rs.undertheandes-第31部分

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inutes　he　was　sleeping　like　a　log；　pletely　exhausted。
　Several　hundred　of　the　Incas　remained　huddled　together　on　the　ledge　without；　but　they　made　no　effort　to　attack　us。　I　had　been　watching　perhaps　three　hours　when　they　began　to　melt　away　into　the　passage。　Soon　but　a　scant　dozen　or　so　remained。　These　squatted　along　the　wall　just　under　the　lighted　urns；　evidently　in　the　capacity　of　sentinels。
　Soon　I　became　drowsy…intolerably　so；　I　was　scarcely　able　to　stand。　I　dozed　off　once　or　twice　on　my　feet；　and；　realizing　the　danger；　I　called　Harry　to　take　my　place。
　Desiree　also　had　been　asleep；　lying　on　the　raft　which　Harry　and　I　had　concealed　along　with　our　fish。　At　sound　of　my　voice　she　awoke　and　sat　up；　rubbing　her　eyes；　then；　as　I　assured　her　that　all　was　quiet；　she　fell　back　again　on　her　rude　bed。
　I　have　never　understood　the　delay　of　the　Incas　at　this　juncture；　possibly　they　took　time　to　consult　the　great　Pachacamac　and　found　his　advice　difficult　to　understand。　At　the　time　I　thought　they　had　given　up　the　attack　and　intended　to　starve　us　out；　but　they　were　incapable　of　a　decision　so　sensible。
　Many　hours　had　passed；　and　we　had　alternated　on　four　watches。
　We　had　plenty　of　rest　and　were　really　quite　fit。　The　gash　on　my　leg　had　proven　a　mere　trifle；　I　was　a　little　stiff；　but　there　was　no　pain。
　Desiree's　foot　was　almost　entirely　well；　she　was　able　to　walk　with　ease；　and　had　insisted　on　taking　a　turn　at　watch；　making　such　a　point　of　it　that　we　had　humored　her。
　Something　had　to　happen；　and　I　suppose　it　was　as　well　that　the　Incas　should　start　it。　For　we　had　met　with　a　misfortune　that　made　us　see　the　beginning　of　the　end。　Our　fish　was　no　longer　fit　to　eat；　and　we　had　been　forced　to　throw　the　remainder　of　it　in　the　lake。
　Then　we　held　a　council　of　war。　The　words　we　uttered；　standing　together　at　the　mouth　of　the　crevice；　e　to　me　now　as　in　a　dream；　if　my　memory　of　them　were　not　so　vivid　I　should　doubt　their　reality。　We　discussed　death　with　a　calmness　that　spoke　eloquently　of　our　experience。
　Desiree's　position　may　be　given　in　a　word…she　was　ready　for　the　end；　and　invited　it。
　I　was　but　little　behind　her；　but　advised　waiting　for　one　more　watch…a　sop　to　Harry。　And　there　was　one　other　circumstance　that　moved　me　to　delay…the　hope　for　a　sight　of　the　Inca　king　and　a　chance　at　him。
　Desiree　had　refused　to　tell　us　her　experiences　between　the　time　of　our　dive　from　the　column　and　our　rescue　of　her；　but　she　had　said　enough　to　cause　me　to　guess　at　its　nature。　There　was　a　suppressed　but　ever　present　horror　in　her　eyes　that　made　me　long　to　stand　once　more　before　the　Child　of　the　Sun；　then　to　go；　but　not　alone。
　Harry　advised　retreat。　I　have　mentioned　that　when　he　and　I　had　started　on　our　search　for　Desiree　we　had　found　two　exits　from　the　cavern…the　one　which　we　had　taken　and　another　which　led　through　the　maze　of　boulders　and　chasms　back　of　us　to　a　passage　full　of　twists　and　turns　and　choked　with　massive　rocks；　almost　impassable。
　Through　this　he　advised　making　our　way　to　whatever　might　await　us　beyond。
　The　question　was　still　undecided　when　our　argument　was　brought　to　a　halt　and　the　decision　was　taken　away　from　us。　Through　the　crevice　I　saw　a　band　of　Incas　emerge　from　the　passage　opposite　and　advance　to　the　water's　edge。　At　their　head　was　the　Inca　king。
　Soon　the　landing　was　pletely　covered　with　them…probably　three　hundred　or　more…and　others　could　be　seen　in　the　mouth　of　the　passage。　Each　one　carried　a　spear；　their　heads　of　copper；　upraised　in　a　veritable　forest；　shone　dully　in　the　light　of　the　urns　on　the　wall　above。
　Harry　and　Desiree　stood　close　behind　me；　looking　through　at　the　fantastic　sight。　I　turned　to　him：
　〃This　time　they　mean　business。〃
　He　nodded。
　〃But　what　can　they　do？　Except　get　knocked　on　the　head；　and　I'm　sick　of　it。　If　we　had　only　left　an　hour　ago！〃
　〃For　my　part；〃　I　retorted；　〃I'm　glad　we　didn't。　Desiree；　I'm　going　to　put　you　in　my　debt；　if　fortune　will　only　show　me　one　last　kindness　and　let　me　get　within　reach　of　him。〃
　I　pointed　to　where　the　Inca　king　stood　in　the　forefront；　at　the　very　edge　of　the　lake。
　She　shuddered　and　grew　pale。
　〃He　is　a　monster；〃　she　said　in　a　voice　so　low　that　I　scarcely　heard；　〃and…I　thank　you；　Paul。〃
　Harry　seemed　not　to　have　heard。
　〃But　what　can　they　do？〃　he　repeated。
　They　did　not　leave　us　long　in　doubt。　As　he　spoke　there　was　a　sudden　sharp　movement　in　the　ranks　of　the　Incas。　Those　in　front　leaped　in　the　water；　and　others　after　them；　until；　almost　before　we　had　time　to　realize　their　purpose；　hundreds　of　the　hairy　brutes　were　swimming　with　long；　powerful　strokes　directly　toward　the　ledge　on　which　we　stood。　Between　his　teeth　each　man　carried　his　spear。
　I　left　Harry　to　guard　the　crevice；　and　ran　to　repel　the　attack　at　the　water。　Desiree　stood　just　behind　me。　I　called　to　her　to　go　back；　but　she　did　not　move。　I　grasped　her　by　the　arm　and　led　her　forcibly　to　a　break　in　the　rock　at　our　rear；　and　pointed　out　a　narrow　ascending　lane　in　the　direction　of　the　other　exit。
　When　I　returned　to　the　ledge　of　the　water　the　foremost　of　the　Incas　were　but　a　few　feet　away。　But　I　looked　in　vain　for　the　one　face　I　wanted　to　see　and　could　recognize；　the　king　was　not　among　them。　A　hasty　glance　across　the　landing　opposite　discovered　him　standing　motionless　with　folded　arms。
　The　entire　surface　of　the　lake　before　me　was　one　mass　of　heads　and　arms　and　spears　as　far　as　I　could　see。　There　were　hundreds　of　them。　I　saw　at　once　that　the　thing　was　hopeless；　but　I　grasped　my　spear　firmly　and　stood　ready。
　The　first　two　or　three　reached　the　ledge。　At　the　same　instant　I　heard　Harry　call：
　〃They're　ing　through；　Paul！　It's　you　alone！〃
　I　did　not　turn　my　head；　for　I　was　busy。　My　spear　was　whirling　about　my　head　like　a　circle　of　flame。　Black；　dusky　forms　swam　to　the　ledge　and　grasped　its　slippery　surface；　but　they　got　no　farther。　The　shaft　of　the　spear　bent　in　my　hand；　I　picked　up　another；　barely　losing　a　second。
　A　wild　and　savage　delight　surged　through　me　at　the　sight　of　those　struggling；　writhing；　slipping　forms。　I　swung　the　spear　in　vicious　fury。　Not　one　had　found　footing　on　the　ledge。
　Something　suddenly　struck　me　in　the　left　arm　and　stuck　there；　I　shook　it　loose　impatiently　and　it　felt　as　though　my　arm　went　with　it。
　I　did　not　care　to　glance　up　even　for　an　instant；　they　were　pressing　me　closer　and　closer；　but　I　knew　that　they　had　begun　to　hurl　their　spears　at　me　from　the　water；　and　that　the　game　was　up。
　Another　struck　me　on　the　leg；　soon　they　were　falling　thick　about　me。
　Calling　to　Harry　to　follow；　I　turned　and　ran　for　the　opening　in　the　rock　to　which　I　had　led　Desiree。　In　an　instant　he　had　joined　me。
　By　that　time　scores　of　the　Incas　had　scrambled　out　of　the　water　onto　the　ledge　and　started　toward　us；　and　as　many　more　came　rushing　through　the　crevice；　finding　their　way　no　longer　contested。
　Harry　carried　three　spears。　I　had　four。　We　sprang　up　a　lane　encircling　the　rock　to　the　rear　and　at　its　top　found　Desiree。
　A　projecting　bit　of　rock　gave　us　some　protection　from　the　spears　that　were　being　hurled　at　us　from　below；　but　they　came　unfortably　close；　and　black　forms　began　to　appear　in　the　lane　through　which　we　had　e。
　Harry　shouted　something　which　I　didn't　hear；　and；　taking　Desiree　in　his　arms；　sprang　from　the　rock　to　another　ledge　some　ten　feet　below。
　I　followed。　At　the　bottom　he　stumbled　and　fell；　but　I　helped　him　to　his　feet　and　then　turned　barely　in　time　to　beat　back　three　or　four　of　the　Incas　who　had　tumbled　down　almost　on　our　very　heads。
　Immediately　in　front　of　us　was　a　chasm　several　feet　across。
　Harry　cried　to　Desiree；　〃Can　you　make　it？〃　and　she　shook　her　head；　pointing　to　her　injured　foot。
　〃To　me！〃　I　shouted　desperately；　they　were　ing　down　from　above　despite　my　efforts　to　hold　them　back。
　Then；　in　answer　to　a　call　from　Harry；　I　turned　and　leaped　across　the　chasm；　throwing　the　spears　ahead　of　me。　Harry　took　Desiree　in　his　arms　and　swung　her　far　out；　I　braced　myself　for　the　shock　and　caught　her　on　my　feet。
　I　set　her　down　unhurt；　and　a　minute　later　Harry　had　joined　us　and　we　were　scrambling　up　the　face　of　a　boulder　nearly　perpendicular；　while　the　spears　fell　thick　around　us。
　Desiree　lost　her　footing　and　fell　against　Harry；　who　rolled　to　the　bottom；　pawing　for　a　hold。　I　turned；　but　he　shouted：　〃Go　on；　I'll　make　it！〃　Soon　he　was　again　at　my　side；　and　in　another　minute　we　had　gained　the　top　of　the　boulder；　quite　flat　and　some　twenty　feet　square。　We　manded　Desiree　to　lie　flat　on　the　ground　to　avoid　the　spears　from　below；　and　paused　for　a　breath　and　a　survey　of　the　situation。
　It　can　be　described　only　with　the　word　chaotic。
　The　light　of　the　urns　were　now　hidden　from　us；　and　we　were　in　parative　darkness；　though　we　could　see　with　a　fair　amount　of　clearness。　Nothing　could　be　made　of　the　mass　of　boulders；　but　we　knew　that　somewhere　beyond　them　was　the　passage　from　the　cavern　which　we　sought。
　The　Incas　came　leaping　across　the　chasm　to　the　foot　of　the　rock。　Several　of　them　scrambled　up　the　steep　surface；　but　with　our　spears　we　pushed　them　back　and　they　tumbled　onto　the　heads　of　their　fellows　below。
　But　we　were　too　exposed　for　a　stand　there；　and　I　shouted　to　Harry　to　take　Desiree　down　the　other　side　of　the　rock　while　I　stayed　behind　to　hold　them　off。　He　left　me；　and　in　a　moment　later　I　heard　his　voice　crying　to　me　to　follow。　I　did　so；　sliding　down　the　face　of　the　rock　feet　first。
　Then　began　a　wild　and　desperate　scramble　for　safety；　with　the　Incas　ever　at　our　heels。　Without　Desiree　we　would　have　made　our　goal　with　little　difficulty；　but　half　of　the　time　we　had　to　carry　her。
　Several　times　Harry　hurled　her　bodily　across　a　chasm　or　a　crevice；　while　I　received　her　on　the　other　side。
　Often　I　covered　the　retreat；　holding　the　Incas　at　bay　while　Harry　assisted　Desiree　up　the　steep　face　of　a　boulder　or　across　a　narrow　ledge。　There　was　less　danger　now　from　their　spears；　protected　as　we　were　by　the　maze　of　rocks；　but　I　was　already　bleeding　in　a　dozen　places　on　my　legs　and　arms　and　body；　and　Harry　was　in　no　better　case。
　Suddenly　I　saw　ahead　of　us　an　opening　which　I　thought　I　recognized。　I　pointed　it　out　to　Harry。
　〃The　exit！〃　he　cried　out；　and　made　for　it　with　Desiree。　But　they　were　brought　to　a　halt　by　a　cliff　at　their　very　feet；　no　less　than　tw