rs.undertheandes-第19部分

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　happened；　she　had　been　fed　and　fawned　upon；　nor　been　annoyed　by　any　violence　or　unwele　attentions。
　〃That　is　really　too　bad；〃　said　I；　with　a　smile。　〃I　was；　then；　mistaken　when　I　said　'your　majesty'？〃
　〃Faugh！〃　said　Desiree。　〃That　is　hardly　witty。　For　a　time　I　was　amused；　but　I　am　being　bored。　And　yet…〃
　〃Well？〃
　〃I…don't…know。　They　are　mine；　if　you　know　what　I　mean。
　Eh；　bien；　since　you　ask　me…for　I　see　the　question　in　your　eye；　friend　Paul…I　am　content。　If　the　world　is　behind　me　forever；　so　be　it。　Yes；　they　are　unattractive　to　the　eye；　but　they　have　power。　And　they　worship　me。〃
　〃Desiree！〃　cried　Harry　in　astonishment；　and　I　was　myself　a　little　startled。
　〃Why　not？〃　she　demanded。　〃They　are　men。　And　besides；　it　is　impossible　for　us　to　return。　With　all　your　cleverness；　M。　Paul；　can　you　find　the　sunlight？　To　remain　is　a　necessity；　we　must　make　the　best　of　it；　and　I　repeat　that　I　am　satisfied。〃
　〃That's　bally　rot；〃　said　Harry；　turning　on　her　hotly。
　〃Satisfied？　You　are　nothing　of　the　sort。　I'll　tell　you　one　thing　…Paul　and　I　are　going　to　find　our　way　out　of　this；　and　you　are　ing　with　us。〃
　For　reply　Desiree　laughed　at　him…a　laugh　that　plainly　said；　〃I　am　my　own　mind；　and　obey　no　other。〃　It　is　one　of　the　most　familiar　cards　of　the　woman　of　beauty；　and　the　most　effective。　It　conquered　Harry。
　He　gazed　at　her　for　a　long　moment　in　silence；　while　his　eyes　filled　with　an　expression　which　one　man　should　never　show　to　another　man。　It　is　the　betrayal　of　the　masculine　sex　and　the　triumph　of　the　feminine。
　Suddenly　he　threw　himself　on　his　knees　before　her　and　took　her　hands　in　his　own。　She　attempted　to　withdraw　them；　he　clasped　her　about　the　waist。
　〃Do　you　not　love　me；　Desiree？〃　he　cried；　and　his　lips　sought　hers。
　They　met；　Desiree　ceased　to　struggle。
　At　that　moment　I　heard　a　sound…the　faintest　sound…behind　me。
　I　turned。
　The　king　of　the　Incas　was　standing　within　the　doorway；　surveying　the　lovers　with　beadlike；　sparkling　eyes。
　
　Chapter　XI。
　A　ROYAL　VISITOR。
　
　If　it　had　not　been　for　the　manifest　danger；　I　could　have　laughed　aloud　at　what　I　read　in　the　eyes　of　the　king。　Was　it　not　supremely　ridiculous　for　Desiree　Le　Mire；　who　had　been　sought　after　by　the　great　and　the　wealthy　and　the　powerful　of　all　Europe；　to　be　regarded　with　desire　by　that　ugly　dwarf？　And　it　was　there；　unmistakably。
　I　sang　out　a　sharp　warning；　but　it　was　unnecessary；　Desiree　had　already　caught　sight　of　the　royal　visitor。　She　pushed　Harry　from　her　bodily。　He　sprang　to　his　feet　in　angry　surprise；　then；　enlightened　by　the　confusion　in　her　face；　turned　quickly　and　swore　as　he；　too；　saw　the　intruder。
　How　critical　the　situation　was　I　did　not　know；　despite　Desiree's　assertions。　His　eyes　were　human　and　easily　read；　they　held　jealousy；　and　when　power　is　jealous　there　is　danger。
　But　Desiree　proved　herself　equal　to　the　occasion。　She　remained　seated　on　the　granite　couch　for　a　long　minute　without　moving；　confusion　left　her　eyes　as　she　gazed　at　us　apparently　with　the　utmost　posure；　but　I　who　knew　her　could　see　that　her　brain　was　working　with　the　rapidity　of　lightning。　Then　her　glance　passed　to　the　figure　at　the　doorway；　and　with　a　gesture　manding　and　truly　royal　in　its　simplicity；　she　held　her　hand　forth；　palm　down；　to　the　Inca　king。
　Like　an　obedient　trained　monkey　he　trotted　across　the　intervening　space；　grasped　her　soft　white　hand　in　his　monstrous　paw；　and　touched　his　lips　to　her　fingers。
　That　was　all；　but　it　spoke　volumes　to　one　who　could　divine　the　springs　of　action。　I　remember　that　at　the　time　there　shot　through　my　mind　a　story　I　had　heard　concerning　Desiree　in　Paris。　The　Duke　of　Bellarmine；　then　her　protector；　had　one　evening　entered　her　splendid　apartment　on　the　Rue　Jonteur…furnished；　of　course；　by　himself…and　had　found　his　divinity　entertaining　one　Jules　Chavot；　a　young　and　beautiful　poet。　Whereupon　he　had　launched　forth　into　the　most　bitter　reproaches　and　scornful　denunciations。
　〃Monsieur；〃　Desiree　had　said；　with　the　look　of　a　queen　outraged；　when　he　had　finished；　〃you　are　annoying。　Little　Chavot　amuses　me。　You　are　aware　that　I　never　refuse　myself　anything　which　I　consider　necessary　to　my　amusement；　and　just　now　I　find　you　very　dull。〃
　And　the　noble　duke；　conquered　by　that　glance　of　fire　and　those　terrible　words；　had　retired　with　humble　apologies；　after　receiving　a　gracious　permission　to　call　on　the　following　day！
　In　short；　Desiree　was　irresistible；　the　subjection　of　the　Inca　king　was　but　another　of　her　triumphs；　and　not　the　most　remarkable。
　And　then　I　looked　at　Harry；　and　was　aware　of　a　new　danger。　He　was　glaring　at　the　Inca　with　eyes　which　told　their　own　story　of　the　fire　within；　and　which　were　waiting　only　for　suspicion　to　bee　certainty。　I　called　to　him：
　〃Harry！　Hold　fast！〃
　He　glanced　at　me；　gave　a　short　laugh；　and　nodded。
　Then　came　Desiree's　voice；　in　a　low　tone　of　warning：
　〃On　your　knees！〃
　Her　meaning　was　clear；　it　was　to　us　she　spoke。　The　king　had　turned　from　her　and　was　regarding　us　steadily　with　eyes　so　nearly　closed　that　their　meaning　was　impenetrable。　Harry　and　I　glanced　at　each　other　and　remained　standing。　Then　Desiree's　voice　again：
　〃Harry！　If　you　love　me！〃
　It　was　the　appeal　to　a　child；　but　love　is　young。　Immediately　Harry　dropped　to　his　knees；　facing　the　king；　and　I　followed　him；　wondering　at　myself。　To　this　day　I　do　not　know　what　the　pelling　force　was　that　pulled　me　down。　Was　it　another　instance　of　the　power　of　Desiree？
　For　perhaps　a　minute　we　remained　motionless　on　our　knees　while　the　king　stood　gazing　at　us；　it　seemed　to　me　with　an　air　of　doubt。
　Then　slowly；　and　with　a　gait　that　smacked　of　majesty　despite　his　ungainly　appearance　and　diminutive　stature；　he　stalked　across　to　the　doorway　and　disappeared　in　the　corridor　without。
　Harry　and　I　looked　at　each　other；　kneeling　like　two　heathen　idols；　and　burst　into　unrestrained　laughter。　But　with　it　was　mixed　a　portion　of　anger；　and　I　turned　to　Desiree。
　〃In　the　name　of　Heaven；　was　that　necessary？〃
　〃You　do　it　very　prettily；〃　said　she；　with　a　smile。
　〃That　is　well；　but　I　don't　care　to　repeat　it。　Harry；　for　the　sake　of　my　dignity；　employ　a　little　discretion。　And　what　do　you　suppose　the　beggar　will　do　about　it？〃
　〃Nothing；〃　said　Desiree；　shrugging　her　shoulders。　〃Only　he　must　be　pacified。　I　must　go。　I　wonder　if　you　know　you　are　lodged　in　the　royal　apartments？　His　majesty's　room…he　has　but　one…is　in　the　corridor　to　the　left　of　this。
　〃Mine　is　on　the　right…and　he　is　probably　stamping　the　place　to　pieces　at　this　moment。〃　She　left　the　granite　couch　and　advanced　half　way　to　the　door。　〃Au　revoir；　messieurs。　Till　later…I　shall　e　to　see　you。〃
　The　next　moment　she　was　gone。
　Harry　and　I；　left　alone；　had　enough　to　think　and　talk　about；　but　there　was　ten　minutes　of　silence　before　we　spoke。　I　sat　on　one　of　the　stone　seats；　wondering　what　the　result　would　be…if　any…of　the　king's　visit　and　his　discovery。
　Harry　paced　up　and　down　the　length　of　the　apartment　with　lowered　head。　Presently　he　spoke　abruptly：
　〃Paul；　I　want　to　know　exactly　what　you　think　of　our　chances　for　getting　out　of　this。〃
　〃Why…〃　I　hesitated。　〃Harry；　I　don't　know。〃
　〃But　you've　thought　about　it；　and　you　know　something　about　these　things。　What　do　you　think？〃
　〃Well；　I　think　they　are　slim。〃
　〃What　are　they？〃
　〃Nothing　less　than　miracles。　There　are　just　two。　First…and　I've　spoken　of　this　before…we　might　find　an　underground　stream　that　would　carry　us　to　the　western　slope。〃
　〃That　is　impossible…at　least；　for　Desiree。　And　the　second？〃
　〃Nature　herself。　She　plays　queer　tricks　in　the　Andes。　She　might　turn　the　mountain　upside　down；　in　which　case　we　would　find　ourselves　on　top。　Seriously；　the　formation　here　is　such　that　almost　anything　is　possible。　Upheavals　of　vast　masses　of　rock　are　of　ordinary　occurrence。　A　passage　might　be　opened　in　that　way　to　one　of　the　lower　peaks。
　〃We　are　surrounded　by　layers　of　limestone；　granite；　and　quartzite；　which　are　of　marked　difference　both　in　the　quality　of　hardness　and　in　their　ability　to　withstand　the　attacks　of　time。
　When　one　finds　itself　unable　to　support　the　other；　something　happens。〃
　〃But　it　might　not　happen　for　a　hundred　years。〃
　〃Or　never；〃　I　agreed。
　Again　silence。　Harry　stood　gazing　at　one　of　the　flaming　urns；　buried　in　thought…easy　to　guess　of　what　nature。　I　did　not　think　fit　to　disturb　him；　till　presently　he　spoke　again。
　〃What　do　you　suppose　that　ugly　devil　will　do　about…what　he　saw　in　here？〃
　I　smiled。　〃Nothing。〃
　〃But　if　he　should？　We　are　helpless。〃
　〃Trust　Desiree。　It's　true　that　she　can't　even　talk　to　him；　but　she'll　manage　him　somehow。　You　saw　what　happened　just　now。〃
　〃But　the　creature　is　no　better　than　a　dumb　brute。　He　is　capable　of　anything。　I　tell　you；　we　ought　to　get　her　away　from　here。〃
　〃To　starve？〃
　〃And　we're　none　too　safe　ourselves。　As　for　starving；　we　could　carry　enough　of　their　darned　fish　to　last　a　year。　And　one　thing　is　sure：　we　won't　get　back　to　New　York　lying　round　here　waiting　for　something　to　turn　up…even　a　mountain。〃
　〃What　do　you　want　to　do？〃
　〃Clear　out。　Get　Desiree　away　from　that　ugly　brute。　If　we　only　had　our　knives！〃
　〃Where　would　we　go？〃
　In　that　question　was　the　whole　matter。　To　escape　with　Desiree　was　possible…but　then　what？　We　knew　by　experience　what　it　meant　to　wander　hopelessly　about　in　the　darkness　of　those　desolate　caverns；　without　food；　and　depending　on　Providence　for　water。
　Neither　of　us　cared　to　repeat　that　trial；　especially　with　the　added　difficulty　of　a　woman　to　care　for。　But　what　to　do？
　We　decided　to　wait　for　the　future；　and　in　the　mean　time　lay　in　a　supply　of　provisions；　and；　if　possible；　devise　some　sort　of　weapons。
　It　is　worth　remarking　here　that　the　Incas；　so　far　as　we　had　seen；　used　no　weapons　whatever。　This　was　most　probably　the　result　of　their　total　isolation　and　consequent　freedom　from　foreign　hostility。
　In　the　matter　of　food　we　were　soon　to　receive　an　agreeable　surprise。　It　was　about　an　hour　after　Desiree　had　left　us　that　the　royal　steward…I　give　him　the　title　on　my　own　responsibility…arrived；　with　pots　and　pans　on　a　huge　tray。
　In　the　first　place；　the　pots　and　pans　were　of　solid　gold。
　Harry　stared　in　amazement　as　they　were　placed　in　brilliant　array　on　one　of　the　stone　tables；　and　when　we　essayed　to　lift　the　empt