rs.undertheandes-第43部分

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　No　one　was　stirring。　Everywhere　was　silence　save　the　patter　of　our　own　feet；　which　we　let　fall　as　noiselessly　as　possible。
　〃Will　it　never　end？〃　whispered　Harry　at　length；　after　we　had　traversed　upward　of　a　mile　without　any　sign　of　a　cross…passage　or　a　termination。
　〃Forward；　and　silence！〃　I　breathed　for　a　reply。
　The　end…at　least；　of　the　silence…came　sooner　than　we　had　expected。　Hardly　were　the　last　words　out　of　my　mouth　when　a　whirring　noise　sounded　behind　us。　We　glanced　over　our　shoulders　as　we　ran；　and　at　the　same　instant　an　Inca　spear　flew　by　not　two　inches　from　my　head　and　struck　the　ground　in　front。
　Not　a　hundred　feet　to　the　rear　we　saw　a　group　of　Incas　rushing　along　the　passage　toward　us。　Harry　wheeled　about；　raising　his　spear；　but　I　grasped　him　by　the　arm；　crying；　〃Run；　it's　our　only　chance！〃　The　next　moment　we　were　leaping　forward　side　by　side　down　the　passage。
　It　would　have　fared　ill　with　any　who　appeared　to　block　our　way　in　that　mad　dash；　but　it　remained　clear。　The　corridor　led　straight　ahead；　with　never　a　turn。　We　were　running　as　we　had　never　run　before；　the　black　walls　flashed　past　us　an　indistinguishable　blur；　and　the　open　doorways　were　blended　into　one。
　Glancing　back　over　my　shoulder；　I　saw　that　the　small　group　of　Incas　was　no　longer　small。　Away　to　the　rear　the　corridor　was　filled　with　rushing　black　forms。　But　I　saw　plainly　that　we　were　gaining　on　them；　the　distance　that　separated　us　was　twice　as　great　as　when　we　had　first　started　to　run。
　〃How　about　it？〃　I　panted。　〃Can　you　hold　out？〃
　〃If　it　weren't　for　this　knee；〃　Harry　returned　between　breaths　and　through　clenched　teeth。　〃But…I'm　with　you。〃　He　was　limping　painfully；　and　I　slackened　my　pace　a　little；　but　he　urged　me　forward　with　an　oath；　and　himself　sprang　to　the　front。　His　knee　must　have　been　causing　him　the　keenest　agony；　his　face　was　white　as　death。
　Then　I　uttered　a　cry　of　joy　as　I　saw　a　bend　in　the　passage　ahead。　We　reached　it；　and　wheeled　to　the　right。　There　was　solid　wall　on　either　side；　the　series　of　doors　was　ended。
　〃We'll　shake　'em　off　now；〃　I　panted。
　Harry　nodded。
　A　short　distance　ahead　we　came　to　another　cross…passage；　and　turned　to　the　left。　Glancing　over　my　shoulder；　I　saw　that　our　pursuers　had　not　yet　reached　the　first　turn。　Harry　kept　in　the　lead；　and　was　giving　me　all　I　could　do　to　keep　up　with　him。
　We　found　ourselves　now　in　a　veritable　maze　of　lanes　and　cross…passages；　and　we　turned　to　one　side　or　the　other　at　every　opportunity。　At　length　I　grasped　Harry　by　the　arm　and　stopped　him。
　We　stood　for　two　full　minutes　listening　intently。　There　was　absolutely　no　sound　of　any　kind。
　〃Thank　Heaven！〃　Harry　breathed；　and　would　have　fallen　to　the　ground　if　I　had　not　supported　him。
　We　started　out　then　in　search　of　water；　moving　slowly　and　cautiously。　But　we　found　none；　and　soon　Harry　declared　that　he　could　go　no　further。　We　sat　down　with　our　backs　against　the　wall　of　the　passage；　still　breathing　heavily　and　all　but　exhausted。
　In　that　darkness　and　silence　the　minutes　passed　into　hours。
　We　talked　but　little；　and　then　only　in　whispers。　Finally　Harry　fell　into　a　restless　sleep；　if　it　may　be　called　that；　and　several　times　I　dozed　off　and　was　awakened　by　my　head　nodding　against　the　stone　wall。
　At　length；　finding　Harry　awake；　I　urged　him　to　his　feet。　His　knee　barely　supported　his　weight；　but　he　gritted　his　teeth　and　told　me　to　lead　on。
　〃We　can　wait…〃　I　began；　but　he　broke　in　savagely：
　〃No！　I　want　to　find　her；　that's　all…and　end　it。　Just　one　more　chance！〃
　We　searched　for　an　hour　before　we　found　the　stream　of　water　we　sought。　After　Harry　had　bathed　his　knee　and　drunk　his　fill　he　felt　more　fit；　and　we　pushed　on　more　rapidly；　but　still　quite　at　random。
　We　turned　first　one　way；　then　another；　in　the　never…ending　labyrinth；　always　in　darkness　and　silence。　We　seemed　to　get　nowhere；　and　I　for　one　was　about　to　give　up　the　disheartening　task　when　suddenly　a　sound　smote　our　ears　that　caused　us　first　to　start　violently；　then　stop　and　gaze　at　each　other　in　prehension　and　eager　surprise。
　〃The　bell！〃　cried　Harry。　〃They　are　being　summoned　to　the　great　cavern！〃
　It　was　the　same　sound　we　had　heard　twice　before；　a　sound　as　of　a　great；　deep…toned　bell　ringing　sonorously　throughout　the　passages　and　caverns　with　a　roar　that　was　deafening。　And　it　seemed　to　be　close…quite　close。
　〃It　came　from　the　left；〃　said　Harry；　but　I　disagreed　with　him　and　was　so　sure　of　myself　that　we　started　off　to　the　right。　The　echoes　of　the　bell　were　still　floating　from　wall　to　wall　as　we　went　rapidly　forward。　I　do　not　know　what　we　expected　to　find；　and　the　Lord　knows　what　we　intended　to　do　after　we　found　it。
　A　short　distance　ahead　we　came　to　another　passage；　crossing　at　right　angles；　broad　and　straight；　and　somehow　familiar。　As　with　one　impulse　we　took　it；　turning　to　the　left；　and　then　flattened　ourselves　back　against　the　wall　as　we　saw　a　group　of　Incas　passing　at　its　farther　end；　some　two　hundred　yards　away。
　There　we　stood；　motionless　and　scarcely　breathing；　while　group　after　group　of　the　savages　passed　in　the　corridor　ahead。　Their　number　swelled　to　a　continuous　stream；　which　in　turn　gradually　became　thinner　and　thinner　until　only　a　few　stragglers　were　seen　trotting　behind。　Finally　they；　too；　ceased　to　appear；　the　corridor　was　deserted。
　We　waited　a　while　longer；　then　as　no　more　appeared　we　started　forward　and　soon　had　reached　the　corridor　down　which　they　had　passed。　We　followed　in　the　direction　they　had　taken；　turning　to　the　right。
　We　had　no　sooner　turned　than　we　saw　that　which　caused　us　to　glance　quickly　at　each　other　and　hasten　our　step；　while　I　smothered　the　ejaculation　that　rose　to　my　lips。　The　corridor　in　which　we　now　found　ourselves　stretched　straight　ahead　for　a　distance；　then　turned　to　one　side；　and　the　corner　thus　formed　was　flooded　with　a　brilliant　blaze　of　light！
　There　was　no　longer　any　doubt　of　it：　we　were　on　our　way　to　the　great　cavern。　For　a　moment　I　hesitated；　asking　myself　for　what　purpose　we　hastened　on　thus　into　the　very　arms　of　our　enemies；　then；　propelled　by　instinct　or　premonition…I　know　not　what…I　took　a　firmer　grasp　on　my　spear　and　followed　Harry　without　word；　throwing　caution　to　the　winds。
　Yet　we　avoided　foolhardiness；　for　as　we　approached　the　last　turn　we　proceeded　slowly；　keeping　an　eye　on　the　rear。　But　all　the　Incas　appeared　to　have　assembled　within；　for　the　corridor　remained　deserted。
　We　crept　silently　to　the　corner；　avoiding　the　circle　of　light　as　far　as　possible；　and；　crouching　side　by　side　on　the　rock；　looked　out　together　on　a　scene　none　the　less　striking　because　we　had　seen　it　twice　before。
　It　was　the　great　cavern。　We　saw　it　from　a　different　viewpoint　than　before；　the　alcove　which　held　the　golden　throne　was　far　off　to　our　left；　nearly　half…way　round　the　vast　circumference。　On　the　throne　was　seated　the　king；　surrounded　by　guards　and　attendants。
　As　before；　the　stone　seats　which　surrounded　the　amphitheater　on　every　side　were　filled　with　the　Incas；　crouching　motionless　and　silent。　The　flames　in　the　massive　urns　mounted　in　steady　tongues；　casting　their　blinding　glare　in　every　direction。
　All　this　I　saw　in　a　flash；　when　suddenly　Harry's　fingers　sank　into　the　flesh　of　my　arm　with　such　force　that　I　all　but　cried　out　in　actual　pain。　And　then；　glancing　at　him　and　following　the　direction　of　his　gaze；　I　saw　Desiree。
　She　was　standing　on　the　top　of　the　lofty　column　in　the　center　of　the　lake。
　Her　white　body；　uncovered；　was　outlined　sharply　against　the　black　background　of　the　cavern　above。
　
　Chapter　XXII。
　THE　BEGINNING　OF　THE　END。
　
　Neither　Harry　nor　I　spoke；　our　eyes　were　concentrated　on　the　scene　before　us；　trying　to　prehend　its　meaning。
　It　was　something　indefinable　in　Desiree's　attitude　that　told　me　the　truth…what；　I　cannot　tell。　Her　profile　was　toward　us；　it　could　not　have　been　her　eyes　or　any　expression　of　her　face；　but　there　was　a　tenseness　about　her　pose；　a　stiffening　of　the　muscles　of　her　body；　an　air　of　lofty　scorn　and　supreme　triumph　ing　somehow　from　every　line　of　her　motionless　figure；　that　flashed　certainty　into　my　brain。
　And　on　the　instant　I　turned　to　Harry。
　〃Follow　me；〃　I　whispered；　and　he　must　have　read　the　force　of　my　knowledge　in　my　eyes；　for　he　obeyed　without　a　word。　Back　down　the　passage　we　ran；　halting　at　its　end。　Harry　opened　his　lips　to　speak；　but　I　took　the　words　from　his　mouth；　seconds　were　precious。
　〃They　have　fired　the　column…you　remember。　Follow　me；　keep　your　spear　ready；　not　a　sound；　if　you　love　her。〃
　I　saw　that　he　understood；　and　saw　too；　by　the　expression　that　shot　into　his　face；　that　it　would　go　ill　with　any　Incas　who　tried　to　stop　us　then。
　We　rushed　forward　side　by　side；　guessing　at　our　way；　seeking　the　entrance　to　the　tunnel　that　led　to　the　foot　of　the　column。　A　prayer　was　on　my　lips　that　we　might　not　be　too　late；　Harry's　lips　were　pressed　together　tightly　as　a　vise。　Death　we　did　not　fear；　even　for　Desiree；　but　we　remembered　the　horror　of　our　own　experience　on　the　top　of　that　column；　and　shuddered　as　we　ran。
　As　I　have　said；　we　had　entered　the　great　cavern　at　a　point　almost　directly　opposite　the　alcove；　and　therefore　at　a　distance　from　the　entrance　we　sought。　It　was　necessary　to　half　encircle　the　cavern；　and　the　passages　were　so　often　crossed　by　other　passages　that　many　times　we　had　to　guess　at　the　proper　road。
　But　not　for　an　instant　did　we　hesitate；　we　flew　rather　than　ran。　I　felt　within　me　the　strength　and　resolve　of　ten　men；　and　I　knew　then　that　there　was　something　I　must　do　and　would　do　before　I　died；　though　a　thousand　devils　stood　in　my　way。
　I　do　not　know　what　led　us；　whether　a　remorseful　Providence；　who　suddenly　decided　that　we　had　been　played　with　long　enough；　or　the　mere　animal　instinct　of　direction；　or　blind　luck。　But　so　fast　did　we　go　that　it　seemed　to　me　we　had　left　the　great　cavern　scarcely　a　minute　behind　us　when　I　suddenly　saw　the　steps　of　a　steep　stairway　leading　down　from　an　opening　on　our　right。
　How　my　heart　leaped　then！　Harry　uttered　a　hoarse　cry　of　exultation。　The　next　instant　we　were　dashing　headlong　down　the　steps；　avoiding　a　fall　by　I　know　not　what　miracle。　And　there　before　us　was　the　entrance　to　the　tunnel。
　I　held　Harry　back；　almost　shouting：　〃You　stay　here；　guard　the　entrance。　I'll　get　her。〃
　〃No；〃　he