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The Lost Continent-Part37_C.J.Cutcliffe Hyne(1865-1944)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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handle the tremendous powers which we must put into movement this

night. And there is danger for us as there is for you. So if by



chance we do not meet again till we stand up yonder behind the

stars, giving account to the Gods, fare you well, Deucalion."



I slept that day as a soldier sleeps, taking full rest out of

the hours, and letting no harassing thought disturb me. It is only



the weak who permit their sleep to be broken on these occasions.

And when the dark was well set, I roused and fetched those who



should attend to the rope. Our Lady the Moon did not shine at that

turn of the month: and the air was full of a great blackness. So



I was out of sight all the while they lowered me.

I reached the tumbled rocks that lay at the deep foot of the



cliff, and then commenced to use a nice caution, because

Phorenice's soldiers squatted uneasily round their camp-fires, as



though they had forebodings of the coming evil. I had no mind to

further stir their wakefulness. So I crept swiftly along in the



darkest of the shadows, and at last came to the spot where that

passage ends which before I had used to get beneath the walls of



the city.

The lamp was in place, and I made my way along the windings



swiftly. The air, so it seemed to me, was even more noxious with

vapours than it had been when I was down there before, and I judged



that Zaemon had already begun to stir those internal activities

which were shortly to convulse the city. But again I had



difficulty in finding an exit, and this, not because there were

people moving about at the places where I had to come out, but



because the set of the masonry was entirely changed. In olden

times the Priests' Clan oversaw all the architects' plans, and



ruled out anything likely to clash with their secret passages and

chambers. But in this modern day the Priests were of small



account, and had no say in this matter, and the architects often

through sheer blundering sealed up and made useless many of these



outlets and hiding-places.

As it was then, I had to get out of the network of tunnels and



galleries where I could, and not where I would, and in the event

found myself at the farther side of the city, almost up to where



the outer wall joins down to the harbour. I came out without being

seen, careful even in this moment of extremity to preserve the



ordinances, and closed all traces of exit behind me. The earth

seemed to spring beneath my feet like the deck of a ship in smooth



water; and though there was no actualmovement as yet to disturb

the people, and indeed these slept on in their houses and shelters



without alarm, I could feel myself that the solid deadness of the

ground was gone, and that any moment it might break out into



devastating waves of movement.

Gods! Should I be too late to see the untombing of my love?



Would she be laid there bare to the public gaze when presently the

people swarmed out into the open spaces through fear at what the



great earth tremor might cause to fall? I could see, in fancy,

their rude, cruel hands thrust upon her as she lay there helpless,



and my inwards dried up at the thought.

I ran madly down and down the narrow winding streets with the



one thought of coming to the square which lay in front of the royal

pyramid before these things came to pass. With exquisite cruelty



I had been forced with my own hands to place her alive in her

burying-place beneath the granitethrone, and if thews and speed



could do it, I would not miss my reward of taking her forth again

with the same strong hands.



Few disturbed that furious hurry. At first here and there

some wretch who harboured in the gutter cried: "A thief! Throw a



share or I pursue." But if any of these followed, I do not know.

At any rate, my speed then must have out-distanced anyone.



Presently, too, as the swing of the earth underfoot became more

keen, and the stonework of the buildings by the street side began



to grate and groan and grit, and sent forth little showers of dust,

people began to run with scared cries from out of their doors. But



none of these had a mind to stop the ragged, shaggy, savage man who

ran so swiftly past, and flung the mud from his naked feet.



And so in time I came to the great square, and was there none

too soon. The place was filling with people who flocked away from



the narrow streets, and it was full of darkness, and noise, and

dust, and sickness. Beneath us the ground rippled in undulations






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