rs.undertheandes-第15部分

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　Built　into　the　granite　wall　of　the　cavern；　some　thirty　feet　from　the　ground；　was　a　deep　alcove。　At　each　side　of　the　entrance　was　an　urn　resting　on　a　ledge；　similar　to　those　on　the　columns；　only　smaller；　from　which　issued　a　mounting　flame。
　On　the　floor　of　the　alcove　was　a　massive　chair；　or　throne；　which　seemed　to　be　itself　of　fire；　so　brilliant　was　the　glow　of　the　metal　of　which　it　was　constructed。　It　could　have　been　nothing　but　gold。　And　seated　on　this　throne　was　an　ugly；　misshapen　dwarf。
　〃God　save　the　king！〃　I　cried；　with　a　hysterical　laugh；　and　in　the　profound　silence　my　voice　rang　from　one　side　of　the　cavern　to　the　other　in　racing　echoes。
　Immediately　following　my　cry　the　figure　on　the　throne　arose；　and　as　he　did　so　the　creatures　round　us　fell　flat　on　their　faces　on　the　ground。　For　several　seconds　the　king　surveyed　them　thus；　without　a　sound　or　movement；　then　suddenly　he　stretched　forth　his　hand　in　a　gesture　of　dismissal。　They　rose　as　one　man　and　with　silent　swiftness　disappeared；　seemingly　melting　away　into　the　walls　of　rock。　At　the　time　the　effect　was　amazing；　later；　when　I　discovered　the　innumerable　lanes　and　passages　which　served　as　exits；　it　was　not　so　difficult　to　understand。
　We　were　apparently　left　alone；　but　not　for　long。　From　two　stone　stairways　immediately　in　front　of　us；　which　evidently　led　to　the　alcove　above；　came　forth　a　crowd　of　rushing　forms。　In　an　instant　they　were　upon　us；　but　if　they　expected　resistance　they　were　disappointed。
　At　the　first　impact　we　fell。　And　in　another　moment　we　had　been　raised　in　their　long；　hairy　arms　and　were　carried　swiftly　from　the　cavern。　Scarcely　five　minutes　had　elapsed　since　we　had　first　entered　it
　They　did　not　take　us　far。　Down　a　broad　passage　directly　away　from　the　cavern；　then　a　turn　to　the　right；　and　again　one　to　the　left。　There　they　dropped　us；　quite　as　though　we　were　bundles　of　merchandise；　without　a　word。
　By　this　time　I　had　fairly　recovered　my　wits…small　wonder　if　that　amazing　scene　had　stunned　them…and　I　knew　what　I　wanted。　As　the　brute　that　had　been　carrying　me　turned　to　go　I　caught　his　arm。
　He　hesitated；　and　I　could　feel　his　eyes　on　me；　for　we　were　again　in　darkness。
　But　he　could　see…I　thanked　Heaven　for　it…and　I　began　a　most　expressive　pantomime；　stuffing　my　fingers　in　my　mouth　and　gnawing　at　them　energetically。　This　I　alternated　with　the　action　of　one　drinking　from　a　basin。　I　hadn't　the　slightest　idea　whether　he　understood　me；　he　turned　and　disappeared　without　a　sign…at　least；　without　an　audible　one。
　But　the　creature　possessed　intelligence；　for　I　had　barely　had　time　to　turn　to　Harry　and　ascertain　that　he　was　at　least　alive；　when　the　patter　of　returning　footsteps　was　heard。　They　approached；　there　was　the　clatter　of　stone　on　the　ground　beside　us。
　I　stood　eagerly；　a　platter；　heaped；　and　a　vessel；　full！　I　think　I　cried　out　with　joy。
　〃e；　Harry　lad；　eat！〃
　He　was　too　weak　to　move；　but　when　I　tore　some　of　the　dried　fish　into　fragments　and　fed　it　to　him　he　devoured　it　ravenously。
　Then　he　asked　for　water；　and　I　held　the　basin　to　his　lips。
　We　ate　as　little　as　it　is　possible　for　men　to　eat　who　have　fasted　for　many　days；　for　the　stuff　had　a　sharp；　concentrated　taste　that　remended　moderation。　And；　besides；　we　were　not　certain　of　getting　more。
　I　wrapped　the　remainder　carefully　in　my　poncho；　leaving　the　platter　empty；　and　lay　down　to　rest；　using　the　poncho　for　a　pillow。
　I　had　enough；　assuredly；　to　keep　me　awake；　but　there　are　bounds　beyond　which　nature　cannot　go。　I　slept　close　by　Harry's　side；　with　my　arm　across　his　body；　that　any　movement　of　his　might　awaken　me。
　When　I　awoke　Harry　was　still　asleep；　and　I　did　not　disturb　him。　I　myself　must　have　slept　many　hours；　for　I　felt　considerably　refreshed　and　very　hungry。　And　thirsty；　assuredly　the　provender　of　those　hairy　brutes　would　have　been　most　excellent　stuff　for　the　free…lunch　counter　of　a　saloon。
　I　unwrapped　the　poncho；　then；　crawling　on　my　hands　and　knees；　searched　about　the　ground。　As　I　had　expected；　I　found　another　full　platter　and　basin。　I　had　just　set　the　latter　down　after　taking　a　hearty　drink　when　I　heard　Harry's　voice。
　〃Paul。〃
　〃Here；　lad。〃
　〃I　was　afraid　you　had　gone。　I've　just　had　the　most　devilish　dream　about　Desiree。　She　was　doing　some　crazy　dance　on　top　of　a　mountain　or　something。　and　there　was　fire；　and…Paul！　Paul；　was　it　a　dream？〃
　〃No；　Hal；　I　saw　it　myself。　But　e；　we'll　talk　later。
　Here's　some　dried　fish　for　breakfast。〃
　〃Ah！　That…that…now　I　remember！　And　she　fell！　I'm　going…〃
　But　I　wanted　no　more　fever　or　delirium；　and　I　interrupted　him　sternly：
　〃Harry！　Listen　to　me！　Are　you　a　baby　or　a　man？　Talk　straight　or　shut　up；　and　don't　whine　like　a　fool。　If　you　have　any　courage；　use　it。〃
　It　was　stiff　medicine；　but　he　needed　it；　and　it　worked。　There　was　a　silence；　then　his　voice　came；　steady　enough：
　〃You　know　me　better　than　that；　Paul。　Only…if　it　were　not　for　Desiree…but　I'll　swallow　it。　I　think　I've　been　sick；　haven't　I？〃
　Poor　lad！　I　wanted　to　take　his　hand　in　mine　and　apologize。
　But　that　would　have　been　bad　for　both　of　us；　and　I　answered　simply：
　〃Yes；　a　little　fever。　But　you're　all　right　now。　And　now　you　must　eat　and　drink。　Not　much　of　a　variety；　but　it's　better　than　nothing。〃
　I　carried　the　platter　and　basin　over　to　him；　and　sat　down　by　his　side；　and　we　fell　to　together。
　But　he　would　talk　of　Desiree；　and　I　humored　him。　There　was　little　enough　to　say；　but　he　pressed　my　hand　hopefully　and　gratefully　when　I　expressed　my　belief　that　her　disappearance　had　been　a　trick　of　some　sort　and　no　matter　for　apprehension。
　〃We　must　find　her；　Paul。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃At　once。〃
　But　there　I　objected。
　〃On　the　contrary；　we　must　delay。　Right　now　we　are　utterly　helpless　from　our　long　fast。　They　would　handle　us　like　babies　if　it　came　to　a　fight。　Try　yourself；　stand　up。〃
　He　rose　to　his　hands　and　knees；　then　sank　back　to　the　ground。
　〃You　see。　To　move　now　would　be　folly。　And　of　course　they　are　watching　us　at　this　minute…every　minute。　We　must　wait。〃
　His　only　answer　was　a　groan　of　despair。
　In　some　manner　the　weary　hours　passed　by。
　Harry　lay　silent；　but　not　asleep；　now　and　then　he　would　ask　me　some　question；　but　more　to　hear　my　voice　than　to　get　an　answer。　We　heard　or　saw　nothing　of　our　captors；　for　all　our　senses　told　us　we　were　quite　alone；　but　our　previous　experience　with　them　had　taught　us　better　than　to　believe　it。
　I　found　myself　almost　unconsciously　reflecting　on　the　character　and　nature　of　the　tribe　of　dwarfs。
　Was　it　possible　that　they　were　really　the　descendants　of　the　Incas　driven　from　Huanuco　by　Hernando　Pizarro　and　his　horsemen　nearly　four　hundred　years　before？　Even　then　I　was　satisfied　of　it；　and　I　was　soon　to　have　that　opinion　confirmed　by　conclusive　evidence。
　Other　questions　presented　themselves。　Why　did　they　not　speak？
　What　fuel　could　they　have　found　in　the　bowels　of　the　Andes　for　their　vats　of　fire？　And　how　did　sufficient　air　for　ten　thousand　pairs　of　lungs　find　its　way　miles　underground？　Why；　in　the　centuries　that　had　passed；　had　none　of　them　found　his　way　to　the　world　outside？
　Some　of　these　questions　I　answered　for　myself；　others　remained　unsolved　for　many　months；　until　I　had　opportunity　to　avail　myself　of　knowledge　more　profound　than　my　own。　Easy　enough　to　guess　that　the　hidden　deposits　of　the　mountain　had　yielded　oil　which　needed　only　a　spark　from　a　piece　of　flint　to　fire　it；　and　any　one　who　knows　anything　of　the　geological　formation　of　the　Andes　will　not　wonder　at　their　supply　of　air。
　Nature　is　not　yet　ready　for　man　in　those　wild　regions。　Huge　upheavals　and　convulsions　are　of　continual　occurrence；　underground　streams　are　known　which　rise　in　the　eastern　Cordillera　and　emerge　on　the　side　of　the　Pacific　slope。　And　air　circulates　through　these　passages　as　well　as　water。
　Their　silence　remains　inexplicable；　but　it　was　probably　the　result　of　the　nature　of　their　surroundings。　I　have　spoken　before　of　the　innumerable　echoes　and　reverberations　that　followed　every　sound　of　the　voice　above　a　whisper。　At　times　it　was　literally　deafening；　and　time　may　have　made　it　so　in　reality。
　The　natural　effect　through　many　generations　of　this　inconvenience　or　danger　would　be　the　stoppage　of　speech；　leading　possibly　to　a　plete　loss　of　the　faculty。　I　am　satisfied　that　they　were　incapable　of　vocalization；　for　even　the　women　did　not　talk！　But　that　is　ahead　of　the　story。
　I　occupied　myself　with　these　reflections；　and　found　amusement　in　them；　but　it　was　impossible　to　lead　Harry　into　a　discussion。
　His　mind　was　anything　but　scientific；　anyway；　and　he　was　pletely　obsessed　by　fear　for　the　safety　of　Desiree。　And　I　wasn't　sorry　for　it；　it　is　better　that　a　man　should　worry　about　some　one　else　than　about　himself。
　Our　chance　of　rescuing　her；　or　even　of　saving　ourselves；　appeared　to　me　woefully　slim。　One　fear　at　least　was　gone；　for　the　descendants　of　Incas　could　scarcely　be　cannibals；　but　there　are　other　fates　equally　final；　if　less　distasteful。　The　fact　that　they　had　not　even　taken　the　trouble　to　bind　us　was　an　indication　of　the　strictness　of　their　watch。
　The　hours　crept　by。　At　regular　intervals　our　food　was　replenished　and　we　kept　the　platter　empty；　storing　what　we　could　not　eat　in　our　ponchos　against　a　possible　need。
　It　was　always　the　same…dried　fish　of　the　consistency　of　leather　and　a　most　aggressive　taste。　I　tried　to　convey　to　one　of　our　captors　the　idea　that　a　change　of　diet　would　be　agreeable；　but　either　he　did　not　understand　me　or　didn't　want　to。
　Gradually　our　strength　returned；　and　with　it　hope。　Harry　began　to　be　impatient；　urging　action。　I　was　waiting　for　two　things　besides　the　return　of　strength；　first；　to　lay　in　a　supply　of　food　that　would　be　sufficient　for　many　days　in　case　we　escaped；　and　second；　to　allow　our　eyes　to　accustom　themselves　better　to　the　darkness。
　Already　we　were　able　to　see　with　a　fair　amount　of　clearness；　we　could　easily　distinguish　the　forms　of　those　who　came　to　bring　us　food　and　water　when　they　were　fifteen　or　twenty　feet　away。　But　the　cavern　in　which　we　were　confined　must　have　been　a　large　one；　for　we　were　unable　to　see　a　wall　in　any　direction；　and　we　did　not　venture　to　explore　for　fear　our　captors　would　be　moved　to　bind　us。
　But　Harry　became　so　insistent　that　I　finally　consented　to　a　scouting　exped