The second notable thing was that the right-hand groove, where first we saw it at the point of separation, was not polished like the left-hand groove, although at some time or other it seemed to have been subjected to the pressure of the same terrific weight which cut its fellow out of the bed of rock or iron, as the sharp wheels of a heavily laden wagon sink ruts into a roadway.
"What does it all mean, Lord Oro?" I asked when he had led us back to the spot where the one groove began to be two grooves, that is, a mile or so away from the razor-edged cliff.
"This, Humphrey," he answered."That which travels along yonder road, when it reaches this spot on which we stand, follows the left-hand path which is made bright with its passage.Yet, could a giant at that moment of its touching this exact spot on which Ilay my hand, thrust it with sufficient strength, it would leave the left-hand road and take the right-hand road.""And if it did, what then; Lord Oro?"
"Then within an hour or so, when it had travelled far enough upon its way, the balance of the earth would be changed, and great things would happen in the world above, as once they happened in bygone days.Now do you understand, Humphrey?""Good Heavens! Yes, I understand now," I answered."But fortunately there is no such giant."Oro broke into a mocking laugh and his grey old face lit up with a fiendish exultation, as he cried:
"Fool! I, Oro, am that giant.Once in the dead days I turned the balance of the world from the right-hand road which now is dull with disuse, to the left-hand road which glitters so brightly to your eyes, and the face of the earth was changed.Now again I will turn it from the left-hand road to the right-hand road in which for millions of years it was wont to run, and once more the face of the earth shall change, and those who are left living upon the earth, or who in the course of ages shall come to live upon the new earth, must bow down to Oro and take him and his seed to be their gods and kings."When I heard this I was overwhelmed and could not answer.Also I remembered a certain confused picture which Yva had shown to us in the Temple of Nyo.But supported by his disbelief, Bickley asked:
"And how often does the balance of which you speak come this way, Lord Oro?""Once only in many years; the number is my secret, Bickley," he replied.
"Then there is every reason to hope that it will not trouble us," remarked Bickley with a suspicion of mockery in his voice.
"Do you think so, you learned Bickley?" asked Oro."If so, I do not.Unless my skill has failed me and my calculations have gone awry, that Traveller of which I tell should presently be with us.
Hearken now! What is that sound we hear?"As he spoke there reached our ears the first, far-off murmurs of a dreadful music.I cannot describe it in words because that is impossible, but it was something like to the buzz of a thousand humming-tops such as are loved by children because of their weird song.
"Back to the wall!" cried Oro triumphantly."The time is short!"So back we went, Oro pausing a while behind and overtaking us with long, determined strides.Yva led us, gliding at my side and, as I thought, now and again glanced at my face with a look that was half anxious and half pitiful.Also twice she stooped and patted Tommy.
We reached the wall, though not quite at the spot whence we had started to examine the grooved roads.at least I think this was so, since now for the first time observed a kind of little window in its rocky face.It stood about five feet from its floor level, and was perhaps ten inches square, not more.In short, except for its shape it resembled a ship's porthole rather than a window.
Its substance appeared to be talc, or some such material, and inches thick, yet through it, after Oro had cast aside some sort of covering, came a glare like that of a search-light.In fact it was a search-light so far as concerned one of its purposes.
By this window or porthole lay a pile of cloaks, also four objects which looked like Zulu battle shields cut in some unknown metal or material.Very deftly, very quietly, Yva lifted these cloaks and wrapped one of them about each of us, and while she was thus employed I noticed that they were of a substance very similar to that of the gown she wore, which I have described, but harder.Next she gave one of the metal-like shields to each of us, bidding us hold them in front of our bodies and heads, and only to look through certain slits in them in which were eyepieces that appeared to be of the same horny stuff as the searchlight window.Further, she commanded us to stand in a row with our backs against the rock wall, at certain spots which she indicated with great precision, and whatever we saw or heard on no account to move.
So there we stood, Bickley next to me, and beyond him Bastin.
Then Yva took the fourth shield, as I noted a much larger one than ours, and placed herself between me and the search-light or porthole.On the other side of this was Oro who had no shield.
These arrangements took some minutes and during that time occupied all our attention.When they were completed, however, our curiosity and fear began to reassert themselves.I looked about me and perceived that Oro had his right hand upon what seemed to be a rough stone rod, in shape not unlike that with which railway points are moved.He shouted to us to stand still and keep the shields over our faces.Then very gently he pressed upon the lever.The porthole sank the fraction of an inch, and instantly there leapt from it a most terrific blaze of lightning, which shot across the blackness in front and, as lightning does, revealed far, far away another wall, or rather cliff, like that against which we leant.
"All works well," exclaimed Oro in a satisfied voice, lifting his hand from the rod, "and the strength which I have stored will be more than enough."Meanwhile the humming noise came nearer and grew in volume.