rs.undertheandes-第42部分

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　Soon　we　faced　another　difficulty　when　we　came　to　a　point　where　a　split　in　the　passage　showed　a　lane　on　either　side。　One　led　straight　ahead；　the　other　branched　off　to　the　right。　They　were　very　similar；　but　somehow　the　one　on　the　right　looked　more　promising　to　us；　and　we　took　it。
　We　had　followed　this　but　a　short　distance　when　it　broadened　out　to　such　an　extent　that　the　walls　on　either　side　could　be　seen　but　dimly。　It　still　sloped　upward；　but　at　a　very　slight　angle；　and　we　had　little　difficulty　in　making　our　way。　Another　half…hour　and　it　narrowed　down　again　to　a　mere　lane。
　We　were　proceeding　at　a　fairly　rapid　gait；　keeping　our　eyes　strained　ahead；　when　there　appeared　an　opening　in　the　right　wall　at　a　distance　of　a　hundred　feet　or　so。　Not　having　seen　or　heard　anything　to　remend　caution；　we　advanced　without　slackening　our　pace　until　we　had　reached　it。
　I　said　aloud　to　Harry；　〃Probably　a　cross…passage；〃　and　then　jerked　him　back　quickly　against　the　opposite　wall　as　I　saw　the　real　nature　of　the　opening。
　It　led　to　a　small　room；　with　a　low　ceiling　and　rough　walls；　dark　as　the　passage　in　which　we　stood；　for　it　contained　no　light。
　We　could　see　its　interior　dimly；　but　well　enough　to　discover　the　form　of　an　Inca　standing　just　within　the　doorway。　His　back　was　toward　us；　and　he　appeared　to　be　fastening　something　to　the　ceiling　with　strips　of　hide。
　It　was　evident　that　we　had　not　been　seen；　and　I　started　to　move　on；　grasping　Harry's　arm。　It　was　then　that　I　became　aware　of　the　fact　that　the　wall　leading　away　in　front　of　us…that　is；　the　one　on　the　right…was　marked　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach　with　a　succession　of　similar　openings。
　They　were　quite　close　together；　from　where　we　stood　I　could　see　thirty　or　forty　of　them。　I　guessed　that　they；　too；　led　to　rooms　similar　to　the　one　in　front　of　us；　probably　likewise　occupied；　but　it　was　necessary　to　go　on　in　spite　of　the　danger；　and　I　pulled　again　at　Harry's　arm。
　Then；　seeing　by　his　face　that　something　had　happened；　I　turned　my　eyes　again　on　the　Inca　in　the　room。　He　had　turned　about；　squarely　facing　us。　As　we　stood　motionless　he　took　a　hasty　step　forward；　we　had　been　discovered。
　There　was　but　one　thing　to　do；　and　we　didn't　hesitate　about　doing　it。　We　leaped　forward　together；　crossing　the　intervening　space　in　a　single　bound；　and　bore　the　Inca　to　the　floor　under　us。
　My　fingers　were　round　his　throat；　Harry　sat　on　him。　In　a　trice　we　had　him　securely　bound　and　gagged；　using　some　strips　of　hide　which　we　found　suspended　from　the　ceiling。
　〃By　gad！〃　exclaimed　Harry　in　a　whisper。　〃Look　at　him！　He's　a　woman！〃
　It　was　quite　evident…disgustingly　so。　Her　eyes；　dull　and　sunken；　appeared　as　two　large；　black　holes　set　back　in　her　skull。
　Her　hair；　matted　about　her　forehead　and　shoulders；　was　thick　and　coarse；　and　blacker　than　night。　Her　body　was　innocent　of　any　attempt　at　covering。
　Altogether；　not　a　very　pleasant　sight；　and　we　bundled　her　into　a　corner　and　proceeded　to　look　round　the　room；　being　careful　to　remain　out　of　the　range　of　view　from　the　corridor　as　far　as　possible。
　The　room　was　not　luxuriously　furnished。　There　were　two　seats　of　stone；　and　a　couch　of　the　same　material　covered　with　thick　hides。　In　one　corner　was　a　pile　of　copper　vessels；　in　another　two　or　three　of　stone；　rudely　carved。　Some　torn　hides　lay　in　a　heap　near　the　center　of　the　room。　From　the　ceiling　were　suspended　other　hides　and　some　strips　of　dried　fish。
　Some　of　the　latter　we　cut　down　with　the　points　of　our　spears　and　retired　with　it　to　a　corner。
　〃Ought　we　to　ask　our　hostess　to　join　us？〃　Harry　grinned。
　〃This　tastes　good；　after　the　other；〃　I　remarked。
　Hungry　as　we　were；　we　made　sad　havoc　with　the　lady's　pantry。
　Then　we　found　some　water　in　a　basin　in　the　corner　and　drank…not　without　misgivings。　But　we　were　too　thirsty　to　be　particular。
　Then　Harry　became　impatient　to　go　on；　and　though　I　had　no　liking　for　the　appearance　of　that　long　row　of　open　doorways；　I　did　not　demur。　Taking　up　our　spears；　we　stepped　out　into　the　corridor　and　turned　to　the　right。
　We　found　ourselves　running　a　gantlet　wherein　discovery　seemed　certain。　The　right　wall　was　one　unbroken　series　of　open　doorways；　and　in　each　of　the　rooms；　whose　interiors　we　could　plainly　see；　were　one　or　more　of　the　Inca　Women；　and　sometimes　children　rolled　about　on　the　stony　floor。
　In　one　of　them　a　man　stood；　I　could　have　sworn　that　he　was　gazing　straight　at　us；　and　I　gathered　myself　together　for　a　spring；　but　he　made　no　movement　of　any　kind　and　we　passed　swiftly　by。
　Once　a　little　black　ball　of　flesh…a　boy　it　was；　perhaps　five　or　six　years　old…tumbled　out　into　the　corridor　under　our　very　feet。　We　strode　over　him　and　went　swiftly　on。
　We　had　passed　about　a　hundred　of　the　open　doorways；　and　were　beginning　to　entertain　the　hope　that　we　might；　after　all；　get　through　without　being　discovered；　when　Harry　suddenly　stopped　short；　pulling　at　my　arm。　At　the　same　instant　I　saw；　far　down　the　corridor；　a　crowd　of　black　forms　moving　toward　us。
　Even　at　that　distance　something　about　their　appearance　and　gait　told　us　that　they　were　not　women。　Their　number　was　so　great　that　as　they　advanced　they　filled　the　passage　from　wall　to　wall。
　There　was　but　one　way　to　escape　certain　discovery；　and　distasteful　as　it　was；　we　did　not　hesitate　to　employ　it。　In　a　glance　I　saw　that　we　were　directly　opposite　an　open　doorway；　with　a　whispered　word　to　Harry　I　sprang　across　the　corridor　and　within　the　room。　He　followed。
　Inside　were　a　woman　and　two　children。　As　we　entered　they　looked　up；　startled；　and　stood　gazing　at　us　in　terror。　For　an　instant　we　held　back；　but　there　was　nothing　else　for　it；　and　in　another　minute　we　had　overpowered　and　bound　and　gagged　them　and　carried　them　to　a　corner。
　The　children　were　ugly　little　devils　and　the　woman　very　little　above　a　brute；　still　we　handled　them　as　tenderly　as　possible。　Then　we　crouched　against　the　wall　where　we　could　not　be　seen　from　the　corridor；　and　waited。
　Soon　the　patter　of　many　footsteps　reached　our　ears。　They　passed；　others　came；　and　still　others。　For　many　minutes　the　sound　continued　steadily；　unbroken；　while　we　sat　huddled　up　against　the　wall；　scarcely　daring　to　breathe。
　Immediately　in　front　of　me　lay　the　forms　of　the　woman　and　the　children；　I　could　see　their　dull　eyes；　unblinking；　looking　up　at　me　in　abject　terror。　Still　the　patter　of　footsteps　sounded　from　without；　with　now　and　then　an　interval　of　quiet。
　Struck　by　a　sudden　thought；　I　signaled　to　Harry；　and　when　he　had　moved　further　back　into　his　corner　I　sprang　across　the　room　in　one　bound　to　his　side。　A　word　or　two　of　whispering；　and　he　nodded　to　show　that　he　understood。　We　crouched　together　flat　against　the　wall。
　My　thought　had　e　just　in　time；　for　scarcely　another　minute　had　passed　when　there　suddenly　appeared　in　the　doorway　the　form　of　an　Inca。　He　moved　a　step　inside；　and　I　saw　that　there　was　another　behind　him。　I　had　not　counted　on　two　of　them！　In　the　arms　of　each　was　a　great　copper　vessel；　evidently　very　heavy；　for　their　effort　was　apparent　as　they　stooped　to　place　the　vessels　on　the　ground　just　within　the　doorway。
　As　they　straightened　up　and　saw　that　the　room　before　them　was　empty；　their　faces　filled　with　surprise。　At　the　same　moment　a　movement　came　from　the　woman　in　the　corner；　the　two　men　glanced　at　them　with　a　start　of　wonder；　and　as　I　had　foreseen；　they　ran　across　and　bent　over　the　prostrate　forms。
　The　next　instant　they；　too；　were　prone　on　the　floor；　with　Harry　and　me　on　top　of　them。　They　did　not　succumb　without　a　struggle；　and　the　one　I　had　chosen　proved　nearly　too　much　for　me。
　The　great　muscles　of　his　chest　and　legs　strained　under　me　with　a　power　that　made　me　doubtful　for　a　moment　of　the　oute；　but　the　Incas　themselves　had　taught　us　how　to　conquer　a　man　when　you　attack　him　from　behind；　and　I　grasped　his　throat　with　all　the　strength　there　was　in　my　fingers。
　With　a　desperate　effort　he　got　to　his　knees　and　grasped　my　wrists　in　his　powerful　black　hands　and　tore　my　own　grip　loose。　He　was　half…way　to　his　feet；　and　far　more　powerful　than　I；　I　changed　my　tactics。　Wrenching　myself　loose；　I　fell　back　a　step；　then；　as　he　twisted　round　to　get　at　me；　I　lunged　forward　and　let　him　have　my　fist　squarely　between　the　eyes。
　The　blow　nearly　broke　my　hand；　but　he　dropped　to　the　floor。
　The　next　instant　I　was　joined　by　Harry；　who　had　overe　the　other　Inca　with　little　difficulty；　and　in　a　trice　we　had　them　both　bound　and　gagged　along　with　the　remainder　of　the　family　in　the　corner。
　Owing　to　my　strategy　in　withholding　our　attack　until　the　Incas　had　got　well　within　the　room　and　to　one　side；　we　had　not　been　seen　by　those　constantly　passing　up　and　down　in　the　corridor　without；　at　least；　none　of　them　had　entered。　We　seemed　by　this　stroke　to　have　assured　our　safety　so　long　as　we　remained　in　the　room。
　But　it　was　still　necessary　to　remain　against　the　wall；　for　the　soft　patter　of　footsteps　could　still　be　heard　in　the　corridor。
　They　now　came　at　irregular　intervals；　and　there　were　not　many　of　them。　Otherwise　the　silence　was　unbroken。
　〃What　does　it　all　mean？〃　Harry　whispered。
　〃The　Incas　are　ing　home　to　their　women；〃　I　guessed。
　〃Though；　after　seeing　the　women；　it　is　little　wonder　if　they　spend　most　of　their　time　away　from　them。　He　is　wele　to　his　repose　in　the　bosom　of　his　family。〃
　There　passed　an　uneventful　hour。　Long　before　it　ended　the　sound　of　footsteps　had　entirely　ceased；　but　we　thought　it　best　to　take　no　chances；　and　waited　for　the　last　minute　our　impatience　would　allow　us。　Then；　unfortable　and　stiff　from　the　long　period　of　immobility　and　silence；　we　rose　to　our　feet　and　made　ready　to　start。
　Harry　was　for　appropriating　some　of　the　strips　of　dried　fish　we　saw　suspended　from　the　ceiling；　but　I　objected　that　our　danger　lay　in　any　direction　other　than　that　of　hunger；　and　we　set　out　with　only　our　spears。
　The　corridor　was　deserted。　One　quick　glance　in　either　direction　assured　us　of　that；　then　we　turned　to　the　right　and　set　out　at　a　rapid　pace；　down　the　long　passage　past　a　succession　of　rooms　exactly　similar　to　the　one　we　had　just　left…scores；　hundreds　of　them。
　Each　one　was　occupied　by　from　one　to　ten　of　the　Incas　lying　on　the　couch　which　each　contained；　or　stretched　on　hides　on　the　floor。
　No　one　was　stirring。　Everywhere　was　silence　save　the　pa