When the World Shook · Chapter
XXI: Love's Eternal Altar explained
Arbuthnot recounts his strange experiences and conversations with Yva, who hints at Oro's vast powers and a looming catastrophe.
What happens
Arbuthnot recounts his strange experiences and conversations with Yva, who hints at Oro's vast powers and a looming catastrophe. Yva speaks of love transcending death and time, suggesting that sacrifice may avert the doom Oro plans. She implies that their love must endure beyond the mortal realm, and that Oro's offer of marriage comes at an unacceptable price.
Themes in this chapter
Love and Sacrifice
Yva speaks of love that transcends death and time, and hints that sacrifice may avert Oro's terrible plan.
Power and Corruption
Oro's immense knowledge and powers are portrayed as threatening, and his offer of marriage to Arbuthnot comes at the price of world domination.
The Search for Meaning
Arbuthnot and Yva grapple with questions of fate, love, and the nature of existence beyond the physical world.
Characters to notice
- Humphrey Arbuthnot
Narrates his visions and conversations with Yva, expressing fear and confusion about Oro's powers and the future.
- Yva
Reveals her fears about Oro's plans, speaks of love and sacrifice, and hints at a deeper connection between herself, Arbuthnot, and Natalie.
- Oro
Demonstrates his vast knowledge by reading the Encyclopædia Britannica and checking astronomical calculations; his powers and intentions are a source of dread.
- Mr. Bastin
Mentioned as having expounded a faith centered on sacrifice, which Yva references.
- Natalie
Recalled by Arbuthnot; Yva suggests that Natalie may have had the gift of dreams and that her words about seeking her elsewhere may be fulfilled.
Key passages
“I am glad, O Humphrey, that your journeyings are done, since such things are not without danger. He who travels far out of the body may chance to return there no more.”
Yva expresses relief that Arbuthnot's astral travels are over, warning that such journeys risk losing the soul.
Yva's concern for Arbuthnot's safety and her knowledge of Oro's powers.
“Nor earth, nor heaven, nor hell have any bars through which love cannot burst its way towards reunion and completeness.”
Love can overcome any barrier, whether earthly, spiritual, or infernal, to achieve reunion.
Yva's declaration of love's transcendent power.
“The terrible thing will not happen because of sacrifice!”
The impending catastrophe will be averted through an act of sacrifice.
Yva hints at Bastin's influence and a possible resolution to Oro's threat.