An Experiment with Saint George by J. W. Dunne

Author:J. W. Dunne [Dunne, J. W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy, .ISBNincl
ISBN: OCLC: 63077256
Publisher: Faber and Faber, London
Published: 1939-05-15T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

The King Talks

There followed a pause, during which the five listeners stared at one another with dismay growing upon their faces. Five pairs of lips opened to speak—and hesitated. Then Queen Sophia half rose from her chair, and sank back again.

“‘They numbered many thousands,’” she quoted in a whisper, “‘and they are all loose! Here!’”

“The holy hermit did not think to provide against earthquakes,” said Thomas bitterly.

“But——” cried the King, and paused, frowning. “Yes, there is something here which I do not understand. Judging from what you, Sir Rudolph, have told us, it must have

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been five months ago that the last of the earth tremors broke open the caverns and set the monsters free. Why, then, have they not scattered and gone back to the many parts of the earth from which Circe called them? That they have not done so we may guess; for only one witch, Howling Harriet, has been seen beyond my Sister’s boundaries. But why?”

“I think, Sire,” said St. George, “that this may be the explanation. Thomas has told us that it is the nature of most witches and warlocks to dislike the light of the sun. We may assume, then, that each of the escaped creatures used to possess in its own country some hiding place in which it was wont to sleep by day. But none of these individual lairs can compare in convenience and security with the collective refuge afforded by the now-open caverns in which for sixty years they have been confined. Those caverns were especially equipped to meet the creatures’ bodily needs. Moreover, they-are practically impregnable. To force one’s way into that underground country defended by the collective magical powers of several thousand monsters would be like trying to storm the mouth of hell. Why! long before you could find a quarry at which to loose a silver arrow, you would be done to death in those dim passages. The walls would close

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together and crush you, or the roofs would fall and bury you, or you would step upon some cabalistic symbol and thereby open a bottomless pit. Such an adventure would be suicide. No, the enemy are bound to treat those caverns as their home and their fortress. They can make raids therefrom in the night time (remember how fast they can travel); but they will return thither at dawn.”

“In that case,” said the King, “our task must be to close the breach when all are safely inside.”

“‘Tracing, thereafter,’” said Cleodolinda smilingly, “‘the invisible lines of the secret Seal that no evil thing is able to pass.’”

“‘Reciting meanwhile,’” added the Queen, “‘the Ritual proper to the Ceremony.’”

The King frowned. “I am glad”, said he, “that you two women are feeling better.”

“If I may speak,” began Thomas. The others turned to him hopefully. “Well, then, we must bear in mind that these creatures were imprisoned as an act of mercy. They were given time to repent. They have broken loose, and their deeds show that they have not repented. It

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