Nightmare! Imagination! No, these pale before that scene which it was given to our human eyes to witness.
And all the while, bending, bowing towards us--away from us--making obeisance to the path in front as though in greeting, to the path behind as though in farewell; instinct with a horrible life, with a hideous and gigantic grace, that titanic Terror whirled onwards to the mark of fate.
At the moment nothing could persuade me that it was not alive and did not know its awful mission.Visions flashed across my mind.I thought of the peoples of the world sleeping in their beds, or going about their business, or engaged even in the work of war.I thought of the ships upon the seas steaming steadily towards their far-off ports.Then I thought of what presently might happen to them, of the tremors followed by convulsions, of the sudden crashing down of cities, such as we had seen in the picture Yva showed us in the Temple, of the inflow of the waters of the deep piled up in mighty waves, of the woe and desolation as of the end of the world, and of the quiet, following death.So I thought and in my heart prayed to the great Arch-Architect of the Universe to stretch out His Arm to avert this fearsome ruin of His handiwork.
Oro glared, his thin fingers tightened their grip upon the rod, his hair and long beard seemed to bristle with furious and delighted excitement.The purple-fringed rim of the Monster had long overshadowed the whited patch of rock; its grinding foot was scarce ten yards away.Oro made more signs to Yva who, beneath the shelter of her shield, again bent down and did something that I could not see.Then, as though her part were played, she rose, drew the grey hood of her cloak all about her face so that her eyes alone remained visible, took one step towards me and in the broken English we had taught her, called into my ear.
"Humphrey, God you bless! Humphrey, we meet soon.Forget not me!"She stepped back again before I could attempt to answer, and next instant with a hideous, concentrated effort, Oro bending himself double, thrust upon the rod, as I could see from his open mouth, shouting while he thrust.
At the same moment, with a swift spring, Yva leapt immediately in front of the lens or window, so that the metallic shield with which she covered herself pressed against its substance.
Simultaneously Oro flung up his arms as though in horror.
Too late! The shutter fell and from behind it there sprang out a rush of living flame.It struck on Yva's shield and expanded to right and left.The insulated shield and garments that she wore seemed to resist it.For a fraction of time she stood there like a glowing angel, wrapped in fire.
Then she was swept outwards and upwards and at a little distance dissolved like a ghost and vanished from our sight.
Yva was ashes! Yva was gone! The sacrifice was consummated!
And not in vain! Not in vain! On her poor breast she had received the full blast of that hellish lightning flash.Yet whilst destroying, it turned away from her, seeking the free paths of the air.So it came about that its obstructed strength struck the foot of the travelling gyroscope, diffused and did not suffice to thrust it that one necessary inch on which depended the fate of half the world, or missing it altogether, passed away on either side.Even so the huge, gleaming mountain rocked and trembled.Once, twice, thrice, it bowed itself towards us as though in majestic homage to greatness passed away.For a second, too, its course was checked, and at the check the earth quaked and trembled.Yes, then the world shook, and the blue globes of fire went out, while I was thrown to the ground.
When they returned again, the flaming monster was once more sailing majestically upon its way and down the accustomed left-hand path!
Indeed the sacrifice was not in vain.The world shook--but Yva had saved the world!
