Anothersceneofstupendousandchangingawfulness。Countriesweresinking，citiescrashingdown，volcanoeswerespoutingfire；
　　theendoftheearthseemedtobeathand。Wecouldseehumanbeingsrunningtoandfrointhousandslikeants。Theninhugewaveshundredsandhundredsoffeethigh，theoceanflowedinandallwastroubled，yeastysea。
　　"OrocarriesouthisthreattodestroytheNationswhohadrebelledagainsthim，"saidYva。"Muchoftheworldsinksbeneaththewaves，butinplaceofitotherlandsariseabovethewaves，tobeinhabitedbytheseedofthosewhoremainlivinginthoseportionsoftheEarththatthedelugespared。"
　　Thishorriblevisionpassedandwassucceededbyonemore，thatofOrostandinginthesepulchreofthecavebythesideofthecrystalcoffinwhichcontainedwhatappearedtobethebodyofhisdaughter。Hegazedather，thendranksomepotionandlaidhimselfdowninthecompanioncoffin，thatinwhichwehadfoundhim。
　　AllvanishedawayandYva，appearingtowakefromsomekindoftrance，smiled，andinhernaturalvoiceaskedifwehadseenenough。
　　"Quite，"Iansweredinatonethatcausedhertosay：
　　"Iwonderwhatyouhaveseen，Humphrey。MyselfIdonotknow，sinceitisthroughmethatyouseeatallandwhenyouseeIaminyouwhosee。"
　　"Indeed，"Ireplied。"Well，Iwilltellyouaboutitlater。"
　　"Thankyousomuch，"exclaimedBastin，recoveringsuddenlyfromhisamazement。"Ihaveheardagreatdealofthesemoving—pictureshowswhicharebecomingsopopular，buthavealwaysavoidedattendingthembecausetheirinfluenceontheyoungissupposedtobedoubtful，andapriestmustsetagoodexampletohiscongregation。NowIseethattheycanhaveadistincteducationalvalue，evenifitispresentedintheformofromance。"
　　"Howisitdone？"askedBickley，almostfiercely。
　　"Idonotaltogetherknow，"sheanswered。"ThisIdoknow，however，thateverythingwhichhashappenedonthisworldcanbeseenfrommomenttomomentatsomepointinthedepthsofspace，forthitherthesun’slighttakesit。There，too，itcanbecaughtandthenceinaninstantreturnedtoearthagain，tobereflectedinthemirrorofthepresentbythosewhoknowhowthatmirrorshouldbeheld。Askmenomore；onesowiseasyou，O
　　Bickley，cansolvesuchproblemsforhimself。"
　　"Ifyoudon’tmind，LadyYva，"saidBastin，"IthinkIshouldliketogetoutofthisplace，interestingasitis。Ihavefoodtocookupaboveandlotsofthingstoattendto，especiallyasI
　　understandIamtocomebackheretomorrow。Wouldyoumindshowingmethewaytothatliftormovingstaircase？"
　　"Come，"shesaid，smiling。
　　SowewentpasttheimageofFate，outofthetemple，downthevastandlonelystreetssounnaturallyilluminated，totheplacewherewehadfirstfoundourselvesonarrivalinthedepths。
　　Therewestood。
　　Amomentlaterandwewerewhirlingupaswehadwhirleddown。
　　IsupposethatYvacamewithusthoughIneversawherdoso，andtheoddthingwasthatwhenwearrivedinthesepulchre，sheseemedalreadytobestandingtherewaitingtodirectus。
　　"Really，"remarkedBastin，"thisisexactlylikeMaskelyneandCook。Didyoueverseetheirperformance，Bickley？Ifso，itmusthavegivenyoulotstoexplainforquitealongwhile。"
　　"Juggleryneverappealedtome，whetherinLondonorinOrofena，"repliedBickleyinasourvoiceasheextractedfromhispocketanendofcandletowhichhesetlight。
　　"Whatisjugglery？"askedBastin，andtheydepartedarguing，leavingmealonewithYvainthesepulchre。
　　"WhathaveIseen？"Iaskedher。
　　"Idonotknow，Humphrey。Everyoneseesdifferentthings，butperhapssomethingofthetruth。"
　　"Ihopenot，Yva，foramongstotherthingsIseemedtoseeyouswearyourselftoamanforever。"
　　"Yes，andthisIdid。Whatofit？"
　　"Onlythatitmightbehardforanotherman。"
　　"Yes，foranothermanitmightbehard。Youwereoncemarried，wereyounot，Humphrey，toawifewhodied？"
　　"Yes，Iwasmarried。"
　　"Anddidyounotsweartothatwifethatyouwouldneverlookinloveuponanotherwoman？"
　　"Idid，"Iansweredinashamedvoice。"Buthowdoyouknow？I
　　nevertoldyouso。"
　　"Oh！Iknowyouandthereforeguessed。"
　　"Well，whatofit，Yva？"
　　"Nothing，exceptthatyoumustfindyourwifebeforeyouloveagain，andbeforeIloveagainImustfindhimwhomIwishtobemyhusband。"
　　"Howcanthathappen，"Iasked，"whenbotharedead？"
　　"Howdidallthatyouhaveseento—dayinNyohappen？"shereplied，laughingsoftly。"Perhapsyouareveryblind，Humphrey，orperhapswebothareblind。Ifso，mayhaplightwillcometous。Meanwhiledonotbesad。TomorrowIwillmeetyouandyoushallteachme——yourEnglishtongue，Humphrey，andotherthings。"
　　"Thenletitbeinthesunlight，Yva。IdonotlovethosedarksomehallsofNyothatglowlikesomethingdead。"
　　"Itisfitting，foraretheynotdead？"sheanswered，withalittlelaugh。"Sobeit。Bastinshallteachmyfatherdownbelow，sincesunandshadearethesametohimwhoonlythinksofhisreligion，andyoushallteachmeupabove。"
　　"IamnotsocertainaboutBastinandofwhathethinks，"I
　　saiddoubtfully。"AlsowilltheLordOropermityoutocome？"
　　"Yes，forinsuchmattersIrulemyself。Also，"sheaddedmeaningly，"heremembersmyoaththatIwillwednoman——saveonewhoisdead。NowfarewellawhileandbidBastinbeherewhenthesunisthreehourshigh，notbeforeorafter。"
　　ThenIlefther。
　　ChapterXVII
　　YvaExplainsWhenIreachedtherockIwaspleasedtofindMaramaandabouttwentyofhispeopleengagedinerectingthehousethatwehadorderedthemtobuildforouraccommodation。Indeed，itwasnearlyfinished，sincehouse—buildinginOrofenaisasimplebusiness。Theframeworkofpolesletintopalmtrunks，sincetheycouldnotbedrivenintotherock，hadbeenputtogetheronthefurthershoreandtowedoverbodilybycanoes。Theoverhangingrockformedonesideofthehouse；theendswereofpalmleavestiedtothepoles，andtheroofwasofthesamematerial。Theothersidewasleftopenforthepresent，whichinthatequableandbalmyclimewasnodisadvantage。Thewholeedificewasaboutthirtyfeetlongbyfifteendeepanddividedintotwoportions，oneforsleepingandoneforliving，byapalmleafpartition。
　　Really，itwasquiteacomfortableabode，coolandrainproof，especiallyafterBastinhadbuilthishutinwhichtocook。
　　Maramaandhispeoplewereveryhumbleintheirdemeanourandimploredustovisitthemonthemainisland。Iansweredthatperhapswewouldlateron，aswewishedtoprocurecertainthingsfromthewreck。Also，herequestedBastintocontinuehisministrationsasthelattergreatlydesiredtodo。ButtothisproposalIwouldnotallowhimtogiveanydirectansweratthemoment。Indeed，IdarednotdosountilIwassureofOro’sapproval。
　　Towardseveningtheydepartedintheircanoes，leavingbehindthemtheusualamplestoreofprovisions。
　　Wecookedourmealasusual，onlytodiscoverthatwhatYvahadsaidabouttheLife—waterwasquitetrue，sincewehadbutlittleappetiteforsolidfood，thoughthisreturneduponthefollowingday。Thesamethinghappeneduponeveryoccasionafterdrinkingofthatwaterwhichcertainlywasamostinvigoratingfluid。
　　Neverforyearshadanyofusfeltsowellasitcausedustodo。
　　Sowelitourpipesandtalkedaboutourexperiencesthoughofthese，indeed，wescarcelyknewwhattosay。Bastinacceptedthemassomethingoutofthecommon，ofcourse，butasfactswhichadmittedofnodiscussion。Afterall，hesaid，theOldTestamenttoldmuchthesamestoryofpeoplecalledtheSonsofGodwholivedverylonglivesandranafterthedaughtersofmenwhomtheyshouldhaveleftalone，andthusbecametheprogenitorsofaremarkablerace。Ofthisrace，hepresumedthatOroandhisdaughterweresurvivors，especiallyastheyspokeoftheirfamilyas"Heavenborn。"Howtheycametosurvivewasmorethanhecouldunderstandandreallyscarcelyworthbotheringover，sincetheretheywere。
　　ItwasthesameabouttheDeluge，continuedBastin，althoughnaturallyOrospokefalsely，or，atanyrate，grosslyexaggerated，whenhedeclaredthathehadcausedthiscatastrophe，unlessindeedhewastalkingaboutatotallydifferentdeluge，thougheventhenhecouldnothavebroughtitabout。Itwascurious，however，thatthepeopledrownedweresaidtohavebeenwicked，andOrohadthesameopinionaboutthosewhomheclaimedtohavedrowned，thoughforthematterofthat，hecouldnotconceiveanyonemorewickedthanOrohimself。Onhisownshowinghewasamostrevengefulpersonandonewhodeclinedtoagreetoaquitesuitablealliance，apparentlydesiredbybothparties，merelybecauseitoffendedhisfamilypride。No，onreflectionhemightbeunjusttoOrointhisparticular，sincehenevertoldthatstory；itwasonlyshowninsomepictureswhichverylikelywerejustmadeuptoastonishus。Meanwhile，itwashisbusinesstopreachtothisoldsinnerdowninthathole，andheconfessedhonestlythathedidnotlikethejob。Still，itmustbedone，sowithourleavehewouldgoapartandseekinspiration，whichatpresentseemedtobequitelacking。
　　ThusdeclaimedBastinanddeparted。
　　"Don’tyoutellyouropinionabouttheDelugeorhemaycauseanotherjusttoshowthatyouarewrong，"calledBickleyafterhim。
　　"Ican’thelpthat，"answeredBastin。"CertainlyIshallnothidethetruthtosaveOro’sfeelings，ifhehasgotany。Ifherevengeshimselfuponusinanyway，wemustjustputupwithitlikeothermartyrs。"
　　"Ihaven’ttheslightestambitiontobeamartyr，"saidBickley。
　　"No，"shoutedBastinfromalittledistance，"Iamquiteawareofthat，asyouhaveoftensaidsobefore。Therefore，ifyoubecomeone，IamsorrytosaythatIdonotseehowyoucanexpectanybenefit。Youwouldonlybelikeamanwhoputsasovereignintotheoffertorybaginmistakeforashilling。Theextranineteenshillingswilldohimnogoodatall，sinceinhisheartheregretstheerrorandwishesthathecouldhavethemback。"
　　Thenhedeparted，leavingmelaughing。ButBickleydidnotlaugh。
　　"Arbuthnot，"hesaid，"IhavecometotheconclusionthatI
　　havegonequitemad。IbegyouifIshouldshowsignsofhomicidalmania，whichIfeeldevelopinginmewhereBastinisconcerned，orofotherabnormalviolence，thatyouwilltakewhateverstepsyouconsidernecessary，eventoputtingmeoutofthewayifthatisimperative。"
　　"Whatdoyoumean？"Iasked。"Youseemsaneenough。"
　　"Sane，whenIbelievethatIhaveseenandexperiencedagreatnumberofthingswhichIknowittobequiteimpossiblethatI
　　shouldhaveseenorexperienced。TheonlyexplanationisthatI
　　amsufferingfromdelusions。"
　　"ThenisBastinsufferingfromdelusions，too？"
　　"Certainly，butthatisnothingnewinhiscase。"
　　"Idon’tagreewithyou，Bickley——aboutBastin，Imean。Iambynomeanscertainthatheisnotthewisestofthethreeofus。Hehasafaithandhestickstoit，asmillionshavedonebeforehim，andthatisbetterthanmakingspiritualexperiments，asI
　　amsorrytosayIdo，orrejectingthingsbecauseonecannotunderstandthem，asyoudo，whichisonlyaformofintellectualvanity。"
　　"Iwon’targuethematter，Arbuthnot；itisofnouse。IrepeatthatIammad，andBastinismad。"
　　"Howaboutme？Ialsosawandexperiencedthesethings。AmI
　　mad，too？"
　　"Yououghttobe，Arbuthnot。Ifitisn’tenoughtodriveamanmadwhenheseeshimselfexactlyreproducedinanutterlyimpossiblemoving—pictureshowexhibitedbyanutterlyimpossibleyoungwomaninanutterlyimpossibleundergroundcity，thenI
　　don’tknowwhatis。
　　"Whatdoyoumean？"Iasked，starting。
　　"Mean？Well，ifyoudidn’tnoticeit，there’shopeforyou。"
　　"Noticewhat？"
　　"Allthatenvoyscene。There，asIthought，appearedYva。Doyouadmitthat？"
　　"Ofcourse；therecouldbenomistakeonthatpoint。"
　　"Verywell。Thenaccordingtomyversiontherecameaman，stillyoung，dressedinoutlandishclothes，whomadepropositionsofpeaceandwantedtomarryYva，whowantedtomarryhim。Isthatright？"
　　"Absolutely。"
　　"Well，anddidn’tyourecognisetheman？"
　　"No；Ionlynoticedthathewasafine—lookingfellowwhoseappearanceremindedmeofsomeone。"
　　"Isupposeitmustbetrue，"musedBickley，"thatwedonotknowourselves。"
　　"SotheoldGreekthought，sinceheurgedthatthisshouldbeourspecialstudy。’Knowthyself，’youremember。"
　　"Imeantphysically，notintellectually。Arbuthnot，doyoumeantotellmethatyoudidnotrecogniseyourowndoubleinthatman？Shaveoffyourbeardandputonhisclothesandnoonecoulddistinguishyouapart。"
　　Isprangup，droppingmypipe。
　　"Nowyoumentionit，"Isaidslowly，"Isupposetherewasaresemblance。Ididn’tlookathimverymuch；IwasstudyingthesimulacrumofYva。Also，youknowitissometimesince——Imean，therearenopier—glassesinOrofena。"
　　"Themanwasyou，"wentonBickleywithconviction。"IfIweresuperstitiousIshouldthinkitaqueersortofomen。ButasIamnot，IknowthatImustbemad。"
　　"Why？Afterall，anancientmanandamodernmanmightresembleeachother。"
　　"Therearedegreesinresemblance，"saidBickleywithoneofhiscontemptuoussnorts。"Itwon’tdo，Humphrey，myboy，"headded。"Icanonlythinkofonepossibleexplanation——outsideoftheobviousoneofmadness。"
　　"Whatisthat？"
　　"TheGlitteringLadyproducedwhatBastincalledthatcinematographshowinsomewayorother，didshenot？Shesaidthatinordertodothissheloosedsomehiddenforces。Isuggestthatshedidnothingofthesort。"
　　"Thenwhencedidthepicturescomeandwhy？"
　　"Fromherownbrain，inordertoimpressuswithacock—and—
　　bull，fairy—bookstory。Ifthisweresoshewouldquitenaturallyfilltheroleoftheloverofthepiecewiththelastmanwhohadhappenedtoimpressher。Hencetheresemblance。"
　　"Youpresupposeagreatdeal，Bickley，includingsupernaturalcunningandunexampledhypnoticinfluence。Idon’tknow，first，whysheshouldbesoanxioustoaddanotherimpressiontothemanywehavereceivedinthisplace；and，secondly，ifshewas，howshemanagedtomesmerisethreeaveragebuttotallydifferentmenintoseeingthesamethings。Myexplanationisthatyouweredeceivedastothelikeness，which，mindyou，Ididnotrecognise；nor，apparently，didBastin。"
　　"Bastinneverrecognisesanything。Butifyouareindoubt，askYvaherself。Sheoughttoknow。NowI’mofftotrytoanalysethatconfoundedLife—water，whichIsuspectisoftheordinaryspringvariety，lightenedupwithnaturalcarbonicacidgasandpossiblynotuninfluencedbyradium。ThetroubleisthathereI
　　canonlyapplysomeveryelementarytests。"
　　Sohewentalso，inanoppositedirectiontoBastin，andIwasleftalonewithTommy，whoannoyedmemuchbyattemptingcontinuallytowanderoffintothecave，whenceImustrecallhim。Isupposethatmyexperiencesoftheday，reviewedbeneaththesweetinfluencesofthewonderfultropicalnight，affectedme。Atanyrate，thatmysticalsideofmynature，towhichI
　　thinkIalludedatthebeginningofthisrecord，sprangintoactiveand，inasense，unholylife。Thenormalvanished，theabnormaltookpossession，andthatisunholytomostofuscreaturesofhabitandtradition，atanyrate，ifweareBritish。
　　Ilostmyfootingontheworld；myspiritbegantowanderinstrangeplaces；ofcourse，alwayssupposingthatwehaveaspirit，whichBickleywoulddeny。
　　Igaveupreason；Isurrenderedmyselftounreason；itisanotunpleasantprocess，occasionally。Supposingnowthatallweseeandacceptisbutthemerestfragmentofthetruth，orperhapsonlyarefractionthereof？Supposingthatwedoliveagainandagain，andthatouranimatingprinciple，whateveritmightbe，doesinhabitvariousbodies，which，naturallyenough，itwouldshapetoitsowntasteandlikeness？Wouldthattasteandlikenessvarysoverymuchover，letussay，amillionyearsorso，which，afterall，isbutanhour，oraminute，intheaeonsofEternity？
　　Onthishypothesis，whichissowildthatonebeginstosuspectthatitmaybetrue，wasitimpossiblethatIandthatmurderedmanofthefarpastwereinfactidentical？Ifthewomanwerethesame，preservedacrossthegulfinsomeunknownfashion，whyshouldnotherloverbethesame？WhatdidIsay——herlover？WasIherlover？No，Iwastheloverofonewhohaddied——mylostwife。Well，ifIhaddiedandlivedagain，whyshouldnot——whyshouldnotthatSleeper——havelivedagainduringherlongsleep？
　　Throughallthoseyearsthespiritmusthavehadsomehome，and，ifso，inwhatshapesdiditlive？Therewerepoints，similarities，whichrushedinuponme——oh！itwasridiculous。
　　Bickleywasright。Wewereallmad！
　　Therewasanotherthing。OrohaddeclaredthatwewereatwarwithGermany。Ifthiswereso，howcouldheknowit？Suchknowledgewouldpresumepowersoftelepathyorvisionbeyondthosegiventoman。Icouldnotbelievethathepossessedthese；
　　asBickleysaid，itwouldbepastexperience。Yetitwasmoststrangethathewhowasuninformedastoournationalhistoryanddangers，shouldhavehituponacountrywithwhichwemightwellhavebeenplungedintosuddenstruggle。HereagainIwasbewilderedandovercome。Mybrainrocked。Iwouldseeksleep，andinitescape，oratanyraterestfromallthesemysteries。
　　OnthefollowingmorningwedespatchedBastintokeephisrendezvousinthesepulchreatthepropertime。HadwenotdonesoIfeltsurethathewouldhaveforgottenit，foronthisoccasionhewasforonceanunwillingmissioner。Hetriedtopersuadeoneofustocomewithhim——evenBickleywouldhavebeenwelcome；butwebothdeclaredthatwecouldnotdreamofinterferinginsuchaprofessionalmatter；alsothatourpresencewasforbidden，andwouldcertainlydistracttheattentionofhispupil。
　　"Whatyoumean，"saidthegloomyBastin，"isthatyouintendtoenjoyyourselvesuphereinthefemalecompanionshipoftheGlitteringLadywhilstIsitthousandsoffeetundergroundattemptingtolightenthedarknessofaviolentoldsinnerwhomI
　　suspectofbeinginleaguewithSatan。"
　　"Withwhomyoushouldbeproudtobreakalance，"saidBickley。
　　"SoIam，inthedaylight。Forinstance，whenheusesyourmouthtoadvancehisarguments。Bickley，butthisisanothermatter。However，ifIdonotappearagainyouwillknowthatI
　　diedinagoodcause，and，Ihope，trytorecovermyremainsandgivethemdecentburial。Also，youmightinformtheBishopofhowIcametomyend，thisis，ifyouevergetanopportunity，whichismorethandoubtful。"
　　"Hurryup，Bastin，hurryup！"saidtheunfeelingBickley，"oryouwillbelateforyourappointmentandputyourwould—beneophyteintoabadtemper。"
　　ThenBastinwent，carryingunderhisarmalargeBibleprintedinthelanguageoftheSouthSeaIslands。
　　AlittlewhilelaterYvaappeared，arrayedinherwondrousrobeswhich，beingaman，itisquiteimpossibleformetodescribe。Shesawuslookingatthese，and，aftergreetingusboth，alsoTommy，whowasenrapturedathercoming，askedushowtheladiesofourcountryattiredthemselves。
　　Wetriedtoexplain，withnostrikingsuccess。
　　"YouareasstupidaboutsuchmattersaswerethemenoftheOldWorld，"shesaid，shakingherheadandlaughing。"Ithoughtthatyouhadwithyoupicturesofladiesyouhaveknownwhichwouldshowme。"
　　Now，infact，Ihadinapocket—bookaphotographofmywifeinevening—dress，alsoaminiatureofherheadandbustpaintedonivory，abeautifulpieceofworkdonebyamasterhand，whichI
　　alwayswore。These，afteramoment’shesitation，Iproducedandshowedtoher，BickleyhavinggoneawayforalittlewhiletoseeaboutsomethingconnectedwithhisattemptedanalysisoftheLife—water。Sheexaminedthemwithgreateagerness，andasshedidsoInotedthatherfacegrewtenderandtroubled。
　　"Thiswasyourwife，"shesaidasonewhostateswhatsheknowstobeafact。Inodded，andshewenton：
　　"Shewassweetandbeautifulasaflower，butnotsotallasI
　　am，Ithink。"
　　"No，"Ianswered，"shelackedheight；giventhatshewouldhavebeenalovelywoman。"
　　"Iamgladyouthinkthatwomenshouldbetall，"shesaid，glancingathershadow。"Theeyesweresuchasmine，weretheynot——incolour，Imean？"
　　"Yes，verylikeyours，onlyyoursarelarger。"
　　"Thatisabeautifulwayofwearingthehair。WouldyoubeangryifItriedit？Iwearyofthisoldfashion。"
　　"WhyshouldIbeangry？"Iasked。
　　AtthismomentBickleyreappearedandshebegantotalkofthedetailsofthedress，sayingthatitshowedmoreoftheneckthanhadbeenthecustomamongthewomenofherpeople，butwasverypretty。
　　"Thatisbecausewearestillbarbarians，"saidBickley；"atleast，ourwomenare，andthereforerelyuponprimitivemethodsofattraction，likethesavagesyonder。"