Part 41 (1/2)
It was a peculiarly beautiful sunset over the southern seas To the west the great fla orb sank into the ocean, to the east appeared the silver circle of the fullfrom the hand of a materialised spirit of calm Over the volcano and the lake, over the island with its palm trees, over the seas beyond, this cal birds the sky was empty; no cloud disturbed its peace; the world sees struck me, as I think they did the others, because by the action of soht it ca on them for the last time It is all very well to talk of the Unknown and the Infinite whereof we are assured we are the heirs, but that does not make it any easier for us to part with the Known and the Finite The contemplation of the wonders of Eternity does not conceal the advantages of actual and existent Time In short there is no one of us, from a sainted archbishop down to a sinful suicide, who does not regret the necessity of farewell to the pleasant light and the kindly race of men e are acquainted
For after all, who can be quite certain of the Beyond? It e, and froe, we shrink We know that all things will be different there; that our hued, that perhaps sex which shapes sounknown, that ambitions will lose their hold of us, and that, at the best, the mere loss of hopes and fears will leave us empty So at least we think, who seek not variation but continuance, since the spirit ence
At least some of us think so; others, like Bickley, write down the future as a black and endless night, which after all has its consolations since, as has been wisely suggested, perhaps oblivion is better than any ain, like Bastin, would say of it with the Frenche, plus c'est la meme chose Yet others, like Oro, consider it as a realm of possibilities, probably unpleasant and perhaps non-existent; just this and nothingis certain, that no creature which has life desires to leap into the fire and froold--or the lead--of certainty
”It is ti,” said Bastin ”In these skies the sun seeland, and if ait any longer we shall be late for our appointh I don't often notice scenery, everything looks rather beautiful this evening That star, for instance, I think it is called Venus”
”And therefore one that Arbuthnot should adhten matters with a joke ”But come on and let us be rid of this fool's errand Certainly the world is a lovely place after all, and for my part I hope that we haven't seen the last of it,” he added with a sigh
”So do I,” said Bastin, ”though of course, Faith teaches us that there areabout what they are like, but I hope that the road to theh the hole that the old reprobate, Oro, calls Nyo”
A fewhis share of the impedimenta I think that Tommy was the only really cheerfulbackwards and forwards into the h to hurry our movements
”Really,” said Bastin, ”it is quite unholy to see an ani on in that hen it knows that it is about to descend into the bowels of the earth I suppose it must like them”
”Oh! no,” commented Bickley, ”it only likes what is in them--like Arbuthnot Since that little beast came in contact with the Lady Yva, it has never been happy out of her company”
”I think that is so,” said Bastin ”At any rate I have noticed that it has beenfor the last two days, as it always does when she is not present It even seeives s must be very charitable ani past the wrecks of the half-buried flying-retfully, had never found tihly to exa than we could do without proper instru and deeply entombed in dust
We came to the sepulchre and entered
”Well,” said Bickley, seating hi up his lamp to look about hi the assignation, Arbuthnot, although the sun is well down”
As he spoke the words Yva stood before us Whence she came we did not see, for all our backs were turned at the moment of her arrival But there she was, calht
Chapter XXIII In the Telanced at me, and in her eyes I read tenderness and solicitude, also soh she ondering what I should do under circuht, or would, arise, and in some secret fashi+on of which I was but half conscious, drawing an answer fro way, said:
”So, Bickley, as usual, you did not believe? Because you did not see him, therefore the Lord Oro, h the Lord Oro could not pass you without your knowledge, or, perchance, send thoughts clothed in his own shape to work his errand”
”How do you know that I did not believe Arbuthnot's story?” Bickley asked in a rather cross voice and avoiding the direct issue ”Do you also send thoughts to work your errands clothed in your own shape, Lady Yva?”
”Alas! not so, though perhaps I could if Ihere, I heard you say that although the sun ell down there was no one to meet you as Huuessed the rest”
”Your knowledge of the English language is i fast, Lady Yva
Also, when I spoke, you were not here”
”At least I was very near, Bickley, and these walls are thinner than you think,” she answered, conte what seemed to be solid rock with eyes that were full of innocence ”Oh! friend,” she went on suddenly, ”I wonder what there is which will cause you to believe that you do not know all; that there exist ination? Well, in a day or two, perhaps, even you will adhed
”I am ready to confess now that much happens which I do not understand at present, because I have not the key to the trick,” he replied