stillcallher，foratthattimeIdidnotknowhername，rosefromthechair，and，leaningonme，totteredafewstepsforward。
Thenshestoodlookingattheskyandallthelovelypanoramaofnaturebeneath，andstretchingoutherarmsasthoughinworship。
Oh！howbeautifulsheseemedwiththesunlightshiningonherheavenlyface！
NowforthefirsttimeIheardhervoice。Itwassoftanddeep，yetinitwasacuriousbell—liketonethatseemedtovibratelikethesoundofchimesheardfromfaraway。NeverhaveI
listenedtosuchanothervoice。Shepointedtothesunwhereofthelightturnedherradianthairandgarmentstoakindofgoldenglory，andcalleditbysomenamethatIcouldnotunderstand。Ishookmyhead，whereonshegaveitadifferentnametaken，Isuppose，fromanotherlanguage。AgainIshookmyheadandshetriedathirdtime。TomydelightthiswordwaspracticallythesamethattheOrofenansusedfor\"sun。\"
\"Yes，\"Isaid，speakingveryslowly，\"soitiscalledbythepeopleofthisland。\"
Sheunderstood，forsheansweredinmuchthesamelanguage：
\"What，then，doyoucallit？\"
\"SunintheEnglishtongue，\"Ireplied。
\"Sun。English，\"sherepeatedafterme，thenadded，\"Howareyounamed，Wanderer？\"
\"Humphrey，\"Ianswered。
\"Hum膄e—膔y！\"shesaidasthoughshewerelearningtheword，\"andthose？\"
\"BastinandBickley，\"Ireplied。
Overthesepatronymicssheshookherhead；asyettheyweretoomuchforher。
\"Howareyounamed，Sleeper？\"Iasked。
\"Yva，\"sheanswered。
\"Abeautifulnameforonewhoisbeautiful，\"Ideclaredwithenthusiasm，ofcoursealwaysintherichOrofenandialectwhichbynowIcouldtalkwellenough。
Sherepeatedthewordsonceortwice，thenofasuddencaughttheirmeaning，forshesmiledandevencoloured，sayinghastilywithawaveofherhandtowardstheAncientwhostoodatadistancebetweenBastinandBickley，\"Myfather，Oro；greatman；
greatking；greatgod！\"
AtthisinformationIstarted，foritwasstartlingtolearnthatherewastheoriginalOro，whowasstillworshippedbytheOrofenans，althoughofhisactualexistencetheyhadknownnothingforuncountedtime。AlsoIwasgladtolearnthathewasherfatherandnotheroldhusband，fortomethatwouldhavebeenhorrible，adesecrationtoodeepforwords。
\"Howlongdidyousleep，Yva？\"Iasked，pointingtowardsthesepulchreinthecave。
Afteralittlethoughtsheunderstoodandshookherheadhopelessly，thenbyanafterthought，shesaid，\"StarstellOroto—night。\"
SoOrowasanastronomeraswellasakingandagod。Ihadguessedasmuchfromthoseplatesinthecoffinwhichseemedtohavestarsengravedonthem。
Atthispointourconversationcametoanend，fortheAncienthimselfapproached，leaningonthearmofBickleywhowasengagedinananimatedargumentwithBastin。
\"ForHeaven’ssake！\"saidBickley，\"keepyourtheologytoyourselfatpresent。Ifyouupsettheoldfellowandputhiminatemperhemaydie。\"
\"Ifamantellsmethatheisagoditismydutytotellhimthatheisaliar，\"repliedBastinobstinately。
\"Whichyoudid，Bastin，onlyfortunatelyhedidnotunderstandyou。ButforyourownsakeIadviseyounottotakeliberties。Heisnotone，Ithink，withwhomitiswisetotrifle。Ithinkheseemsthirsty。Goandgetsomewaterfromtherainpool，notfromthelake。\"
Bastindepartedandpresentlyreturnedwithanaluminumjugfullofpurewaterandaglass。BickleypouredsomeofitintoaglassandhandedittoYvawhobentherheadinthanks。Thenshedidacuriousthing。Havingfirstliftedtheglasswithbothhandstotheskyandhelditsoforafewseconds，sheturnedandwithanobeisancepouredalittleofitonthegroundbeforeherfather’sfeet。
Alibation，thoughtItomyself，andevidentlyBastinagreedwithme，forIheardhimmutter，\"Ibelievesheismakingaheathenoffering。\"
Doubtlesswewereright，forOroacceptedthehomagebyalittlemotionofthehead。Afterthis，atasignfromhimshedrankthewater。ThentheglasswasrefilledandhandedtoOrowhoalsoheldittowardsthesky。He，however，madenolibationbutdrankatonce，twotumblersofitinrapidsuccession。
Bynowthedirectsunlightwaspassingfromthemouthofthecave，andthoughitwashotenough，bothofthemshiveredalittle。Theyspoketogetherinsomelanguageofwhichwecouldnotunderstandaword，asthoughtheyweredebatingwhattheircourseofactionshouldbe。Thedisputewaslongandearnest。Hadweknownwhatwaspassing，whichIlearnedafterwards，itwouldhavemadeussufficientlyanxious，forthepointatissuewasnothinglessthanwhetherweshouldorshouldnotbeforthwithdestroyed——anend，itappears，thatOrowasquitecapableofbringingaboutifhesopleased。Yva，however，hadveryclearviewsofherownonthematterand，asIgather，evendaredtothreatenthatshewouldprotectusbytheuseofcertainpowersathercommand，thoughwhatthesewereIdonotknow。
WhiletheeventhungdoubtfulTommy，whowasgrowingboredwiththeselongproceedings，pickedupaboughstillcoveredwithflowerswhich，aftertheirprettyfashion，theOrofenanshadplacedonthetopofoneofthebasketsoffood。ThissmallboughhebroughtandlaidatthefeetofOro，nodoubtinthehopethathewouldthrowitforhimtofetch，agameinwhichthedogdelighted。ForsomereasonOrosawanomeninthissimplecanineperformance，orhemayhavethoughtthatthedogwasmakinganofferingtohim，forheputhisthinhandtohisbrowandthoughtawhile，thenmotionedtoBastintopickuptheboughandgiveittohim。
Nexthespoketohisdaughterasthoughassentingtosomething，forIsawhersighinrelief。Nowonder，forhewasconveyinghisdecisiontospareourlivesandadmitustotheirfellowship。
Afterthisagaintheytalked，butinquiteadifferenttoneandmanner。ThentheGlitteringLadysaidtomeinherslowandarchaicOrofenan：
\"Wegotorest。Youmustnotfollow。Wecomebackperhapstonight，perhapsnextnight。Wearequitesafe。YouarequitesafeunderthebeardofOro。SpiritofOrowatchyou。Youunderstand？\"
IsaidIunderstood，whereonsheanswered：
\"Good—bye，OHumfe—ry。\"
\"Good—bye，OYva，\"Ireplied，bowing。
Thereontheyturnedandrefusingallassistancefromus，vanishedintothedarknessofthecaveleaninguponeachotherandwalkingslowly。
ChapterXII
TwoHundredandFiftyThousandYears！
\"Youseemtohavemadethebestofyourtime，oldfellow，\"saidBickleyinratherasourvoice。
\"IneverknewpeoplebegintocalleachotherbytheirChristiannamessosoon，\"addedBastin，lookingatmewithasuspiciouseye。
\"Iknownoother，\"Isaid。
\"Perhapsnot，butatanyrateyouhaveanother，thoughyoudon’tseemtohavetoldittoher。Anyway，Iamgladtheyaregone，forIwasgettingtiredofbeingorderedbyeverybodytocarryaboutwoodandwaterforthem。AlsoIamterriblyhungryasIcan’teatbeforeitislight。TheyhavetakenmostofthebestfruittowhichIwaslookingforward，butthankgoodnesstheydonotseemtocareforpork。\"
\"SoamI，\"saidBickley，whoreallylookedexhausted。\"Getthefood，there’sagoodfellow。We’lltalkafterwards。\"
Whenwehadeaten，somewhatsilently，IaskedBickleywhathemadeofthebusiness；alsowhitherhethoughtthesleepershadgone。
\"IthinkIcananswerthelastquestion，\"interruptedBastin。
\"IexpectitistoaplacewellknowntostudentsoftheBiblewhichevenBickleymentionssometimeswhenheisangry。Atanyrate，theyseemtobeveryfondofheat，fortheywouldn’tpartfromitevenintheircoffins，andyouwilladmitthattheyarenotquitenatural，althoughthatGlitteringLadyissoattractiveasregardsherexterior。\"
Bickleywavedtheseremarksasideandaddressedhimselftome。
\"Idon’tknowwhattothinkofit，\"hesaid；\"butastheexperienceisnotnaturalandeverythingintheUniverse，sofarasweknowit，hasanaturalexplanation，Iaminclinedtothebeliefthatwearesufferingfromhallucinations，whichintheirwayarealsoquitenatural。Itdoesnotseempossiblethattwopeoplecanreallyhavebeenasleepforanunknownlengthoftimeenclosedinvesselsofglassorcrystal，keptwarmbyradiumorsomesuchsubstance，andthenemergefromthemcomparativelystrongandwell。Itiscontrarytonaturallaw。\"
\"Howaboutmicrobes？\"Iasked。\"Theyaresaidtolastpracticallyforever，andtheyarelivingthings。Sointheircaseyournaturallawbreaksdown。\"
\"Thatistrue，\"heanswered。\"Somemicrobesinasealedtubeandundercertainconditionsdoappeartopossessindefinitepowersoflife。Alsoradiumhasanindefinitelife，butthatisamineral。Onlythesepeoplearenotmicrobesnoraretheyminerals。Also，experiencetellsusthattheycouldnothavelivedformorethanafewmonthsattheoutsideinsuchcircumstancesasweseemedtofindthem。\"
\"Thenwhatdoyousuggest？\"
\"Isuggestthatwedidnotreallyfindthematall；thatwehaveallbeendreaming。Youknowthattherearecertaingaseswhichproduceillusions，laughinggasisoneofthem，andthatthesegasesaresometimesmetwithincaves。Nowtherewereverypeculiarodoursinthatplaceunderthestatue，whichmayhaveworkeduponourimaginationsinsomesuchway。Otherwiseweareupagainstamiracle，and，asyouknow，Idonotbelieveinmiracles。\"
\"Ido，\"saidBastincalmly。\"You’llfindallaboutitintheBibleifyouwillonlytakethetroubletoread。Whydoyoutalksuchrubbishaboutgases？\"
\"Becauseonlygas，orsomethingofthesort，couldhavemadeusimaginethem。\"
\"Nonsense，Bickley！Thosepeoplewerehererightenough。Didn’ttheyeatourfruitanddrinkthewaterIbroughtthemwithouteversayingthankyou？Only，theyarenothuman。Theyareevilspirits，andformypartIdon’twanttoseeanymoreofthem，thoughIhavenodoubtArbuthnotdoes，asthatGlitteringLadythrewherarmsroundhisneckwhenshewokeup，andalreadyheiscallingherbyherChristianname，ifthewordChristiancanbeusedinconnectionwithher。Theoldfellowhadtheimpudencetotellusthathewasagod，anditisremarkablethatheshouldhavecalledhimselfOro，seeingthatthedeviltheyworshipontheislandisalsocalledOroandtheplaceitselfisnamedOrofena。\"
\"Astowheretheyhavegone，\"continuedBickley，takingnonoticeofBastin，\"Ireallydon’tknow。Myexpectationis，however，thatwhenwegotolooktomorrowmorning——andIsuggestthatweshouldnotdosobeforetheninorderthatwemaygiveourmindstimetoclear——weshallfindthatsepulchreplacequiteempty，evenperhapswithoutthecrystalcoffinswehaveimaginedtostandthere。\"
\"Perhapsweshallfindthatthereisn’tacaveatallandthatwearenotsittingonaflatrockoutsideofit，\"suggestedBastinwithheavysarcasm，adding，\"Youarecleverinyourway，Bickley，butyoucantalkmorerubbishthananymanIeverknew。\"
\"Theytoldustheywouldcomebacktonightortomorrow，\"I
said。\"Iftheydo，whatwillyousaythen，Bickley？\"
\"Iwillwaittilltheycometoanswerthatquestion。Nowletusgoforawalkandtrytochangeourthoughts。Weareallover—strainedandscarcelyknowwhatwearesaying。\"
\"Onemorequestion，\"Isaidaswerosetostart。\"DidTommysufferfromhallucinationsaswellasourselves？\"
\"Whynot？\"answeredBickley。\"Heisananimaljustasweare，orperhapswethoughtwesawTommydothethingshedid。\"
\"Whenyoufoundthatbasketoffruit，Bastin，whichthenativesbroughtoverinthecanoe，wasthereaboughcoveredwithredflowerslyingonthetopofit？\"
\"Yes，Arbuthnot，oneboughonly；IthrewitdownontherockasitgotinthewaywhenIwascarryingthebasket。\"
\"WhichfloweringboughweallthoughtwesawtheSleeperOrocarryawayafterTommyhadbroughtittohim。\"
\"Yes；hemademepickitupandgiveittohim，\"saidBastin。
\"Well，ifwedidnotseethisitshouldstillbelyingontherock，astherehasbeennowindandtherearenoanimalsheretocarryitaway。Youwilladmitthat，Bickley？\"
Henodded。
\"Thenifithasgoneyouwilladmitalsothatthepresumptionisthatwesawwhatwethoughtwedidsee？\"
\"Idonotknowhowthatconclusioncanbeavoided，atanyratesofarastheincidentoftheboughisconcerned，\"repliedBickleywithcaution。
Then，withoutmorewords，westartedtolook。Atthespotwheretheboughshouldhavebeen，therewasnobough，butontherocklayseveraloftheredflowers，bittenoff，Isuppose，byTommywhilehewascarryingit。Norwasthisall。IthinkIhavementionedthattheGlitteringLadyworesandalswhichwerefastenedwithredstudsthatlookedlikerubiesorcarbuncles。Ontherocklayoneofthesestuds。Ipickeditupandweexaminedit。Ithadbeensewntothesandal—strapwithgoldenthreadorsilk。Someofthissubstancehungfromtheholedrilledinthestonewhichservedforaneye。Itwasasrottenastinder，apparentlywithextremeage。Moreover，thehardgemitselfwaspittedasthoughthepassageoftimehadtakeneffectuponit，thoughthismayhavebeencausedbyotheragencies，suchastheactionoftheradiumrays。IsmiledatBickleywholookeddisconcertedandevensad。Inawayitispainfultoseetheeffectuponanableandearnestmanoftheupsettingofhislifelongtheories。
Wewentforourwalk，keepingtotheflatlandsatthefootofthevolcanocone，forweseemedtohavehadenoughofwondersandtodesiretoreassureourselves，asitwere，bythestudyofnaturalandfamiliarthings。Asitchanced，too，wewererewardedbysundryusefuldiscoveries。Thuswefoundaplacewherethebread—treeandotherfruits，mostofthemnowripe，grewinabundance，asdidtheyam。Also，wecametoaninletthatwenoticedwascrowdedwithlargeandbeautifulfishfromthelake，whichseemedtofinditafavouritespot。Perhapsthiswasbecausealittlestreamofexcellentwaterraninhere，overflowingfromthegreatpoolormerewhichfilledthecraterabove。
Atthesefindswerejoicedgreatly，fornowweknewthatweneednotfearstarvationevenshouldoursupplyoffoodfromthemainislandbecutoff。Indeed，byhelpofsomepalm—leafstalkswhichwewovetogetherroughly，Bastin，whowasrathercleveratthiskindofthing，managedtotrapfourfishweighingtwoorthreepoundsapiece，wadingintothewatertodoso。Itwascurioustoobservewithwhateaseheadaptedhimselftothemannersandcustomsofprimevalman，somuchso，indeed，thatBickleyremarkedthatifhecouldbelieveinre—incarnation，hewouldbeabsolutelycertainthatBastinwasatroglodyteinhislastsojournontheearth。
Howeverthismightbe，Bastin’sprimevalinstinctsandabilitieswereoftheutmostservicetous。Beforewehadbeenmanydaysonthatislandhehadbuiltusakindofnativehutorhouseroofedwithpalmleavesinwhich，untilprovidedwithabetter，ashappenedafterwards，weateandheandBickleyslept，leavingthetenttome。Moreover，hewoveanetofpalmfibrewithwhichhecaughtabundanceoffish，andmadefishing—linesofthesamematerial（fortunatelywehadsomehooks）whichhebaitedwithfreshwatermusselsandtheinsidesoffish。Bymeansofthesehesecuredsomeveritablemonstersofthecarpspeciesthatprovedmostexcellenteating。Hisgreatesttriumph，however，wasadecoywhichheconstructedofboughs，whereinhetrappedanumberofwaterfowl。Sothatsoonwekeptaverygoodtableofasort，especiallyafterhehadlearnedhowtocookourfooduponthenativeplanbymeansofhotstones。Thissuitedusadmirably，asitenabledBickleyandmyselftodevoteallourtimetoarchaeologicalandotherstudieswhichdidnotgreatlyinterestBastin。
Bythetimethatwegotbacktocampitwasdrawingtowardsevening，sowecookedourfoodandate，andthen，thoroughlyexhausted，madeourselvesascomfortableaswecouldandwenttosleep。EvenourmarvelousexperiencescouldnotkeepBickleyandmyselffromsleeping，andonBastinsuchthingshadnoeffect。Heacceptedthemandthatwasall，muchmorereadilythanwedid，indeed。Triple—armedashewasinthemailofachild—likefaith，hesnappedhisfingersatevilspiritswhichhesupposedtheSleeperstobe，andateverythingelsethatothermenmightdread。
Now，asIhavementioned，afterourtalkwithMarama，althoughwedidnotthinkitwisetoadventureourselvesamongthemagainatpresent，wehadlostallfearoftheOrofenans。Inthisattitude，sofarasMaramahimselfandthemajorityofhispeoplewereconcerned，wewerequitejustified，fortheywereourwarmfriends。Butinthecaseofthesorcerers，thepriestsandalltheirrascallyandsuperstitiousbrotherhood，wewerebynomeansjustified。TheyhadnotforgivenBastinhissacrilegeorforhisunderminingoftheirauthoritybythepreachingofnewdoctrineswhich，ifadopted，woulddestroythemasahierarchy。NorhadtheyforgivenBickleyforshootingoneoftheirnumber，oranyofusforourescapefromthevengeanceoftheirgod。
SoitcameaboutthattheymadeaplottoseizeusallandhaleusofftobesacrificedtoasubstitutedimageofOro，whichbynowtheyhadsetup。Theyknewexactlywherewesleptupontherock；indeed，ourfireshowedittothemandsofartheywerenotafraidtoventure，sinceheretheyhadbeenaccustomedforgenerationstolaytheirofferingstothegodoftheMountain。
Secretlyonthepreviousnight，withouttheknowledgeofMarama，theyhadcarriedtwomorecanoestothebordersofthelake。Nowonthisnight，justasthemoonwassettingaboutthreeinthemorning，theymadetheirattack，twenty—onemeninall，forthethreecanoeswerelarge，relyingonthefollowingdarknesstogetusawayandconveyustotheplaceofsacrificetobeofferedupatdawnandbeforeMaramacouldinterfere。
Thefirstweknewofthematter，formostfoolishlywehadneglectedtokeepawatch，wastheunpleasantsensationofbrawnysavageskneelingonusandtrussingusupwithpalm—fibreropes。