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without doubt though their only weapon was a black rod not unlike
a ruler； if indeed it were a weapon and not a badge of office。
Yva； whose face had suddenly grown strange and fixed； began to
detail to us what was passing in this scene； in a curious
monotone such as a person might use who was repeating something
learned by heart。 This was the substance of what she said：
〃The case of the Sons of Wisdom is desperate。 But few of them
are left。 Like other men they need food which is hard to come by；
since the foe holds the upper earth and that which their doctors
can make here in the Shades does not satisfy them； even though
they drink the Life…water。 They die and die。 There comes an
embassy from the High King of the confederated Nations to talk of
terms of peace。 See； it enters。〃
As she spoke； up the hall advanced the embassy。 At the head of
it walked a young man； tall； dark； handsome and commanding； whose
aspect seemed in some way to be familiar to me。 He was richly
clothed in a purple cloak and wore upon his head a golden circlet
that suggested royal rank。 Those who followed him were mostly old
men who had the astute faces of diplomatists； but a few seemed to
be generals。 Yva continued in her monotonous voice：
〃Comes the son of the King of the confederated Nations； the
Prince who will be king。 He bows before the Lord Oro。 He says
'Great and Ancient Monarch of the divine blood； Heaven…born One；
your strait； and that of those who remain to you； is sore。 Yet on
behalf of the Nations I am sent to offer terms of peace； but this
I may only do in the presence of your child who is your heiress
and the Queen…to…be of the Sons of Wisdom。'〃
Here； in the picture； Oro waved his hand and from behind the
marble shell appeared Yva herself； gloriously apparelled； wearing
royal ornaments and with her train held by waiting ladies。 She
bowed to the Prince and his company and they bowed back to her。
More； we saw a glance of recognition pass between her and the
Prince。
Now the real Yva by our side pointed to the shadow Yva of the
vision or the picture； whichever it might be called； a strange
thing to see her do； and went on：
〃The daughter of the Lord Oro comes。 The Prince of the Nations
salutes her。 He says that the great war has endured for hundreds
of years between the Children of Wisdom fighting for absolute
rule and the common people of the earth fighting for liberty。 In
that war many millions of the Sons of the Nations had perished；
brought to their death by fearful arts； by wizardries and by
plagues sown among them by the Sons of Wisdom。 Yet they were
winning； for the glorious cities of the Sons of Wisdom were
destroyed and those who remained of them were driven to dwell in
the caves of the earth where with all their strength and magic
they could not increase； but faded like flowers in the dark。
〃The Lord Oro asks what are the terms of peace proposed by the
Nations。 The Prince answers that they are these： That the Sons of
Wisdom shall teach all their wisdom to the wise men among the
Nations。 That they shall give them to drink of the Life…water； so
that their length of days also may be increased。 That they shall
cease to destroy them by sickness and their mastery of the forces
which are hid in the womb of the world。 If they will do these
things； then the Nations on their part will cease from war； will
rebuild the cities they have destroyed by means of their flying
ships that rain down death； and will agree that the Lord Oro and
his seed shall rule them for ever as the King of kings。
〃The Lord Oro asks if that be all。 The Prince answers that it
is not all。 He says that when he dwelt a hostage at the court of
the Sons of Wisdom he and the divine Lady； the daughter of the
Lord Oro； and his only living child； learned to love each other。
He demands； and the Nations demand； that she shall be given to
him to wife； that in a day to come he may rule with her and their
children after them。
〃See！〃 went on Yva in her chanting； dreamy voice； 〃the Lord Oro
asks his daughter if this be true。 She says；〃 here the real Yva
at my side turned and looked me straight in the eyes； 〃that it is
true； that she loves the Prince of the Nations and that if she
lives a million years she will wed no other man； since she who is
her father's slave in all else is still the mistress of herself；
as has ever been the right of her royal mothers。
〃See again！ The Lord Oro； the divine King； the Ancient； grows
wroth。 He says that it is enough and more than enough that the
Barbarians should ask to eat of the bread of hidden learning and
to drink of the Life…water of the Sons of Wisdom； gifts that were
given to them of old by Heaven whence they sprang in the
beginning。 But that one of them； however highly placed； should
dare to ask to mix his blood with that of the divine Lady； the
Heiress； the Queen of the Earth to be； and claim to share her
imperial throne that had been held by her pure race from age to
age； was an insult that could only be purged by death。 Sooner
would he give his daughter in marriage to an ape than to a child
of the Barbarians who had worked on them so many woes and striven
to break the golden fetters of their rule。
〃Look again！〃 continued Yva。 〃The Lord Oro； the divine； grows
angrier still〃 （which in truth he did； for never did I see such
dreadful rage as that which the picture revealed in him）。 〃He
warns； he threatens。 He says that hitherto out of gentle love and
pity he has held his hand； that he has strength at his command
which will slay them； not by millions in slow war； but by tens
of millions at one blow； that will blot them and their peoples
from the face of earth and that will cause the deep seas to roll
where now their pleasant lands are fruitful in the sun。 They
shrink before his fury； behold； their knees tremble because they
know that he has this power。 He mocks them； does the Lord Oro。 He
asks for their submission here and now； and that in the name of
the Nations they should take the great oath which may not be
broken； swearing to cease from war upon the Sons of Wisdom and to
obey them in all things to the ends of the earth。 Some of the
ambassadors would yield。 They look about them like wild things
that are trapped。 But madness takes the Prince。 He cries that the
oath of an ape is of no account； but that he will tear up the
Children of Wisdom as an ape tears leaves； and afterwards take
the divine Lady to be his wife。
〃Look on the Lord Oro！〃 continued the living Yva； 〃his wrath
leaves him。 He grows cold and smiles。 His daughter throws herself
upon her knees and pleads with him。 He thrusts her away。 She
would spring to the side of the Prince； he commands his
councillors to hold her。 She cries to the Prince that she loves
him and him only； and that in a day to come him she will wed and
no other。 He thanks her； saying that as it is with her； so it is
with him； and that because of his love he fears nothing。 She
swoons。 The Lord Oro motions with his hand to the guard。 They
lift their death…rods。 Fire leaps from them。 The Prince and his
companions； all save those who were afraid and would have sworn
the oath； twist and writhe。 They turn black； they die。 The Lord
Oro commands those who are left to enter their flying ships and
bear to the Nations of the Earth tidings of what befalls those
who dare to defy and insult him； to warn them also to eat and
drink and be merry while they may； since for their wickedness
they are about to perish。〃
The scene faded and there followed another which really I
cannot describe。 It represented some vast underground place and
what appeared to be a huge mountain of iron clothed in light；
literally a thing like an alp； rocking and spinning down a
declivity； which farther on separated into two branches because
of a huge razor…edge precipice that rose between。 There in the
middle of this vast space with the dazzling mountain whirling
towards him； stood Oro encased in some transparent armour； as
though to keep off heat； and with him his daughter who under his
direction was handling something in the rock behind her。 Then
there was a blinding flash and everything vanished。 All of this
picture passed so swiftly that we could not grasp its details；
only a general impression remained。
〃The Lord Oro； using the strength that is in the world whereof
he alone has the secret； changes the world's balance causing that
which was land to become sea and that which was sea to become
land；〃 said Yva in her chanting； unnatural voice。
Another scene of stupendous and changing awfulness。 Countries
were sinking； cities crashing down； volcanoes were spouting fire；
the end of the earth seemed to be at hand。 We could see human
beings running to and fro in thousands like ants。 Then in huge
waves hundreds and hundreds of feet high； the ocean flowed in and
all was troubled； yeast