allan quatermain-第23部分

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Well；　we　set　to　work　to　stalk　the　swans；　which　kept　drawing；　

as　they　fed；　nearer　and　nearer　to　the　precipice；　and　at　last　

we　pushed　the　canoe　under　shelter　of　a　patch　of　drift　within　

forty　yards　of　them。　　Sir　Henry　had　the　shot…gun；　loaded　with　

No。　1；　and；　waiting　for　a　chance；　got　two　in　a　line；　and；　firing　

at　their　necks；　killed　them　both。　　Up　rose　the　rest；　thirty　or　

more　of　them；　with　a　mighty　splashing；　and；　as　they　did　so；　he　

gave　them　the　other　barrel。　　Down　came　one　fellow　with　a　broken　

wing；　and　I　saw　the　leg　of　another　drop　and　a　few　feathers　start　

out　of　his　back；　but　he　went　on　quite　strong。　　Up　went　the　swans；　

circling　ever　higher　till　at　last　they　were　mere　specks　level　

with　the　top　of　the　frowning　precipice；　when　I　saw　them　form　

into　a　triangle　and　head　off　for　the　unknown　north…east。　　Meanwhile　

we　had　picked　up　our　two　dead　ones；　and　beautiful　birds　they　

were；　weighing　not　less　than　about　thirty　pounds　each；　and　were　

chasing　the　winged　one；　which　had　scrambled　over　a　mass　of　driftweed　

into　a　pool　of　clear　water　beyond。　　Finding　a　difficulty　in　forcing　

the　canoe　through　the　rubbish；　I　told　our　only　remaining　Wakwafi　

servant；　whom　I　knew　to　be　an　excellent　swimmer；　to　jump　over；　

dive　under　the　drift；　and　catch　him；　knowing　that　as　there　were　

no　crocodiles　in　this　lake　he　could　come　to　no　harm。　　Entering　

into　the　fun　of　the　thing；　the　man　obeyed；　and　soon　was　dodging　

about　after　the　winged　swan　in　fine　style；　getting　gradually　

nearer　to　the　rock　wall；　against　which　the　water　washed　as　he　

did　so。



Presently　he　gave　up　swimming　after　the　swan；　and　began　to　cry　

out　that　he　was　being　carried　away；　and；　indeed；　we　saw　that；　

though　he　was　swimming　with　all　his　strength　towards　us；　he　was　

being　drawn　slowly　to　the　precipice。　　With　a　few　desperate　strokes　

of　our　paddles　we　pushed　the　canoe　through　the　crust　of　drift　

and　rowed　towards　the　man　as　hard　as　we　could；　but；　fast　as　we　

went；　he　was　drawn　faster　to　the　rock。　　Suddenly　I　saw　that　before　

us；　just　rising　eighteen　inches　or　so　above　the　surface　of　the　

lake；　was　what　looked　like　the　top　of　the　arch　of　a　submerged　

cave　or　railway　tunnel。　　Evidently；　from　the　watermark　on　the　

rock　several　feet　above　it；　it　was　generally　entirely　submerged；　

but　there　had　been　a　dry　season；　and　the　cold　had　prevented　the　

snow　from　melting　as　freely　as　usual；　so　the　lake　was　low　and　

the　arch　showed。　　Towards　this　arch　our　poor　servant　was　being　

sucked　with　frightful　rapidity。　　He　was　not　more　than　ten　fathoms　

from　it；　and　we　were　about　twenty　when　I　saw　it；　and　with　little　

help　from　us　the　canoe　flew　along　after　him。　　He　struggled　bravely；　

and　I　thought　that　we　should　have　saved　him；　when　suddenly　I　

perceived　an　expression　of　despair　come　upon　his　face；　and　there　

before　our　eyes　he　was　sucked　down　into　the　cruel　swirling　blue　

depths；　and　vanished。　　At　the　same　moment　I　felt　our　canoe　seized　

as　with　a　mighty　hand；　and　propelled　with　resistless　force　towards　

the　rock。



We　realized　our　danger　now　and　rowed；　or　rather　paddled；　furiously　

in　our　attempt　to　get　out　of　the　vortex。　　In　vain；　in　another　

second　we　were　flying　straight　for　the　arch　like　an　arrow；　and　

I　thought　that　we　were　lost。　　Luckily　I　retained　sufficient　presence　

of　mind　to　shout　out；　instantly　setting　the　example　by　throwing　

myself　into　the　bottom　of　the　canoe；　'Down　on　your　faces　　down！'　

and　the　others　had　the　sense　to　take　the　hint。　　In　another　instant　

there　was　a　grinding　noise；　and　the　boat　was　pushed　down　till　

the　water　began　to　trickle　over　the　sides；　and　I　thought　that　

we　were　gone。　　But　no；　suddenly　the　grinding　ceased；　and　we　could　

again　feel　the　canoe　flying　along。　　I　turned　my　head　a　little　

　I　dared　not　lift　it　　and　looked　up。　　By　the　feeble　light　

that　yet　reached　the　canoe；　I　could　make　out　that　a　dense　arch　

of　rock　hung　just　over　our　heads；　and　that　was　all。　　In　another　

minute　I　could　not　even　see　as　much　as　that；　for　the　faint　light　

had　merged　into　shadow；　and　the　shadows　had　been　swallowed　up　

in　darkness；　utter　and　complete。



For　an　hour　or　　so　we　lay　there；　not　daring　to　lift　our　heads　

for　fear　lest　the　brains　should　be　dashed　out　of　them；　and　scarcely　

able　to　speak　even；　on　account　of　the　noise　of　the　rushing　water　

which　drowned　our　voices。　　Not；　indeed；　that　we　had　much　inclination　

to　speak；　seeing　that　we　were　overwhelmed　by　the　awfulness　of　

our　position　and　the　imminent　fear　of　instant　death；　either　by　

being　dashed　against　the　sides　of　the　cavern；　or　on　a　rock；　or　

being　sucked　down　in　the　raging　waters；　or　perhaps　asphyxiated　

by　want　of　air。　　All　of　these　and　many　other　modes　of　death　presented　

themselves　to　my　imagination　as　I　lay　at　the　bottom　of　the　canoe；　

listening　to　the　swirl　of　the　hurrying　waters　which　ran　whither　

we　knew　not。　　One　only　other　sound　could　I　hear；　and　that　was　

Alphonse's　intermittent　howl　of　terror　coming　from　the　centre　

of　the　canoe；　and　even　that　seemed　faint　and　unnatural。　　Indeed；　

the　whole　thing　overpowered　my　brain；　and　I　began　to　believe　

that　I　was　the　victim　of　some　ghastly　spirit…shaking　nightmare。









CHAPTER　X

THE　ROSE　OF　FIRE







On　we　flew；　drawn　by　the　mighty　current；　till　at　last　I　noticed　

that　the　sound　of　the　water　was　not　half　so　deafening　as　it　had　

been；　and　concluded　that　this　must　be　because　there　was　more　

room　for　the　echoes　to　disperse　in。　　I　could　now　hear　Alphonse's　

howls　much　more　distinctly；　they　were　made　up　of　the　oddest　mixture　

of　invocations　to　the　Supreme　Power　and　the　name　of　his　beloved　

Annette　that　it　is　possible　to　conceive；　and；　in　short；　though　

their　evident　earnestness　saved　them　from　profanity；　were；　to　

say　the　least；　very　remarkable。　　Taking　up　a　paddle　I　managed　

to　drive　it　into　his　ribs；　whereon　he；　thinking　that　the　end　

had　come；　howled　louder　than　ever。　　Then　I　slowly　and　cautiously　

raised　myself　on　my　knees　and　stretched　my　hand　upwards；　but　

could　touch　no　roof。　　Next　I　took　the　paddle　and　lifted　it　above　

my　head　as　high　as　I　could；　but　with　the　same　result。　　I　also　

thrust　it　out　laterally　to　the　right　and　left；　but　could　touch　

nothing　except　water。　　Then　I　bethought　me　that　there　was　in　

the　boat；　amongst　our　other　remaining　possessions；　a　bull's…eye　

lantern　and　a　tin　of　oil。　　I　groped　about　and　found　it；　and　having　

a　match　on　me　carefully　lit　it；　and　as　soon　as　the　flame　had　

got　a　hold　of　the　wick　I　turned　it　on　down　the　boat。　　As　it　happened；　

the　first　thing　the　light　lit　on　was　the　white　and　scared　face　

of　Alphonse；　who；　thinking　that　it　was　all　over　at　last；　and　

that　he　was　witnessing　a　preliminary　celestial　phenomenon；　gave　

a　terrific　yell　and　was　with　difficulty　reassured　with　the　paddle。　　

As　for　the　other　three；　Good　was　lying　on　the　flat　of　his　back；　

his　eyeglass　still　fixed　in　his　eye；　and　gazing　blankly　into　

the　upper　darkness。　　Sir　Henry　had　his　head　resting　on　the　thwarts　

of　the　canoe；　and　with　his　hand　was　trying　to　test　the　speed　

of　the　water。　　But　when　the　beam　of　light　fell　upon　old　Umslopogaas　

I　could　really　have　laughed。　　I　think　I　have　said　that　we　had　

put　a　roast　quarter　of　water…buck　into　the　canoe。　　Well；　it　so　

happened　that　when　we　all　prostrated　ourselves　to　avoid　being　

swept　out　of　the　boat　and　into　the　water　by　the　rock　roof；　Umslopogaas's　

head　had　come　down　uncommonly　near　this　roast　buck；　and　so　soon　

as　he　had　recovered　a　little　from　the　first　shock　of　our　position　

it　occurred　to　him　that　he　was　hungry。　　Thereupon　he　coolly　cut　

off　a　chop　with　Inkosi…kaas；　and　was　now　employed　in　eating　it　

with　every　appearance　of　satisfaction。　　As　he　afterwards　explained；　

he　thought　that　he　was　going　'on　a　long　journey'；　and　preferred　

to　start　on　a　full　stomach。　　It　reminded　me　of　the　people　who　

are　going　to　be　hanged；　and　who　are　generally　reported　in　the　

English　daily　papers　to　have　made　'an　excellent　breakfast'。



As　soon　as　the　others　saw　that　I　had　managed　to　light　the　lamp；　

we　bundled　Alphonse　into　the　farther　end　of　the　canoe　with　a　

threat　which　calmed　him　down　wonderfully；　that　if　he　would　insist　

upon　making　the　darkness　hideous　with　his　cries　we　would　put　

him　out　of　suspense　by　sending　him　to　join　the　Wakwafi　and　wait　

for　Annette　in　another　sphere；　and　began　to　discuss　the　situation　

as　well　as　we　could。　　First；　however；　at　Good's　suggestion；　we　

bound　two　paddles　mast…fashion　in　the　bows　so　that　they　might　

give　us　warning　against　any　sudden　lowering　of　the　roof　of　the　

cave　or　waterway。　　It　was　clear　to　us　that　we　were　in　an　underground　

river　or；　as　Alphonse　defined　it；　'main　drain'；　which　carried　

off　the　superfluous　waters　of　the　lake。　　Such　rivers　are　well　

known　to　exist　in　many　parts　of　the　world；　but　it　has　not　often　

been　the　evil　fortune　of　explorers　to　travel　by　them。　　That　the　

river　was　wide　we　could　clearly　see；　for　the　light　from　the　bull's…eye　

lantern　failed　to　reach　from　shore　to　shore；　although　occasionally；　

when　the　current　swept　us　either　to　one　side　or　the　other；　we　

could　distinguish　the　rock　wall　of　the　tunnel；　which；　as　far　

as　we　could　make　out；　appeared　to　arch　about　twenty…five　feet　

above　our　heads。　　As　for　the　current　itself；　it　ran；　Good　estimated；　

at　least　eight　knots；　and；　fortunately　for　us；　was；　as　is　usual；　

fiercest　in　the　middle　of　the　stream。　　Still；　our　first　act　was　

to　arrange　that　one　of　us；　with　the　lantern　and　a　pole　there　

was　in　the　canoe；　should　always　be　in　the　bows　ready；　if　possible；　

to　prevent　us　from　being　stove　in　against　the　side　of　the　cave　

or　any　projecting　rock。　　Umslopogaas；　having　already　dined；　took　

the　first　turn。　　This　was　absolutely；　with　one　exception；　all　

that　we　could　do　towards　preserving　our　safety。　　The　exception　

was　that　another　of　us　took　up　a　position　in　the　stern　with　a　

paddle　by　means　of　which　it　was　possible　to　steer　the　canoe　more　

or　less