allan quatermain-第26部分

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and　they　looked　as　if　they　understood。　　The　whole　scene　might　

have　furnished　material　for　another　canto　of　Dante's　'Inferno'；　

as　Curtis　said。





'I　say；　you　fellows；　let's　get　out　of　this　or　we　shall　all　go　

off　our　heads；'　sung　out　Good；　and　we　were　not　slow　to　take　the　

hint。　　Pushing　the　canoe；　around　which　the　animals　were　now　crawling　

by　hundreds　and　making　vain　attempts　to　climb；　off　the　rocks；　

we　bundled　into　it　and　got　out　into　mid…stream；　leaving　behind　

us　the　fragments　of　our　meal　and　the　screaming；　foaming；　stinking　

mass　of　monsters　in　full　possession　of　the　ground。



'Those　are　the　devils　of　the　place；'　said　Umslopogaas　with　the　

air　of　one　who　has　solved　a　problem；　and　upon　my　word　I　felt　

almost　inclined　to　agree　with　him。



Umslopogaas'　remarks　were　like　his　axe　　very　much　to　the　point。



'What's　to　be　done　next？'　said　Sir　Henry　blankly。



'Drift；　I　suppose；'　I　answered；　and　we　drifted　accordingly。　　

All　the　afternoon　and　well　into　the　evening　we　floated　on　in　

the　gloom　beneath　the　far…off　line　of　blue　sky；　scarcely　knowing　

when　day　ended　and　night　began；　for　down　in　that　vast　gulf　the　

difference　was　not　marked；　till　at　length　Good　pointed　out　a　

star　hanging　right　above　us；　which；　having　nothing　better　to　

do；　we　observed　with　great　interest。　　Suddenly　it　vanished；　the　

darkness　became　intense；　and　a　familiar　murmuring　sound　filled　

the　air。　　'Underground　again；'　I　said　with　a　groan；　holding　up　

the　lamp。　　Yes；　there　was　no　doubt　about　it。　　I　could　just　make　

out　the　roof。　　The　chasm　had　come　to　an　end　and　the　tunnel　had　

recommenced。　　And　then　there　began　another　long；　long　night　of　

danger　and　horror。　　To　describe　all　its　incidents　would　be　too　

wearisome；　so　I　will　simply　say　that　about　midnight　we　struck　

on　a　flat　projecting　rock　in　mid…stream　and　were　as　nearly　as　

possible　overturned　and　drowned。　　However；　at　last　we　got　off；　

and　went　upon　the　uneven　tenor　of　our　way。　　And　so　the　hours　

passed　till　it　was　nearly　three　o'clock。　　Sir　Henry；　Good；　and　

Alphonse　were　asleep；　utterly　worn　out；　Umslopogaas　was　at　the　

bow　with　the　pole；　and　I　was　steering；　when　I　perceived　that　

the　rate　at　which　we　were　travelling　had　perceptibly　increased。　　

Then；　suddenly；　I　heard　Umslopogaas　make　an　exclamation；　and　

next　second　came　a　sound　as　of　parting　branches；　and　I　became　

aware　that　the　canoe　was　being　forced　through　hanging　bushes　

or　creepers。　　Another　minute；　and　the　breath　of　sweet　open　air　

fanned　my　face；　and　I　felt　that　we　had　emerged　from　the　tunnel　

and　were　floating　upon　clear　water。　　I　say　felt；　for　I　could　

see　nothing；　the　darkness　being　absolutely　pitchy；　as　it　often　

is　just　before　the　dawn。　　But　even　this　could　scarcely　damp　my　

joy。　　We　were　out　of　that　dreadful　river；　and　wherever　we　might　

have　got　to　this　at　least　was　something　to　be　thankful　for。　　

And　so　I　sat　down　and　inhaled　the　sweet　night　air　and　waited　

for　the　dawn　with　such　patience　as　I　could　command。









CHAPTER　XI

THE　FROWNING　CITY








For　an　hour　or　more　I　sat　waiting　（Umslopogaas　having　meanwhile　

gone　to　sleep　also）　till　at　length　the　east　turned　grey；　and　

huge　misty　shapes　moved　over　the　surface　of　the　water　like　ghosts　

of　long…forgotten　dawns。　　They　were　the　vapours　rising　from　their　

watery　bed　to　greet　the　sun。　　Then　the　grey　turned　to　primrose；　

and　the　primrose　grew　to　red。　　Next；　glorious　bars　of　light　sprang　

up　across　the　eastern　sky；　and　through　them　the　radiant　messengers　

of　the　dawn　came　speeding　upon　their　arrowy　way；　scattering　the　

ghostly　vapours　and　awaking　the　mountains　with　a　kiss；　as　they　

flew　from　range　to　range　and　longitude　to　longitude。　　Another　

moment；　and　the　golden　gates　were　open　and　the　sun　himself　came　

forth　as　a　bridegroom　from　his　chamber；　with　pomp　and　glory　and　

a　flashing　as　of　ten　million　spears；　and　embraced　the　night　and　

covered　her　with　brightness；　and　it　was　day。



But　as　yet　I　could　see　nothing　save　the　beautiful　blue　sky　above；　

for　over　the　water　was　a　thick　layer　of　mist　exactly　as　though　

the　whole　surface　had　been　covered　with　billows　of　cotton　wool。　　

By　degrees；　however；　the　sun　sucked　up　the　mists；　and　then　I　

saw　that　we　were　afloat　upon　a　glorious　sheet　of　blue　water　of　

which　I　could　not　make　out　the　shore。　　Some　eight　or　ten　miles　

behind　us；　however；　there　stretched　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach　

a　range　of　precipitous　hills　that　formed　a　retaining　wall　of　

the　lake；　and　I　have　no　doubt　but　that　it　was　through　some　entrance　

in　these　hills　that　the　subterranean　river　found　its　way　into　

the　open　water。　　Indeed；　I　afterwards　ascertained　this　to　be　

the　fact；　and　it　will　be　some　indication　of　the　extraordinary　

strength　and　directness　of　the　current　of　the　mysterious　river　

that　the　canoe；　even　at　this　distance；　was　still　answering　to　

it。　　Presently；　too；　I；　or　rather　Umslopogaas；　who　woke　up　just　

then；　discovered　another　indication；　and　a　very　unpleasant　one　

it　was。　　Perceiving　some　whitish　object　upon　the　water；　Umslopogaas　

called　my　attention　to　it；　and　with　a　few　strokes　of　the　paddle　

brought　the　canoe　to　the　spot；　whereupon　we　discovered　that　the　

object　was　the　body　of　a　man　floating　face　downwards。　　This　was　

bad　enough；　but　imagine　my　horror　when　Umslopogaas　having　turned　

him　on　to　his　back　with　the　paddle；　we　recognized　in　the　sunken　

features　the　lineaments　of　　whom　do　you　suppose？　　None　other　

than　our　poor　servant　who　had　been　sucked　down　two　days　before　

in　the　waters　of　the　subterranean　river。　　It　quite　frightened　

me。　　I　thought　that　we　had　left　him　behind　for　ever；　and　behold！　

borne　by　the　current；　he　had　made　the　awful　journey　with　us；　

and　with　us　had　reached　the　end。　　His　appearance　also　was　dreadful；　

for　he　bore　traces　of　having　touched　the　pillar　of　fire　　one　

arm　being　completely　shrivelled　up　and　all　his　hair　being　burnt　

off。　　The　features　were；　as　I　have　said；　sunken；　and　yet　they　

preserved　upon　them　that　awful　look　of　despair　that　I　had　seen　

upon　his　living　face　as　the　poor　fellow　was　sucked　down。　　Really　

the　sight　unnerved　me；　weary　and　shaken　as　I　felt　with　all　that　

we　had　gone　through；　and　I　was　heartily　glad　when　suddenly　and　

without　any　warning　the　body　began　to　sink　just　as　though　it　

had　had　a　mission；　which　having　been　accomplished；　it　retired；　

the　real　reason　no　doubt　being　that　turning　it　on　its　back　allowed　

a　free　passage　to　the　gas。　　Down　it　went　to　the　transparent　depths　

　fathom　after　fathom　we　could　trace　its　course　till　at　last　

a　long　line　of　bright　air…bubbles；　swiftly　chasing　each　other　

to　the　surface；　alone　remained　where　it　had　passed。　　At　length　

these；　too；　were　gone；　and　that　was　an　end　of　our　poor　servant。　　

Umslopogaas　thoughtfully　watched　the　body　vanish。



'What　did　he　follow　us　for？'　he　asked。　　''Tis　an　ill　omen　for　

thee　and　me；　Macumazahn。'　　And　he　laughed。



I　turned　on　him　angrily；　for　I　dislike　these　unpleasant　suggestions。　　

If　people　have　such　ideas；　they　ought　in　common　decency　to　keep　

them　to　themselves。　　I　detest　individuals　who　make　on　the　subject　

of　their　disagreeable　presentiments；　or　who；　when　they　dream　

that　they　saw　one　hanged　as　a　common　felon；　or　some　such　horror；　

will　insist　upon　telling　one　all　about　it　at　breakfast；　even　

if　they　have　to　get　up　early　to　do　it。



Just　then；　however；　the　others　woke　up　and　began　to　rejoice　exceedingly　

at　finding　that　we　were　out　of　that　dreadful　river　and　once　more　

beneath　the　blue　sky。　　Then　followed　a　babel　of　talk　and　suggestions　

as　to　what　we　were　to　do　next；　the　upshot　of　all　of　which　was　

that；　as　we　were　excessively　hungry；　and　had　nothing　whatsoever　

left　to　eat　except　a　few　scraps　of　biltong　（dried　game…flesh）；　

having　abandoned　all　that　remained　of　our　provisions　to　those　

horrible　freshwater　crabs；　we　determined　to　make　for　the　shore。　　

But　a　new　difficulty　arose。　　We　did　not　know　where　the　shore　

was；　and；　with　the　exception　of　the　cliffs　through　which　the　

subterranean　river　made　its　entry；　could　see　nothing　but　a　wide　

expanse　of　sparkling　blue　water。　　Observing；　however；　that　the　

long　flights　of　aquatic　birds　kept　flying　from　our　left；　we　concluded　

that　they　were　advancing　from　their　feeding…grounds　on　shore　

to　pass　the　day　in　the　lake；　and　accordingly　headed　the　boat　

towards　the　quarter　whence　they　came；　and　began　to　paddle。　　Before　

long；　however；　a　stiffish　breeze　sprang　up；　blowing　directly　

in　the　direction　we　wanted；　so　we　improvized　a　sail　with　a　blanket　

and　the　pole；　which　took　us　along　merrily。　　This　done；　we　devoured　

the　remnants　of　our　biltong；　washed　down　with　the　sweet　lake　

water；　and　then　lit　our　pipes　and　awaited　whatever　might　turn　up。



When　we　had　been　sailing　for　an　hour；　Good；　who　was　searching　

the　horizon　with　the　spy…glass；　suddenly　announced　joyfully　that　

he　saw　land；　and　pointed　out　that；　from　the　change　in　the　colour　

of　the　water；　he　thought　we　must　be　approaching　the　mouth　of　

a　river。　　In　another　minute　we　perceived　a　great　golden　dome；　

not　unlike　that　of　St　Paul's；　piercing　the　morning　mists；　and　

while　we　were　wondering　what　in　the　world　it　could　be；　Good　reported　

another　and　still　more　important　discovery；　namely；　that　a　small　

sailing…boat　was　advancing　towards　us。　　This　bit　of　news；　which　

we　were　very　shortly　able　to　verify　with　our　own　eyes；　threw　

us　into　a　considerable　flutter。　　That　the　natives　of　this　unknown　

lake　should　understand　the　art　of　sailing　seemed　to　suggest　that　

they　possessed　some　degree　of　civilization。　　In　a　few　more　minutes　

it　became　evident　that　the　occupant　or　occupants　of　the　advancing　

boat　had　made　us　out。　　For　a　moment　or　two　she　hung　in　the　wind　

as　though　in　doubt；　and　then　came　tacking　towards　us　with　great　

swiftness。　　In　ten　more　minutes　she　was　within　a　hundred　yards；　

and　we　saw　that　she　was　a　neat　little　boat　　not　a　canoe　'dug　

out'；　but　built　more　or