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them； as they were then and as they should be at the time he had
set for our awakening。〃
〃We set that time；〃 interrupted Bickley。
〃Not so。 O Bickley；〃 she answered； smiling again。 〃In the
divine Oro's head was the time set。 You were the hand that
executed his decree。〃
When Bickley heard this I really thought he would have burst。
However； he controlled himself nobly； being anxious to hear the
end of this mysterious fib。
〃How long was the time that the lord Oro set apart for sleep？〃
I asked。
She paused as though puzzled to find words to express her
meaning； then held up her hands and said：
〃Ten；〃 nodding at her fingers。 By second thoughts she took
Bickley's hands； not mine； and counted his ten fingers。
〃Ten years；〃 said Bickley。 〃Well； of course； it is impossible；
but perhaps〃 and he paused。
〃Ten tens；〃 she went on with a deepening smile； 〃one hundred。〃
〃O！〃 said Bickley。
〃Ten hundreds； one thousand。〃
〃I say！〃 said Bickley。
〃Ten times ten thousand； one hundred thousand。〃
Bickley became silent。
〃Twice one hundred thousand and half a hundred thousand； two
hundred and fifty thousand years。 That was the space of time
which the lord Oro； my father； set for our sleep。 Whether it has
been fulfilled he will know presently when he has read the book
of the stars and made comparison of it with what he wrote before
we laid us down to rest；〃 and she pointed to the metal plates
which the Ancient was studying。
Bickley walked away； making sounds as though he were going to
be ill and looking so absurd in his indignation that I nearly
laughed。 The Lady Yva actually did laugh； and very musical was
that laugh。
〃He does not believe；〃 she said。 〃He is so clever he knows
everything。 But two hundred and fifty thousand years ago we
should have thought him quite stupid。 Then we could read the
stars and calculate their movements for ever。〃
〃So can we；〃 I answered； rather nettled。
〃I am glad； O Humphrey； since you will be able to show my
father if in one of them he is wrong。〃
Secretly I hoped that this task would not be laid on me。
Indeed； I thought it well to change the subject for the
edification of Bickley who had recovered and was drawn back by
his eager curiosity。 Just then； too； Bastin joined us； happy in
his regained boots。
〃You tell us； Lady Yva；〃 I said； 〃that you slept； or should
have slept for two hundred and fifty thousand years。〃 Here Bastin
opened his eyes。 〃If that was so； where was your mind all this
time？〃
〃If by my mind you mean spirit； O Humphrey； I have to answer
that at present I do not know for certain。 I think； however； that
it dwelt elsewhere； perhaps in other bodies on the earth； or some
different earth。 At least； I know that my heart is very full of
memories which as yet I cannot unroll and read。〃
〃Great heavens； this is madness！〃 said Bickley。
〃In the great heavens；〃 she answered slowly； 〃there are many
things which you； poor man； would think to be madness； but yet
are truth and perfect wisdom。 These things； or some of them； soon
I shall hope to show you。〃
〃Do if you can；〃 said Bickley。
〃Why not？〃 interrupted Bastin。 〃I think the lady's remarks
quite reasonable。 It seems to me highly improbable if really she
has slept for two hundred and fifty thousand years； which； of
course； I can't decide； that an immortal spirit would be allowed
to remain idle for so long。 That would be wallowing in a bed of
idleness and shirking its duty which is to do its work。 Also； as
she tells you； Bickley； you are not half so clever as you think
you are in your silly scepticism； and I have no doubt that there
are many things in other worlds which would expose your
ignorance； if only you could see them。〃
At this moment Oro turned and called his daughter。 She went at
once； saying：
〃Come； strangers； and you shall learn。〃
So we followed her。
〃Daughter；〃 he said； speaking in Orofenan； I think that we
might understand； 〃ask these strangers to bring one of those
lamps of theirs that by the light of it I may study these
writings。〃
〃Perhaps this may serve；〃 said Bickley； suddenly producing an
electric torch from his pocket and flashing it into his face。 It
was his form of repartee for all he had suffered at the hands of
this incomprehensible pair。 Let me say at once that it was
singularly successful。 Perhaps the wisdom of the ages in which
Oro flourished had overlooked so small a matter as electric
torches； or perhaps he did not expect to meet with them in these
degenerate days。 At any rate for the first and last time in my
intercourse with him I saw the god； or lordthe native word
bears either meaningOro genuinely astonished。 He started and
stepped back； and for a moment or two seemed a little frightened。
Then muttering something as to the cleverness of this
light…producing instrument； he motioned to his daughter to take
it from Bickley and hold it in a certain position。 She obeyed；
and in its illumination he began to study the engraved plates；
holding one of them in either hand。
After a while he gave me one of the plates to hold； and with
his disengaged hand pointed successively to the constellation of
Orion； to the stars Castor； Pollux； Aldebaran； Rigel； the
Pleiades； Sirius and others which with my very limited knowledge
I could not recognise offhand。 Then on the plate which I held； he
showed us those same stars and constellations； checking them one
by one。
Then he remarked very quietly that all was in order； and
handing the plate he held to Yva； said：
〃The calculations made so long ago are correct； nor have the
stars varied in their proper motions during what is after all but
an hour of time。 If you； Stranger； who； I understand； are named
Humphrey； should be； as I gather； a heaven…master； naturally you
will ask me how I could fix an exact date by the stars without an
error of； let us say； from five to ten thousand years。 I answer
you that by the proper motion of the stars alone it would have
been difficult。 Therefore I remember that in order to be exact； I
calculated the future conjunctions of those two planets；〃 and he
pointed to Saturn and Jupiter。 〃Finding that one of these
occurred near yonder star；〃 and he indicated the bright orb；
Spica； 〃at a certain time； I determined that then I would awake。
Behold！ There are the stars as I engraved them from my
foreknowledge； upon this chart； and there those two great planets
hang in conjunction。 Daughter Yva； my wisdom has not failed me。
This world of ours has travelled round the sun neither less nor
more than two hundred and fifty thousand times since we laid
ourselves down to sleep。 It is written here； and yonder；〃 and he
pointed； first to the engraved plates and then to the vast
expanse of the starlit heavens。
Awe fell on me； I think that even Bickley and Bastin were awed；
at any rate for the moment。 It was a t