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about me and perceived that Oro had his right hand upon what
seemed to be a rough stone rod； in shape not unlike that with
which railway points are moved。 He shouted to us to stand still
and keep the shields over our faces。 Then very gently he pressed
upon the lever。 The porthole sank the fraction of an inch； and
instantly there leapt from it a most terrific blaze of lightning；
which shot across the blackness in front and； as lightning does；
revealed far； far away another wall； or rather cliff； like that
against which we leant。
〃All works well；〃 exclaimed Oro in a satisfied voice； lifting
his hand from the rod； 〃and the strength which I have stored will
be more than enough。〃
Meanwhile the humming noise came nearer and grew in volume。
〃I say；〃 said Bickley； 〃as you know； I have been sceptical； but
I don't like this business。 Oro； what are you going to do？〃
〃Sink half the world beneath the seas；〃 said Oro； 〃and raise up
that which I drowned more than two thousand centuries ago。 But as
you do not believe that I have this power； Bickley； why do you
ask such questions？〃
〃I believe that you have it； which was why I tried to shoot you
yesterday；〃 said Bastin。 〃For your soul's sake I beg you to
desist from an attempt which I am sure will not succeed； but
which will certainly involve your eternal damnation； since the
failure will be no fault of yours。〃
Then I spoke also； saying：
〃I implore you； Lord Oro； to let this business be。 I do not
know exactly how much or how little you can do； but I understand
that your object is to slay men by millions in order to raise up
another world of which you will be the absolute king； as you were
of some past empire that has been destroyed； either through your
agency or otherwise。 No good can come of such ambitions。 Like
Bastin； for your soul's sake I pray you to let them be。〃
〃What Humphrey says I repeat；〃 said Yva。 〃My Father； although
you know it not； you seek great evil； and from these hopes you
sow you will harvest nothing save a loss of which you do not
dream。 Moreover； your plans will fail。 Now I who am； like
yourself； of the Children of Wisdom； have spoken； for the first
and last time； and my words are true。 I pray you give them
weight； my Father。〃
Oro heard； and grew furious。
〃What！〃 he said。 〃Are you against me； every one； and my own
daughter also？ I would lift you up； I would make you rulers of a
new world； I would destroy your vile civilisations which I have
studied with my eyes； that I may build better！ To you； Humphrey；
I would give my only child in marriage that from you may spring a
divine race of kings！ And yet you are against me and set up your
puny scruples as a barrier across my path of wisdom。 Well； I
tread them down； I go on my appointed way。 But beware how you try
to hold me back。 If any one of you should attempt to come between
me and my ends； know that I will destroy you all。 Obey or die。〃
〃Well； he has had his chance and he won't take it；〃 said Bastin
in the silence that followed。 〃The man must go to the devil his
own way and there is nothing more to be said。〃
I say the silence； but it was no more silent。 The distant
humming grew to a roar； the roar to a hellish hurricane of sound
which presently drowned all attempts at ordinary speech。
Then bellowing like ten millions of bulls； at length far away
there appeared something terrible。 I can only describe its
appearance as that of an attenuated mountain on fire。 When it
drew nearer I perceived that it was more like a ballet…dancer
whirling round and round upon her toes； or rather all the
ballet…dancers in the world rolled into one and then multiplied a
million times in size。 No； it was like a mushroom with two
stalks； one above and one below； or a huge top with a point on
which it spun； a swelling belly and another point above。 But what
a top！ It must have been two thousand feet high； if it was an
inch； and its circumference who could measure？
On it came； dancing； swaying and spinning at a rate
inconceivable； so that it looked like a gigantic wheel of fire。
Yet it was not fire that clothed it but rather some
phosphorescence； since from it came no heat。 Yes； a
phosphorescence arranged in bands of ghastly blue and lurid red；
with streaks of other colours running up between； and a kind of
waving fringe of purple。
The fire…mountain thundered on with a voice like to that of
avalanches or of icebergs crashing from their parent glaciers to
the sea。 Its terrific aspect was appalling； and its weight caused
the solid rock to quiver like a leaf。 Watching it； we felt as
ants might feel at the advent of the crack of doom； for its mere
height and girth and size overwhelmed us。 We could not even
speak。 The last words I heard were from the mouth of Oro who
screamed out：
〃Behold the balance of the World； you miserable； doubting men；
and behold me change its pathturning it as the steersman turns
a ship！〃
Then he made certain signs to Yva； who in obedience to them
approached the porthole or search…light to which she did
something that I could not distinguish。 The effect was to make
the beam of light much stronger and sharper； also to shift it on
to the point or foot of the spinning mountain and； by an aiming
of the lens from time to time； to keep it there。
This went on for a while； since the dreadful thing did not
travel fast notwithstanding the frightful speed of its
revolutions。 I should doubt indeed if it advanced more quickly
than a man could walk； at any rate so it seemed to us。 But we had
no means of judging its real rate of progress whereof we knew as
little as we did of the course it followed in the bowels of the
earth。 Perhaps that was spiral； from the world's deep heart
upwards； and this was the highest point it reached。 Or perhaps it
remained stationary； but still spinning； for scores or hundreds
of years in some central powerhouse of its own； whence； in
obedience to unknown laws； from time to time it made these
terrific journeys。
No one knows； unless perhaps Oro did； in which case he kept the
information to himself； and no one will ever know。 At any rate
there it was； travelling towards us on its giant butt； the peg of
the top as it were； which； hidden in a cloud of friction…born
sparks that enveloped it like the cup of a curving flower of
fire； whirled round and round at an infinite speed。 It was on
this flaming flower that the search…light played steadily；
doubtless that Oro might mark and measure its monstrous progress。
〃He is going to try to send the thing down the right…hand
path；〃 I shouted into Bickley's ear。
〃Can't be done！ Nothing can shift a travelling weight of tens
of millions of tons one inch；〃 Bickley roared back； trying to
look confident。
Clearly； however； Yva thought that it could be done； for of a
sudden she cast down her shield and； throwing herself upon her
knees； stretched out her hands in supplication to her father。 I
understood； as did we all； that she was imploring him to abandon
his hellish purpose。 He glared at her and shook his head。 Then；
as she still went on praying； he struck her across the face with
his hand and pushed her to her feet again。 My blood boiled as I
saw it and I think I should have sprung at him； had not Bickley
caught hold of me； shouting； 〃Don't； or he will kill her and us
too。〃
Yva lifted her shield and returned to her station； and in the
blue discharges which now flashed almost continuously； and the
phosphorescent glare of the advancing mountain； I saw that though
her beautiful face worked beneath the pain of the blow； her eyes
remained serene and purposeful。 Even then I wonderedwhat was
the purpose shining through them。 Also I wondered if I was about
to be called upon to make that sacrifice of which she had spoken；
and if so； how。 Of one thing I was determinedthat if the call
came it should not find me deaf。 Yet all the while I was horribly
afraid。
At another sign from Oro； Yva did something more to the lens
again； being alongside of her； I could not see what it was。 The
beam of light shifted and wandered till； far away； it fell
exactly upon that spot where the rock began to rise into the
ridge which separated the two grooves or roads and ended in the
razor…edged cliff。 Moreover I observed that Oro； who left it the
last of us； had either placed something white to mark this first
infinitesimal bulging of the floor of the groove； or had smeared
it with chalk or shining pigment。 I observed also what I had not
been able to see before； that a thin white line ran across the
floor； no doubt to give the precise direction of this painted
rise of rock； and that the glare of the search…light now lay
exactly over that line。
The monstrous； flaming gyroscope fashioned in Nature's
workshop； for such without doubt it was； was drawing near；
emitting as it came a tumult of so