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animosity against all of us。〃
〃Is that all？〃 I asked。
〃Not quite。 She added that she felt wonderfully flattered and
extremely honoured by what I had been so good as to say to her。
She hoped； however； that I should never repeat it or even allude
to the matter again； as her dearest wish was to be able to look
upon me as her most intimate friend to whom she could always come
for sympathy and counsel。〃
〃What happened then？〃
〃Nothing； of course； except that I promised everything that she
wished； and mean to stick to it； too。 Naturally； I was very sore
and upset； but I am getting over it； having always practised
self…control。〃
〃I am sorry for you； old fellow。〃
〃Are you？〃 he asked suspiciously。 〃Then perhaps you have tried
your luck； too？〃
〃No； Bickley。〃
His face fell a little at this denial； and he answered：
〃Well； it would have been scarcely decent if you had； seeing
how lately you were married。 But then； so was that artful Bastin。
Perhaps you will get over itrecent marriage； I meanas he
has。〃 He hesitated a while； then went on： 〃Of course you will；
old fellow； I know it； and； what is more； I seem to know that
when your turn comes you will get a different answer。 If so； it
will keep her in the family as it wereand good luck to you。
Only〃
〃Only what？〃 I asked anxiously。
〃To be honest； Arbuthnot； I don't think that there will be real
good luck for any one of us over this womannot in the ordinary
sense； I mean。 The whole business is too strange and superhuman。
Is she quite a woman； and could she really marry a man as others
do？〃
〃It is curious that you should talk like that；〃 I said
uneasily。 〃I thought that you had made up your mind that the
whole business was either illusion or trickeryI mean； the odd
side of it。〃
〃If it is illusion； Arbuthnot； then a man cannot marry an
illusion。 And if it is trickery； then he will certainly be
tricked。 But； supposing that I am wrong； what then？〃
〃You mean； supposing things are as they seem to be？〃
〃Yes。 In that event； Arbuthnot； I am sure that something will
occur to prevent your being united to a woman who lived thousands
of years ago。 I am sorry to say it； but Fate will intervene。
Remember； it is the god of her people that I suppose she
worships； and； I may add； to which the whole world bows。〃
At his words a kind of chill fell upon me。 I think he saw or
divined it； for after a few remarks upon some indifferent matter；
he turned and went away。
Shortly after this Yva came to sit with me。 She studied me for
a while and I studied her。 I had reason to do so； for I observed
that of late her dress had become much more modern； and on the
present occasion this struck me forcibly。 I do not know exactly
in what the change； or changes； consisted； because I am not
skilled in such matters and can only judge of a woman's garments
by their general effect。 At any rate； the gorgeous sweeping robes
were gone； and though her attire still looked foreign and
somewhat oriental； with a touch of barbaric splendour about it
it was simpler than it had been and showed more of her figure；
which was delicate； yet gracious。
〃You have changed your robes； Lady；〃 I said。 〃Yes； Humphrey。
Bastin gave me pictures of those your women wear。〃 （On further
investigation I found that this referred to an old copy of the
Queen newspaper； which； somehow or other； had been brought with
the books from the ship。） 〃I have tried to copy them a little；〃
she added doubtfully。
〃How do you do it？ Where do you get the material？〃 I asked。
〃Oh！〃 she answered with an airy wave of her hand； 〃I make it
it is there。〃
〃I don't understand；〃 I said； but she only smiled radiantly；
offering no further explanation。 Then； before I could pursue the
subject； she asked me suddenly：
〃What has Bickley been saying to you about me？〃 I fenced；
answering： 〃I don't know。 Bastin and Bickley talk of little else。
You seem to have been a great deal with them while I was ill。〃
〃Yes； a great deal。 They are the nearest to you who were so
sick。 Is it not so？〃
〃I don't know；〃 I answered again。 〃In my illness it seemed to
me that you were the nearest。〃
〃About Bastin's words I can guess；〃 she went on。 〃But I ask
againwhat has Bickley been saying to you about me？ Of the first
part； let it be； tell me the rest。〃
I intended to evade her question； but she fixed those violet；
compelling eyes upon me and I was obliged to answer。
〃I believe you know as well as I do；〃 I said； 〃but if you will
have it； it was that you are not as other human women are； and
that he who would treat you as such； must suffer； that was the
gist of it。〃
〃Some might be content to suffer for such as I；〃 she answered
with quiet sweetness。 〃Even Bastin and Bickley may be content to
suffer in their own little ways。〃
〃You know that is not what I meant；〃 I interrupted angrily； for
I felt that she was throwing reflections on me。
〃No； you meant that you agreed with Bickley that I am not quite
a woman； as you know women。〃
I was silent； for her words were true。
Then she blazed out into one of her flashes of splendour； like
something that takes fire on an instant； like the faint and
distant star which flames into sudden glory before the watcher's
telescope。
〃It is true that I am not as your women areyour poor； pale
women； the shadows of an hour with night behind them and before。
Because I am humble and patient； do you therefore suppose that I
am not great？ Man from the little country across the sea； I lived
when the world was young； and gathered up the ancient wisdom of a
greater race than yours； and when the world is old I think that I
still shall live； though not in this shape or here； with all that
wisdom's essence burning in my breast； and with all beauty in my
eyes。 Bickley does not believe although he worships。 You only
half believe and do not worship； because memory holds you back；
and I myself do not understand。 I only know though knowing so
much； still I seek roads to learning； even the humble road called
Bastin； that yet may lead my feet to the gate of an immortal
city。〃
〃Nor do I understand how all this can be； Yva；〃 I said feebly；
for she dazzled and overwhelmed me with her blaze of power。
〃No； you do not understand。 How can you； when even I cannot？
Thus for two hundred and fifty thousand years I slept； and they
went by as a lightning flash。 One moment my father gave me the
draught and I laid me down； the next I awoke with you bending
over me； or so it seemed。 Yet where was I through all those
centuries when for me time had ceased？ Tell me； Humphrey； did you
dream at all while you were ill？ I ask because down in that
lonely cavern where I sleep a strange dream came to me one night。
It was of a journey which； as I thought； you and I seemed to make
together； past suns and universes to a very distant earth。 It
meant nothing； Humphrey。 If you and I chanced to have dreamed the
same thing； it was only because my dream travelled to you。 It is
most common； or used to be。 Humphrey； Bickley is quite right； I
am not altogether as your women are； and I can bring no happiness
to any man； or at the least； to one who cannot wait。 Therefore；
perhaps you would do well to think less of me； as I have
counselled Bastin and Bickley。〃
Then again she gazed at me with her wonderful； great eyes； and；
shaking her glittering head a little； smiled and went。
But oh！ that smile drew my heart after her。
Chapter XX
Oro and Arbuthnot Travel by Night
As time went on； Oro began to visit me more and more
frequently； till at last scarcely a night went by that he did not
appear mysteriously in my sleeping…place。 The odd thing was that
neither Bickley nor Bastin seemed to be aware of these nocturnal
calls。 Indeed； when I mentioned them on one or two occasions；
they stared at me and said it was strange that he should have
come and gone as they saw nothing of him。
On my speaking again of the matter； Bickley at once turned the
conversation； from which I gathered that he believed me to be
suffering from delusions consequent on my illness； or perhaps to
have taken to dreaming。 This was not wonderful since； as I
learned afterwards； Bickley； after he was sure that I was asleep；
made a practice of tying a thread across my doorway and of
ascertaining at the dawn that it remained unbroken。 But Oro was
not to be caught in that way。 I suppose； as it was impossible for
him to pass through the latticework of the open side of the
house； that he undid the thread and fastened it again when he
left； at least； that was Bastin's explanation； or； rather； one of
them。 Another was that he crawled beneath it； but this I could
not believe。 I am quite certain that during all his prolonged
existence Oro never crawled。
At any rate； he came； or seemed