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big； pleasant place where are no unbelievers or erroneous
doctrines； and all sinners will be sternly repressed； in which；
clad in a white surplice with all proper ecclesiastical
trappings； he would argue eternally with the Early Fathers and in
due course utterly annihilate Bickley； that is in a moral sense。
Personally and as a man he was extremely attached to Bickley as a
necessary and wrong…headed nuisance to which he had become
accustomed。
And I！ What did I feel？ I do not know； I cannot describe。 An
extraordinary attraction； a semi…spiritual exaltation； I think。
That cave mouth might have been a magnet drawing my soul。 With my
body I should have been afraid； as I daresay I was； for our
circumstances were sufficiently desperate。 Here we were；
castaways upon an island； probably uncharted； one of thousands in
the recesses of a vast ocean； from which we had little chance of
escape。 More； having offended the religious instincts of the
primeval inhabitants of that island； we had been forced to flee
to a rocky mountain in the centre of a lake； where； after the
food we had brought with us by accident was consumed； we should
no doubt be forced to choose between death by starvation； or； if
we attempted to retreat； at the hands of justly infuriated
savages。 Yet these facts did not oppress me； for I was being
drawn； drawn to I knew not what； and if it were to doomwell； no
matter。
Therefore； none of us cared： Bastin because his faith was equal
to any emergency and there was always that white…robed heaven
waiting for him beyond which his imagination did not go （I often
wondered whether he pictured Mrs。 Bastin as also waiting； if so；
he never said anything about her）； Bickley because as a child of
the Present and a servant of knowledge he feared no future；
believing it to be for him non…existent； and was careless as to
when his strenuous hour of life should end； and I because I felt
that yonder lay my true future； yes； and my true past； even
though to discover them I must pass through that portal which we
know as Death。
We reached the mouth of the cave。 It was a vast place； perhaps
the arch of it was a hundred feet high； and I could see that once
all this arch had been adorned with sculptures。 Protected as
these were by the overhanging rock； for the sculptured mouth of
the cave was cut deep into the mountain face； they were still so
worn that it was impossible to discern their details。 Time had
eaten them away like an acid。 But what length of time？ I could
not guess； but it must have been stupendous to have worked thus
upon that hard and sheltered rock。
This came home to me with added force when； from subsequent
examination； we learned that the entire mouth of this cave had
been sealed up for unnumbered ages。 It will be remembered that
Marama told me the mountain in the lake had risen much during the
frightful cyclone in which we were wrecked and with it the cave
mouth which previously had been invisible。 From the markings on
the mountain side it was obvious that something of the sort had
happened very recently； at any rate on this eastern face。 That
is； either the flat rock had sunk or the volcano had been thrown
upwards。
Once in the far past the cave had been as it was when we found
it。 Then it had gone down in such a way that the table…rock
entirely sealed the entrance。 Now this entrance was once more
open； and although of course there was a break in them； the
grooves of which I have spoken ran on into the cave at only a
slightly different level from that at which they lay upon the
flat rock。 And yet； although they had been thus sheltered by a
great stone curtain in front of them； still these sculptures were
worn away by the tooth of Time。 Of course； however； this may have
happened to them before they were buried in some ancient
cataclysm； to be thus resurrected at the hour of our arrival upon
the island。
Without pausing to make any closer examination of these
crumbled carvings； we entered the yawning mouth of that great
place； following and indeed walking in the deep grooves that I
have mentioned。 Presently it seemed to open out as a courtyard
might at the end of a passage； yes； to open on to some vast place
whereof in that gloom we could not see the roof or the limits。
All we knew was that it must be enormousthe echoes of our
voices and footsteps told us as much； for these seemed to come
back to us from high； high above and from far； far away。 Bickley
and I said nothing； we were too overcome。 But Bastin remarked：
〃Did you ever go to Olympia？ I did once to see a kind of play
where the people said nothing； only ran about dressed up。 They
told me it was religious； the sort of thing a clergyman should
study。 I didn't think it religious at all。 It was all about a nun
who had a baby。〃
〃Well； what of it？〃 snapped Bickley。
〃Nothing particular； except that nuns don't have babies； or if
they do the fact should not be advertised。 But I wasn't thinking
of that。 I was thinking that this place is like an underground
Olympia。〃
〃Oh； be quiet！〃 I said； for though Bastin's description was not
bad； his monotonous； drawling voice jarred on me in that
solemnity。
〃Be careful where you walk；〃 whispered Bickley； for even he
seemed awed； 〃there may be pits in this floor。〃
〃I wish we had a light；〃 I said； halting。
〃If candles are of any use；〃 broke in Bastin； 〃as it happens I
have a packet in my pocket。 I took them with me this morning for
a certain purpose。〃
〃Not unconnected with the paraffin and the burning of the idol；
I suppose？〃 said Bickley。 〃Hand them over。〃
〃Yes； if I had been allowed a little more time I intended〃
〃Never mind what you intended； we know what you did and that's
enough；〃 said Bickley as he snatched the packet from Bastin's
hand and proceeded to undo it； adding； 〃By heaven！ I have no
matches； nor have you； Arbuthnot！〃
〃I have a dozen boxes of wax vestas in my other pocket；〃 said
Bastin。 〃You see； they burn so well when you want to get up a
fire on a damp idol。 As you may have noticed； the dew is very
heavy here。〃
In due course these too were produced。 I took possession of
them as they were too valuable to be left in the charge of
Bastin； and； extracting a box from the packet； lit two of the
candles which were of the short thick variety； like those used in
carriage…lamps。
Presently they burned up； making two faint stars of light
which； however； were not strong enough to show us either the roof
or the sides of that vast place。 By their aid we pursued our
path； still following the grooves till suddenly these came to an
end。 Now all around us was a flat floor of rock which； as we
perceived clearly when we pushed aside the dust that had gathered
thickly on it in the course of ages； doubtless from the gradual
disintegration of the stony walls； had once been polished till it
resembled black marble。 Indeed； certain crac