rs.undertheandes-第34部分

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arger　than　that　of　any　animal　I　had　ever　seen；　and　blacker　even　than　the　darkness。
　Suddenly　the　huge　mass　began　to　move　slowly　backward。　The　sharpness　of　the　odor　had　ceased　with　the　opening　of　the　eyes；　which　did　not　reappear。　I　could　dimly　see　its　huge　legs　slowly　rise　and　recede　and　again　meet　the　ground。　Soon　the　thing　was　barely　discernible。
　I　took　a　step　forward　as　though　to　follow；　but　the　strength　of　the　current　warned　me　of　the　danger　of　proceeding　farther；　and；　besides；　I　feared　every　moment　to　see　the　lids　again　raised　from　the　terrible　eyes。　The　thought　attacked　my　brain　with　horror；　and　I　turned　and　fled　in　a　sudden　panic　to　the　rear；　calling　to　Harry　and　Desiree。
　They　met　me　at　the　edge　of　the　stream；　and　their　eyes　told　me　that　they　read　in　my　face　what　had　happened；　though　they　had　seen　nothing。
　〃You…you　saw　it…〃　Harry　stammered。
　I　nodded；　scarcely　able　to　speak。
　〃Then…perhaps　now…〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　interposed。　〃Let's　get　out　of　here。　It's　horrible。
　And　yet　how　can　we　go？　I　can　hardly　stand。〃
　But　Harry　was　now　the　one　who　argued　for　delay；　saying　that　our　retreat　was　the　safest　place　we　could　find；　and　that　we　should　wait　at　least　until　I　had　had　time　to　recover　from　the　strain　of　the　last　half…hour。　Realizing　that　in　my　weakened　condition　I　would　be　a　hindrance　to　them　rather　than　a　help；　I　consented。
　Besides；　if　the　thing　reappeared　I　could　avoid　it　as　Harry　and　Desiree　had　done。
　〃What　is　it？〃　Harry　asked　presently。
　We　were　sitting　side　by　side；　well　up　against　the　wall。　It　was　an　abrupt　question；　with　no　apparent　pertinence；　but　I　understood。
　〃Heaven　knows！〃　I　answered　shortly。　I　was　none　too　pleased　with　myself。
　〃But　it　must　be　something。　Is　it　an　animal？〃
　〃Do　you　remember；〃　I　asked　by　way　of　answer；　〃a　treatise　of　Aristotle　concerning　which　we　had　a　discussion　one　day？　Its　subject　was　the　hypnotic　power　possessed　by　the　eyes　of　certain　reptiles。　I　laughed　the　idea　to　scorn；　you　maintained　that　it　was　possible。　Well；　I　agree　with　you；　and　I'd　like　to　have　about　a　dozen　of　our　modern　skeptical　scientists　in　this　cave　with　me　for　about　five　minutes。〃
　〃But　what　is　it？　A　reptile！〃　Harry　exclaimed。　〃The　thing　is　as　big　as　a　house！〃
　〃Well；　and　why　not？　I　should　guess　that　it　is　about　thirty　feet　in　height　and　forty　or　fifty　in　length。　There　have　been　species；　now　extinct；　several　times　as　large。〃
　〃Then　you　think　it　is　just…just　an　animal？〃　put　in　Desiree。
　〃What　did　you　think　it　was？〃　I　nearly　smiled。　〃An　infernal　machine？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Only　I　have　never　before　known　what　it　was　to　fear。〃
　A　discussion　which　led　us　nowhere；　but　at　least　gave　us　the　sound　of　one　another's　voices。
　We　passed　many　hours　in　that　manner。　Utterly　blank　and　wearisome；　and　all　but　hopeless。　I　have　often　wondered　at　the　strange　tenacity　with　which　we　clung　to　life　in　conditions　that　made　of　it　a　burden　almost　insupportable；　and　with　what　chance　of　relief？
　The　instinct　of　self…preservation；　it　is　called　by　the　learned；　but　it　needs　a　stronger　name。　It　is　more　than　an　instinct。　It　is　the　very　essence　of　life　itself。
　But　soon　we　were　impelled　to　action　by　something　besides　the　desire　to　escape　from　the　cavern：　the　pangs　of　hunger。　It　had　been　many　hours　since　we　had　eaten；　I　think　we　had　fasted　not　less　than　three　or　four　days。
　Desiree　began　to　plain　of　a　dizziness　in　her　temples；　and　to　weaken　with　every　hour　that　passed。　My　own　strength　did　not　increase；　and　I　saw　that　it　would　not　unless　I　could　obtain　nourishment。　Harry　did　not　plain；　but　only　because　he　would　not。
　〃It　is　useless　to　wait　longer；〃　I　declared　finally。　〃I　grow　weaker　instead　of　stronger。〃
　We　had　little　enough　with　which　to　burden　ourselves。　There　were　three　spears；　two　of　which　Harry　had　brought；　and　myself　the　other。　Harry　and　I　wore　only　our　woolen　undergarments；　so　ragged　and　torn　that　they　were　but　sorry　covering。
　Desiree's　single　garment；　made　from　some　soft　hide；　was　held　about　her　waist　by　a　girdle　of　the　same　material。　The　upper　half　of　her　body　was　bare。　Her　hair　hung　in　a　tangled　mass　over　her　shoulders　and　down　her　back。　None　of　us　had　any　covering　for　our　feet。
　We　crossed　the　stream；　using　the　spears　as　staffs；　but　instead　of　advancing　across　the　middle　of　the　cavern　we　turned　to　the　left；　hugging　the　wall。　Harry　urged　us　on；　saying　that　he　had　already　searched　carefully　for　an　exit　on　that　side；　but　we　went　slowly；　feeling　for　a　break　in　the　wall。　It　was　absolutely　smooth；　which　led　me　to　believe　that　the　cavern　had　at　one　time　been　filled　with　water。
　We　reached　the　farther　wall　and；　turning　to　the　right；　were　about　to　follow　it。
　〃This　is　senseless；〃　said　Harry　impatiently。　〃I　tell　you　I　have　examined　this　side；　too；　every　inch　of　it。〃
　〃And　the　one　ahead　of　us；　at　right　angles　to　this？〃　I　asked。
　〃That　too；　〃　he　answered。
　〃And　the　other…the　one　to　the　right　of　the　stream？〃
　〃No。　I…I　didn't　go　there。〃
　〃Why　didn't　you　say　so？〃　I　demanded。
　〃Because　I　didn't　want　to；〃　he　returned　sullenly。　〃You　can　go　there　if　you　care　to；　I　don't。　It　was　from　there　that…it　came。〃
　I　did　not　answer；　but　pushed　forward；　not；　however；　leaving　the　wall。　Perhaps　it　was　cowardly；　you　are　wele　to　the　word　if　you　care　to　use　it。　Myself；　I　know。
　Another　half…hour　and　we　reached　the　end　of　the　lane　by　which　we　had　first　entered　the　cavern。　We　stood　gazing　at　it　with　eyes　of　desire；　but　we　knew　how　little　chance　there　was　of　the　thing　being　unguarded　at　the　farther　end。　We　knew　then；　of　course；　and　only　too　well；　why　the　Incas　had　not　followed　us　into　the　cavern。
　〃Perhaps　they　are　gone；〃　said　Harry。　〃They　can't　stay　there　forever。　I'm　going　to　find　out。〃
　He　sprang　on　the　edge　of　a　boulder　at　the　mouth　of　the　passage　and　disappeared　on　the　other　side。　In　fifteen　minutes　he　returned；　and　I　saw　by　the　expression　on　his　face　that　there　was　no　chance　of　escape　in　that　direction。
　〃They're　at　the　other　end；〃　he　said　gloomily；　〃a　dozen　of　'em。
　I　looked　from　behind　a　rock；　they　didn't　see　me。　But　we　could　never　get　through。〃
　We　turned　then；　and　proceeded　to　the　third　wall　and　followed　it。　But　we　really　had　no　hope　of　finding　an　exit　since　Harry　had　said　that　he　had　previously　explored　it。　We　were　possessed；　I　know；　by　the　same　thought：　should　we　venture　to　follow　the　fourth　wall？　Alone；　none　of　us　would　have　dared；　but　the　presence　of　the　others　lessened　the　fear　of　each。
　Finally　we　reached　it。　The　corner　was　a　sharp　right　angle；　and　there　were　rifts　and　crevices　in　the　rock。
　〃This　is　limestone；〃　I　said；　〃and　if　we　find　an　exit　anywhere　it　will　be　here。〃
　I　turned　to　the　right　and　proceeded　slowly　along　the　wall；　feeling　its　surface　with　my　hand。
　We　had　advanced　in　this　manner　several　hundred　yards　when　Desiree　suddenly　sprang　forward　to　my　side。
　〃See！〃　she　cried；　pointing　ahead　with　her　spear。
　I　followed　the　direction　with　my　eye；　and　saw　what　appeared　to　be　a　sharp　break　in　the　wall。
　It　was　some　fifty　feet　away。　We　reached　it　in　another　moment；　and　I　think　none　of　us　would　have　been　able　to　express　the　immeasurable　relief　we　felt　when　we　saw　before　us　a　broad　and　clear　passage　leading　directly　away　from　the　cavern。　It　was　very　dark；　but　we　entered　it　almost　at　a　run。
　I　think　we　had　not　known　the　extent　of　our　fear　of　that　thing　in　the　cavern　until　we　found　the　means　of　escape　from　it。
　We　had　gone　about　a　hundred　feet　when　we　came　to　a　turn　to　the　left。　Harry　stumbled　against　the　corner；　and　we　halted　for　an　instant　to　wait　for　him。
　Then　we　made　the　turn；　side　by　side…and　then　we　came　to　a　sudden　and　abrupt　stop；　and　a　simultaneous　gasp　of　terror　burst　from　our　lips。
　Not　three　feet　in　front　of　us；　blocking　the　passage　pletely；　stood　the　thing　we　thought　we　had　escaped！
　The　terrible；　fiery　eyes　rolled　from　side　to　side　as　they　stared　straight　into　our　own。
　
　Chapter　XVIII。
　A　VICTORY　AND　A　CONVERSATION。
　
　We　stood　for　a　long　moment　rooted　to　the　spot；　unable　to　move。
　Then；　calling　to　Harry　and　grasping　Desiree　by　the　arm；　I　started　to　turn。
　But　too　late。　For　Desiree；　inspired　by　a　boundless　terror；　suddenly　raised　her　spear　high　above　her　head　and　hurled　it　straight　at　the　glowing；　flashing　eyes。
　The　point　struck　squarely　between　then　with　such　force　that　it　must　have　sunk　clear　to　the　shaft。　The　head　of　the　monster　rolled　for　an　instant　from　side　to　side；　and　then；　before　I　was　aware　of　what　had　happened；　so　rapid　was　the　movement；　a　long；　snakelike　coil　had　reached　out　through　the　air　and　twisted　itself　about　Desiree's　body。
　As　she　felt　the　thing　tighten　about　her　waist　and　legs　she　gave　a　scream　of　terror　and　twisted　her　face　round　toward　me。　The　next　instant　the　snaky　tentacle　had　dragged　her　along　the　ground　and　lifted　her　to　the　head　of　the　monster；　where　her　white　body　could　be　seen　in　sharp　outline　sprawling　over　its　black　form；　between　the　terrible　eyes。
　Harry　and　I　sprang　forward。
　As　we　did　so　the　eyes　closed　and　the　reptile　began　to　move　backward　with　incredible　swiftness；　lashing　about　on　the　ground　before　us　with　other　tentacles　similar　to　the　one　that　had　captured　Desiree。
　I　cried　out　to　Harry　to　avoid　them。　He　did　not　answer；　but　rushed　blindly　forward。
　Desiree's　agonized　shrieks　rose　to　the　pitch　of　madness。
　The　eyes　were　closed；　leaving　but　a　vague　mark　for　our　spears；　and　besides；　there　was　the　danger　of　striking　Desiree。　We　were　barely　able　to　keep　pace　with　the　thing　as　it　receded　swiftly　down　the　broad　passage。　Desiree　had　twisted　her　body　half　round；　and　her　face　was　turned　toward　us；　shadowy　as　a　ghost。　Then　her　head　fell　forward　and　hung　loosely　and　her　lips　were　silent。　She　had　fainted。
　The　thing　moved　swifter　than　ever；　we　were　barely　able　to　keep　up　with　it。　Harry　made　a　desperate　leap　forward。
　I　cried　out　a　warning；　but　one　of　the　writhing　tentacles　swept　against　him　and　knocked　him　to　the　ground。　He　was　up　again　on　the　instant　and　came　rushing　up　from　behind。
　Suddenly　the　passage　broadened　until　the　walls　were　no　longer　visible；　we　had　entered　another　cavern。　I　heard　the　sound　of　running　water　somewhere　ahead　of　us。　The　pace　of　the　reptile　had　not　slackened　for　an　instant。
　Harry　had　again　caught　up　with　us；　and　as　he　ran　at　my　side　I　saw　him　raise　his　spear　aloft；　but　I　caught　his　arm