rs.undertheandes-第14部分

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　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　astonishment。　And　the　next　instant　there　came　a　cry　of　wonder　from　Harry：
　〃A　light！　By　all　the　gods；　a　light！〃
　So　it　was。　The　passage　lay　straight　for　perhaps　three　hundred　yards。　There　it　turned　abruptly；　and　the　corner　thus　formed　was　one　blaze　of　flickering　but　brilliant　light　which　flowed　in　from　the　hidden　corridor。
　It　came　and　went；　and　played　fitfully　on　the　granite　walls；　still　it　remained。　It　was　supernaturally　brilliant；　or　so　it　seemed　to　us；　who　had　lived　in　utter　darkness　for　many　days。
　I　turned　to　Harry；　and　the　man　who　had　just　been　ready　to　die　was　rising　to　his　feet！
　〃Wait　a　minute…not　so　fast！〃　I　said　half　angrily；　springing　to　support　him。　〃And；　for　Heaven's　sake；　don't　make　any　noise！
　We're　in　no　condition　to　fight　now；　and　you　know　what　that　light　means。〃
　〃But　what　is　it？〃　demanded　the　boy　excitedly。　〃e　on；　man…let's　go！〃
　To　tell　the　truth；　I　felt　as　eager　as　he。　For　the　first　time　I　understood　clearly　why　the　Bible　and　ancient　mythology　made　such　a　fuss　about　the　lighting　up　of　the　world。　Modern　civilization　is　too　far　away　from　its　great　natural　benefits　to　appreciate　them　properly。
　And　here　was　a　curious　instance　of　the　force　of　habit…or；　rather；　instinct…in　man。　So　long　as　Harry　and　I　had　remained　in　the　dark　passage　and　byways　of　the　cavern　we　had　proceeded　almost　entirely　without　caution；　with　scarcely　a　thought　of　being　discovered。
　But　the　first　sight　of　light　made　us　wary　and　careful　and　silent；　and　yet　we　knew　perfectly　well　that　the　denizens　of　this　underworld　could　see　as　well　in　the　darkness　as　in　the　light…perhaps　even　better。　So　difficult　is　it　to　guide　ourselves　by　the　human　faculty　of　pure　reason。
　Harry　was　so　weak　he　was　barely　able　to　stand；　even　in　the　strength　of　this　new　excitement　and　hope；　and　we　were　forced　to　go　very　slowly；　I　supported　him　as　well　as　I　was　able；　being　myself　anything　but　an　engine　of　power。　But　the　turn　in　the　passage　was　not　far　away；　and　we　reached　it　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour　or　less。
　Before　we　made　the　turn　we　halted。　Harry　was　breathing　heavily　even　from　so　slight　an　exertion；　and　I　could　scarcely　suppress　a　cry　of　amazement　when；　for　the　first　time　in　many　days；　the　light　afforded　me　a　view　of　his　face。
　It　was　drawn　and　white　and　sunken；　the　eyes　seemed　set　deep　in　his　skull　as　they　blinked　painfully；　and　the　hair　on　his　chin　and　lip　and　cheeks　had　grown　to　a　length　incredible　in　so　short　a　space　of　time。　I　soon　had　reason　to　know　that　I　probably　presented　no　better　an　appearance；　for　he　was　staring　at　me　as　though　I　were　some　strange　monster。
　〃Good　Heavens；　man；　you　took　like　a　ghost！〃　he　whispered。
　I　nodded；　my　arm　was　round　his　shoulder。
　〃Now；　let's　see　what　this　light　means。　Be　ready　for　anything；　Harry…though　Heaven　knows　we　can　find　nothing　worse　than　we've　had。　Here；　put　your　arm　on　my　shoulder。　Take　it　easy。〃
　We　advanced　to　the　corner　together　within　the　patch　of　light　and　turned　to　the　right；　directly　facing　its　source。
　It　is　impossible　to　convey　even　a　faint　idea　of　the　wild　and　hugely　fantastic　sight　that　met　our　gaze。　With　us　it　was　a　single；　vivid　flash　to　the　astonished　brain。　These　are　the　details：
　Before　us　was　an　immense　cavern；　circular　in　shape；　with　a　diameter　of　some　half　a　mile。　It　seemed　to　me　then　much　larger；　from　where　we　stood　it　appeared　to　be　at　least　two　miles　to　the　opposite　side。　There　was　no　roof　to　be　seen；　it　merely　ascended　into　darkness；　though　the　light　carried　a　great　distance。
　All　round　the　vast　circumference；　on　terraced　seats　of　rock；　squatted　row　after　row　of　the　most　pletely　hideous　beings　within　possibility。
　They　were　men；　I　suppose　they　must　have　the　name。　They　were　about　four　feet　tall；　with　long；　hairy　arms　and　legs；　bodies　of　a　curious；　bloated　appearance；　and　eyes…the　remainder　of　the　face　was　entirely　concealed　by　thick　hair…eyes　dull　and　vacant；　of　an　incredibly　large　size；　they　had　the　appearance　of　ghouls；　apes；　monsters…anything　but　human　beings。
　They　sat；　thousands　of　them；　crouched　silently　on　their　stone　seats；　gazing；　motionless　as　blocks　of　wood。
　The　center　of　the　cavern　was　a　lake；　taking　up　something　more　than　half　of　its　area。　The　water　was　black　as　night；　and　curiously　smooth　and　silent。　Its　banks　sloped　by　degrees　for　a　hundred　feet　or　so；　but　at　its　edge　there　was　a　perpendicular　bank　of　rock　fifteen　or　twenty　feet　in　height。
　Near　the　middle　of　the　lake；　ranged　at　an　equal　distance　from　its　center　and　from　each　other；　were　three…what　shall　I　call　them？…islands；　or　columns。　They　were　six　or　eight　feet　across　at　their　top；　which　rose　high　above　the　water。
　On　top　of　each　of　these　columns　was　a　huge　vat　or　urn；　and　from　each　of　the　urns　arose　a　steady；　gigantic　column　of　fire。
　These　it　was　that　gave　the　light；　and　it　was　little　wonder　we　had　thought　it　brilliant；　since　the　flames　rose　to　a　height　of　thirty　feet　or　more　in　the　air。
　But　that　which　left　us　speechless　with　profound　amazement　was　not　the　endless　rows　of　silent；　grinning　dwarfs；　nor　the　black；　motionless　lake；　nor　the　leaping　tongues　of　flame。　We　forgot　these　when　we　followed　the　gaze　of　that　terrifying　audience　and　saw　a　sight　that　printed　itself　on　my　brain　with　a　vividness　which　time　can　never　erase。　Closing　my　eyes；　I　see　it　even　now；　and　I　shudder。
　Exactly　in　the　center　of　the　lake；　in　the　midst　of　the　columns　of　fire；　was　a　fourth　column；　built　of　some　strangely　lustrous　rock。　Prisms　of　a　formation　new　to　me…innumerable　thousands　of　them…caused　its　sides　to　sparkle　and　glisten　like　an　immense　tower　of　whitest　diamonds；　blinding　the　eye。
　The　effect　was　indescribable。　The　huge　cavern　was　lined　and　dotted　with　the　rays　shot　forth　from　their　brilliant　angles。　The　height　of　this　column　was　double　that　of　the　others；　it　rose　straight　toward　the　unseen　dome　of　the　cavern　to　the　height　of　a　hundred　feet。
　It　was　cylindrical　in　shape；　not　more　than　ten　feet　in　diameter。　And　on　its　top；　high　above　the　surface　of　the　lake；　surrounded　by　the　mounting　tongues　of　flame；　whirled　and　swayed　and　bent　the　figure　of　a　woman。
　Her　limbs　and　body；　which　were　covered　only　by　long；　flowing　strands　of　golden　hair；　shone　and　glistened　strangely　in　the　lurid；　weird　light。　And　of　all　the　ten　thousand　reflections　that　shot　at　us　from　the　length　of　the　column　not　one　was　so　brilliant；　so　blinding；　as　the　wild　glow　of　her　eyes。
　Her　arms；　upraised　above　her　head；　kept　time　with　and　served　as　a　key　to　every　movement　of　her　white；　supple　body。　She　glided　across；　back　and　forth；　now　this　way；　now　that；　to　the　very　edge　of　the　dizzy　height；　with　wild　abandon；　or　slow；　measured　grace；　or　the　rushing　sweep　of　a　panther。
　The　thing　was　beauty　incarnate…the　very　idea　of　beauty　itself　realized　and　perfected。　It　was　staggering；　overwhelming。　Have　you　ever　stood　before　a　great　painting　or　a　beautiful　statue　and　felt　a　thrill…the　thrill　of　perception…run　through　your　body　to　the　very　tips　of　your　fingers？
　Well；　imagine　that　thrill　multiplied　a　thousandfold　and　you　will　understand　the　sensation　that　overpowered　me　as　I　beheld；　in　the　midst　of　that　dazzling　blaze　of　light；　the　matchless　Dance　of　the　Sun。
　For　I　recognized　it　at　once。　I　had　never　seen　it；　but　it　had　been　minutely　described　to　me…described　by　a　beautiful　and　famous　woman　as　I　sat　on　the　deck　of　a　yacht　steaming　into　the　harbor　of　Callao。
　She　had　promised　me　then　that　she　would　dance　it　for　me　some　day…　I　looked　at　Harry；　who　had　remained　standing　beside　me；　gazing　as　I　had　gazed。　His　eyes　were　opened　wide；　staring　at　the　swaying　figure　on　the　column　in　the　most　profound　astonishment。
　He　took　his　hand　from　my　shoulder　and　stood　erect；　alone；　and　I　saw　the　light　of　recognition　and　hope　and　deepest　joy　slowly　fill　his　eyes　and　spread　over　his　face。　Then　I　realized　the　danger；　and　I　endeavored　once　more　to　put　my　arm　round　his　shoulder；　but　he　shook　me　off　with　hot　impatience。　He　leaped　forward　with　the　quickness　of　lightning；　eluding　my　frantic　grasp；　and　dashed　straight　into　the　circle　of　blazing　light！
　I　followed；　but　too　late。　At　the　edge　of　the　lake　he　stopped；　and；　stretching　forth　his　arms　toward　the　dancer　on　the　column；　he　cried　out　in　a　voice　that　made　the　cavern　ring：
　〃Desiree！　Desiree！　Desiree！〃
　
　
　Chapter　IX。
　BEFORE　THE　COURT。
　
　I　expected　I　know　not　what　result　from　Harry's　hysterical　rashness：　confusion；　pandemonium；　instant　death；　but　none　of　these　followed。
　I　had　reached　his　side　and　stood　by　him　at　the　edge　of　the　lake；　where　he　had　halted。　Desiree　Le　Mire　stopped　short　in　the　midst　of　the　mad　sweep　of　the　Dance　of　the　Sun。
　For　ten　silent；　tense　seconds　she　looked　down　at　us　from　the　top　of　the　lofty　column；　bending　dangerously　near　its　edge。　Her　form　straightened　and　was　stretched　to　its　fullest　height；　her　white；　superb　body　was　distinctly　outlined　against　the　black　background　of　the　upper　cavern。　Then　she　stepped　backward　slowly；　without　taking　her　eyes　from　us。
　Suddenly　as　we　gazed　she　appeared　to　sink　within　the　column　itself　and　in　another　instant　disappeared　from　view。
　We　stood　motionless；　petrified；　how　long　I　know　not。　Then　I　turned　and　faced　our　own　danger。　It　was　time。
　The　Incas…for　I　was　satisfied　of　the　identity　of　the　creatures…had　left　their　seats　of　granite　and　advanced　to　the　edge　of　the　lake。　Not　a　sound　was　heard…no　mand　from　voice　or　trumpet　or　reed；　they　moved　as　with　one　impulse　and　one　brain。
　We　were　utterly　helpless；　for　they　numbered　thousands。　And　weak　and　starving　as　we　were；　a　single　pair　of　them　would　have　been　more　than　a　match　for　us。
　I　looked　at　Harry；　the　reaction　from　his　moment　of　superficial　energy　was　already　upon　him。　His　body　swayed　slightly　from　side　to　side；　and　he　would　have　fallen　if　I　had　not　supported　him　with　my　arm。　There　we　stood；　waiting。
　Then　for　the　first　time　I　saw　the　ruler　of　the　scene。　The　Incas　had　stopped　and　stood　motionless。　Suddenly　they　dropped　to　their　knees　and　extended　their　arms…I　thought…toward　us；　but　something　in　their　attitude　told　me　the　truth。　I　wheeled　sharply　and　saw　the　object　of　their　adoration。
　Built　into　the　granite　wall　of　the　cavern；　some　thirt