rs.undertheandes-第18部分

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vertheless；　there　was　feeling　in　it；　and　the　eternal　mercy　of　woman。
　For　all　that　was　visible　to　the　eye　the　verdict　made　not　the　slightest　impression　on　the　rows　of　silent　Incas。　Not　a　movement　was　seen；　they　might　have　been　carved　from　the　stone　on　which　they　were　seated。
　Their　black；　hairy　bodies；　squat　and　thick；　threw　back　the　light　from　the　flaming　torches　as　though　even　those　universal　rays　could　not　penetrate　such　grossness。
　Suddenly　they　rose…the　king　had　moved。　He　picked　the　purple　cord　from　the　ground；　and；　after　passing　his　hand　over　it　three　times；　handed　it　to　an　attendant　who　approached。
　Then　he　stretched　out　his　hand；　and　the　Incas；　who　had　remained　standing；　turned　about　and　began　to　disappear。　As　before；　the　cavern　was　emptied　in　an　incredibly　short　space　of　time；　in　two　minutes　we　were　alone　with　those　in　the　alcove。
　There　was　a　sound　behind　us。　We　turned　and　saw　a　great　slab　of　stone　slowly　slide　to　one　side　in　the　floor；　leaving　an　aperture　some　three　feet　square。　Evidently　it　had　been　closed　behind　us　when　we　had　ascended；　we　had　had　no　time　to　notice　it　then。　In　this　hole　presently　appeared　the　head　and　shoulders　of　our　guide；　who　beckoned　to　us　to　follow　and　then　disappeared　below。
　I　started　to　obey；　but　turned　to　wait　for　Harry；　who　was　gazing　at　Desiree。　His　back　was　toward　me　and　I　could　not　see　his　face；　his　eyes　must　have　held　an　appeal；　for　I　saw　Desiree's　lips　part　in　a　smile　and　heard　her　call：
　〃You　will　see　me！〃
　Then　he　joined　me；　and　we　began　the　descent　together。
　I　found　myself　wondering　how　these　half…civilized　brutes　had　possibly　managed　to　conceive　the　idea　of　the　spiral　stair。　It　was　known　to　neither　the　Aztecs　nor　the　Incas；　in　America；　nor　to　any　of　the　primitive　European　or　Asiatic　civilizations。　But　they　had　found　a　place　where　nothing　else　would　do…and　they　made　it。
　Another　of　the　innumerable　offspring　of　Mother　Necessity。
　I　took　time　to　note　its　construction。　It　was　rude　enough；　but　a　good　job　for　all　that。　It　was　not　exactly　circular；　there　were　many　angles；　evidently　following　the　softer　strata　in　the　rock；　they　had　bowed　to　their　material…the　way　of　the　artist。
　Even　the　height　of　the　steps　was　irregular；　some　were　scarcely　more　than　three　inches；　while　others　were　twelve　or　fourteen。　You　may　know　we　descended　slowly　and　with　care；　especially　when　we　had　reached　the　point　where　no　light　came　from　above　to　aid　us。　We　found　our　guide　waiting　for　us　at　the　bottom；　alone。
　We　followed　him　down　the　low　and　narrow　passage　through　which　we　had　previously　e。　But　when　we　reached　the　steps　which　led　up　to　the　passage　above　and　to　the　cave　where　we　had　formerly　been　confined；　he　ignored　them　and　turned　to　the　right。　We　hesitated。
　〃He's　alone；〃　said　Harry。　〃Shall　we　chuck　the　beggar？〃
　〃We　shall　not；　for　that　very　reason；〃　I　answered。　〃It　means　that　we　are　guests　instead　of　captives；　and　far　be　it　from　us　to　outrage　the　laws　of　hospitality。　But　seriously；　the　safest　thing　we　can　do　is　to　follow　him。〃
　The　passage　in　which　we　now　found　ourselves　was　evidently　no　work　of　nature。　Even　in　the　semidarkness　the　mark　of　man's　hand　was　apparent。　And　the　ceiling　was　low；　another　proof；　for　dwarfs　do　not　build　for　the　acmodation　of　giants。　But　I　had　some　faint　idea　of　the　pitiful　inadequacy　of　their　tools；　and　I　found　myself　reflecting　on　the　stupendous　courage　of　the　men　who　had　undertaken　such　a　task；　even　allowing　for　the　fact　that　four　hundred　years　had　been　allowed　them　for　its　pletion。
　Soon　we　reached　a　veritable　maze　of　these　passages。　We　must　have　taken　a　dozen　or　more　turns；　first　to　the　right；　then　to　the　left。　I　had　been　marking　our　way　on　my　memory　as　well　as　possible；　but　I　soon　gave　up　the　attempt　as　hopeless。
　Several　times　our　guide　turned　so　quickly　that　we　could　scarcely　follow　him。　When　we　signified　by　gestures　our　desire　to　go　slower　he　seemed　surprised；　of　course；　he　expected　us　to　see　in　the　dark　as　well　as　he。
　Then　a　dim　light　appeared；　growing　brighter　as　we　advanced。
　Soon　I　saw　that　it　came　through　an　opening　in　the　wall　to　our　left；　which　we　were　approaching。　Before　the　opening　the　guide　halted；　motioning　us　to　enter。
　We　did　so；　and　found　ourselves　in　an　apartment　no　less　than　royal。
　Several　blazing　urns　attached　to　the　walls　furnished　the　light；　wavering　but　brilliant。　There　were　tables　and　rude　seats；　fashioned　from　the　same　prismatic　stones　which　covered　the　column　in　the　lake；　and　from　their　surfaces　a　thousand　points　of　color　shone　dazzlingly。
　At　one　side　was　a　long　slab　of　granite　covered　with　the　skins　of　some　animal；　dry；　thick；　and　soft。　The　walls　themselves　were　of　the　hardest　granite；　studded　to　a　height　of　four　or　five　feet　with　tiny；　innumerable　spots　of　gold。
　Harry　crossed　to　the　middle　of　the　apartment　and　stood　gazing　curiously　about　him。　I　turned　to　the　door　and　looked　down　the　outer　passage　in　both　directions…our　guide　had　disappeared。
　〃We　appear　to　be　friends　of　the　family；〃　said　Harry　with　a　grin。
　〃Thanks　to　Desiree；　yes。〃
　〃Thanks　to　the　devil！　What　did　she　mean…what　could　she　mean？
　Was　it　one　of　her　jokes？　For　I　can't　believe　that　she　would…would…〃
　〃Have　sent　us　to　death？　Well…who　knows？　Yes；　it　may　have　been　one　of　her　jokes；〃　I　lied。
　For；　of　course；　Harry　knew　nothing　of　the　cause　of　Desiree's　desire　for　revenge　on　me；　and　it　would　have　served　no　good　purpose　to　tell　him。
　We　talked　for　an　hour　or　more；　examining　our　apartment　meanwhile　with　considerable　curiosity。
　The　gold　excited　our　wonder；　had　it　e　from　Huanuco　four　hundred　years　ago；　or　had　they　found　it　here　in　the　mountain？
　I　examined　the　little　blocks　of　metal　or　gems　with　which　the　tables　and　seats　were　inlaid；　but　could　make　nothing　of　them。　They　resembled　a　carbon　formation　sometimes　found　in　quartzite；　but　were　many　times　more　brilliant　than　anything　I　had　ever　seen；　excepting　precious　stones。
　The　hides　which　covered　the　granite　couch　were　also　unknown　to　me；　they　were　of　an　amazing　thickness　and　incredibly　soft。
　We　were　amusing　ourselves　with　an　attempt　to　pry　one　of　the　bits　of　gold　from　the　wall　when　we　heard　a　sound　behind　us。
　We　turned　and　saw　Desiree。
　She　stood　in　the　entrance；　smiling　at　us　as　though　we　had　been　caught　in　her　boudoir　examining　the　articles　on　her　dressing…table。
　She　was　clothed　as　she　had　been　on　the　throne；　a　rope　girdle　held　her　single　garment；　and　her　hair　fell　across　her　shoulders；　reaching　to　her　knees。　Her　arms　and　shoulders　appeared　marvelously　white；　but　they　may　have　been　by　way　of　contrast。
　Harry　sprang　across　to　her　with　a　single　bound。　In　another　moment　his　arms　were　round　her；　she　barely　submitted　to　the　embrace；　but　she　gave　him　her　lips；　then　drew　herself　away　and　crossed　to　me；　extending　her　hands　in　a　sort　of　wavering　doubt。
　But　that　was　no　time　for　hostilities；　and　I　took　the　hands　in　my　own　and　bent　over　them　till　my　lips　touched　the　soft　fingers。
　〃A　visit　from　the　queen！〃　I　said　with　a　smile。　〃This　is　an　honor；　your　majesty。〃
　〃A　doubtful　one；〃　said　Desiree。　〃First　of　all；　my　friend；　I　want　to　congratulate　you　on　your　savoir　faire。　Par　Bleu；　that　was　the　part　of　a　man！〃
　〃But　you！〃　cried　Harry。　〃What　the　deuce　did　you　mean　by　pretending　to　play　the　black？　I　tell　you；　that　was　a　shabby　trick。
　Most　unpleasant　moment　you　gave　us。〃
　Desiree　sent　me　a　quick　glance；　she　was　plainly　surprised　to　find　Harry　in　ignorance　of　what　had　passed　between　us　that　evening　in　the　camp　on　the　mountain。　Wherein　she　was　scarcely　to　be　blamed；　for　her　surprise　came　from　a　deep　knowledge　of　the　ways　of　men。
　〃I　am　beginning　to　know　you；　Paul；〃　she　said；　looking　into　my　eyes。
　〃Now　what's　up？〃　demanded　Harry；　looking　from　her　to　me　and　back　again。　〃For　Heaven's　sake；　don't　talk　riddles。　What　does　that　mean？〃
　But　Desiree　silenced　him　with　a　gesture；　placing　her　fingers　playfully　on　his　lips。　They　were　seated　side　by　side　on　the　granite　couch；　I　stood　in　front　of　them；　and　there　flitted　across　my　memory　a　picture　of　that　morning　scene　in　the　grounds　of　the　Antlers　at　Colorado　Springs；　when　Desiree　and　I　had　had　our　first　battle。
　We　talked；　or；　rather；　Harry　and　Desiree　talked；　and　I　listened。　First　he　insisted　on　a　recital　of　her　experiences　since　her　reckless　dash　into　the　〃cave　of　the　devil；〃　and　she　was　most　obliging；　even　eager；　for　she　had　had　no　one　to　talk　to　for　many　days；　and　she　was　a　woman。　She　found　in　Harry　a　perfect　audience。
　Her　experience　had　been　much　the　same　as　our　own。　She；　too；　had　fallen　down　the　unseen　precipice　into　the　torrent　beneath。
　She　asserted　that　she　had　been　carried　along　by　its　force　scarcely　more　than　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　and　had　been　violently　thrown　upon　a　ledge　of　rock。　It　was　evident　that　this　must　have　been　long　before　the　stream　reached　the　lake　where　Harry　and　I　had　found　each　other；　for　we　had　been　in　the　water　hardly　short　of　an　hour。
　She　had　been　found　on　the　ledge　by　our　hairy　friends；　who　had　carried　her　on　their　backs　for　many　hours。　I　remembered　the　sensations　of　Harry　and　myself；　who　were　men；　and　together；　and　gave　a　shudder　of　sympathy　as　Desiree　described　her　own　horror　and　fear；　and　her　one　attempt　to　escape。
　Still　the　brutes　had　shown　her　no　great　violence；　evidently　recognizing　the　preciousness　of　their　burden。　They　had　carried　her　as　gently　as　possible；　but　had　absolutely　refused　to　allow　her　to　walk。　At　regular　intervals　they　gave　her　an　opportunity　to　rest；　and　food　and　water。
　〃Dried　fish？〃　I　asked　hopefully。
　Desiree　nodded；　with　a　most　expressive　grimace；　and　Harry　burst　into　laughter。
　Then　of　the　elevation　to　her　evident　authority。　Brought　before　the　king；　she　had　inspired　the　most　profound　wonder　and　curiosity。　Easy；　indeed；　to　understand　how　the　whiteness　of　her　skin　and　the　beauty　of　her　form　and　face　had　awakened　the　keenest　admiration　in　the　breast　of　that　black　and　hairy　monarch。　He　had　shown　her　the　most　perfect　respect；　and　she　had　played　up　to　the　role　of　goddess　by　displaying　to　the　utmost　her　indifferent　contempt　for　royalty　and　its　favors。
　Here　her　remarks　grew　general　and　evasive；　and　when　pressed　with　questions　she　refused　details。　She　declared　that　nothing　had　happened；　she　had　been　fed　and　fawned　upon；　nor　been　annoyed　by　any　violence　or　unwele　attentions。