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their lords not as men； but gods。 They lived but three score
years and ten like the rest of us； and went their way； they；
whose great…great…grandfathers had served the same master and
whose great…great…great…grandchildren would still serve him。 What
should we think of a lord who we knew was already adult in the
time of William the Conqueror； and who remained still vigorous
and all…powerful in that of George V？ One； moreover； who
commanded almost infinite knowledge to which we were denied the
key？ We might tremble before him and look upon him as half…
divine； but should we not long to kill him and possess his
knowledge and thereby prolong our own existence to his wondrous
measure？
Such； said Yva； was the case with their slaves and the peoples
from whence these sprang。 They grew mad with jealous hate； till
at length came the end we knew。
Thus we talked on for hours till the time came for us to eat。
As before Yva partook of fruit and we of such meats as we had at
hand。 These； we noticed； disgusted her； because； as she
explained； the Children of Wisdom； unless driven thereto by
necessity； touched no flesh； but lived on the fruits of the earth
and wine alone。 Only the slaves and the Barbarians ate flesh。 In
these views Bickley for once agreed with her； that is； except as
regards the wine； for in theory； if not in practicehe was a
vegetarian。
〃I will bring you more of the Life…water；〃 she said； 〃and then
you will grow to hate these dead things； as I do。 And now
farewell。 My father calls me。 I hear him though you do not。 To…
morrow I cannot come； but the day after I will come and bring you
the Life…water。 Nay； accompany me not； but as I see he wishes it；
let Tommy go with me。 I will care for him； and he is a friend in
all that lonely place。〃
So she went； and with her Tommy； rejoicing。
〃Ungrateful little devil！〃 said Bickley。 〃Here we've fed and
petted him from puppyhood； or at least you have； and yet he skips
off with the first stranger。 I never saw him behave like that to
any woman； except your poor wife。〃
〃I know；〃 I answered。 〃I cannot understand it。 Hullo！ here
comes Bastin。〃
Bastin it was； dishevelled and looking much the worse for wear；
also minus his Bible in the native tongue。
〃Well； how have you been getting on？〃 said Bickley。
〃I should like some tea； also anything there is to eat。〃
We supplied him with these necessaries； and after a while he
said slowly and solemnly：
〃I cannot help thinking of a childish story which Bickley told
or invented one night at your house at home。 I remember he had an
argument with my wife； which he said put him in mind of it； I am
sure I don't know why。 It was about a monkey and a parrot that
were left together under a sofa for a long while； where they were
so quiet that everybody forgot them。 Then the parrot came out
with only one feather left in its tail and none at all on its
body； saying； 'I've had no end of a time！' after which it dropped
down and died。 Do you know； I feel just like that parrot； only I
don't mean to die； and I think I gave the monkey quite as good as
he gave me！〃
〃What happened？〃 I asked； intensely interested。
〃Oh！ the Glittering Lady took me into that palace hall where
Oro was sitting like a spider in a web； and left me there。 I got
to work at once。 He was much interested in the Old Testament
stories and said there were points of truth about them； although
they had evidently come down to the modern writerhe called him
a modern writerin a legendary form。 I thought his remarks
impertinent and with difficulty refrained from saying so。 Leaving
the story of the Deluge and all that； I spoke of other matters；
telling him of eternal life and Heaven and Hell； of which the
poor benighted man had never heard。 I pointed out especially that
unless he repented； his life； by all accounts； had been so
wicked； that he was certainly destined to the latter place。〃
〃What did he say to that？〃 I asked。
〃Do you know； I think it frightened him； if one could imagine
Oro being frightened。 At any rate he remarked that the truth or
falsity of what I said was an urgent matter for him； as he could
not expect to live more than a few hundred years longer； though
perhaps he might prolong the period by another spell of sleep。
Then he asked me why I thought him so wicked。 I replied because
he himself said that he had drowned millions of people； which
showed an evil heart and intention even if it were not a fact。 He
thought a long while and asked what could be done in the
circumstances。 I replied that repentance and reparation were the
only courses open to him。〃
〃Reparation！〃 I exclaimed。
〃Yes； reparation was what I said； though I think I made a
mistake there； as you will see。 As nearly as I can remember； he
answered that he was beginning to repent； as from all he had
learned from us； he gathered that the races which had arisen as a
consequence of his action； were worse than those which he had
destroyed。 As regards reparation； what he had done once he could
do again。 He would think the matter over seriously； and see if it
were possible and advisable to raise those parts of the world
which had been sunk； and sink those which had been raised。 If so；
he thought that would make very handsome amends to the departed
nations and set him quite right with any superior Power； if such
a thing existed。 What are you laughing at； Bickley？ I don't think
it a laughing matter； since such remarks do not seem to me to
indicate any real change in Oro's heart； which is what I was
trying to effect。〃
Bickley； who was convulsed with merriment； wiped his eyes and
said：
〃You dear old donkey； don't you see what you have done； or
rather would have done if there were a word of truth in all this
ridiculous story about a deluge？ You would be in the way of
making your precious pupil； who certainly is the most masterly
old liar in the world； repeat his offence and send Europe to the
bottom of the sea。〃
〃That did occur to me； but it doesn't much matter as I am quite
certain that such a thing would never be allowed。 Of course there
was a real deluge once； but Oro had no more to do with it than I
had。 Don't you agree； Arbuthnot？〃
〃I think so；〃 I answered cautiously； 〃but really in this place
I am beginning to lose count of what is or is not possible。 Also；
of course； there may have been many deluges； indeed the history
of the world shows that this was so； it is written in its
geological strata。 What was the end of it？〃
〃The end was that he took the South Sea Bible and； after I had
explained a little about our letters； seemed to be able to read
it at once。 I suppose he was acquainted with the art of printing
in his youth。 At any rate he said that he would study it； I don't
know how； unless he can read； and that in two days' time he would
let me know what he thought about the matter of my religion。 Then
he told me to go。 I said that I did not know the way and was
afraid of losing myself。 Thereupon he waved his hand； and I
really can't say what happened。〃
〃Did you levitate up here；〃 asked Bickley； 〃like the late
lamented Mr。 Home at the spiritualistic seances？〃
〃No； I did not exactly levitate； but something or someone
seemed to get a hold of me； and I was just rushed along in a most
tumultuous fashion。 The next thing I knew was that I was standing
at the door of that sepulchre； though I have no recollection of
going up in the lift； or whatever it is。 I believe those beastly
caves are full of ghosts； or devils； and the worst of it is that
they have kept my solar…tope； which I put on this morning
forgetting that it would be useless there。〃
〃The Lady Yva's Fourth Dimension in action；〃 I suggested； 〃only
it wouldn't work on solar…topes。〃
〃I don't know what you are talking about；〃 said Bastin； 〃but if
my hat had to be left； why not my boots and other garments？
Please stop your nonsense and pass the tea。 Thank goodness I
haven't got to go down there tomorrow； as he seems to have had
enough of me for the present； so I vote we all pay a visit to the
ship。 It will be a very pleasant change。 I couldn't stand two
days running with that old fiend； and his ghosts or devils in the
cave。〃
Next morning accordingly； fearing no harm from the Orofenans；
we took the canoe and rowed to the main island。 Marama had
evidently seen us coming； for he and a number of his people met
us with every demonstration of delight； and escorted us to the
ship。 Here we found things just as we had left them； for there
had been no attempt at theft or other mischief。
While we were in the cabin a fit of moral weakness seemed to
overcome Bickley； the first and I may add the last from which I
ever saw him suffer。
〃Do you know；〃 he said； addressing us； 〃I think that we should
do well to try to get out of this place。 Eliminating a great de