按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
because my people learned it。〃
〃You mean； you know that men and women may live again and again
upon the world？〃
〃Yes； Humphrey； I do。 For in the world there is only a certain
store of life which in many forms travels on and on； till the lot
of each I is fulfilled。 Then comes the real death； and after
thatwhat； oh！what？〃
〃You must ask Bastin；〃 I said humbly。 〃I cannot dare to teach
of such matters。〃
〃No； but you can and do believe； and that helps me； Humphrey；
who am in tune with you。 Yes； it helps me much more than do
Bastin and his new religion； because such is woman's way。 Now； I
think Bickley will soon return； so let us talk of other matters。
Tell me of the history of your people； Humphrey； that my father
says are now at war。〃
Chapter XVIII
The Accident
Bickley did return； having recovered his temper； since after
all it was impossible for anyone to remain angry with the Lady
Yva for long； and we spent a very happy time together。 We
instructed and she was the humble pupil。
How swift and nimble was her intelligence！ In that one morning
she learned all our alphabet and how to write our letters。 It
appeared that among her people； at any rate in their later
periods； the only form of writing that was used was a highly
concentrated shorthand which saved labour。 They had no journals；
since news which arrived telepathically or by some form of
wireless was proclaimed to those who cared to listen； and on it
all formed their own judgments。 In the same way poems and even
romances were repeated； as in Homer's day or in the time of the
Norse sagas； by word of mouth。 None of their secret knowledge was
written down。 Like the ritual of Freemasonry it was considered
too sacred。
Moreover； when men lived for hundreds of years this was not so
necessary； especially as their great fear was lest it should fall
into the hands of the outside nations； whom they called
Barbarians。 For； be it remembered； these Sons of Wisdom were
always a very small people who ruled by the weight of their
intelligence and the strength of their accumulated lore。 Indeed；
they could scarcely be called a people； rather were they a few
families； all of them more or less connected with the original
ruling Dynasty which considered itself half divine。 These
families were waited upon by a multitude of servants or slaves
drawn from the subject nations； for the most part skilled in one
art or another； or perhaps； remarkable for their personal beauty。
Still they remained outside the pale。
The Sons of Wisdom did not intermarry with them or teach them
their learning； or even allow them to drink of their Life…water。
They ruled them as men rule dogs； treating them with kindness；
but no more； and as many dogs run their course and die in the
lifetime of one master； so did many of these slaves in that of
one of the Sons of Wisdom。 Therefore； the slaves came to regard
their lords not as men； but gods。 They lived but three score
years and ten like the rest of us； and went their way； they；
whose great…great…grandfathers had served the same master and
whose great…great…great…grandchildren would still serve him。 What
should we think of a lord who we knew was already adult in the
time of William the Conqueror； and who remained still vigorous
and all…powerful in that of George V？ One； moreover； who
commanded almost infinite knowledge to which we were denied the
key？ We might tremble before him and look upon him as half…
divine； but should we not long to kill him and possess his
knowledge and thereby prolong our own existence to his wondrous
measure？
Such； said Yva； was the case with their slaves and the peoples
from whence these sprang。 They grew mad with jealous hate； till
at length came the end we knew。
Thus we talked on for hours till the time came for us to eat。
As before Yva partook of fruit and we of such meats as we had at
hand。 These； we noticed； disgusted her； because； as she
explained； the Children of Wisdom； unless driven thereto by
necessity； touched no flesh； but lived on the fruits of the earth
and wine alone。 Only the slaves and the Barbarians ate flesh。 In
these views Bickley for once agreed with her； that is； except as
regards the wine； for in theory； if not in practicehe was a
vegetarian。
〃I will bring you more of the Life…water；〃 she said； 〃and then
you will grow to hate these dead things； as I do。 And now
farewell。 My father calls me。 I hear him though you do not。 To…
morrow I cannot come； but the day after I will come and bring you
the Life…water。 Nay； accompany me not； but as I see he wishes it；
let Tommy go with me。 I will care for him； and he is a friend in
all that lonely place。〃
So she went； and with her Tommy； rejoicing。
〃Ungrateful little devil！〃 said Bickley。 〃Here we've fed and
petted him from puppyhood； or at least you have； and yet he skips
off with the first stranger。 I never saw him behave like that to
any woman； except your poor wife。〃
〃I know；〃 I answered。 〃I cannot understand it。 Hullo！ here
comes Bastin。〃
Bastin it was； dishevelled and looking much the worse for wear；
also minus his Bible in the native tongue。
〃Well； how have you been getting on？〃 said Bickley。
〃I should like some tea； also anything there is to eat。〃
We supplied him with these necessaries； and after a while he
said slowly and solemnly：
〃I cannot help thinking of a childish story which Bickley told
or invented one night at your house at home。 I remember he had an
argument with my wife； which he said put him in mind of it； I am
sure I don't know why。 It was about a monkey and a parrot that
were left together under a sofa for a long while； where they were
so quiet that everybody forgot them。 Then the parrot came out
with only one feather left in its tail and none at all on its
body； saying； 'I've had no end of a time！' after which it dropped
down and died。 Do you know； I feel just like that parrot； only I
don't mean to die； and I think I gave the monkey quite as good as
he gave me！〃
〃What happened？〃 I asked； intensely interested。
〃Oh！ the Glittering Lady took me into that palace hall where
Oro was sitting like a spider in a web； and left me there。 I got
to work at once。 He was much interested in the Old Testament
stories and said there were points of truth about them； although
they had evidently come down to the modern writerhe called him
a modern writerin a legendary form。 I thought his remarks
impertinent and with difficulty refrained from saying so。 Leaving
the story of the Deluge and all that； I spoke of other matters；
telling him of eternal life and Heaven and Hell； of which the
poor benighted man had never heard。 I pointed out especially that
unless he repented； his life； by all accounts； had been so
wicked； that he was certainly destined to the latter place。〃
〃What did he say to that？〃 I asked。
〃Do you know； I think it frig