\"AndrememberallthatIhavetaughtyou，\"shoutedBastin。
Maramashivered，thoughwhetheratthementionofthegodOro，ofwhosepowerstheOrofenanshadsopainfularecollection，orattheresultofBastin’steachings，Idonotknow。Andthatwasthelastweshalleverseeofeachotherinthisworld。
Theislandfadedbehindusand，soreatheartbecauseofallthatwehadfoundandlostagain，forthreedayswesailednorthwardwithafairandsteadywind。Onthefourtheveningbyanextraordinarystrokeoffortune，wefellinwithanAmericantrampsteamer，tradingfromtheSouthSeaIslandstoSanFrancisco。Tothecaptain，whotreatedusverykindly，wesaidsimplythatwewereapartyofEnglishmenwhoseyachthadbeenwreckedonasmallislandseveralhundredsofmilesaway，ofwhichweknewneitherthename，ifithadone，northeposition。
Thisstorywasacceptedwithoutquestion，forsuchthingsoftenhappeninthoselatitudes，andinduecoursewewerelandedatSanFrancisco，wherewemadecertaindepositionsbeforetheBritishConsulastothelossoftheyachtStaroftheSouth。
ThenwecrossedAmerica，havingobtainedfundsbycable，andsailedforEnglandinasteamerflyingtheflagoftheUnitedStates。
OfthegreatwarwhichmadethisdesirableIdonotspeaksinceithasnothing，orratherlittle，todowiththishistory。IntheendwearrivedsafelyatLiverpool，andthencetravelledtoourhomesinDevonshire。
ThusendedthehistoryofourdealingswithOro，thesuper—manwhobeganhislifemorethantwohundredandfiftythousandyearsago，andwithhisdaughter，Yva，whomBastinstilloftencallstheGlitteringLady。
ChapterXXVII
BastinDiscoversaResemblanceThereislittlemoretotell。
ShortlyafterourreturnBickley，likeapatrioticEnglishman，volunteeredforserviceatthefrontanddepartedintheuniformoftheR。A。M。C。BeforehelefthetooktheopportunityofexplainingtoBastinhowmuchbetteritwasinsuchanationalemergencyasexisted，tobelongtoaprofessioninwhichamancoulddosomethingtohelpthebodiesofhiscountrymenthathadbeenbrokeninthecommoncause，thantoonelikehisinwhichitwasonlypossibletopeltthemwithvainwords。
\"Youthinkthat，doyou，Bickley？\"answeredBastin。\"Well，I
holdthatitisbettertohealsoulsthanbodies，because，asevenyouwillhavelearnedoutthereinOrofena，theylastsomuchlonger。\"
\"IamnotcertainthatIlearnedanythingofthesort，\"saidBickley，\"oreventhatOrowasmorethananordinaryoldman。Hesaidthathehadlivedathousandyears，butwhatwastheretoprovethisexcepthisword，whichisworthnothing？\"
\"TherewastheLadyYva’swordalso，whichisworthagreatdeal，Bickley。\"
\"Yes，butshemayhavemeantathousandmoons。Further，asaccordingtoherownshowingshewasstillquiteyoung，howcouldsheknowherfather’sage？\"
\"Quiteso，Bickley。Butallsheactuallysaidwasthatshewasofthesameageasoneofourwomenoftwenty—seven，whichmayhavemeanttwohundredandseventyforallIknow。However，puttingthatasideyouwilladmitthattheyhadbothsleptfortwohundredandfiftythousandyears。\"
\"Iadmitthattheyslept，Bastin，becauseIhelpedtoawakenthem，butforhowlongthereisnothingtoshow，exceptthosestarmapswhichareprobablyquiteinaccurate。\"
\"Theyarenotinaccurate，\"Ibrokein，\"forIhavehadthemcheckedbyleadingastronomerswhosaythattheyshowamarvelousknowledgeoftheheavensastheseweretwohundredandfiftythousandyearsago，andaretoday。\"
HereIshouldstatethatthosetwometalmapsandtheringwhichIgavetoYvaandfoundagainafterthecatastrophe，wereabsolutelytheonlythingsconnectedwithherorwithOrothatwebroughtawaywithus。TheformerIwouldneverpartwith，feelingtheirvalueasevidence。Therefore，whenwedescendedtothecityNyoandthedepthsbeneath，Itookthemwithmewrappedinclothinmypocket。Thustheywerepreserved。EverythingelsewentwhentheRockofOfferingsandthecavemouthsankbeneaththewatersofthelake。
Thismayhavehappenedeitherintheearthtremor，whichnodoubtwascausedbytheadvanceoftheterrificworld—balance，orwhentheelectricpower，thoughdiffusedandturnedbyYva’sinsulatedbody，struckthegreatgyroscope’stravellingfootwithsufficientstrength，nottoshiftitindeedontotheright—handpathasOrohaddesigned，butstilltocauseittostaggerandevenperhapstohaltforthefractionofasecond。Eventhispausemayhavebeenenoughtocauseconvulsionsoftheearthabove；indeed，IgatheredfromMaramaandotherOrofenansthatsuchconvulsionshadoccurredonandaroundtheislandatwhatmusthavecorrespondedwiththatmomentoftheloosingoftheforce。
ThislossofourbelongingsinthehouseoftheRockofOfferingswasthemoregrievousbecauseamongthemweresomeKodakphotographswhichIhadtaken，includingportraitsofOroandoneofYvathatwasreallyexcellent，tosaynothingofpicturesofthemouthofthecaveandoftheruinsandcraterlakeabove。HowbitterlyIregretthatIdidnotkeepthesephotographsinmypocketwiththemap—plates。
\"Evenifthestar—mapsarecorrect，stillitprovesnothing，\"
saidBickley，\"sincepossiblyOro’sastronomicalskillmighthaveenabledhimtodrawthatoftheskyatanyperiod，thoughIallowthisisimpossible。\"
\"Idoubthistakingsomuchtroublemerelytodeceivethreewandererswholackedtheknowledgeeventocheckthem，\"Isaid。
\"Butallthismissesthepoint，Bickley。Howeverlongtheyhadslept，thatmanandwomandidarisefromseemingdeath。Theydiddwellinthosemarvelouscaveswiththeirevidencesofdepartedcivilisations，andtheydidshowusthatfearful，world—wanderinggyroscope。Thesethingswesaw。\"
\"Iadmitthatwesawthem，Arbuthnot，andIadmitthattheyareoneandallbeyondhumancomprehension。TothatextentIamconverted，and，Imayadd，humbled，\"saidBickley。
\"Soyououghttobe，\"exclaimedBastin，\"seeingthatyoualwayssworethattherewasnothingintheworldthatisnotcapableofaperfectlynaturalexplanation。\"
\"Ofwhichallthesethingsmaybecapable，Bastin，ifonlyweheldthekey。\"
\"Verywell，Bickley，buthowdoyouexplainwhattheLadyYvadid？Imaytellyounowwhatshecommandedmetoconcealatthetime，namely，thatshebecameaChristian；somuchsothatbyherownwill，Ibaptisedandconfirmedherontheverymorningofhersacrifice。Doubtlessitwasthisthatchangedherheartsomuchthatshebecamewilling，ofcoursewithoutmyknowledge，toleaveeverythingshecaredfor，\"herehelookedhardatme，\"andlaydownherlifetosavetheworld，halfofwhichshebelievedwasabouttobedrownedbyOro。Now，consideringherhistoryandupbringing，Icallthisaspiritualmarvel，muchgreaterthananyyounowadmit，andoneyoucan’texplain，Bickley。\"
\"No，Icannotexplain，or，atanyrate，Iwillnottry，\"heanswered，alsostaringhardatme。\"Whatevershebelieved，ordidnotbelieve，andwhateverwouldorwouldnothavehappened，shewasagreatandwonderfulwomanwhosememoryIworship。\"
\"Quiteso，Bickley，andnowperhapsyouseemypoint，thatwhatyoudescribeasmerevainwordsmayalsobehelpfultomankind；
moreso，indeed，thanyoursurgicalinstrumentsandpills。\"
\"Youcouldn’tconvertOro，anyway，\"exclaimedBickley，withirritation。
\"No，Bickley；butthenIhavealwaysunderstoodthatthedevilisbeyondconversionbecauseheisbeyondrepentance。Yousee，I
thinkthatifthatoldscoundrelwasnotthedevilhimself，atanyratehewasabitofhim，and，ifIamright，Iamnotashamedtohavefailedinhiscase。\"
\"EvenOrowasnotutterlybad，Bastin，\"Isaid，reflectingoncertaintraitsofmercythathehadshown，orthatIdreamedhimtohaveshowninthecourseofourmysteriousmidnightjourneystovariouspartsoftheearth。AlsoIrememberedthathehadlovedTommyandforhissakehadsparedourlives。Lastly，Idonotaltogetherwonderthathecametocertainhastyconclusionsastothevalueofourmoderncivilisations。
\"Iamverygladtohearit，Humphrey，sincewhilethereisasparkleftthewholefiremayburnupagain，andIbelievethattotheDivinemercytherearenolimits，thoughOrowillhavealongroadtotravelbeforehefindsit。AndnowIhavesomethingtosay。IthastroubledmeverymuchthatIwasobligedtoleavethoseOrofenanswanderinginakindofreligioustwilight。\"
\"Youcouldn’thelpthat，\"saidBickley，\"seeingthatifyouhadstopped，bynowyouwouldhavebeenwanderinginreligiouslight。\"
\"Still，IamnotsurethatIoughtnottohavestopped。Iseemtohavedesertedafieldthatwasopentome。However，itcan’tbehelped，sinceitiscertainthatwecouldneverfindthatislandagain，evenifOrohasnotsunkitbeneaththesea，asheisquitecapableofdoing，tocoverhistracks，sotospeak。SoI
meantodomybestinanotherfieldbywayofatonement。\"
\"Youarenotgoingtobecomeamissionary？\"Isaid。
\"No，butwiththeconsentoftheBishop，who，Ithink，believesthatmylocumgotonbetterintheparishthanIdo，asnodoubtwasthecase，I，too，havevolunteeredfortheFront，andbeenacceptedasachaplainofthe201stDivision。\"
\"Why，that’smine！\"saidBickley。
\"Isit？Iamveryglad，sincenowweshallbeabletopursueourpleasantargumentsandtodoourbesttoopeneachother’sminds。\"
\"YoufellowsaremorefortunatethanIam，\"Iremarked。\"Ialsovolunteered，buttheywouldn’ttakeme，evenasaTommy，althoughImisstatedmyage。Theytoldme，oratleastaspecialistwhomI
sawdidafterwards，thattheblowIgotontheheadfromthatsorcerer’sboy——\"
\"Iknow，Iknow！\"brokeinBickleyalmostroughly。\"Ofcourse，thingsmightgowrongatanytime。Butwithcareyoumaylivetooldage。\"
\"Iamsorrytohearit，\"Isaidwithasigh，\"atleastIthinkIam。Meanwhile，fortunatelythereismuchthatIcandoathome；
indeedacourseofactionhasbeensuggestedtomebyanoldfriendwhoisnowinauthority。\"
OncemoreBickleyandBastinintheirwar—staineduniformswerediningatmytableandontheverynightoftheirreturnfromtheFront，whichwasunexpected。IndeedTommynearlydiedofjoyonhearingtheirvoicesinthehall。They，whoplayedaworthypartinthegreatstruggle，hadmuchtotellme，andnaturallytheirmorerecentexperienceshadoverlaidtosomeextentthosewhichwesharedinthemysteriousislandofOrofena。Indeedwedidnotspeakoftheseuntil，justastheyweregoingaway，Bastinpausedbeneathaverybeautifulportraitofmylatewife，theworkofanartistfamousforhispowerofbringingouttheinnercharacter，orwhatsomemightcallthesoul，ofthesitter。Hestaredatitforawhileinhisshort—sightedway，thensaid：\"Doyouknow，Arbuthnot，ithassometimesoccurredtome，andnevermorethanatthismoment，thatalthoughtheyweredifferentinheightandsoon，therewasareallycuriousphysicalresemblancebetweenyourlatewifeandtheLadyYva。\"
\"Yes，\"Ianswered。\"Ithinksotoo。\"
Bickleyalsoexaminedtheportraitverycarefully，andashedidsoIsawhimstart。Thenheturnedaway，sayingnothing。
Suchisthesummaryofallthathasbeenimportantinmylife。
Itis，Iadmit，anoddstoryandonewhichsuggestsproblemsthatIcannotsolve。Bastindealswithsuchthingsbythatacceptancewhichistheprivilegeandhall—markoffaith；Bickleydisposes，orusedtodispose，ofthembyablankdenialwhichcarriesnoconviction，andleastofalltohimself。
Whatislifetomostofuswho，likeBickley，thinkourselveslearned？Around，shortbutstillwithtimeandtosparewhereintobedullandlonesome；afatefultreadmilltowhichwewerecondemnedweknownothow，butapparentlythroughthecasualpassionsofthosewhowentbeforeusandarenowforgotten，causingus，astheBiblesays，tobeborninsin；upwhichwewalkwearilyweknownotwhy，seemingnevertomakeprogress；offwhichwefalloutwornweknownotwhenorwhither。
Suchuponthesurfaceitappearstobe，norinfactdoesourascertainedknowledge，asBickleywouldsumitup，takeusmuchfurther。Noprophethasyetarisenwhoattemptedtodefineeithertheoriginorthereasonsoflife。EventheveryGreatestofthemHimselfisquitesilentonthismatter。Wearetemptedtowonderwhy。Isitbecauselifeasexpressedinthehigherofhumanbeings，is，orwillbetoovast，toomultiformandtoogloriousforanydefinitionwhichwecouldunderstand？Isitbecauseintheenditwillinvolveforsome，ifnotforall，majestyonunfathomedmajesty，andgloryuponunimaginableglorysuchasatpresentfaroutpassthelimitsofourthought？
TheexperienceswhichIhaverecordedinthesepagesawakeinmyheartahopethatthismaybeso。Bastiniswont，likemanyothers，totalkinalightfashionofEternitywithoutintheleastcomprehendingwhathemeansbythatgiganticterm。ItisnottoomuchtosaythatEternity，somethingwithoutbeginningandwithoutend，andinvolving，itwouldappear，aneverlastingchangelessness，isastatebeyondhumancomprehension。Asamatteroffactwemortalsdonotthinkinconstellations，sotospeak，orinaeons，butbythemeasuresofourownsmallearthandofourfewdaysthereon。Wecannotreallyconceiveofanexistencestretchingoverevenonethousandyears，suchasthatwhichOroclaimedandtheBibleaccordstoacertainearlyraceofmen，omittingofcoursehistwothousandfivehundredcenturiesofsleep。Andyetwhatisthisbutonegraininthehourglassoftime，onedayinthelostrecordofourearth，ofitssisterstheplanetsanditsfatherthesun，tosaynothingoftheuniversesbeyond？
ItisbecauseIhavecomeintouchwithaprolongedthoughperfectlyfiniteexistenceofthesort，thatItrytopassonthereflectionswhichthefactofitawokeinme。ThereareotherreflectionsconnectedwithYvaandthemarvelofherloveanditsvariousmanifestationswhicharisealso。ButtheseIkeeptomyself。Theyconcernthewonderofwoman’sheart，whichisamicrocosmofthehopesandfearsanddesiresanddespairsofthishumanityofourswhereoffromagetoagesheisthemother。
HUMPHREYARBUTHNOT。
NOTE
ByJ。R。Bickley，M。R。C。S。
WITHINaboutsixmonthsofthedateonwhichhewrotethelastwordsofthishistoryofourjointadventures，mydearfriend，HumphreyArbuthnot，diedsuddenly，asIhadforeseenthatprobablyhewoulddo，fromtheresultsoftheinjuryhereceivedintheislandofOrofena。
Heleftmethesoleexecutortohiswill，underwhichhedividedhispropertyintothreeparts。Onethirdhebequeathedtome，onethird（whichisstrictlytiedup）toBastin，andonethirdtobedevoted，undermydirection，totheadvancementofScience。
Hisendappearstohavebeeninstantaneous，resultingfromaneffusionofblooduponthebrain。WhenIwassummonedIfoundhimlyingdeadbythewritingdeskinhislibraryatFulcombePriory。
Hehadbeenwritingatthedesk，foronitwasapieceofpaperonwhichappearthesewords：\"Ihaveseenher。I——\"Therethewritingends，notstatingwhomhethoughthehadseeninthemomentsofmentaldisturbanceordelusionwhichprecededhisdecease。
Saveforcertainverbalcorrections，Ipublishthismanuscriptwithoutcommentasthewilldirects，onlyaddingthatitsetsoutourmutualexperiencesveryfaithfully，thoughArbuthnot’sdeductionsfromthemarenotalwaysmyown。
IwouldsayalsothatIamcontemplatinganothervisittotheSouthSeaIslands，whereIwishtomakesomefurtherinvestigations。Idaresay，however，thatthesewillbebarrenofresults，asthefountainofLife—waterisburiedforever，nor，asIthink，willanyhumanbeingstandagainintheHades—likehallsofNyo。ItisprobablealsothatitwouldproveimpossibletorediscovertheislandofOrofena，ifindeedthatvolcaniclandstillremainsabovethewatersofthedeep。
Nowthatheisaverywealthyman，Bastintalksofaccompanyingmeforpurposesquitedifferentfrommyown，butonthewholeI
hopehewillabandonthisidea。Imayaddthatwhenhelearnedofhisunexpectedinheritancehetalkedmuchofthe\"deceitfulnessofriches，\"butthathehasnotasyettakenanystepstoescapetheirgoldensnare。Indeedhenowconversesofhisadded\"opportunitiesofusefulness，\"Igatherinconnectionwithmissionaryenterprise。
J。R。BICKLEY。
P。S。——IforgottostatethatthespanielTommydiedwithinthreedaysofhisowner。ThepoorlittlebeastwaspresentintheroomatthetimeofArbuthnot’spassingaway，andwhenfoundseemedtobesufferingfromshock。FromthatmomentTommyrefusedfoodandfinallywasdiscoveredquitedeadandlyingbythebodyonMarama’sfeathercloak，whichArbuthnotoftenusedasadressing—gown。AsBastinraisedsomereligiousobjections，I
arrangedwithouthisknowledgethatthedog’sashesshouldrestnotfarfromthoseofthemasterandmistresswhomitlovedsowell。
J。R。B。
End