃 replied
Bickley with caution。
Then； without more words； we started to look。 At the spot where
the bough should have been； there was no bough； but on the rock
lay several of the red flowers； bitten off； I suppose； by Tommy
while he was carrying it。 Nor was this all。 I think I have
mentioned that the Glittering Lady wore sandals which were
fastened with red studs that looked like rubies or carbuncles。 On
the rock lay one of these studs。 I picked it up and we examined
it。 It had been sewn to the sandal…strap with golden thread or
silk。 Some of this substance hung from the hole drilled in the
stone which served for an eye。 It was as rotten as tinder；
apparently with extreme age。 Moreover； the hard gem itself was
pitted as though the passage of time had taken effect upon it；
though this may have been caused by other agencies； such as the
action of the radium rays。 I smiled at Bickley who looked
disconcerted and even sad。 In a way it is painful to see the
effect upon an able and earnest man of the upsetting of his
lifelong theories。
We went for our walk； keeping to the flat lands at the foot of
the volcano cone； for we seemed to have had enough of wonders and
to desire to reassure ourselves； as it were； by the study of
natural and familiar things。 As it chanced； too； we were rewarded
by sundry useful discoveries。 Thus we found a place where the
bread…tree and other fruits； most of them now ripe； grew in
abundance； as did the yam。 Also； we came to an inlet that we
noticed was crowded with large and beautiful fish from the lake；
which seemed to find it a favourite spot。 Perhaps this was
because a little stream of excellent water ran in here；
overflowing from the great pool or mere which filled the crater
above。
At these finds we rejoiced greatly； for now we knew that we
need not fear starvation even should our supply of food from the
main island be cut off。 Indeed； by help of some palm…leaf stalks
which we wove together roughly； Bastin； who was rather clever at
this kind