rs.undertheandes-第21部分

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　bundle　of　quipos；　as　you　call　them。〃
　〃Did　you　see　the　quipos？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Did　any　of　them　contain　a　red　cord；　suspended　alone；　with　a　single　knot　at　either　end？〃
　〃Yes；　all　of　them；〃　said　Desiree　without　an　instant's　hesitation。
　〃That　means　Harry　and　me；〃　I　observed。　〃But　the　message！　Can　you　remember　any　of　them？〃
　She　tried；　but　without　success。　Which　will　not　surprise　any　one　who　has　ever　seen　the　collection　at　the　museum　at　Lima。
　Then　Harry　broke　in：
　〃Something　else　has　happened；　Desiree。　No　bunch　of　cords　tied　in　silly　knots　ever　made　you　look　as　you　did　just　now。　What　was　it？〃
　〃Nothing…nothing；　Harry。〃
　〃I　say　yes！　And　I　want　to　know！　And　if　it's　what　I　think　it　is　we're　going　to　clear　out　of　here　now！〃
　〃As　though　we　could！〃
　〃We　can！　We　have　enough　provisions　to　last　for　weeks。　And　see　here；〃　he　ran　to　the　corner　where　he　had　hidden　the　golden　clubs　and　returned　with　them　in　his　hands；　〃with　these　we　could　make　our　way　through　them　all。　Tell　me！〃
　There　was　a　strange　smile　on　Desiree's　lips。
　〃And　so　you　would　fight　for　me；　Harry？〃　she　said　half…wistfully；　half…I　know　not　what。　Then　she　continued　in　a　tone　low　but　quite　distinct：　〃Well；　it　is　too　late。　I　am　the　king's。〃
　She　lied…I　saw　it　in　her　eyes。　Perhaps　she　meant　to　save　Harry　from　his　folly；　to　quiet　him　by　the　knowledge　that　he　need　not　fight　for　what　was　no　longer　his　own；　but　she　was　mistaken　in　her　man。
　Harry　did　not　stop　to　read　her　eyes…he　heard　her　words。　He　took　two　slow　steps　backward；　then　stood　quite　still；　while　his　face　grew　deadly　white　and　his　eyes　were　fastened　on　hers　with　a　look　that　made　me　turn　my　own　away。　His　soul　looked　out　from　them…how　he　loved　the　woman…and　I　could　not　bear　it！
　Nor；　after　a　moment；　could　Desiree。　She　took　a　step　forward；　extending　her　arms　to　him　and　cried　out：
　〃Harry！　No！　It　was　a　lie；　Harry！　Don't…don't！〃
　And　they　gazed　at　each　other；　and　I　at　Desiree；　and　thus　we　were　unaware　that　a　fourth　person　had　entered　the　room；　until　he　had　crossed　its　full　length　and　stood　before　me。　It　was　the　Inca　king。
　I　took　no　time　for　thought；　but　jumped　straight　for　Harry　and　threw　my　arms　round　him；　dragging　him　back　half…way　across　the　room。　Taken　pletely　by　surprise；　he　did　not　struggle。　I　noticed　that　he　still　held　in　his　hands　the　bars　of　gold　he　had　shown　to　Desiree。
　The　king　regarded　us　for　a　second　with　a　scowl；　then　turned　to　her。
　She　stood　erect；　with　flashing　eyes。　The　king　approached；　she　held　out　her　hand　to　him　with　an　indescribable　gesture　of　dignity。
　For　a　moment　he　looked　at　her；　then　his　lips　curled　in　an　ugly　snarl；　and；　dashing　her　hand　aside；　he　leaped　forward　in　swift　fury　and　grasped　her　white　throat　with　his　fingers。
　There　was　a　strangled　scream　from　Desiree；　a　frantic　cry　from　Harry…and　the　next　instant　he　had　torn　himself　free　from　my　arms；　dropping　the　bars　of　gold　at　my　feet。
　A　single　bound　and　he　was　across　the　room；　a　single　blow　with　his　fist　and　the　king　of　the　Incas　dropped　senseless　to　the　floor。
　
　Chapter　XII。
　AT　THE　DOOR。
　
　Desiree　shrank　back　against　the　wall；　covering　her　face　with　her　hands。　Harry　stood　above　the　prostrate　figure　of　the　king；　panting　and　furious。
　As　for　me；　I　gave　no　thought　to　what　had　been　done…the　imminent　peril　of　the　situation　possessed　my　mind　and　stung　my　brain　to　action。
　I　ran　to　the　figure　on　the　floor　and　bent　over　him。　There　was　no　movement…his　eyes　were　closed。　Calling　to　Harry　to　watch　the　corridor　without；　I　quickly　tore　my　woolen　jacket　into　strips…my　fingers　seemed　to　be　made　of　steel…and　bound　the　wrists　and　ankles　of　the　Inca　firmly；　trussing　him　up　behind。
　Then　with　another　strip　I　gagged　him；　thinking　it　best　to　err　on　the　side　of　prudence。　In　another　moment　I　had　dragged　him　to　the　corner　of　the　room　behind　the　granite　couch　and　covered　him　with　its　hide…cover。
　Then　I　turned　to　Harry：
　〃Is　the　coast　clear？〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　answered　from　the　doorway。
　〃Then　here…quick；　man！　Get　the　clubs　and　the　grub。
　Desiree…e！　There's　not　a　second　to　lose。〃
　〃But；　Paul…〃　she　began；　then；　seeing　the　utter　folly　of　any　other　course　than　instant　flight；　she　sprang　to　Harry's　side　to　assist　him　with　the　bundles　of　provisions。
　There　was　more　than　we　could　carry。　Harry　and　I　each　took　a　bundle　under　our　left　arm；　carrying　the　clubs　in　the　other　hand。
　Desiree　attempted　to　take　two　bundles；　but　they　were　too　heavy　for　her；　and　she　was　forced　to　drop　one。
　With　a　last　hasty　glance　at　the　motionless　heap　in　the　corner　we　started；　Harry　leading　and　myself　in　the　rear；　with　Desiree　between　us。
　But　it　was　not　to　be　so　easy。　We　were　nearly　to　the　door　when　there　came　a　grating；　rumbling　sound　from　above；　and　a　huge　block　of　granite　dropped　squarely　across　the　doorway　with　a　crash　that　made　the　ground　tremble　beneath　our　feet。
　Stupefied；　we　realized　in　a　flash　that　the　cunning　of　the　Incas　had　proved　too　much　for　us。　Harry　and　I　ran　forward；　but　only　to　invite　despair；　the　doorway　was　pletely　covered　by　the　massive　rock；　an　impenetrable　curtain　of　stone　weighing　many　tons；　and　on　neither　side　was　there　an　opening　more　than　an　inch　wide。
　We　were　imprisoned　beyond　all　hope　of　escape。
　We　stood　stunned；　Desiree　even　made　no　sound；　but　gazed　at　the　blocked　doorway　in　a　sort　of　stupid　wonder。　It　was　one　of　those　sudden　and　overwhelming　catastrophes　that　deprive　us　for　a　moment　of　all　power　to　reason　or　even　to　realize。
　Then　Harry　said　quietly：
　〃Well；　the　game's　up。〃
　And　Desiree　turned　to　me　with　the　calm　observation：
　〃They　must　have　been　watching　us。　We　were　fools　not　to　have　known　it。〃
　〃Impossible！〃　Harry　asserted；　but　I　agreed　with　Desiree；　and　though　I　could　see　no　opening　or　crevice　of　any　sort　in　the　walls　or　ceiling；　I　was　convinced　that　even　then　the　eyes　of　the　Incas　were　upon　us。
　Our　situation　was　indeed　desperate。　With　our　every　movement　spied　upon；　surrounded　by　four　solid　walls　of　stone；　and　beyond　them　ten　thousand　savage　brutes　waiting　to　tear　us　to　pieces…what　wildest　fancy　could　indulge　in　hope？
　Then；　glancing　up；　my　eye　was　arrested　by　the　heap　under　the　cover　in　the　corner。　There；　in　the　person　of　the　Inca　king；　lay　our　only　advantage。　But　how　could　we　use　it？
　Desiree's　voice　came　in　the　calm　tones　of　despair：
　〃We　are　lost。〃
　Harry　crossed　to　her　and　took　her　in　his　arms。
　〃I　thank　Heaven；〃　he　said；　〃that　you　are　with　us。〃　Then　he　turned　to　me：　〃I　believe　it　is　for　the　best；　Paul。　There　never　was　a　chance　for　us；　we　may　as　well　say　it　now。　And　it　is　better　to　die　here；　together；　than…the　other　way。〃
　I　smiled　at　his　philosophy；　knowing　its　source。　It　came　not　from　his　own　head；　but　from　Desiree's　arms。　But　it　was　truth。
　We　sat　silent。　The　thing　was　beyond　discussion；　too　elemental　to　need　speech　for　its　explanation　or　understanding。　I　believe　it　was　not　despair　that　kept　back　our　words；　but　merely　the　dumb　realization　that　where　all　hope　is　gone　words　are　useless…worse；　a　mockery。
　Finally　I　crossed　the　room　and　removed　the　cover　from　the　body　of　the　Child　of　the　Sun。　He　had　recovered　consciousness；　his　little　wicked　eyes　gleamed　up　at　me　with　an　expression　that　would　have　been　terrifying　in　the　intensity　of　its　malignant　hatred　if　he　had　not　been　utterly　helpless。　I　turned　to　Harry：
　〃What　are　we　going　to　do　with　him？〃
　〃By　Jove；　I　had　forgotten！〃　exclaimed　the　lad。　〃Paul；　perhaps　if　we　could　municate　with　them…〃　He　stopped；　glancing　at　the　closed　doorway；　then　added：　〃But　it's　impossible。〃
　〃I　believe　it　is　possible；〃　I　contradicted。　〃If　the　Incas　were　able　to　lower　that　stone　at　any　moment　you　may　be　sure　they　are　prepared　to　raise　it。　How；　Heaven　only　knows；　but　the　fact　is　certain。　Do　you　think　they　would　have　condemned　their　precious　king　to　starvation？〃
　〃Then　the　king　can　save　us！〃
　〃And　how？〃
　〃Our　lives　for　his。　We'll　give　him　nothing　to　eat；　and　if；　as　you　say；　they　have　some　way　of　watching　us；　they'll　be　forced　to　negotiate。　You　can　talk　with　the　quipos；　and　tell　them　that　unless　they　give　us　our　freedom　and　let　us　go　in　safety　they'll　have　a　dead　king。　From　the　way　they　seem　to　worship　him　they'd　e　through　in　a　minute。〃
　〃Oh；　they'd　promise；　all　right；〃　I　agreed；　〃but　how　could　we　hold　them　to　it？〃
　〃Well；　a　promise　is　a　promise。　And　it's　our　only　chance。〃
　〃No；　Harry；　to　trust　them　would　be　folly。　The　minute　we　stepped　through　that　doorway　they　would　be　on　us…the　whole　beggarly；　smelly　lot　of　them。〃
　〃Then　there　is　no　chance…none　whatever？〃　put　in　Desiree。
　〃None。　We　may　as　well　admit　the　worst。　And　the　worst　is　best　for　us　now。　Really；　we　are　in　luck；　we　die　in　our　own　way　and　at　our　own　time。　But　there　is　one　difficulty。〃
　Then；　in　answer　to　their　glances　of　inquiry；　I　added　significantly：　〃We　have　no　weapons。　We　cannot　allow　ourselves　to　starve…the　end　must　e　before　that；　for　as　soon　as　they　saw　us　weakening　we　would　be　at　their　mercy。〃
　There　was　prehension　and　horror　in　Desiree's　eyes；　but　she　looked　at　me　with　a　brave　attempt　to　smile　as　she　took　from　her　hair　something　which　gleamed　and　shone　in　the　light　from　the　flaming　urns。　It　was　a　tiny　steel　blade　with　a　handle　of　pearl　studded　with　diamonds。
　I　had　seen　it　before　many　times…a　present；　Desiree　had　told　me；　from　the　young　man　I　had　seen　in　the　royal　coach　on　that　day　in　Madrid　when　I　had　first　heard　the　name　of　Le　Mire。
　〃Will　that　do？〃　she　asked　calmly；　holding　it　out　to　me　with　a　firm　hand。
　Brave　Le　Mire！　I　took　the　dagger　and　placed　it　in　my　pocket；　and；　looking　at　Harry；　exchanged　with　him　a　nod　of　understanding。
　No　words　were　necessary。
　〃But　I　must　confess　I　am　a　coward；〃　said　Desiree。　〃When　the　time　es　I…I　could　not　bear　to　see…to　wait…〃
　I　looked　at　her　and　said　simply：　〃You　shall　be　first；〃　and　she　gave　me　a　smile　of　thanks　that　spoke　of　a　heart　that　would　not　fail　when　the　final　moment　arrived。　And　in　my　admiration　of　her　high　courage　I　forgot　the　horror　of　the　task　that　must　be　mine。
　It　was　a　relief　to　have　admitted　the　worst　and　discussed　it　calmly；　there　is　no　torment　like　suspense；　and　ours　was　at　an　end。
　A　load　was　lifted　from　our　hearts；　and　a　quiet　sympathy　created　between　us；　sincere　as　death　itself。　And　it　was　in　our　power　to　choose　for　ourselves　the　final　moment…we　were　yet　masters　of　our　fates。
　All