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bewildered and overcome。 My brain rocked。 I would seek sleep； and
in it escape； or at any rate rest from all these mysteries。
On the following morning we despatched Bastin to keep his
rendezvous in the sepulchre at the proper time。 Had we not done
so I felt sure that he would have forgotten it； for on this
occasion he was for once an unwilling missioner。 He tried to
persuade one of us to come with himeven Bickley would have been
welcome； but we both declared that we could not dream of
interfering in such a professional matter； also that our presence
was forbidden； and would certainly distract the attention of his
pupil。
〃What you mean；〃 said the gloomy Bastin； 〃is that you intend to
enjoy yourselves up here in the female companionship of the
Glittering Lady whilst I sit thousands of feet underground
attempting to lighten the darkness of a violent old sinner whom I
suspect of being in league with Satan。〃
〃With whom you should be proud to break a lance；〃 said Bickley。
〃So I am； in the daylight。 For instance； when he uses your
mouth to advance his arguments。 Bickley； but this is another
matter。 However； if I do not appear again you will know that I
died in a good cause； and； I hope； try to recover my remains and
give them decent burial。 Also； you might inform the Bishop of how
I came to my end； this is； if you ever get an opportunity； which
is more than doubtful。〃
〃Hurry up； Bastin； hurry up！〃 said the unfeeling Bickley； 〃or
you will be late for your appointment and put your would…be
neophyte into a bad temper。〃
Then Bastin went； carrying under his arm a large Bible printed
in the language of the South Sea Islands。
A little while later Yva appeared； arrayed in her wondrous
robes which； being a man； it is quite impossible for me to
describe。 She saw us looking at these； and； after greeting us
both； also Tommy； who was enraptured at her coming； asked us how
the ladies of our country attired themselves。
We tried to explain； with no striking success。
〃You are as stupid about such matters as were the men of the
Old World；〃 she said； shaking her head and laughing。 〃I thought
that you had with you pictures of ladies you have known which
would show me。〃
Now； in fact； I had in a pocket…book a photograph of my wife in
evening…dress； also a miniature of her head and bust painted on
ivory； a beautiful piece of work done by a master hand； which I
always wore。 These； after a moment's hesitation； I produced and
showed to her； Bickley having gone away for a little while to see
about something connected with his attempted analysis of the
Life…water。 She examined them with great eagerness； and as she
did so I noted that her face grew tender and troubled。
〃This was your wife；〃 she said as one who states what she knows
to be a fact。 I nodded； and she went on：
〃She was sweet and beautiful as a flower； but not so tall as I
am； I think。〃
〃No；〃 I answered； 〃she lacked height； given that she would have
been a lovely woman。〃
〃I am glad you think that women should be tall；〃 she said；
glancing at her shadow。 〃The eyes were such as mine； were they
notin colour； I mean？〃
〃Yes； very like yours； only yours are larger。〃
〃That is a beautiful way of wearing the hair。 Would you be
angry if I tried it？ I weary of this old fashion。〃
〃Why should I be angry？〃 I asked。
At this moment Bickley reappeared and she began to talk of the
details of the dress； saying that it showed more of the neck than
had been the custom among the women of her people； but was very
pretty。
〃That is because we are still barbarians；〃 said Bickley； 〃at
least； our women are； and therefore rely upon primitive methods
of attraction； like the savages yonder。〃
She smiled； and； after a last； long glance； gave me back the
photograph and the miniature； saying as she delivered the latter：
〃I rejoice to see that you are faithful； Humphrey； and wear
this picture on your heart； as well as in it。〃
〃Then you must be a very remarkable woman；〃 said Bickley。
〃Never before did I hear one of your sex rejoice because a man
was faithful to somebody else。〃
〃Has Bickley been disappointed in his love…heart； that he is so
angry to us women？〃 asked Yva innocently of me。 Then； without
waiting for an answer； she inquired of him whether he had been
successful in his analysis of the Life…water。
〃How do you know what I was doing with the Life…water？ Did
Bastin tell you？〃 exclaimed Bickley。
〃Bastin told me nothing； except that he was afraid of the
descent to Nyo； that he hated Nyo when he reached it； as indeed I
do； and that he thought that my father； the Lord Oro； was a devil
or evil spirit from some Under…world which he called hell。〃
〃Bastin has an open heart and an open mouth；〃 said Bickley；
〃for which I respect him。 Follow his example if you will； Lady
Yva； and tell us who and what is the Lord Oro； and who and what
are you。〃
〃Have we not done so already？ If not； I will repeat。 The Lord
Oro and I are two who have lived on from the old time when the
world was different； and yet； I think； the same。 He is a man and
not a god； and I am a woman。 His powers are great because of his
knowledge； which he has gathered from his forefathers and in a
life of a thousand years before he went to sleep。 He can do
things you cannot do。 Thus； he can pass through space and take
others with him； and return again。 He can learn what is happening
in far…off parts of the world； as he did when he told you of the
war in which your country is concerned。 He has terrible powers；
for instance； he can kill； as he killed those savages。 Also； he
knows the secrets of the earth； and； if it pleases him； can
change its turning so that earthquakes happen and sea becomes
land； and land sea； and the places that were hot grow cold； and
those that were cold grow hot。〃
〃All of which things have happened many time in the history of
the globe；〃 said Bickley； 〃without the help of the Lord Oro。〃
〃Others had knowledge before my father； and others doubtless
will have knowledge after him。 Even I； Yva； have some knowledge；
and knowledge is strength。〃
〃Yes；〃 I interposed； 〃but such powers as you attribute to your
father are not given to man。〃
〃You mean to man as you know him； man like Bickley； who thinks
that he has learned everything that was ever learned。 But it is
not so。 Hundreds of thousands of years ago men knew more than it
seems they do today； ten times more； as they lived ten times
longer； or so you tell me。〃
〃Men？〃 I said。
〃Yes； men； not gods or spirits； as the uninstructed nations
supposed them to be。 My father is a man subject to the hopes and
terrors of man。 He desires power which is ambition； and when the
world refused his rule； he destroyed that part of it which
rebelled； which is revenge。 Moreover； above all things he dreads
death； which is fear。 That is why he suspended life in himself
and me for two hundred and fifty thousand years； as his knowledge
gave him strength to do； because death was near and he thought
that sleep was better than death。〃
〃Why should he dread to die；〃 asked Bickley； 〃seeing that sleep
and death are the same？〃
〃Because his knowledge tells him that Sleep and Death are not
the same； as you； in your foolishness； believe； for there Bastin
is wiser than you。 Because for all his wisdom he remains ignorant
of what happens to man when the Light of Life is blown out by the
breath of Fate。 That is why he fears to die and why he talks with
Bastin the Preacher； who says he has the secret of the future。〃
〃And do you fear to die？〃 I asked。
〃No； Humphrey；〃 she answered gently。 〃Because I think that
there is no death； and； having done no wrong； I dread no evil。 I
had dreams while I was asleep； O Humphrey； and it seemed to me
that〃
Here she ceased and glanced at where she knew the miniature was
hanging upon my breast。
〃Now；〃 she continued； after a little pause； 〃tell me of your
world； of its history； of its languages； of what happens there；
for I long to know。〃
So then and there； assisted by Bickley； I began the education
of the Lady Yva。 I do not suppose that there was ever a more apt
pupil in the whole earth。 To begin with； she was better
acquainted with every subject on which I touched than I was
myself； all she lacked was information as to its modern aspect。
Her knowledge ended two hundred and fifty thousand years ago； at
which date； however； it would seem that civilisation had already
touched a higher water…mark than it has ever since attained。
Thus； this vanished people understood astronomy； natural
magnetism； the force of gravity； steam； also electricity to some
subtle use of which； I gathered； the lighting of their
underground city was to be attributed。 They had mastered
architecture and the arts； as their buildings and statues showed；