rs.undertheandes-第15章

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nce　we　had　been　carried　from　the　cavern；　Harry　said　not　less　than　a　hundred。
　However　that　may　be；　we　had　almost　entirely　recovered　our　strength。　Indeed；　Harry　declared　himself　perfectly　fit；　but　I　still　felt　some　disfort；　caused　partly　by　the　knife…wound　on　my　knee；　which　had　not　entirely　healed；　and　partly；　I　think；　by　the　strangeness　and　monotony　of　our　diet。　Harry's　palate　was　less　particular。
　On　awaking；　and　after　breaking　our　fast；　we　were　both　filled　with　an　odd　contentment。　I　really　believe　that　we　had　abandoned　hope；　and　that　the　basis　of　our　listlessness　was　despair；　and　surely　not　without　reason。　For　what　chance　had　we　to　escape　from　the　Incas；　handicapped　as　we　were　by　the　darkness；　and　our　want　of　weapons；　and　their　overwhelming　numbers？
　And　beyond　that…if　by　some　chance　lucky　we　did　escape…what　remained？　To　wander　about　in　the　endless　caves　of　darkness　and　starve　to　death。　At　the　time　I　don't　think　I　stated　the　case；　even　to　myself；　with　such　brutal　frankness；　but　facts　make　their　impression　whether　you　invite　them　or　not。　But；　as　I　say；　we　were　filled　with　an　odd　contentment。　Though　despair　may　have　possessed　our　hearts；　it　was　certainly　not　allowed　to　infect　our　tongues。
　Breakfast　was　hilarious。　Harry　sang　an　old　drinking…song　to　the　water…basin　with　touching　sentiment；　I　gave　him　hearty　applause　and　joined　in　the　chorus。　The　cavern　rang。
　〃The　last　time　I　sang　that；〃　said　Harry　as　the　last　echoes　died　away；　〃was　at　the　Midlothian。　Bunk　Stafford　was　there；　and　Billy　Du　Mont；　and　Fred　Marston…I　say；　do　you　remember　Freddie？
　And　his　East　Side　crocodiles？
　〃My；　but　weren't　they　daisies？　And　polo？　They　could　play　it　in　their　sleep。　And…what's　this？　Paul！　Something's　up！　Here　they　e…Mr。　and　Mrs。　Inca　and　all　the　children！〃
　I　sprang　hastily　to　my　feet　and　stood　by　Harry's　side。　He　was　right。
　Through　the　half　darkness　they　came；　hundreds　of　them；　and；　as　always；　in　utter　silence。　Dimly　we　could　see　their　forms　huddled　together　round　us　on　every　side；　leaving　us　in　the　center　of　a　small　circle　in　their　midst。
　〃Now；　what　the　deuce　do　they　want？〃　I　muttered。　〃Can't　they　let　us　eat　in　peace？〃
　Harry　observed：　〃Wasn't　I　right？　'Most　awful　vile！'〃
　I　think　we　both　felt　that　we　were　joking　in　the　face　of　death。
　The　forms　surrounding　us　stood　silent　for　perhaps　ten　seconds。
　Then　four　of　their　number　stepped　forward　to　us；　and　one　made　gestures　with　a　hairy　arm；　pointing　to　our　rear。　We　turned　and　saw　a　narrow　lane　lined　on　either　side　by　our　captors。　Nothing　was　distinct；　still　we　could　see　well　enough　to　guess　their　meaning。
　〃It's　up　to　us　to　march；〃　said　Harry。
　I　nodded。
　〃And　step　high；　Hal；　it　may　be　our　last　one。　If　we　only　had　our　knives！　But　there　are　thousands　of　'em。〃
　〃But　if　it　es　to　the　worst…〃
　〃Then…I'm　with　you。　Forward！〃
　We　started；　and　as　we　did　so　one　of　the　four　who　had　approached　darted　from　behind　and　led　the　way。　Not　a　hand　had　touched　us；　and　this　appeared　to　me　a　good　sign；　without　knowing　exactly　why。
　〃They　seem　to　have　forgotten　their　manners；〃　Harry　observed。
　〃The　approved　method　is　to　knock　us　down　and　carry　us。　I　shall　speak　to　the　king　about　it。〃
　We　had　just　reached　the　wall　of　the　cavern　and　entered　a　passage　leading　from　it；　when　there　came　a　sound；　sonorous　and　ear…destroying；　from　the　farther　end。　We　had　heard　it　once　before；　it　was　the　same　that　had　ended　our　desperate　fight　some　days　before。　Then　it　had　saved　our　lives；　to　what　did　it　summon　us　now？
　The　passage　was　not　a　long　one。　At　its　end　we　turned　to　the　right；　following　our　guide。　Once　I　looked　back　and　saw　behind　us　the　crowd　that　had　surrounded　us　in　the　cave。　There　was　no　way　but　obedience。
　We　had　advanced　perhaps　a　hundred；　possibly　two　hundred　yards　along　the　second　passage　when　our　guide　suddenly　halted。　We　stood　beside　him。
　He　turned　sharply　to　the　left；　and；　beckoning　to　us　to　follow；　began　to　descend　a　narrow　stairway　which　led　directly　from　the　passage。　It　was　steep；　and　the　darkness　allowed　a　glimpse　only　of　black　walls　and　the　terrace　immediately　beneath　our　feet；　so　we　went　slowly。　I　counted　the　steps；　there　were　ninety…six。
　At　the　bottom　we　turned　again　to　the　right。　Just　as　we　turned　I　heard　Harry's　voice；　quite　low：
　〃There　are　only　a　dozen　following　us；　Paul。　Now…〃
　But　I　shook　my　head。　It　would　have　been　mere　folly；　for；　even　if　we　had　succeeded　in　breaking　through；　we　could　never　have　made　our　way　back　up　the　steps。　This　I　told　Harry；　he　admitted　reluctantly　that　I　was　right。
　We　now　found　ourselves　in　a　lane　so　low　and　narrow　that　it　was　necessary　for　us　to　stoop　and　proceed　in　single　file。　Our　progress　was　slow；　the　guide　was　continually　turning　to　beckon　us　on　with　gestures　of　impatience。
　At　length　he　halted　and　stood　facing　us。　The　guard　that　followed　gathered　close　in　the　rear；　the　guide　made　a　curious　upward　movement　with　his　arm；　and　when　we　stood　motionless　repeated　it　several　times。
　〃I　suppose　he　wants　us　to　fly；〃　said　Harry　with　so　genuine　a　tone　of　sarcasm　that　I　gave　an　involuntary　smile。
　The　guide's　meaning　was　soon　evident。　It　took　some　seconds　for　my　eye　to　penetrate　the　darkness；　and　then　I　saw　a　spiral　stair　ascending　perpendicularly；　apparently　carved　from　the　solid　rock。
　Harry　must　have　perceived　it　at　the　same　moment；　for　he　turned　to　me　with　a　short　laugh：
　〃Going　up？　Not　for　me；　thank　you。　The　beggar　means　for　us　to　go　alone。〃
　For　a　moment　I　hesitated；　glancing　round　uncertainly　at　the　dusky　forms　that　were　ever　pressing　closer　upon　us。　We　were　assuredly　between　the　devil　and；　the　deep　sea。
　Then　I　said；　shrugging　my　shoulders：　〃It's　no　good　pulling；　Harry。　e　on；　take　a　chance。　You　said　it…going　up！〃
　I　placed　my　foot　on　the　first　step　of　the　spiral　stair。
　Harry　followed　without　ment。　Up　we　went　together；　but　slowly。　The　stair　was　fearfully　steep　and　narrow；　and　more　than　once　I　barely　escaped　a　fall。
　Suddenly　I　became　aware　that　light　was　descending　on　us　from　above。　With　every　step　upward　it　became　brighter；　until　finally　it　was　as　though　a　noonday　sun　shone　in　upon　us。
　There　came　an　exclamation　from　Harry；　and　we　ascended　faster。
　I　remember　that　I　counted　a　hundred　and　sixty　steps…and　then；　as　a　glimmering　of　the　truth　shot　through　my　brain　into　certainty；　I　counted　no　more。
　Harry　was　crowding　me　from　below；　and　we　took　the　last　few　steps　almost　at　a　run。　Then　the　end；　and　we　stumbled　out　into　a　blaze　of　light　and　surveyed　the　surrounding　scene　with　stupefaction　and　wonder。
　It　was　not　new　to　us；　we　had　seen　it　before；　but　from　a　different　angle。
　We　were　on　the　top　of　the　column　in　the　center　of　the　lake；　on　the　spot　where　Desiree　had　whirled　in　the　dance　of　the　sun。
　
　Chapter　X。
　THE　VERDICT。
　
　For　many　seconds　we　stood　bewildered；　too　dazed　to　speak　or　move。　The　light　dazzled　our　eyes；　we　seemed　surrounded　by　an　impenetrable　wall　of　flame。　There　was　no　sensation　of　heat；　owing；　no　doubt；　to　the　immense　height　of　the　cavern　and　our　paratively　distant　removal　from　the　flames；　which　mounted　upward　in　narrow　tongues。
　Then　the　details　began　to　strike　me。
　I　have　said　the　scene　was　the　same　as　that　we　had　previously　beheld。　Round　the　walls　of　the　immense　circular　cavern　squatted　innumerable　rows　of　the　Incas　on　terraced　seats。
　Below；　at　a　dizzy　distance；　was　the　smooth　surface　of　the　lake；　black　and　gloomy　save　where　the　reflections　from　the　blazing　urns　pierced　its　depths。　And　directly　facing　us；　set　in　the　wall　of　the　cavern；　was　the　alcove　containing　the　throne　of　gold。
　And　on　the　throne　was　seated…not　the　diminutive；　misshapen　king；　but　Desiree　Le　Mire！
　She　sat　motionless；　gazing　directly　at　us。　Her　long　gold　hair　streamed　over　her　shoulders　in　magnificent　waves；　a　stiffly　flowing　garment　of　some　unknown　texture　covered　her　limbs　and　the　lower　part　of　her　body；　her　shoulders　and　breasts　and　arms　were　bare；　and　shone　with　a　dazzling　whiteness。
　Beside　her　was　a　smaller　seat；　also　of　gold；　and　on　this　crouched　the　form　of　an　Inca…the　king。　About　them；　at　a　respectful　distance；　were　ranged　attendants　and　guards…a　hundred　or　more；　for　the　alcove　was　of　an　impressive　size。　The　light　from　the　four　urns　shone　in　upon　it　with　such　brightness　that　I　could　clearly　distinguish　the　whites　of　Desiree's　eyes。
　All　this　I　saw　in　a　single　flash；　and　I　turned　to　Harry：
　〃Not　a　word；　on　your　life！　This　is　Desiree's　game；　trust　her　to　play　it。〃
　〃But　what　the　deuce　is　she　doing　there？〃
　I　shrugged　my　shoulders。
　〃She　seems　to　have　found　another　king。　You　know　her　fondness　for　royalty。〃
　〃Paul；　for　Heaven's　sake…〃
　〃All　right；　Hal。　But　we're　safe　enough；　I　think。　Most　probably　our　introduction　to　court。　This　is　what　they　call　'the　dizzy　heights　of　prominence。'　Now　keep　your　eyes　open…something　is　going　to　happen。〃
　There　was　a　movement　in　the　alcove。　Four　of　the　attendants　came　forward；　carrying　a　curious　framework　apparently　posed　of　reeds　and　leather；　light　and　flexible；　from　the　top　bar　of　which　hung　suspended　several　rope…like　ribbons；　of　various　lengths　and　colors　and　tied　in　curious　knots。　They　placed　it　on　the　ground　before　the　double　throne；　at　the　feet　of　Desiree。
　All　doubt　was　then　removed　from　my　mind　concerning　the　identity　of　our　captors　and　their　king。　For　these　bundles　of　knotted　cords　of　different　sizes　and　colors　I　recognized　at　once。
　They　were　the　famous　Inca　quipos…the　material　for　their　remarkable　mnemonic　system　of　munication　and　historical　record。　At　last　we　were　to　receive　a　message　from　the　Child　of　the　Sun。
　But　of　what　nature？　Every　cord　and　knot　and　color　had　its　meaning…but　what？　I　searched　every　avenue　of　memory　to　assist　me；　for　I　had　latterly　confined　my　studies　exclusively　to　Eastern　archeology；　and　what　I　had　known　of　the　two　great　autochthonous　civilizations　of　the　American　Continent　was　packed　in　some　dim　and　little　used　corner　of　my　brain。　But　success　came；　with　an　extreme　effort。
　I　recollected　first　the　different　disposition　of　the　quipos　for　different　purposes…historical；　sacred；　narrative；　et　cetera。　Then　the　particulars　came　to　me；　and　immediately　I　recognized　the　formula　of　the　quipos　before　the　throne。　They　were　arranged　for　adjudication…for　the　rendering　of　a　verdict。
　Harry　and　I　were　prisoners　before　the　bar　of　the　quipos！　I　turned　to　him；　but　there　was　not　time　for　talk。
　The　king　had　risen　and　stretched　out　his　hand。
　Immediately　the　vast　assemblage　rose　from　their　stone　seats　and　fell　flat　on　their　faces。　It　was　then　that　I　noticed；　for　the　first　time；　an　oval　or　elliptical　plate　of　shining　gold　set　in　the　wall　of　the　cavern　just　above　the　outer　edge　of　the　alcove。
　This；　of　course；　was　the　representation　of　Pachacamac；　the　〃unknown　god〃　in　the　Inca　religion。　Well；　I　would　as　soon　worship　a　plate　of　gold　as　that　little　black　dwarf。
　For　perhaps　a　minute　the　king　stood　with　outstretched　arm　and　the　Incas　remained　motionless　on　their　faces。　Then　he　resumed　his　seat　and　they　rose。　And　then　the　trial　began。
　The　king　turned　on　his　throne　and　laid　his　hand　on　Desiree's　arm；　we　could　see　her　draw　away　from　his　touch　with　an　involuntary　shudder。　But　this　apparent　antipathy　bothered　his　kingship　not　at　all；　it　was　probably　a　most　agreeable　sensation　to　feel　her　soft；　white　flesh　under　his　black；　hairy　hand；　a