Part 42 (1/2)
”Be thankful that you also are not turned to stone But, because your courage pleases doions, I think, since all the qualities that a high priest should have are yours--faith, fanaticise,” said Bastin, ”but all of a sudden ain I suppose itof that sort which er when I didn't mean to do so”
Then he went to fetch that article which had fallen beyond the dais, and quite forgot his intention of executing Oro in the interest of testing its mechanism, which proved to be destroyed To his proposed appointment he made no illusion If he comprehended as meant, which I doubt, he took it as a joke
”Hearken all of you,” said Oro, lifting his head suddenly, for while Bastin recovered the revolver he had been brooding ”The great thing which I shall do tomorrow must be witnessed by you because thereby only can you co it about in the bowels of the earth, you will be safer than elsewhere, since when and perhaps before it happens, the whole world will heave and shake and tremble, and I know not what may chance, even in these caves For this reason also, do not forget to bring the little hound with you, since him least of all of you would I see coo as you reckon ti very like to him Yourdied also He lies embalmed with her on her coffin yonder in the temple, and yesterday I went to look at both of them The beasts are wonderfully alike, which shows the everlastingness of blood”
He paused a while, lost in thought, then continued: ”After the deed is done I'll speak with you and you shall choose, Strangers, whether you will die your own masters, or live on to serve me Now there is one problem that is left to me to solve--whether I can save a certain land--do not ask which it is, Huh I see the question in your eyes--or o with the rest I only answer you that I will do my best because you love it So farewell for a while, and, Preacher, be advised by ain”
”It doesn't matter where I aim,” answered Bastin sturdily, ”or whether I hit orto deal with you The countries that you think you are going to destroy will sleep quite as well toht, Oro”
”Much better, I think, Preacher, since by then they will have left sorrow and pain and wickedness and war far behind theo?” I asked
”The Lady Yva will show you,” he answered, waving his hand, and once more bent over his endless calculations
Yva beckoned to us and we turned and followed her down the hall She led us to a street near the gateway of the temple and thence into one of the houses There was a portico to it leading to a court out of which opened rooms somewhat in the Pompeian fashi+on We did not enter the rooms, for at the end of the court were a metal table and three couches also of s Whence these came I do not know and never asked, but I remember that they were very beautiful and soft as velvet
”Here you may sleep,” she said, ”if sleep you can, and eat of the food that you have brought with you Tomorrow early I will call you when it is time for us to start upon our journey into the bowels of the earth”
”I don't want to go any deeper than we are,” said Bastin doubtfully
”I think that none of us want to go, Bastin,” she answered with a sigh
”Yet go we er the Lord Oro no more on this or any other matter In your folly you tried to kill hie But another time he may strike back, and then, Bastin--”
”I am not afraid of him,” he answered, ”but I do not like tunnels
Still, perhaps it would be better to accompany you than to be left in this place alone Noill unpack the food”
Yva turned to go
”I must leave you,” she said, ”since my father needs my help The matter has to do with the Force that he would let loose tomorrow, and its measurements; also with the preparation of the robes that wein her eyes told me that she wished me to follow her, and I did so Outside the portico where we stood in the desolate, lighted street, she halted
”If you are not afraid,” she said, ”reat temple, for I would speak with you, Humphrey, where, if anywhere, we may be alone”
”I will coates are open, Hulided away I returned to the others and we ate, soly, for ished to save our food in case of need, and having drunk of the Life-water, were not hungry Also we talked a little, but by coht bring forth
We knew that terrible things were afoot, but lacking any knowledge of what these ht it useless to discuss them Indeed ere too depressed, soThe latter was so overcome by the exhibition of Oro's pohen he caused the pistol to leap into the air and discharge itself, that he could not even pluck up courage to laugh at the failure of Bastin's efforts to do justice on the old Super- a colossal crith we lay down on the couches to rest, Bastin reht, also that he did not in the least regret having tried to kill Oro Sleep seemed to come to the others quickly, but I could only doze, to wake up from time to time Of this I was not sorry, since whenever I dropped off dreams seemed to pursue me
For theto consolewas that sometimes she spoke with her own voice and sometimes with Yva's, and sometimes looked at me with her own eyes and so else about these dreams, which were very confused
After one of them, the most vivid of all, I awoke and looked at my watch It was half-past eleven, al The other two seemed to be fast asleep Presently I rose and crept down the court without waking them Outside the portico, which by the as a curious example of the survival of custom in architecture, since none was needed in that weatherless place, I turned to the right and followed the wide street to the teh the pillared courts I went,loudly in that intense silence, through the great doors into the utter solitude of the vast and perfect fane
Words can not tell the loneliness of that place It flowed over , so that even the wildest and erous beast would have been welcome as a companion I was as terrified as a child that wakes to find itself deserted in the dark
Also an uncanny sense of terrors to come oppressed me, till I could have cried aloud if only to hear the sound of a ris of the Sons of Wisdom, which was believed to bow its stony head in answer to their prayers I ran to it, eager for its terrible shelter, for on either side of it were figures of hus Even their cold h alas! over all frowned Fate