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〃Is that how you gather your soldiers？ Later it will be
otherwise；〃 said Oro； and passed on。
We reached Blackfriars and entered a hall at the doors of which
stood women in poke…bonnets； very sweet…faced； earnest…looking
women。 Their countenances seemed to strike Oro； and he motioned
me to follow him into the hall。 It was quite full of a miserable…
looking congregation of perhaps a thousand people。 A man in the
blue and red uniform of the Salvation Army was preaching of duty
to God and country； of self…denial； hope and forgiveness。 He
seemed a humble person； but his words were earnest； and love
flowed from him。 Some of his miserable congregation wept； others
stared at him open…mouthed； a few； who were very weary； slept。 He
called them up to receive pardon； and a number； led by the sweet…
faced women； came and knelt before him。 He and others whispered
to them； then seemed to bless them； and they rose with their
faces changed。
〃Let us go；〃 said Oro。 〃I do not understand these rites； but at
last in your great and wonderful city I have seen something that
is pure and noble。〃
We went out。 In the streets there was great excitement。 People
ran to and fro pointing upwards。 Searchlights； like huge fingers
of flame； stole across the sky； guns boomed。 At last； in the
glare of a searchlight； we saw a long and sinister object
floating high above us and gleaming as though it were made of
silver。 Flashes came from it followed by terrible booming reports
that grew nearer and nearer。 A house collapsed with a crash just
behind us。
〃Ah！〃 said Oro； with a smile。 〃I know thisit is war； war as
it was when the world was different and yet the same。〃
As he spoke； a motor…bus rumbled past。 Another flash and
explosion。 A man； walking with his arms round the waist of a girl
just ahead of us； seemed to be tossed up and to melt。 The girl
fell in a heap on the pavement； somehow her head and her feet had
come quite close together and yet she appeared to be sitting
down。 The motor…bus burst into fragments and its passengers
hurtled through the air； mere hideous lumps that had been men and
women。 The head of one of them came dancing down the pavement
towards us； a cigar still stuck in the corner of its mouth。
〃Yes； this is war；〃 said Oro。 〃It makes me young again to see
it。 But does this city of yours understand？〃
We watched a while。 A crowd gathered。 Policemen ran up；
ambulances came。 The place was cleared； and all that was left
they carried away。 A few minutes later another man passed by with
his arm round the waist of another girl。 Another motor…bus
rumbled up； and； avoiding the hole in the roadway； travelled on；
its conductor keeping a keen look…out for fares。
The street was cleared by the police； the airship continued its
course； spawning bombs in the distance； and vanished。 The
incident was closed。
〃Let us go home；〃 said Oro。 〃I have seen enough of your great
and wonderful city。 I would rest in the quiet of Nyo and think。〃
The next thing that I remember was the voice of Bastin； saying：
〃If you don't mind； Arbuthnot； I wish that you would get up。
The Glittering Lady （he still called her that） is coming here to
have a talk with me which I should prefer to be private。 Excuse
me for disturbing you； but you have overslept yourself； indeed； I
think it must be nine o'clock； so far as I can judge by the sun；
for my watch is very erratic now； ever since Bickley tried to
clean it。〃
〃I am sorry； my dear fellow；〃 I said sleepily； 〃but do you know
I thought I was in Londonin fact； I could swear that I have
been there。〃
〃Then；〃 interrupted Bickley； who had followed Bastin into the
hut； giving me that doubtful glance with which I was now
familiar； 〃I wish to goodness that you had brought back an
evening paper with you。〃
A night or two later I was again suddenly awakened to feel that
Oro was approaching。 He appeared like a ghost in the bright
moonlight； greeted me； and said：
〃Tonight； Humphrey； we must make another journey。 I would visit
the seat of the war。〃
〃I do not wish to go；〃 I said feebly。
〃What you wish does not matter；〃 he replied。 〃I wish that you
should go； and therefore you must。〃
〃Listen； Oro；〃 I exclaimed。 〃I do not like this business； it
seems dangerous to me。〃
〃There is no danger if you are obedient； Humphrey。〃
〃I think there is。 I do not understand what happens。 Do you
make use of what the Lady Yva called the Fourth Dimension； so
that our bodies pass over the seas and through mountains； like
the vibrations of our Wireless； of which I was speaking to you？〃
〃No； Humphrey。 That method is good and easy； but I do not use
it because if I did we should be visible in the places which we
visit； since there all the atoms that make a man would collect
together again and be a man。〃
〃What； then； do you do？〃 I asked； exasperated。
〃Man； Humphrey； is not one； he is many。 Thus； amongst other
things he has a Double； which can see and hear； as he can in the
flesh； if it is separated from the flesh。〃
〃The old Egyptians believed that；〃 I said。
〃Did they？ Doubtless they inherited the knowledge from us； the
Sons of Wisdom。 The cup of our learning was so full that； keep it
secret as we would； from time to time some of it overflowed among
the vulgar； and doubtless thus the light of our knowledge still
burns feebly in the world。〃
I reflected to myself that whatever might be their other
characteristics； the Sons of Wisdom had lost that of modesty； but
I only asked how he used his Double； supposing that it existed。
〃Very easily；〃 he answered。 〃In sleep it can be drawn from the
body and sent upon its mission by one that is its master。〃
〃Then while you were asleep for all those thousands of years
your Double must have made many journeys。〃
〃Perhaps；〃 he replied quietly； 〃and my spirit also； which is
another part of me that may have dwelt in the bodies of other
men。 But unhappily； if so I forget； and that is why I have so
much to learn and must even make use of such poor instruments as
you； Humphrey。〃
〃Then if I sleep and you distil my Double out of me； I suppose
that you sleep too。 In that case who distils your Double out of
you； Lord Oro？〃
He grew angry and answered：
〃Ask no more questions； blind and ignorant as you are。 It is
your part not to examine； but to obey。 Sleep now；〃 and again he
waved his hand over me。
In an instant； as it seemed； we were standing in a grey old
town that I judged from its appearance must be either in northern
France or Belgium。 It was much shattered by bombardment； the
church； for instance； was a ruin； also many of the houses had
been burnt。 Now； however； no firing was going on for the town had
been taken。 The streets were full of armed men wearing the German
uniform and helmet。 We passed down them and were able to see into
the houses。 In some of these were German soldiers engaged in
looting and in other things so horrible that even the unmoved Oro
turned away his head。
We came to the market…place。 It was crowded with German troops；
also with a great number of the inhabitants of the town； most of
them elderly men and women with children； who had fallen into
their power。 The Germans； under the command of officers； were
dragging the men from the arms of their wives and children to one
side； and with rifle…butts beating back the screaming women。 Among
the men I noticed two or three priests who were doing their best
to soothe their companions and even giving them absolution in
hurried whispers。
At length the separation was effected； whereon at a hoarse word
of command； a company of soldiers began to fire at the men and
continued doing so until all had fallen。 Then petty officers went
among the slaughtered and with pistols blew out the brains of any
who still moved。
〃These butchers； you say； are Germans？〃 asked Oro of me。
〃Yes；〃 I answered； sick with horror； for though I was in the
mind and not in the body； I could feel as the mind does。 Had I
been in the body also； I should have fainted。
〃Then we need not waste time in visiting their country。 It is
enough； let us go on。〃
We passed out into the open land and came to a village。 It was
in the occupation of German cavalry。 Two of them held a little
girl of nine or ten； one by her body； the other by her right
hand。 An officer stood between them with a drawn sword fronting
the terrified child。 He was a horrible； coarse…faced man who
looked to me as though he had been drinking。
〃I'll teach the young devil to show us the wrong road and let
those French swine escape；〃 he shouted； and struck with the
sword。 The girl's right hand fell to the ground。
〃War as practised by the Germans！〃 remarked Oro。 Then he
stepped； or seemed to step up to the man and whispered； or seemed
to whisper； in his ear。
I do