rs.undertheandes-第46部分

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　Harry's　spear　whirled　about　his　head；　leaving　a　gap　in　the　black　line　that　was　now　upon　us。　Through　it　we　plunged。　The　Incas　turned　and　came　at　us　from　behind；　one　whose　hands　were　upon　Desiree　got　my　spear　in　his　throat　and　sank　to　the　ground。
　〃Cross　to　the　left！〃　Harry　yelled。　He　was　fighting　them　off　from　every　direction　at　once。
　I　turned；　calling　to　Desiree　to　follow；　and　dashed　across　the　cavern。　We　saw　the　wall　just　ahead；　broken　and　rugged。　Again　turning　I　called　to　Harry；　but　could　not　see　him　for　the　black　forms　on　every　side；　and　I　was　starting　to　his　rescue　when　I　saw　him　plunge　toward　us；　cutting　his　way　through　the　solid　mass　of　Incas　as　though　they　had　been　stalks　of　corn。　He　was　not　a　man；　but　a　demon　possessed。
　〃Go　on；〃　he　shouted。　〃I'll　make　it！〃
　Then　I　turned　and　ran　with　Desiree　to　the　wall。　We　followed　it　a　short　distance　before　we　reached　one　of　the　lanes　of　which　Harry　had　spoken；　at　its　entrance　he　joined　us；　still　bidding　us　to　leave　him　to　cover　our　retreat。
　Once　within　the　narrow　lane　his　task　was　easier。　Boulders　and　projecting　rocks　obstructed　our　progress；　but　they　were　even　greater　obstacles　to　those　who　pursued　us。　Still　they　rushed　forward；　only　to　be　hurled　back　by　the　point　of　Harry's　spear。
　Once；　turning；　I　saw　him　pick　one　of　them　up　bodily　and　toss　him　whirling　through　the　air　into　the　very　faces　of　his　rades。
　I　had　all　I　could　do　with　Desiree　and　myself。　Many　times　I　scrambled　up　the　steep　face　of　some　boulder　and；　after　pulling　her　up　safely　after　me；　let　her　down　again　on　the　other　side。　Then　I　returned　to　see　that　Harry　got　over　safely；　and　often　he　made　it　barely　by　inches；　while　flying　spears　struck　the　rock　on　every　side。
　It　is　a　wonder　to　me　now　that　I　was　able　even　to　stand；　after　my　experience　on　the　spiral　stairway　in　the　column。　The　soles　of　my　feet　and　the　palms　of　my　hands　were　baked　black　as　the　Incas　themselves。　Blisters　covered　my　body　from　head　to　foot；　swelling；　indescribably　painful。
　Every　step　I　took　made　me　clench　my　teeth　to　keep　from　sinking　in　a　faint　to　the　ground；　I　expected　always　that　the　next　would　be　my　last…but　somehow　I　struggled　onward。　It　was　the　thought　of　Desiree；　I　think；　that　held　me　up；　and　Harry。
　Suddenly　a　shout　came　from　Harry　that　the　Incas　had　abandoned　the　pursuit。　It　struck　me　almost　as　a　matter　of　indifference；　nor　was　I　affected　when　almost　immediately　afterward　he　called　that　he　had　been　mistaken　and　that　they　had　rushed　forward　with　renewed　fury　and　in　greater　numbers。
　〃It　is　only　a　matter　of　time　now；〃　I　said　to　Desiree；　and　she　nodded。
　Still　we　went　forward。　The　land　had　carried　us　straight　away　from　the　cavern；　without　a　turn。　Its　walls　were　the　roughest　I　had　seen；　and　often　a　boulder　which　lay　across　our　path　presented　a　serrated　face　that　looked　as　though　it　had　but　just　been　broken　from　the　wall　above。　Still　the　stone　was　paratively　soft…time　had　not　yet　worked　its　leveling　finger　on　the　surfaces　that　surrounded　us。
　We　were　standing　on　one　of　these　boulders　when　Harry　came　running　toward　us。
　〃They're　stopped；〃　he　cried　gleefully；　〃at　least　for　a　little。
　A　piece　of　rock　as　big　as　a　house　gently　slid　from　above　onto　their　precious　heads。　It　may　have　blocked　them　off　pletely。〃
　We　hurried　forward　then；　Harry　helped　Desiree；　while　I　painfully　brought　up　the　rear。　At　every　few　steps　they　were　forced　to　halt　and　wait　for　me；　though　I　did　my　utmost　to　keep　us　with　them。　Harry　had　taken　my　spear　that　I　might　have　both　hands　to　help　me　over　the　rocks。
　Climbing；　sliding；　jumping；　we　left　the　Incas　behind；　no　sound　came　from　the　rear。　I　began　to　think　that　they　had　really　been　pletely　shut　off；　and　several　times　opened　my　mouth　to　call　to　Harry　to　ask　him　if　it　would　not　be　safe　to　halt；　for　every　movement　I　made　was　torture。　But　each　time　I　choked　back　the　cry；　he　thought　it　was　necessary　to　go　on　and　I　followed。
　This　lasted　I　know　not　how　long；　I　was　staggering　and　reeling　forward　like　a　drunken　man；　so　little　aware　of　what　I　was　doing　that　when　Harry　and　Desiree　finally　stopped　at　the　beginning　of　a　level；　unbroken　stretch　in　the　lane；　I　stumbled　directly　against　them　before　I　knew　they　had　halted。
　〃Go　on！〃　I　gasped；　struggling　to　my　feet　in　a　mania。
　Harry　stooped　over　to　assist　me　and　set　me　with　my　back　resting　against　the　wall。　Desiree　supported　herself　near　by；　scarcely　able　to　stand。
　〃We　can　go　no　farther；〃　said　Harry。　〃If　they　e…〃
　As　he　spoke　I　became　aware　of　a　curious　movement　in　the　wall　opposite…a　movement　as　of　the　wall　itself。　At　first　I　thought　it　a　delusion　produced　by　my　disordered　brain；　but　when　I　saw　Desiree's　astonished　gaze　following　mine；　and　heard　Harry's　cry　of　wonder　as　he　turned　and　saw　it　also；　I　knew　the　thing　was　real。
　A　great　portion　of　the　wall；　the　entire　side　of　the　passage　for　a　length　of　a　hundred　feet　or　more；　was　sliding　slowly　downward。　Glancing　above　I　saw　a　space　of　several　feet　where　the　rock　had　departed　from　its　bed。　The　only　noise　audible　was　a　low；　grating　sound　like　the　slow　grinding　of　a　gigantic　millstone。
　None　of　us　moved…if　there　were　danger　we　would　seem　to　have　weled　it。　Suddenly　the　great　mass　of　rock　appeared　to　halt　in　its　downward　movement　and　hang　as　though　suspended；　then　with　a　sudden　jerk　it　seemed　to　free　itself；　swaying　ponderously　toward　us；　and　the　next　moment　it　had　fallen　straight　down　into　some　abyss　below；　thundering；　tumbling；　sliding　with　terrific　velocity。
　There　was　a　deafening　roar　under　our　feet；　the　ground　rocked　as　from　an　earthquake；　and　it　seemed　as　though　the　wall　against　which　we　stood　was　about　to　fall　in　upon　us。　Dust　and　fragments　of　rock　filled　the　air　on　every　side；　and　one　huge　boulder；　detached　from　the　roof　above；　came　tumbling　at　our　feet；　missing　us　by　inches。
　We　were　pletely　stunned　by　the　cataclysm；　but　in　a　moment　Harry　had　recovered　and　run　to　the　edge　of　the　chasm　opposite　thus　suddenly　formed。　Desiree　and　I　followed。
　There　was　nothing　to　be　seen　save　the　blackness　of　space。
　Immediately　before　us　was　an　apparently　bottomless　abyss；　black　and　terrifying；　the　side　descended　straight　down　from　our　feet。
　Looking　across　we　could　see　dimly　a　wall　some　distance　away；　smooth　and　with　a　faint　whiteness。　On　either　side　of　us　other　walls　extended　to　meet　the　farther　wall；　smooth　and　polished　as　glass。
　〃The　Incas　didn't　do　that；　I　hope；〃　said　Harry；　turning　to　me。
　〃Hardly；〃　I　answered；　and　in　my　absorbing　interest　in　the　phenomenon　before　me　I　half　forgot　my　pain。
　I　moved　to　the　edge　of　one　of　the　walls　extending　at　right　angles　to　the　passage；　but　there　was　little　to　be　made　of　it。　It　was　of　soft　limestone；　and　most　probably　the　portion　that　had　disappeared　was　granite；　carried　away　by　the　force　of　its　own　weight。
　〃We　are　like　to　be　buried；〃　I　observed；　returning　to　Harry　and　Desiree。　〃Though　for　that　matter；　even　that　can　hardly　frighten　us　now。〃
　〃For　my　part；〃　said　Harry；　with　a　curious　gravity　beneath　the　apparent　lightness　of　his　words；　〃I　have　always　admired　the　death　of　Porthos。　Let　it　e；　and　wele。〃
　〃Are　we　to　go　further？〃　put　in　Desiree。
　Just　as　Harry　opened　his　mouth　to　reply　a　more　decisive　answer　came　from　another　source。　The　rock　that　had　fallen；　obstructing　the　path　of　the　Incas；　must　have　left　an　opening　that　Harry　had　missed；　or　they　had　removed　it…what　matter？
　In　some　way　they　had　forced　a　passage；　for　as　Desiree　spoke　a　dozen　spears　whistled　through　the　air　past　our　heads　and　we　looked　up　to　see　a　swarm　of　Incas　climbing　and　tumbling　down　the　face　of　a　boulder　over　which　we　had　passed　to　reach　our　resting…place。
　I　have　said　that　we　had　halted　in　a　level；　unbroken　stretch　that　still　led　some　distance　ahead　of　us。　At　its　farther　end　could　be　seen　a　group　of　rocks　and　boulders　pletely　choking　the　lane；　Beyond；　other　rocks　arose　to　a　still　greater　height…the　way　appeared　to　be　impassable。
　But　there　was　no　time　for　deliberation　or　the　weighing　of　chances；　and　we　turned　and　made　for　the　pile　of　rocks；　with　the　Incas　rushing　after　us。
　There　Desiree　and　I　halted　in　despair；　but　with　a　great　oath　Harry　brushed　us　aside　and　leaped　upon　a　rock　higher　than　his　head　with　incredible　agility。　Then；　lying　flat　on　his　face　and　extending　his　arms　downward　over　the　edge；　he　pulled　first　Desiree；　then　myself；　up　after　him。　The　whole　performance　had　occupied　a　scant　two　seconds；　and；　waiting　only　to　pick　up　the　three　spears　he　had　thrown　up　the　sloping　surface　of　the　rock　to　another　yet　higher　and　steeper。
　〃Why　don't　we　hold　them　here？〃　I　demanded。　〃They　could　never　e　up　that　rock　with　us　on　top。〃
　Harry　looked　at　me。
　〃Spears；〃　he　said　briefly；　and；　of　course；　he　was　right。　They　would　have　picked　us　off　like　birds　on　a　limb。
　We　scaled　the　second　rock　with　extreme　difficulty；　Harry　assisting　both　Desiree　and　me；　and　as　we　stood　upright　on　its　top　I　saw　the　Incas　scrambling　over　the　edge　of　the　one　below。　Two　or　three　of　them　had　already　started　to　cross；　many　more　were　ing　up　from　behind；　and　one；　as　he　made　the　top　and　arose　to　his　feet；　braced　himself　on　the　sloping　rock　and　raised　a　spear　high　above　his　head。
　At　sight　of　him　I　started；　crying　to　Harry　and　Desiree。　They　turned。
　〃The　king！〃　I　shouted；　and　I　saw　a　shudder　of　terror　run　over　Desiree's　face　as　she；　too；　recognized　the　black　form　below。　At　the　same　instant　the　spear　darted　forward　from　the　hand　of　the　Child　of　the　Sun；　but　it　landed　harmlessly　against　the　rock　several　feet　away。
　The　next　moment　the　Inca　king　had　bounded　across　the　rock　toward　us；　followed　by　a　score　of　others。
　I　was　minded　to　try　my　luck　with　his　own　weapon；　but　we　had　no　spears　to　waste；　and　Harry　was　dragging　Desiree　forward　and　shouting　to　me　to　follow。　I　turned　and　ran　after　them；　and　just　as　we　let　ourselves　down　into　a　narrow　crevice　below　the　Incas　appeared　over　the　edge　of　the　rock　behind。
　Somehow　we　scrambled　forward；　with　the　Incas　at　our　heels。
　Sharp　corners　of　projecting　rocks　bruised　our　faces　and　bodies；　once　my　leg　bent　double　under　me　as　I　fell　from　a　ledge　onto　a　boulder　below；　and　I　thought　it　was　broken；　but　Harry　jerked　me　to　my　feet　and　I　struggled　on。
　Harry　seemed　possessed　of　the　strength　of　ten　men　and　the　heart　of　a　thousand。　He　pulled　Desiree　and　me　up　and　over　boulders　and　ro