rs.undertheandes-第16部分

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ved　to　bind　us。
　But　Harry　became　so　insistent　that　I　finally　consented　to　a　scouting　expedition。　Caution　seemed　useless；　if　the　darkness　had　eyes　that　beheld　us；　doubly　so。　We　strapped　our　ponchos；　heavy　with　their　food；　to　our　backs；　and　set　out　at　random　across　the　cavern。
　We　went　slowly；　straining　our　eyes　ahead　and　from　side　to　side。　It　was　folly；　of　course；　in　the　darkness…like　trying　to　beat　a　gambler　at　his　own　game。　But　we　moved　on　as　noiselessly　as　possible。
　Suddenly　a　wall　loomed　up　before　us　not　ten　feet　away。　I　gave　a　tug　at　Harry's　arm；　and　he　nodded。　We　approached　the　wall；　then　turned　to　the　right　and　proceeded　parallel　with　it；　watching　for　a　break　that　would　mean　the　way　to　freedom。
　I　noticed　a　dark　line　that　extended　along　the　base　of　the　wall；　reaching　up　its　side　to　a　height　of　about　two　feet　and　seemingly　melting　away　into　the　ground。　At　first　I　took　it　for　a　separate　strata　of　rock；　darker　than　that　above。　But　there　was　a　strange　brokenness　about　its　appearance　that　made　me　consider　it　more　carefully。
　It　appeared　to　be　posed　of　curious　knots　and　protuberances。
　I　stopped　short；　and；　advancing　a　step　or　two　toward　the　wall；　gazed　intently。　Then　I　saw　that　the　dark　line　was　not　a　part　of　the　wall　at　all；　and　then…well；　then　I　laughed　aloud　in　spite　of　myself。　The　thing　was　too　ludicrous。
　For　that　〃dark　line〃　along　the　bottom　of　the　wall　was　a　row　of　squatting　Incas！　There　they　sat；　silent；　motionless；　even　when　my　laugh　rang　out　through　the　cavern　they　gave　not　the　slightest　sign　that　they　either　heard　or　saw。　Yet　it　was　certain　that　they　had　watched　our　every　move。
　There　was　nothing　for　it　but　retreat。　With　our　knives　we　might　have　fought　our　way　through；　but　we　were　unarmed；　and　we　had　felt　one　or　two　proofs　of　their　strength。
　Harry　took　it　with　more　philosophy　than　I　had　expected。　As　for　me；　I　had　not　yet　finished　my　laugh。　We　sought　our　former　resting…place；　recognizing　it　by　the　platter　and　basin　which　we　had　emptied　before　our　famous　and　daring　attempt　to　escape。
　Soon　Harry　began：
　〃I'll　tell　you　what　they　are；　Paul；　they're　frogs。　Nothing　but　frogs。　Did　you　see　'em？　The　little　black　devils！　And　Lord；　how　they　smell！〃
　〃That；〃　I　answered；　〃is　the　effect　of…〃
　〃To　the　deuce　with　your　mineralogy　or　anthromorphism　or　whatever　you　call　it。　I　don't　care　what　makes　'em　smell。　I　only　know　they　do…as　Kipling　says　of　the　oonts…'most　awful　vile。'　And　there　the　beggars　sit；　and　here　we　sit！〃
　〃If　we　could　only　see…〃　I　began。
　〃And　what　good　would　that　do　us？　Could　we　fight？　No。　They'd　smother　us　in　a　minute。　Say；　wasn't　there　a　king　in　that　cave　the　other　day？〃
　〃Yes；　on　a　golden　throne。　An　ugly　little　devil…the　ugliest　of　all。〃
　〃Sure；　that　why　he's　got　the　job。　Did　he　say　anything？〃
　〃Not　a　word；　merely　stuck　out　his　arm　and　out　we　went。〃
　〃Why　the　deuce　don't　they　talk？〃
　I　explained　my　theory　at　some　length；　with　many　and　various　scientific　digressions。　Harry　listened　politely。
　〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean；〃　said　he　when　I　had　finished；　〃but　I　believe　you。　Anyway；　it's　all　a　stupendous　joke。　In　the　first　place；　we　shouldn't　be　here　at　all。　And；　secondly；　why　should　they　want　us　to　stay？〃
　〃How　should　I　know？　Ask　the　king。　And　don't　bother　me；　I'm　going　to　sleep。〃
　〃You　are　not。　I　want　to　talk。　Now；　they　must　want　us　for　something。　They　can't　intend　to　eat　us；　because　there　isn't　enough　to　go　around。　And　there　is　Desiree。　What　the　deuce　was　she　doing　up　there　without　any　clothes　on？　I　say；　Paul；　we've　got　to　find　her。〃
　〃With　pleasure。　But；　first；　how　are　we　going　to　get　out　of　this？〃
　〃I　mean；　when　we　get　out。〃
　Thus　we　rattled　on；　arriving　nowhere。　Harry's　loquacity　I　understood；　the　poor　lad　meant　to　show　me　that　he　had　resolved　not　to　〃whine。〃　Yet　his　cheerfulness　was　but　partly　assumed；　and　it　was　most　wele。　My　own　temper　was　getting　sadly　frayed　about　the　edge。
　We　slept　through　another　watch　uneventfully；　and　when　we　woke　found　our　platter　of　fish　and　basin　of　water　beside　us。　I　estimated　that　some　seventy…two　hours　had　then　passed　since　we　had　been　carried　from　the　cavern；　Harry　said　not　less　than　a　hundred。
　However　that　may　be；　we　had　almost　entirely　recovered　our　strength。　Indeed；　Harry　declared　himself　perfectly　fit；　but　I　still　felt　some　disfort；　caused　partly　by　the　knife…wound　on　my　knee；　which　had　not　entirely　healed；　and　partly；　I　think；　by　the　strangeness　and　monotony　of　our　diet。　Harry's　palate　was　less　particular。
　On　awaking；　and　after　breaking　our　fast；　we　were　both　filled　with　an　odd　contentment。　I　really　believe　that　we　had　abandoned　hope；　and　that　the　basis　of　our　listlessness　was　despair；　and　surely　not　without　reason。　For　what　chance　had　we　to　escape　from　the　Incas；　handicapped　as　we　were　by　the　darkness；　and　our　want　of　weapons；　and　their　overwhelming　numbers？
　And　beyond　that…if　by　some　chance　lucky　we　did　escape…what　remained？　To　wander　about　in　the　endless　caves　of　darkness　and　starve　to　death。　At　the　time　I　don't　think　I　stated　the　case；　even　to　myself；　with　such　brutal　frankness；　but　facts　make　their　impression　whether　you　invite　them　or　not。　But；　as　I　say；　we　were　filled　with　an　odd　contentment。　Though　despair　may　have　possessed　our　hearts；　it　was　certainly　not　allowed　to　infect　our　tongues。
　Breakfast　was　hilarious。　Harry　sang　an　old　drinking…song　to　the　water…basin　with　touching　sentiment；　I　gave　him　hearty　applause　and　joined　in　the　chorus。　The　cavern　rang。
　〃The　last　time　I　sang　that；〃　said　Harry　as　the　last　echoes　died　away；　〃was　at　the　Midlothian。　Bunk　Stafford　was　there；　and　Billy　Du　Mont；　and　Fred　Marston…I　say；　do　you　remember　Freddie？
　And　his　East　Side　crocodiles？
　〃My；　but　weren't　they　daisies？　And　polo？　They　could　play　it　in　their　sleep。　And…what's　this？　Paul！　Something's　up！　Here　they　e…Mr。　and　Mrs。　Inca　and　all　the　children！〃
　I　sprang　hastily　to　my　feet　and　stood　by　Harry's　side。　He　was　right。
　Through　the　half　darkness　they　came；　hundreds　of　them；　and；　as　always；　in　utter　silence。　Dimly　we　could　see　their　forms　huddled　together　round　us　on　every　side；　leaving　us　in　the　center　of　a　small　circle　in　their　midst。
　〃Now；　what　the　deuce　do　they　want？〃　I　muttered。　〃Can't　they　let　us　eat　in　peace？〃
　Harry　observed：　〃Wasn't　I　right？　'Most　awful　vile！'〃
　I　think　we　both　felt　that　we　were　joking　in　the　face　of　death。
　The　forms　surrounding　us　stood　silent　for　perhaps　ten　seconds。
　Then　four　of　their　number　stepped　forward　to　us；　and　one　made　gestures　with　a　hairy　arm；　pointing　to　our　rear。　We　turned　and　saw　a　narrow　lane　lined　on　either　side　by　our　captors。　Nothing　was　distinct；　still　we　could　see　well　enough　to　guess　their　meaning。
　〃It's　up　to　us　to　march；〃　said　Harry。
　I　nodded。
　〃And　step　high；　Hal；　it　may　be　our　last　one。　If　we　only　had　our　knives！　But　there　are　thousands　of　'em。〃
　〃But　if　it　es　to　the　worst…〃
　〃Then…I'm　with　you。　Forward！〃
　We　started；　and　as　we　did　so　one　of　the　four　who　had　approached　darted　from　behind　and　led　the　way。　Not　a　hand　had　touched　us；　and　this　appeared　to　me　a　good　sign；　without　knowing　exactly　why。
　〃They　seem　to　have　forgotten　their　manners；〃　Harry　observed。
　〃The　approved　method　is　to　knock　us　down　and　carry　us。　I　shall　speak　to　the　king　about　it。〃
　We　had　just　reached　the　wall　of　the　cavern　and　entered　a　passage　leading　from　it；　when　there　came　a　sound；　sonorous　and　ear…destroying；　from　the　farther　end。　We　had　heard　it　once　before；　it　was　the　same　that　had　ended　our　desperate　fight　some　days　before。　Then　it　had　saved　our　lives；　to　what　did　it　summon　us　now？
　The　passage　was　not　a　long　one。　At　its　end　we　turned　to　the　right；　following　our　guide。　Once　I　looked　back　and　saw　behind　us　the　crowd　that　had　surrounded　us　in　the　cave。　There　was　no　way　but　obedience。
　We　had　advanced　perhaps　a　hundred；　possibly　two　hundred　yards　along　the　second　passage　when　our　guide　suddenly　halted。　We　stood　beside　him。
　He　turned　sharply　to　the　left；　and；　beckoning　to　us　to　follow；　began　to　descend　a　narrow　stairway　which　led　directly　from　the　passage。　It　was　steep；　and　the　darkness　allowed　a　glimpse　only　of　black　walls　and　the　terrace　immediately　beneath　our　feet；　so　we　went　slowly。　I　counted　the　steps；　there　were　ninety…six。
　At　the　bottom　we　turned　again　to　the　right。　Just　as　we　turned　I　heard　Harry's　voice；　quite　low：
　〃There　are　only　a　dozen　following　us；　Paul。　Now…〃
　But　I　shook　my　head。　It　would　have　been　mere　folly；　for；　even　if　we　had　succeeded　in　breaking　through；　we　could　never　have　made　our　way　back　up　the　steps。　This　I　told　Harry；　he　admitted　reluctantly　that　I　was　right。
　We　now　found　ourselves　in　a　lane　so　low　and　narrow　that　it　was　necessary　for　us　to　stoop　and　proceed　in　single　file。　Our　progress　was　slow；　the　guide　was　continually　turning　to　beckon　us　on　with　gestures　of　impatience。
　At　length　he　halted　and　stood　facing　us。　The　guard　that　followed　gathered　close　in　the　rear；　the　guide　made　a　curious　upward　movement　with　his　arm；　and　when　we　stood　motionless　repeated　it　several　times。
　〃I　suppose　he　wants　us　to　fly；〃　said　Harry　with　so　genuine　a　tone　of　sarcasm　that　I　gave　an　involuntary　smile。
　The　guide's　meaning　was　soon　evident。　It　took　some　seconds　for　my　eye　to　penetrate　the　darkness；　and　then　I　saw　a　spiral　stair　ascending　perpendicularly；　apparently　carved　from　the　solid　rock。
　Harry　must　have　perceived　it　at　the　same　moment；　for　he　turned　to　me　with　a　short　laugh：
　〃Going　up？　Not　for　me；　thank　you。　The　beggar　means　for　us　to　go　alone。〃
　For　a　moment　I　hesitated；　glancing　round　uncertainly　at　the　dusky　forms　that　were　ever　pressing　closer　upon　us。　We　were　assuredly　between　the　devil　and；　the　deep　sea。
　Then　I　said；　shrugging　my　shoulders：　〃It's　no　good　pulling；　Harry。　e　on；　take　a　chance。　You　said　it…going　up！〃
　I　placed　my　foot　on　the　first　step　of　the　spiral　stair。
　Harry　followed　without　ment。　Up　we　went　together；　but　slowly。　The　stair　was　fearfully　steep　and　narrow；　and　more　than　once　I　barely　escaped　a　fall。
　Suddenly　I　became　aware　that　light　was　descending　on　us　from　above。　With　every　step　upward　it　became　brighter；　until　finally　it　was　as　though　a　noonday　sun　shone　in　upon　us。
　There　came　an　exclamation　from　Harry；　and　we　ascended　faster。
　I　remember　that　I　counted　a　hundred　and　sixty　steps…a