Part 22 (1/2)
”Of this great matter of faith ill talk later It is an old question in the world”
”Why,” went on Yva, ”if you wished to travel so far did you come in a shi+p that so easily is wrecked? Why did you not journey through the air, or better still, pass through space, leaving your bodies asleep, as, being instructed, doubtless you can do?”
”As regards your first question,” I answered, ”there are no aircraft known that can ards the second,” broke in Bickley, ”we did not do so because it is impossible for h space either with or without their bodies”
At this infor Lady lifted her arched eyebrows and smiled a little, while Oro said:
”I perceive that the neorld has advanced but a little way on the road of knowledge”
Fearing that Bastin was about to coan to ask questions in my turn
”Lord Oro and Lady Yva,” I said, ”we have told you so of ourselves and will tell you more when you desire it But pardon us if first we pray you to tell us e burn to know Who are you? Of what race and country? And how ca yonder?”
”If it be your pleasure, answer, ht awho once ruled h it is true that ainst me, my councillors and servants Therefore I destroyed the world as it was then, save only certain portions whence lifedone this I put hter to sleep for a space of two hundred and fifty thousand years, that there in to think that I did not allot a sufficiency of ages, since I perceive fro of the new races is as yet but small”
Bickley and I looked at each other and were silent Mentally we had collapsed Who could begin to discuss state falsehoods?
Well, Bastin could for one With noabout last night's dinner, he said:
”There must be a mistake somewhere, or perhaps Ia man, could not have destroyed the world
That could only be done by the Pohich made it and you”
I tre out the truth
To my astonishment, however, Oro replied:
”You speak wisely, Priest, but the Power you name may use instruments to accomplish its decrees I am such an instrument”
”Quite so,” said Bastin, ”just like anybody else You have ht But pray, how did you destroy the world?”
”Using my wisdoreat globe, I drowned it with a deluge, causing one part to sink and another to rise, also changes of cliht,” exclaie, only you are not mentioned in connection with the matter A man, Noah, had to do with it when he was six hundred years old”
”Six hundred?” said Oro ”That is not very old I myself had seen more than a thousand years when I lay down to sleep”
”A thousand!” reh sohty men of renoe know lived over nine hundred”
Here Bickley snorted and exclaimed:
”Nine hundred moons, he means”
”I did not know Noah,” went on Oro ”Perhaps he lived afterelse you wish to ask ?”