rs.undertheandes-第13部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ining　breath　of　men　dragging　or　lifting　burdens　was　plainly　audible。
　Gradually　that；　too；　died　away　with　the　last　reverberations　of　the　mysterious　sound　that　had　saved　us；　and　we　found　ourselves　alone…or　at　least　unmolested…for　in　the　darkness　we　could　see　nothing；　except　the　dim　outlines　of　the　prostrate　forms　at　our　feet。
　The　cavern　was　a　shambles。　The　smell　was　that　of　a　slaughter…house。　I　had　had　no　idea　of　the　desperateness　of　our　defense　until　I　essayed　to　scramble　over　the　heap　of　bodies　to　dry　ground；　I　shuddered　and　grew　faint；　and　Harry　was　in　no　better　case。
　Worse；　he　had　dropped　his　knife　when　we　stumbled；　and　we　were　forced　to　grope　round　in　that　unspeakable　mess　for　many　minutes　before　we　found　it。
　〃Are　you　hurt；　lad？〃　I　asked　when　once　we　stood　clear。
　〃Nothing　bad；　I　think；〃　he　answered。　〃My　throat　is　stiff；　and　two　or　three　of　the　brutes　got　their　teeth　in　me。　In　the　name　of　Heaven；　Paul；　what　are　they？　And　what　was　that　bell？〃
　These　were　foolish　questions；　and　I　told　him　so。　My　leg　was　bleeding　badly　where　I　had　slashed　myself；　and　I；　too；　had　felt　their　teeth。　But；　despite　our　utter　weariness　and　our　wounds；　we　wanted　nothing…not　even　rest…so　badly　as　we　wanted　to　get　away　from　that　awful　heap　of　flesh　and　blood　and　the　odor　of　it。
　Besides；　we　did　not　know　at　what　moment　they　might　return。　So　I　spoke；　and　Harry　agreed。　I　led　the　way；　he　followed。
　But　which　way　to　turn？　We　wanted　water；　both　for　our　dry　and　burning　throats　and　for　our　wounds；　and　rest　and　food。　We　thought　little　of　safety。　One　way　seemed　as　likely　as　another；　so　we　set　out　with　our　noses　as　guides。
　A　man　encounters　very　few　misfortunes　in　this　world　which；　later　in　life；　he　finds　himself　unable　to　laugh　at；　well；　for　me　that　endless　journey　was　one　of　the　few。
　Every　step　was　torture。　I　had　bandaged　the　cut　on　my　leg　as　well　as　possible；　but　it　continued　to　bleed。　But　it　was　imperative　that　we　should　find　water；　and　we　struggled　on；　traversing　narrow　passages　and　immense　caverns；　always　in　plete　darkness；　stumbling　over　unseen　rocks　and　encountering　sharp　corners　of　cross　passages。
　It　lasted　I　know　not　how　many　hours。　Neither　of　us　would　have　survived　alone。　Time　and　again　Harry　sank　to　the　ground　and　refused　to　rise　until　I　perforce　lifted　him；　once　we　nearly　came　to　blows。　And　I　was　guilty　of　the　same　weakness。
　But　the　despair　of　one　inspired　the　other　with　fresh　strength　and　courage；　and　we　struggled　forward；　slower　and　slower。　It　was　soul…destroying　work。　I　believe　that　in　the　last　hour　we　made　not　more　than　half　a　mile。　I　know　now　that　for　the　greater　part　of　the　time　we　were　merely　retracing　our　steps　in　a　vicious　circle！
　It　was　well　that　it　ended　when　it　did；　for　we　could　not　have　held　out　much　longer。　Harry　was　leading　the　way；　for　I　had　found　that　that　slight　responsibility　fortified　him。　We　no　longer　walked；　we　barely　went　forward；　staggering　and　reeling　like　drunken　men。
　Suddenly　Harry　stopped　short；　so　suddenly　that　I　ran　against　him；　and　at　the　same　time　I　felt　a　queer　sensation…for　I　was　too　far　gone　to　recognize　it…about　my　feet。
　Then　Harry　stooped　over　quickly；　half　knocking　me　down　as　he　did　so；　and　dropped　to　his　knees；　and　the　next　instant　gave　an　unsteady　cry　of　joy：
　〃Water！　Man；　it's　water！〃
　How　we　drank　and　wallowed；　and　wallowed　and　drank！　That　water　might　have　contained　all　the　poisons　in　the　world　and　we　would　have　neither　known　nor　cared。　But　it　was　cool；　fresh；　living…and　it　saved　our　lives。
　We　bathed　our　wounds　and　bandaged　them　with　strips　from　our　shirts。　Then　we　arranged　our　clothing　for　cushions　and　pillows　as　well　as　possible；　took　another　drink；　and　lay　down　to　sleep。
　We　must　have　slept　a　great　many　hours。　There　was　no　way　to　judge　of　time；　but　when　we　awoke　our　joints　were　as　stiff　as　though　they　had　gotten　rusty　with　the　years。　I　was　brought　to　consciousness　by　the　sound　of　Harry's　voice　calling　my　name。
　Somehow…for　every　movement　was　exquisite　pain…we　got　to　our　feet　and　reached　the　water；　having　first　removed　our　clothing。　But　we　were　now　at　that　point　where　to　drink　merely　aggravated　our　hunger。　Harry　was　in　a　savage　humor；　and　when　I　laughed　at　him　he　became　furious。
　〃Have　some　sense。　I　tell　you；　I　must　eat！　If　it　were　not　for　your…〃
　〃Go　easy；　Hal。　Don't　say　anything　you'll　be　sorry　for。　And　I　refuse　to　consider　the　sordid　topic　of　food　as　one　that　may　rightfully　contain　the　elements　of　tragedy。　We　seem　to　be　in　the　position　of　the　king　of　vaudeville。　If　we　had　some　ham　we'd　have　some　ham　and　eggs…if　we　had　some　eggs。〃
　〃You　may　joke；　but　I　am　not　made　of　iron！〃　he　cried。
　〃And　what　can　we　do　but　die？〃　I　demanded。　〃Do　you　think　there　is　any　chance　of　our　getting　out　of　this？　Take　it　like　a　man。　Is　it　right　for　a　man　who　has　laughed　at　the　world　to　begin　to　whine　when　it　bees　necessary　to　leave　it？
　〃You　know　I'm　with　you；　I'll　fight；　and　what　I　find　I'll　take；　in　the　mean　time　I　prefer　not　to　furnish　amusement　for　the　devil。
　There　es　a　time；　I　believe；　when　the　stomach　debases　us　against　our　wills。　May　I　die　before　I　see　it。〃
　〃But　what　are　we　to　do？〃
　〃That's　more　like　it。　There's　only　one　hope。　We　must　smell　out　the　pantry　that　holds　the　dried　fish。〃
　We　talked　no　more；　but　set　about　bathing　and　dressing　our　wounds。　Gad；　how　that　cold　water　took　them！　I　was　forced　to　set　my　teeth　deep　into　my　lip　to　keep　from　crying　out；　and　once　or　twice　Harry　gave　an　involuntary　grunt　of　pain　that　would　not　be　suppressed。
　When　we　had　finished　we　waded　far　to　the　right　to　take　a　last　deep　drink；　then　sought　our　clothing　and　prepared　to　start　on　our　all　but　hopeless　search。　We　had　bee　fairly　well　limbered　up　by　that　time　and　set　out　with　parative　ease。
　We　had　gone　perhaps　a　hundred　yards；　bearing　off　to　the　right；　when　Harry　gave　a　sudden　cry：　〃My　knife　is　gone！〃　and　stopped　short。　I　clapped　my　hand　to　my　own　belt　instinctively；　and　found　it　empty　both　of　knife　and　gun！　For　a　moment　we　stood　in　silence；　then：
　〃Have　you　got　yours？〃　he　demanded。
　When　I　told　him　no　he　let　out　an　oath。
　His　gun　was　gone；　also。　We　debated　the　matter；　and　decided　that　to　attempt　a　search　would　be　a　useless　waste　of　time；　it　was　next　to　certain　that　the　weapons　had　been　lost　in　the　water　when　we　had　first　plunged　in。　And　so；　doubly　handicapped　by　this　new　loss；　we　again　set　out。
　There　was　but　one　encouragement　allowed　to　us：　we　were　no　longer　in　total　darkness。　Gradually　our　eyes　were　being　accustomed　to　the　absence　of　light；　and　though　we　could　by　no　means　see　clearly；　nor　even　could　properly　be　said　to　see　at　all；　still　we　began　to　distinguish　the　outlines　of　walls　several　feet　away；　and；　better　than　that；　each　of　us　could　plainly　mark　the　form　and　face　of　the　other。
　Once　we　stood　close；　less　than　a　foot　apart；　for　a　test；　and　when　Harry　cried　eagerly；　〃Thank　Heaven；　I　can　see　your　nose！〃　our　strained　feelings　were　relieved　by　a　prolonged　burst　of　genuine　laughter。
　There　was　little　enough　of　it　in　the　time　that　followed；　for　our　sufferings　now　became　a　matter　not　of　minutes　or　hours；　but　of　days。　The　assault　of　time　is　the　one　that　unnerves　a　man；　especially　when　it　is　aided　by　gnawing　pain　and　weariness　and　hunger；　it　saps　the　courage　and　destroys　the　heart　and　fires　the　brain。
　We　dragged　ourselves　somehow　ever　onward。　We　found　water；　the　mountain　was　honeybed　with　underground　streams；　but　no　food。
　More　than　once　we　were　tempted　to　trust　ourselves　to　one　of　those　rushing　torrents；　but　what　reason　we　had　left　told　us　that　our　little　remaining　strength　was　unequal　to　the　task　of　keeping　our　heads　above　the　surface。　And　yet　the　thought　was　sweet…to　allow　ourselves　to　be　peacefully　swept　into　oblivion。
　We　lost　all　idea　of　time　and　direction；　and　finally　hope　itself　deserted　us。　What　force　it　was　that　propelled　us　forward　must　have　been　buried　deep　within　the　seat　of　animal　instinct；　for　we　lost　all　rational　power。　The　thing　became　a　nightmare；　like　the　crazy　wanderings　of　a　lost　soul。
　Forward…forward…forward！　It　was　a　mania。
　Then　Harry　was　stricken　with　fever　and　became　delirious。　And　I　think　it　was　that　seeming　misfortune　that　saved　us；　for　it　gave　me　a　spring　for　action　and　endowed　me　with　new　life。　As　luck　would　have　it；　a　stream　of　water　was　near；　and　I　half　carried　and　half　dragged　him　to　its　edge。
　I　made　a　bed　for　him　with　my　own　clothing　on　the　hard　rock；　and　bathed　him　and　made　him　drink；　while　all　the　time　a　string　of　delirious　drivel　poured　forth　from　his　hot；　dry　lips。
　That　lasted　many　hours；　until　finally　he　fell　into　a　deep；　calm　sleep。　But　his　body　was　without　fuel；　and　I　was　convinced　he　would　never　awaken；　yet　I　feared　to　touch　him。　Those　were　weary　hours；　squatting　by　his　side　with　his　hand　gripped　in　my　own；　with　the　ever…increasing　pangs　of　hunger　and　weariness　turning　my　own　body　into　a　roaring　furnace　of　pain。
　Suddenly　I　felt　a　movement　of　his　hand；　and　then　came　his　voice；　weak　but　perfectly　distinct：
　〃Well；　Paul；　this　is　the　end。〃
　〃Not　yet；　Harry　boy；　not　yet。〃
　I　tried　to　put　cheer　and　courage　into　my　own　voice；　but　with　poor　success。
　〃I…think…so。　I　say；　Paul…I've　just　seen　Desiree。〃
　〃All　right；　Hal。〃
　〃Oh；　you　don't　need　to　talk　like　that；　I'm　not　delirious　now。
　I　guess　it　must　have　been　a　dream。　Do　you　remember　that　morning　on　the　mountain…in　Colorado…when　you　came　on　us　suddenly　at　sunrise？
　Well；　I　saw　her　there…only　you　were　with　her　instead　of　me。　So；　of　course；　she　must　be　dead。〃
　His　logic　was　beyond　me；　but　I　pressed　his　hand　to　let　him　know　that　I　understood。
　〃And　now；　old　man；　you　might　as　well　leave　me。　This　is　the　end。　You've　been　a　good　sport。　We　made　a　fight；　didn't　we？　If　only　Desiree…but　there！　To　Hades　with　women；　I　say！〃
　〃Not　that…don't　be　a　poor　loser；　Hal。　And　you're　not　gone　yet。　When　a　man　has　enough　fight　in　him　to　beat　out　an　attack　of　fever　he's　very　much　alive。〃
　But　he　would　not　have　it　so。　I　let　him　talk；　and　he　rambled　on；　with　scarcely　an　idea　of　what　he　was　saying。　The　old　days　possessed　his　mind；　and；　to　tell　the　truth；　the　sentiment　found　a　wele　in　my　own　bosom。　I　said　to　myself；　〃This　is　death。〃
　And　then；　lifting　my　head　to　look　down　the　dark　passage　that　led　away　before　us；　I　sprang　to　my　feet　with　a　shout　and　stood　transfixed　with　astonishme