rs.undertheandes-第36部分

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　〃You　don't　need　to　turn　up　your　nose；〃　I　retorted　to　her　expressive　grimace；　〃you　ate　some　of　the　stuff　yourself。〃
　There　was　a　silence；　then　suddenly　Desiree's　voice　came：
　〃Paul…〃　She　hesitated　and　stopped。
　〃Yes。〃
　〃What　do　you　think　of　me？〃
　〃Do　you　want　a　lengthy　review？〃　I　smiled。
　What　a　woman　she　was！　Under　those　circumstances；　and　amid　those　surroundings；　she　was　still　Desiree　Le　Mire。
　〃Don't　laugh　at　me；〃　she　said。　〃I　want　to　know。　I　have　never　spoken　of　what　I　did　that　time　in　the　cavern…you　know　what　I　mean。
　I　am　sorry　now。　I　suppose　you　despise　me。〃
　〃But　you　did　nothing；〃　I　objected。　〃And　you　wouldn't。　You　were　merely　amusing　yourself。〃
　She　turned　on　me　quickly　with　a　flash　of　her　old　fire。
　〃Don't　play　with　me！〃　she　burst　out。　〃My　friend；　you　have　never　yet　given　me　a　serious　word。〃
　〃Nor　any　one　else；〃　I　answered。　〃My　dear　Desiree；　do　you　not　know　that　I　am　incapable　of　seriousness？　Nothing　in　the　world　is　worth　it。〃
　〃At　least；　you　need　not　pretend；〃　she　retorted。　〃I　meant　once　for　you　to　die。　You　know　it。　And　since　you　pretend　not　to　understand　me；　I　ask　you…these　are　strange　words　from　my　lips…will　you　forgive　me？〃
　〃There　is　nothing　to　forgive。〃
　〃My　friend；　you　are　being　dull。　An　evasive　answer　should　always　be　a　witty　one。　Must　I　ask　you　again？〃
　〃That…depends；〃　I　answered；　hardly　knowing　what　to　say。
　〃On…〃
　〃On　whether　or　not　you　were　serious；　once　upon　a　time；　when　you　made　a…shall　we　call　it　a　confession？　If　you　were；　I　offended　you　in　my　own　conceit；　but　let　us　be　frank。　I　thought　you　were　acting；　and　I　played　my　role。　I　do　not　yet　believe　that　you　were；　I　am　not　conceited　enough　to　think　it　possible。〃
　〃I　do　not　say；〃　Desiree　began；　then　she　stopped　and　added　hastily：　〃But　that　is　past。　I　shall　not　tell　you　that　again。
　Perhaps　I　forgot　myself。　Perhaps　it　was　a　pretty　play。　You　have　not　answered　me。〃
　I　looked　at　her。　Strange　and　terrible　as　her　experiences　and　sufferings　had　been；　she　had　lost　little　of　her　beauty。　Her　face　was　rendered　only　the　more　delicate　by　its　pallor。　Her　white　and　perfect　body；　only　half　seen　in　the　half…darkness；　conveyed　a　sense　of　the　purest　beauty　with　no　hint　of　immodesty。
　But　I　was　moved　not　by　what　I　saw；　but　by　what　I　knew。　I　had　admired　her　always　as　Le　Mire；　but　her　bravery；　her　hardihood；　her　sympathy　for　others　under　circumstances　when　any　other　woman　would　have　been　thinking　only　of　herself…had　these　awakened　in　my　breast　a　feeling　stronger　than　admiration？
　I　did　not　know。　But　my　voice　trembled　a　little　as　I　said：　〃I　need　not　answer　you；　Desiree。　I　repeat　that　there　is　nothing　to　forgive。　You　sought　revenge；　then　sacrificed　it；　but　still　revenge　is　yours。〃
　She　looked　at　me　for　a　moment　in　silence；　then　said　slowly：　〃I　do　not　understand　you。〃
　For　reply　I　took　her　hand　in　my　own　from　where　it　lay　idly　on　my　knee；　and；　carrying　it　to　my　lips；　pressed　a　long　kiss　on　the　top　of　each　of　the　slender　white　fingers。　Then　I　held　the　hand　tight　between　both　of　mine　as　I　asked　simply；　looking　into　her　eyes：
　〃Do　you　understand　me　now？〃
　Another　silence。
　〃My　revenge；〃　she　breathed。
　I　nodded　and　again　pressed　her　hand　to　my　lips。
　〃Yes；　Desiree。　We　are　not　children。　I　think　we　know　what　we　mean。　But　you　have　not　told　me。　Did　you　mean　what　you　said　that　day　on　the　mountain？〃
　〃Ah；　I　thought　that　was　a　play！〃　she　murmured。
　〃Tell　me！　Did　you　mean　it？〃
　〃I　never　confess　the　same　sin　twice；　my　friend。〃
　〃Desiree；　did　you　mean　it？〃
　Then　suddenly；　with　the　rapidity　of　lightning；　her　manner　changed。　She　bent　toward　me　with　parted　lips　and　looked　straight　into　my　eyes。　There　was　passion　in　the　gaze；　but　when　she　spoke　her　voice　was　quite　even　and　so　low　I　scarcely　heard。
　〃Paul；〃　she　said；　〃I　shall　not　again　say　I　love　you。　Such　words　should　not　be　wasted。　Not　now；　perhaps；　but　that　is　because　we　are　where　we　are。　And　if　we　should　return？
　〃You　have　said　that　nothing　is　worth　a　serious　word　to　you；　and　you　are　right。　You　are　too　cynical；　things　are　bitter　in　your　mouth；　and　doubly　so　when　they　leave　it。　Just　now　you　are　amusing　yourself　by　pretending　to　care　for　me。　Perhaps　you　do　not　know　it；　but　you　are。　Search　your　heart；　my　friend；　and　tell　me…do　you　want　my　love？〃
　Well；　there　was　no　need　to　search　my　heart；　she　had　laid　it　open。　I　hated　myself　then；　and　I　turned　away；　unable　to　meet　her　eyes；　as　I　said：
　〃Bon　Dieu！〃　she　cried。　〃That　is　an　ugly　speech；　monsieur！〃　And　she　laughed　aloud。
　〃But　we　must　not　awaken　Harry；〃　she　continued　with　sudden　softness。　〃What　a　boy　he　is…and　what　a　man！　Ah；　he　knows　what　it　is　to　love！〃
　That　topic　suited　me　little　better；　but　I　followed　her。　We　talked　of　Harry；　Le　Mire　with　an　amount　of　enthusiasm　that　surprised　me。　Suddenly　she　stopped　abruptly　and　announced　that　she　was　hungry。
　I　found　Harry's　pantry　after　a　few　minutes'　search　and　took　some　of　its　contents　to　Desiree。　Then　I　returned　to　the　edge　of　the　water　and　ate　my　portion　alone。　That　meal　was　one　scarcely　calculated　for　the　pleasures　of　panionship　or　conviviality。
　It　was　several　hours　after　that　before　Harry　awoke；　the　greater　part　of　which　Desiree　and　I　were　silent。
　I　would　have　given　something　to　have　known　her　thoughts；　my　own　were　not　very　pleasant。　It　is　always　a　disagreeable　thing　to　discover　that　some　one　else　knows　you　better　than　you　know　yourself。　And　Desiree　had　cut　deep。　At　the　time　I　thought　her　unjust；　time　alone　could　have　told　which　of　us　was　right。　If　she　were　here　with　me　now…but　she　is　not。
　Finally　Harry　awoke。　He　was　delighted　to　find　Desiree　awake　and　paratively　well；　and　demonstrated　the　fact　with　a　degree　of　effusion　that　prompted　me　to　leave　them　alone　together。　But　I　did　not　go　far；　a　hundred　paces　made　me　sit　down　to　rest　before　returning；　so　weak　was　I　from　wounds　and　fasting。
　Harry's　spirits　were　high；　for　no　apparent　reason　other　than　that　we　were　still　alive；　for　that　was　the　best　that　could　be　said　for　us。　So　I　told　him；　he　retorted　with　a　hearty　clap　on　the　back　that　sent　me　sprawling　to　the　ground。
　〃What　the　deuce！〃　he　exclaimed；　stooping　to　help　me　up。　〃Are　you　as　weak　as　that？　Gad；　I'm　sorry！〃
　〃That　is　the　second　fall　he　has　had；〃　said　Desiree；　with　a　meaning　smile。
　Indeed；　she　was　having　her　revenge！
　But　my　strength　was　not　long　in　returning。　Over　a　long　stretch　our　diet　would　hardly　have　been　conducive　to　health；　but　it　was　exactly　what　I　needed　to　put　blood　and　strength　in　me。　And　Harry　and　Desiree；　too；　for　that　matter。
　Again　I　had　to　withstand　Harry's　eager　demands　for　action。　He　began　within　two　hours　to　insist　on　exploring　the　cave；　and　would　hardly　take　a　refusal。
　〃I　won't　stir　a　foot　until　I　am　able　to　knock　you　down；〃　I　declared　finally　and　flatly。　〃Never　again　will　I　attempt　to　perform　the　feats　of　a　Hercules　when　I　am　fit　only　for　an　invalid's　chair。〃　And　he　was　forced　to　wait。
　As　I　say；　however；　my　strength　was　not　long　in　returning；　and　when　it　started　it　came　with　a　rush。　My　wounds　were　healing　perfectly；　only　one　remained　open。　Harry；　with　his　usual　phenomenal　luck；　had　got　nothing　but　the　merest　scratches。
　Desiree　improved　very　slowly。　The　strain　of　those　four　days　in　the　cavern　had　been　severe；　and　her　nerves　required　more　pleasant　surroundings　than　a　dark　and　damp　cavern　and　more　agreeable　diet　than　raw　meat；　to　adjust　themselves。
　Thus　it　was　that　when　Harry　and　I　found　ourselves　ready　to　start　out　to　explore　the　cavern　and；　if　possible；　find　an　exit　on　the　opposite　side　from　the　one　where　we　had　entered；　we　left　Desiree　behind；　seated　on　a　pile　of　skins；　with　a　spear　on　the　ground　at　her　side。
　〃We'll　be　back　in　an　hour；〃　said　Harry；　stooping　to　kiss　her；　and　the　phrase；　which　might　have　e　from　the　lips　of　a　worthy　Harlem　husband　leaving　for　a　little　sojourn　with　friends　on　the　corner；　brought　a　smile　to　my　face。
　We　went　first　toward　the　spot　where　lay　the　remains　of　〃our　friend　with　the　eyes；〃　as　Harry　called　him；　and　we　were　guided　straight　by　our　noses；　for　the　odor　of　the　thing　was　beginning　to　be…to　use　another　phrase　of　Harry's…most　awful　vile。〃
　There　was　little　to　see　except　a　massive　pile　of　crumpled　hide　and　sinking　flesh。　As　we　approached；　several　hundred　of　the　animals　with　which　Harry　had　filled　our　larder　scampered　away　toward　the　water。
　〃They're　not　fighters；〃　I　observed；　turning　to　watch　them　disappear　in　the　darkness。
　〃No；〃　Harry　agreed。　〃See　here；〃　he　added　suddenly；　holding　up　a　piece　of　the　hide　of　the　reptile；　〃this　stuff　is　an　inch　thick　and　tough　as　rats。　It　ought　to　be　good　for　something。〃
　But　by　that　time　I　was　pinching　my　nostrils　with　my　fingers；　and　I　pulled　him　away。
　Several　hundred　yards　farther　on　we　came　to　the　wall　of　the　cavern。　We　followed　it；　turning　to　the　right；　but　though　it　was　uneven　and　marked　by　projecting　boulders　and　deep　crevices；　we　found　no　exit。　We　had　gone　at　least　half　a　mile；　I　think；　when　we　came　to　the　end。　There　it　turned　in　a　wide　circle　to　the　right；　and　we　took　the　new　direction；　which　was　toward　the　spot　where　we　had　left　Desiree；　only　considerably　to　the　left。
　Another　five　minutes　found　us　at　the　edge　of　the　stream；　which　at　that　point　was　much　swifter　than　it　was　farther　up。　We　waded　in　and　discovered　that　the　cause　was　its　extreme　narrowness。
　〃But　where　does　the　thing　go　to？〃　asked　Harry；　taking　the　words　from　my　mouth。
　We　soon　found　out。　Proceeding　along　the　bank　to　the　left；　within　fifty　feet　we　came　to　the　wall。　There　the　stream　entered　and　disappeared。　But；　unlike　the　others　we　had　seen；　above　this　there　was　a　wide　and　high　arch；　which　made　it　appear　as　though　the　stream　were　passing　under　a　massive　bridge。　The　current　was　swift　but　not　turbulent；　and　there　was　something　about　the　surface　of　that　stream　flowing　straight　through　the　mountain　ahead　of　us…　Harry　and　I　glanced　at　each　other　quickly；　moved　by　the　same　thought。　There　was　an　electric　thrill　in　that　glance。
　But　we　did　not　speak…then。
　For　suddenly；　startlingly；　a　voice　sounded　throughout　the　cavern…Desiree's　voice；　raised　in　a　shrill　cry　of　terror。
　It　was　repeated　twice　before　our　startled　senses　found　themselves；　then　we　turned　with　one　impulse　and　raced　into　the　darkness　toward　her。
　
　Chapter　XIX。
　AFLOAT。
　
　As　we　ran　swiftly；　following　the　e