rs.undertheandes-第39部分

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　〃Ready！〃　he　called；　and　I　shoved　off；　wading　behind。　When　the　water　was　up　to　my　knees　I　climbed　aboard　and　picked　up　my　oar。
　〃By　all　the　nine　gods；　look　at　her！〃　cried　Harry　in　huge　delight。　〃She　takes　about　three　inches！　Man；　she'd　carry　an　army！〃
　〃Allons！〃　cried　Desiree；　with　gay　laughter。　〃C'est　Perfection！〃
　〃Couldn't　be　better；〃　I　agreed；　〃but　watch　yourself；　Hal。
　When　we　get　into　the　current　things　are　going　to　begin　to　happen。
　If　it　weren't　for　the　beastly　darkness　'twould　be　easy　enough。　As　it　is；　one　little　rock　the　size　of　your　head　could　send　us　to　the　bottom。〃
　We　were　still　near　the　bank；　working　our　way　out　slowly。
　Harry　and　I　had　to　maintain　positions　equidistant　from　the　center　in　order　to　keep　the　raft　balanced；　hence　I　had　to　push　her　out　alone。
　Considering　her　bulk；　she　answered　to　the　oar　very　well。
　Another　five　minutes　and　we　were　near　the　middle　of　the　stream。　At　that　point　there　was　but　little　current　and　we　drifted　slowly。　Harry　went　to　the　bow；　while　I　took　up　a　position　on　the　stern…if　I　may　use　such　terms　for　such　a　craft…directly　behind　Desiree。　We　figured　that　we　were　then　about　a　mile　from　the　Point　where　the　stream　left　the　cavern。
　Gradually；　as　the　stream　narrowed；　the　strength　of　the　current　increased。　Still　it　was　smooth；　and　the　raft　sailed　along　without　a　tremor。　Once　or　twice；　caught　by　some　trick　of　the　current；　she　turned　half　round；　poking　her　nose　ahead；　but　she　soon　righted　herself。
　The　water　began　to　curl　up　on　the　sides　as　we　were　carried　more　and　more　swiftly　onward；　with　a　low　murmur　that　was　music　to　us。　The　stream　became　so　narrow　that　we　could　see　the　bank　on　either　side；　though　dimly；　and　I　knew　we　were　approaching　the　exit。
　I　called　to　Harry：　〃Keep　her　off　to　the　right　as　we　make　the　turn！〃　and　he　answered：　〃Aye；　aye；　sir！〃　with　a　wave　of　the　hand。
　This；　at　least；　was　action　with　a　purpose。
　Another　minute　and　we　saw　the　arch　directly　ahead　of　us；　round　a　bend　in　the　stream。　The　strength　of　the　current　carried　us　toward　the　off　bank；　but　we　plied　our　oars　desperately　and　well；　and　managed　to　keep　fairly　well　in　to　the　end　of　the　curve。
　We　missed　the　wall　of　the　tunnel…black；　grim　rock　that　would　have　dashed　out　our　brains…by　about　ten　feet；　and　were　swept　forward　under　the　arch；　on　our　way…so　we　thought…to　the　land　of　sunshine。
　
　Chapter　XX。
　AN　INCA　SPEAR。
　
　Here　I　might　most　appropriately　insert　a　paragraph　on　the　vanity　of　human　wishes　and　endeavor。　But　events；　they　say；　speak　for　themselves；　and　still；　for　my　own　part；　I　prefer　the　philosopher　to　the　historian。　Mental　digestion　is　a　wearisome　task；　you　are　wele　to　it。
　To　the　story。　As　I　have　said；　we　missed　the　wall　of　the　tunnel　by　a　scant　ten　feet；　and　we　kept　on　missing　it。　Once　under　the　arch；　our　raft　developed　a　most　stubborn　inclination　to　bump　up　against　the　rocky　banks　instead　of　staying　properly　in　the　middle　of　the　current；　as　it　should。
　First　to　one　side；　then　to　the　other；　it　swung；　while　Harry　and　I　kept　it　off　with　our　oars；　often　missing　a　collision　by　inches。　But　at　least　the　banks　were　smooth　and　level；　and　as　long　as　the　stream　itself　remained　clear　of　obstruction　there　was　but　little　real　danger。
　The　current　was　not　nearly　so　swift　as　I　had　expected　it　would　be。　In　the　semidarkness　it　was　difficult　to　calculate　our　rate　of　speed；　but　I　judged　that　we　were　moving　at　about　six　or　seven　miles　an　hour。
　We　had　gone　perhaps　three　miles　when　we　came　to　a　sharp　bend　in　the　stream；　to　the　left；　almost　at　a　right　angle。　Harry；　at　the　bow；　was　supposed　to　be　on　the　lookout；　but　he　failed　to　see　it　until　we　were　already　caught　in　its　whirl。
　Then　he　gave　a　cry　of　alarm；　and　together　we　swung　the　raft　to　the　left；　avoiding　the　right　bank　of　the　curve　by　less　than　a　foot。
　Once　safely　past；　I　sent　Harry　to　the　stern　and　took　the　bow　myself；　which　brought　down　upon　him　a　deal　of　keen　banter　from　Desiree。
　There　the　tunnel　widened；　and　the　raft　began　to　glide　easily　onward；　without　any　of　its　sudden　dashes　to　right　or　left。　I　rested　on　my　oar；　gazing　intently　ahead；　at　the　best　I　could　make　out　the　walls　a　hundred　yards　ahead；　and　but　dimly。　All　was　silence；　save　the　gentle　swish　of　the　water　against　the　sides　of　the　raft　and　the　patter　of　Harry's　oar　dipping　idly　on　one　side　or　the　other。
　Suddenly　Desiree's　voice　came　through　the　silence；　soft　and　very　low：
　〃Pendant　une　anne'　toute　entiere；
　Le　regiment　na　Pas　r'paru。
　Au　Ministere　de　la　Guerre
　On　le　r'porta　me　perdu。
　
　〃On　se　r'noncait　a　r'trouver　sa　trace；
　Quand　un　matin　subitement；
　On　le　vit　r'paraitre　sur　la　place；
　L'Colonel　toujours　en　avant。〃
　
　I　waited　until　the　last　note　had　died　away　in　the　darkness。
　〃Are　those　your　thoughts？〃　I　asked　then；　half　turning。
　〃No；〃　said　Desiree；　〃but　I　want　to　kill　my　thoughts。　As　for　them…〃
　She　hesitated；　and　after　a　short　pause　her　voice　again　broke　into　melody：
　〃Fresh　as　the　first　beam　glittering　on　a　sail
　That　brings　our　friends　up　from　the　underworld；
　Sad　as　the　last　which　reddens　over　one
　That　sinks　with　all　we　love　below　the　verge；
　So　sad；　so　fresh；　the　days　that　are　no　more。〃
　Her　voice；　subdued　and　low；　breathed　a　sweetness　that　seemed　almost　to　be　of　another　world。　My　ear　quivered　with　the　vibrations；　and　long　after　she　was　silent　the　last　mellow　note　floated　through　my　brain。
　Suddenly　I　became　conscious　of　another　sound；　scarcely　less　musical。　It；　too；　was　low；　so　low　and　faint　that　at　first　I　thought　my　ear　deceived　me；　or　that　some　distant　echo　was　returning　Desiree's　song　down　the　dark　tunnel。
　Gradually；　very　gradually；　it　became　louder　and　clearer；　until　at　length　I　recognized　it。　It　was　the　rush　of　water；　unbroken；　still　low　and　at　a　great　distance。　I　turned　to　remark　on　it　to　Harry；　but　Desiree　took　the　words　from　my　mouth。
　〃I　seem　to　hear　something…like　the　surf；〃　she　said。　〃That　isn't　possible；　is　it？〃
　I　could　have　smiled　but　for　the　deep　note　of　hope　in　her　voice。
　〃Hardly；〃　I　answered。　〃I　have　heard　it　for　several　minutes。
　It　is　probably　some　shallows。　We　must　look　sharp。〃
　Another　fifteen　minutes；　and　I　began　to　notice　that　the　speed　of　the　current　was　increasing。　The　sound　of　the　rushing　water；　too；　was　quite　distinct。　Still　the　raft　moved　more　and　more　swiftly；　till　I　began　to　feel　alarmed。　I　turned　to　Harry：
　〃That　begins　to　sound　like　rapids。　See　that　the　spears　are　fastened　securely；　and　stand　ready　with　your　oar。　Sit　tight；　Desiree。〃
　One　thing　was　certain：　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　go　ahead。
　On　both　sides　the　walls　of　the　tunnel　rose　straight　up　from　the　surface　of　the　water；　there　was　nowhere　room　for　a　landing…place　…not　even　a　foot　for　a　purchase　to　stay　our　flight。　To　go　back　was　impossible；　at　the　rate　the　current　was　now　carrying　us　we　could　not　have　held　the　raft　even　for　a　moment　without　oars。
　Soon　we　were　gliding　forward　so　swiftly　that　the　raft　trembled　under　us；　from　the　darkness　ahead　came　the　sound　of　the　rapids；　now　increased　to　a　roar　that　filled　the　tunnel　and　deafened　us。　I　heard　Harry　shouting　something；　but　could　not　make　out　the　words；　we　were　shooting　forward　with　the　speed　of　an　express　train　and　the　air　about　us　was　full　of　flying　water。
　The　roar　of　the　rapids　became　louder　and　louder。　I　turned　for　an　instant；　shouting　at　the　top　of　my　voice：　〃Flat　on　your　faces；　and　hold　on　for　dear　life！〃　Then　I　dropped　down　with　my　oar　under　me；　passing　my　feet　under　two　of　the　straps　and　clinging　to　two　others　with　my　hands。
　Another　few　seconds　passed　that　seemed　an　hour。　The　raft　was　swaying　and　lurching　with　the　mad　force　of　the　current。　I　called　out　again　to　Harry　and　Desiree；　but　my　words　were　pletely　drowned　by　the　deafening；　stunning　roar　of　the　water。　All　was　darkness　and　confusion。　I　kept　asking　myself：　〃Why　doesn't　it　e？〃　It　seemed　an　age　since　I　had　thrown　myself　on　my　face。
　Suddenly　the　raft　leaped　up　under　me　and　away。　It　seemed　as　though　some　giant　hand　had　grasped　it　from　beneath　and　jerked　it　down　with　tremendous　force。　The　air　was　filled　with　water；　lashing　my　face　and　body　furiously。　The　raft　whirled　about　like　a　cork。
　I　gripped　the　straps　with　all　the　strength　that　was　in　me。　Down；　down　we　went　into　the　darkness；　my　breath　was　gone　and　my　brain　whirled　dizzily。
　There　was　a　sudden　sharp　lurch；　a　jerk　upward；　and　I　felt　the　surface　of　the　water　close　over　me。　Blinded　and　dazed；　I　clung　to　my　hold　desperately；　struggling　with　the　instinct　to　free　myself。
　For　several　seconds　the　roar　of　the　cataract　sounded　in　my　ears　with　a　furious　faintness；　as　though　it　were　at　a　great　distance；　then　I　felt　the　air　again　and　a　sudden　cessation　of　motion。
　I　opened　my　eyes；　choking　and　sputtering。　For　a　time　I　could　see　nothing；　then　I　made　out　Desiree's　form；　and　Harry's；　stretched　behind　me　on　the　raft。　At　the　same　instant　Harry's　voice　came：
　〃Paul！　Ah；　Desiree！〃
　In　another　moment　we　were　at　her　side。　Her　hands　held　to　the　straps　on　each　side　with　a　grip　as　of　death；　we　had　to　pry　off　each　of　her　fingers　separately　to　loosen　them。　Then　we　bent　her　over　Harry's　knee　and　worked　her　arms　up　and　down；　and　soon　her　chest　heaved　convulsively　and　her　lungs　freed　themselves　of　the　water　they　had　taken。　Presently　she　turned　about；　her　eyes　opened　and　she　pressed　her　hands　to　her　head。
　〃Don't　say　'Where　am　I？'〃　said　Harry；　〃because　we　don't　know。
　How　do　you　feel？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　answered；　still　gasping　for　breath。　〃What　was　it？　What　did　we　do？〃
　I　left　them　then；　turning　to　survey　the　extent　of　our　damage。
　There　was　absolutely　none；　we　were　as　intact　as　when　we　started。
　The　provisions　and　spears　remained　under　their　straps；　my　oar　lay　where　I　had　fallen　on　it。　The　raft　appeared　to　be　floating　easily　as　before；　without　a　scratch。
　The　water　about　us　was　churned　into　foam；　though　we　had　already　been　carried　so　far　from　the　cataract　that　it　was　lost　behind　us　in　the　darkness；　only　its　roar　reached　our　ears。　To　this　day　I　haven't　the　faintest　idea　of　its　height；　it　may　have　been　ten　feet　or　two　hundred。　Harry　says　a　thousand。
　We　were　moving　slowly　along　on　the　surface　of　what　appeared　to　be　a　lake；　still　carried　forward　by　the　force　of　the　falls　behind　us。　For　my　part；　I　found　its　roar　bewildering　and　confus