rs.undertheandes-第26部分

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　Water　ran　from　my　nose　and　mouth　in　gurgling　streams。　The　roaring；　scarcely　abated；　pounded　in　my　ears。　I　was　telling　myself　over　and　over　with　a　most　intense　earnestness：　〃But　if　I　were　really　dead　I　shouldn't　be　able　to　move。〃　It　appears　that　the　first　sense　to　leave　a　drowning　man；　and　the　last　to　return；　is　the　sense　of　humor。
　In　another　ten　minutes；　having　rid　my　lungs　of　the　water　that　had　filled　them；　I　felt　no　pain　and　but　little　fatigue。　My　head　was　dizzy；　and　there　was　still　a　feeling　of　oppression　on　my　chest；　but　otherwise　I　was　little　the　worse　for　wear。　I　twisted　carefully　over　on　my　side　and　took　note　of　my　surroundings。
　I　lay　on　a　narrow　ledge　of　rock　at　the　entrance　to　a　huge　cavern。　Not　two　feet　below　rushed　the　stream　which　had　carried　me；　it　came　down　through　an　opening　in　the　wall　at　a　sharp　angle　with　tremendous　velocity；　and　must　have　hurled　me　like　a　cork　from　its　foaming　surface。　Below；　it　emptied　into　a　lake　which　nearly　filled　the　cavern；　some　hundreds　of　yards　in　diameter。　Rough　boulders　and　narrow　ledges　surrounded　it　on　every　side。
　This　I　saw　in　time；　but　the　first　thing　that　caught　my　eye　was　no　work　of　nature。　Fastened　to　the　wall　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　cavern；　casting　a　dim；　flickering　light　throughout　its　vast　space；　were　two　golden；　flaming　urns。
　It　was　not　fear；　but　a　sort　of　nausea；　that　assailed　me　as　I　realized　that　I　was　still　in　the　domain　of　the　Incas。
　The　ledge　on　which　I　lay　was　exposed　to　view　from　nearly　every　point　of　the　cavern；　and　the　sight　of　those　urns　caused　me　to　make　a　swift　decision　to　leave　it　without　delay。　It　was　wet　and　slippery　and　not　over　three　feet　in　width；　I　rose　to　my　feet　cautiously；　having　no　appetite　for　another　ducking。
　At　a　distance　of　several　feet　lay　another　ledge；　broad　and　level；　at　the　farther　end　of　which　rose　a　massive　boulder。　I　cleared　the　gap　with　a　leap；　barely　made　my　footing；　and　passed　behind　the　boulder　through　a　crevice　just　wide　enough　to　admit　my　body。
　Then　through　a　narrow　lane　onto　another　ledge；　and　from　that　I　found　my　way　into　a　dark　recess　which　gave　assurance　at　least　of　temporary　safety。　The　sides　of　the　cavern　were　a　veritable　maze　of　boulders；　sloping　ledges；　and　narrow　crevices。　Nature　here　scarcely　seemed　to　have　known　what　to　do　with　herself。
　I　seated　myself　on　a　bit　of　projecting　limestone；　still　wet　and　shivering。　I　had　no　boots　nor　trousers；　my　feet　were　bruised　and　swollen；　and　my　flannel　shirt　and　woolen　underwear　were　but　scanty　protection　against　the　chill　air；　damp　as　they　were。　Also；　I　seemed　to　feel　a　cold　draft　circling　about　me；　and　was　convinced　of　the　fact　by　the　flickering　flames　in　the　golden　urns。
　Desolate；　indeed；　for　I　gave　Harry　up　as　lost。　The　thought　generated　no　particular　feeling　in　me；　death；　by　force　of　contrast；　may　even　appear　agreeable；　and　I　told　myself　that　Harry　had　been　favored　of　the　gods。
　And　there　I　sat　in　the　half…darkness；　shrinking　from　a　danger　of　whose　existence　I　was　not　certain；　clinging　miserably　to　the　little　that　was　left　of　what　the　world　of　sunshine　had　known　as　Paul　Lamar；　gentleman；　scientist；　and　connoisseur　of　life；　sans　philosophy；　sans　hope；　and…sans…culotte。
　But　the　senses　remain；　and　suddenly　I　became　aware　of　a　movement　in　the　water　of　the　lake。　It　was　as　though　an　immense　trout　had　leaped　and　split　the　surface。　This　was　repeated　several　times；　and　was　followed　by　a　rhythmic　sound　like　the　regular　splash　of　many　oars。　Then　silence。
　I　peered　intently　forth　from　my　corner　in　the　recess；　but　could　see　nothing；　and　finally　gave　it　up。
　As　the　minutes　passed　by　my　disfort　increased　and　stiffness　began　to　take　my　joints。　I　realized　the　necessity　of　motion；　but　lacked　the　will；　and　sat　in　a　sort　of　dumb；　miserable　apathy。
　This；　I　should　say；　for　an　hour；　then　I　saw　something　that　roused　me。
　I　had　before　noticed　that　on　the　side　of　the　cavern　almost　directly　opposite　me；　under　the　flaming　urns；　there　was　a　ledge　some　ten　or　twelve　feet　broad　and　easily　a　hundred　in　length。　It　met　the　surface　of　the　lake　at　an　easy；　gradual　slope。　In　the　rear；　exactly　between　the　two　urns；　could　be　seen　the　dark　mouth　of　a　passage；　evidently　leading　directly　away　from　the　cavern。
　Out　of　this　passage　there　suddenly　appeared　the　forms　of　two　Incas。　In　the　hand　of　each　was　what　appeared　to　be　a　long　spear…I　had　evidently　been　mistaken　in　my　presumption　of　their　ignorance　of　weapons。
　They　walked　to　one　end　of　the　long　ledge　and　dragged　out　into　the　light　an　object　with　a　flat　surface　some　six　feet　square。　This　they　launched　on　the　surface　of　the　lake；　then　embarked　on　it；　placing　their　spears　by　their　sides　and　taking　up；　instead；　two　broad；　short　oars。　With　these　they　began　to　paddle　their　perilous　craft　toward　the　center　of　the　lake　with　short；　careful　strokes。
　About　a　hundred　feet　from　the　shore　they　ceased　paddling　and　exchanged　the　oars　for　their　spears；　and　stood　motionless　and　silent；　waiting；　apparently；　for　nothing。
　I；　also；　remained　motionless；　watching　them　in　dull　curiosity。
　There　was　little　danger　of　being　seen；　for；　aside　from　the　darkness　of　my　corner；　which　probably　would　have　been　no　hindrance　to　them；　a　projecting　ledge　partly　screened　my　body　from　view。
　The　wait　was　not　a　long　one；　and　when　it　ended　things　happened　with　so　startling　a　suddenness　that　I　scarcely　grasped　the　details。
　There　was　a　loud　splash　in　the　water　like　that　I　had　heard　before；　a　swift　ripple　on　the　surface　of　the　lake；　and　simultaneously　the　two　Indians　lunged　with　their　spears；　which　flew　to　their　mark　with　deadly　accuracy。　I　had　not　before　noticed　the　thongs；　one　end　of　which　was　fastened　to　the　shaft　of　the　spear　and　the　other　about　the　waist　of　the　savage。
　There　followed　a　battle　royal。　Whatever　the　thing　was　that　had　felt　the　spears；　it　certainly　lost　no　time　in　showing　its　resentment。　It　thrashed　the　water　into　furious　waves　until　I　momentarily　expected　the　raft　to　be　swamped。
　One　Inca　stood　on　the　farther　edge　of　the　craft　desperately　plying　an　oar；　the　other　tugged　lustily　at　the　spear…thongs。　I　could　see　a　black；　twisting　form　leap　from　the　water　directly　toward　the　raft；　and　the　oarsman　barely　drew　from　under　before　it　fell。　It　struck　the　corner　of　the　raft；　which　tipped　perilously。
　That　appeared　to　have　been　a　final　effort；　for　there　the　battle　ended。　The　oarsman　made　quickly　for　the　shore；　paddling　with　remarkable　dexterity　and　swiftness；　while　the　other　stood　braced；　holding　firmly　to　the　spear…thongs。　Another　minute　and　they　had　leaped　upon　the　ledge；　drawing　the　raft　after　them；　and；　by　tugging　together　on　the　lines；　had　landed　their　victim　of　the　deep。
　It　appeared　to　be　a　large　black　fish　of　a　shape　I　had　never　before　seen。　But　it　claimed　little　of　my　attention；　my　eye　was　on　the　two　spears　which　had　been　drawn　from　the　still　quivering　body　and　which　now　lay　on　the　ground　well　away　from　the　water's　edge；　while　the　two　Incas　were　dragging　their　catch　toward　the　mouth　of　the　passage　leading　from　the　cavern。
　I　wanted　those　spears。　I　did　not　stop　to　ask　myself　what　I　intended　to　do　with　them；　if　I　had　I　would　probably　have　been　hard　put　to　it　for　an　answer。　But　I　wanted　them；　and　I　sat　in　my　dark　corner　gazing　at　them　with　greedy　eyes。
　The　Incas　had　disappeared　in　the　passage。
　Finally　I　rose　and　began　to　search　for　an　exit　from　the　recess　in　which　I　had　hidden　myself。　At　first　there　appeared　to　be　none；　but　at　length　I　found　a　small　crevice　between　two　boulders　in　the　rear。　Into　this　I　squeezed　my　body　with　some　difficulty。
　The　rock　pressed　tightly　against　me　on　both　sides；　and　the　sharp　corners　bruised　my　body；　but　I　wormed　my　way　through　for　a　distance　of　fifteen　or　twenty　feet。　Then　the　crevice　opened　abruptly；　and　I　found　myself　on　a　broad　ledge　ending　apparently　in　space。　I　advanced　cautiously　to　its　edge；　but　intervening　boulders　shut　off　the　light；　and　I　could　see　no　ground　below。
　Throwing　prudence　to　the　winds；　I　let　myself　over　the　outermost　corner；　hung　for　a　moment　by　my　hands；　and　dropped。　My　feet　touched　ground　almost　instantly…the　supposedly　perilous　fall　amounted　to　something　like　twelve　inches。
　I　turned　round；　feeling　a　little　foolish；　and　saw　that　from　where　I　stood　the　ledge　and　part　of　the　lake　were　in　full　view。　I　could　see　the　spears　still　lying　where　they　had　been　thrown　down。
　But　as　I　looked　the　two　Incas　emerged　from　the　passage。　They　picked　up　the　spears；　walked　to　the　raft；　and　again　launched　it　and　paddled　toward　the　center　of　the　lake。
　I　thought；　〃Here　is　my　chance；　I　must　make　that　ledge　before　they　return；〃　and　I　started　forward　so　precipitately　that　I　ran　head　on　into　a　massive　boulder　and　got　badly　stunned　for　my　pains。
　Half　dazed；　I　went　on；　groping　my　way　through　the　semidarkness。
　The　trail　was　one　to　try　a　llama。　I　climbed　boulders　and　leaped　across　chasms　and　clung　to　narrow；　slippery　edges　with　my　finger…nails。　Several　times　I　narrowly　escaped　dumping　myself　into　the　lake；　and　half　the　time　I　was　in　plain　view　of　the　Incas　on　the　raft。
　My　hands　and　feet　were　bruised　and　bleeding；　and　I　had　bumped　into　walls　and　boulders　so　often　that　I　was　surprised　when　I　took　a　step　without　getting　a　blow。　I　wanted　those　spears。
　I　found　myself　finally　within　a　few　yards　of　my　destination。
　A　narrow　crevice　led　from　where　I　stood　directly　to　the　ledge　from　which　the　Incas　had　embarked。　It　was　now　necessary　to　wait　till　they　returned　to　the　shore；　and　I　drew　back　into　the　darkness　of　a　near…by　corner　and　stood　motionless。
　They　were　still　on　the　raft　in　the　middle　of　the　lake；　waiting；　spear　in　hand。　I　watched　them　in　furious　impatience；　on　the　border　of　mania。
　Suddenly　I　saw　a　dark；　crouching　form　outlined　against　a　boulder　not　ten　feet　away　from　where　I　stood。　The　form　was　human；　but　in　some　way　unlike　the　Incas　I　had　seen。　I　could　not　see　its　face；　but　the　alertness　suggested　by　its　attitude　made　me　certain　that　I　had　been　discovered。
　Vaguely　I　felt　myself　surrounded　on　every　side；　I　seemed　to　feel　eyes　gazing　unseen　from　every　direction；　but　I　could　not　force　myself　to　search　the　darkness；　my　heart　rose　to　my　throat　and　choked　me；　and　I　stood　absolutely　powerless　to　make　a　sound　or　movement；　gazing　in　a　sort　of　dumb　fascination　at　that　silent；　crouching　figure。