rs.undertheandes-第8章

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　Thrice　I　tried　to　enter　into　conversation　with　her；　but　each　time　she　shook　her　head　without　turning　round；　and　I　gave　it　up。
　I　was　frankly　puzzled　by　her　words　and　conduct　of　an　hour　before；　was　it　merely　one　of　the　trickeries　of　Le　Mire　or…　I　was　interested　in　the　question　as　one　is　always　interested　in　a　riddle；　but　I　tossed　it　from　my　mind；　promising　myself　a　solution　on　the　morrow；　and　gave　my　attention　to　the　vagaries　of　nature　about　me。
　We　were　passing　through　a　cleft　between　two　massive　rocks；　some　three　or　four　hundred　yards　in　length。　Ahead　of　us；　at　the　end　of　the　passage；　a　like　boulder　fronted　us。
　Our　footfalls　echoed　and　reechoed　from　wall　to　wall；　the　only　other　sound　was　the　eery　moaning　of　the　wind　that　reached　our　ears　with　a　faintness　which　only　served　to　increase　its　effect。　Here　and　there　were　apertures　large　enough　to　admit　the　entrance　of　a　horse　and　rider；　and　in　many　places　the　sides　were　crumbling。
　I　was　reflecting；　I　remember；　that　the　formation　was　undoubtedly　one　of　limestone；　with　here　and　there　a　layer　of　quartzite；　when　I　was　aroused　by　a　shout　from　Harry。
　I　approached。　Harry　and　Desiree；　with　Felipe；　the　arriero；　had　halted　and　were　gazing　upward　at　the　wall　of　rock　which　barred　the　exit　from　the　passage。　Following　their　eyes；　I　saw　lines　carved　on　the　rock；　evidently　a　rude　and　clumsy　attempt　to　reproduce　the　form　of　some　animal。
　The　thing　was　some　forty　feet　or　so　above　us　and　difficult　to　see　clearly。
　〃I　say　it's　a　llama；〃　Harry　was　saying　as　I　stopped　at　his　side。
　〃My　dear　boy；〃　returned　Desiree；　〃don't　you　think　I　know　a　horse　when　I　see　one？〃
　〃When　you　see　one；　of　course；〃　said　Harry　sarcastically。　〃But　who　ever　saw　a　horse　with　a　neck　like　that？〃
　As　for　me；　I　was　really　interested；　and　I　turned　to　the　arriero　for　information。
　〃Si；　senor；〃　said　Felipe；　〃Un　caballo。〃
　〃But　who　carved　it？〃
　Felipe　shrugged　his　shoulders。
　〃Is　it　new…Spanish？〃
　Another　shrug。　I　became　impatient。
　〃Have　you　no　tongue？〃　I　demanded。　〃Speak！　If　you　don't　know　the　author　of　that　piece　of　equine　art　say　so。〃
　〃I　know；　senor。〃
　〃You　know？〃
　〃Si；　senor。〃
　〃Then；　for　Heaven's　sake；　tell　us。〃
　〃His　story？〃　pointing　to　the　figure　on　the　rock。
　〃Yes；　idiot！〃
　Without　a　sign　of　interest；　Felipe　turned　twice　around；　found　a　fortable　rock；　sat　down；　rolled　a　cigarette；　lighted　it；　and　began。　He　spoke　in　Spanish　dialect；　I　shall　preserve　the　style　as　far　as　translation　will　permit。
　〃Many；　many　years　ago；　senor；　Atahualpa；　the　Inca；　son　of　Huayna…Capac；　was　imprisoned　at　Cajamarco。　Four；　five　hundred　years　ago；　it　was。　By　the　great　Pizarro。　And　there　was　gold　at　Cuzco；　to　the　south；　and　Atahualpa；　for　his　ransom；　ordered　that　this　gold　be　brought　to　Pizarro。
　〃Messengers　carried　the　order　like　the　wind；　so　swift　that　in　five　days　the　priests　of　the　sun　carried　their　gold　from　the　temples　to　save　the　life　of　Atahualpa。〃
　Felipe　paused；　puffing　at　his　cigarette；　glanced　at　his　audience；　and　continued：
　〃But　Hernando　Pizarro；　brother　of　the　great　Pizarro；　suspected　a　delay　in　the　carriers　of　gold。　From　Pachacamac　he　came　with　twenty　horsemen；　sowing　terror　in　the　mountains；　carrying　eighty　loads　of　gold。　Across　the　Juaja　River　and　past　Lake　Chinchaycocha　they　came；　till　they　arrived　at　the　city　of　Huanuco。
　〃There　were　temples　and　gold　and　priests　and　soldiers。　But　when　the　soldiers　of　the　Inca　saw　the　horses　of　the　Spaniards　and　heard　the　guns；　they　became　frightened　and　ran　away　like　little　children；　carrying　their　gold。　Never　before　had　they　seen　white　men；　or　guns；　or　horses。
　〃With　them　came　many　priests　and　women；　to　the　snow　of　the　mountains。　And　after　many　days　of　suffering　they　came　to　a　cave；　wherein　they　disappeared　and　no　more　were　seen；　nor　could　Hernando　Pizarro　and　his　twenty　horsemen　find　them　to　procure　their　gold。
　〃And　before　they　entered　the　cave　they　scaled　a　rock　near　its　entrance　and　carved　thereon　the　likeness　of　a　horse　to　warn　their　Inca　brethren　of　the　Spaniards　who　had　driven　them　from　Huanuco。
　That　is　his　story；　senor。〃
　〃But　who　told　you　all　this；　Felipe？〃
　The　arriero　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　glanced　about；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃It　is　in　the　wind。〃
　〃But　the　cave？〃　cried　Desiree。　〃Where　is　the　cave？〃
　〃It　is　there；　senora；〃　said　Felipe；　pointing　through　a　passage　to　the　right。
　Then　nothing　would　do　for　Desiree　but　to　see　the　cave。　The　arriero　informed　her　that　it　was　difficult　of　access；　but　she　turned　the　objection　aside　with　contempt　and　manded　him　to　lead。
　Harry；　of　course；　was　with　her；　and　I　followed　somewhat　unwillingly；　for；　though　Felipe's　history　was　fairly　accurate；　I　was　inclined　to　regard　his　fable　of　the　disappearing　Incas　as　a　wild　tradition　of　the　mountains。
　He　had　spoken　aright…the　path　to　the　cave　was　not　an　easy　one。　Here　and　there　deep　ravines　caused　us　to　make　a　wide　detour　or　risk　our　necks　on　perilous　steeps。
　Finally　we　came　to　a　small　clearing；　which　resembled　nothing　so　much　as　the　bottom　of　a　giant　well；　and　in　the　center　of　one　of　the　steep　walls　was　an　opening　some　thirty　or　forty　feet　square；　black　and　rugged；　and　somehow　terrifying。
　It　was　the　entrance　to　the　cave。
　There　Felipe　halted。
　〃Here；　senor。　Here　entered　the　Incas　of　Huanuco　with　their　gold。〃
　He　shivered　as　he　spoke；　and　I　fancied　that　his　face　grew　pale。
　〃We　shall　explore　it！〃　cried　Desiree；　advancing。
　〃But　no；　senora！〃　The　arriero　was　positively　trembling。　〃No！　Senor；　do　not　let　her　go　within！　Many　times　have　my　countrymen　entered　in　search　of　the　gold；　and　americanos；　too；　and　never　did　they　return。　It　is　a　cave　of　the　devil；　senor。　He　hides　in　the　blackness　and　none　who　enter　may　escape　him。〃
　Desiree　was　laughing　gaily。
　〃Then　I　shall　visit　the　devil！〃　she　exclaimed；　and　before　either　Harry　or　I　could　reach　her　she　had　sprung　across　the　intervening　space　to　the　entrance　and　disappeared　within。
　With　shouts　of　consternation　from　Felipe　ringing　in　our　ears；　we　leaped　after　her。
　〃Desiree！〃　cried　Harry。　〃e　back；　Desiree！〃
　There　was　no　answer；　but　echoing　back　from　the　night　before　us　came　faint　reverberations…could　they　be　footsteps！　What　folly！
　For　I　had　thought　that　she　had　merely　intended　to　frighten　poor　Felipe；　and　now…　〃Desiree！〃　Harry　called　again　with　all　the　strength　of　his　lungs。　〃Desiree！〃
　Again　there　was　no　answer。　Then　we　entered　the　cave　together。
　I　remember　that　as　we　passed　within　I　turned　and　saw　Felipe　staring　with　white　face　and　eyes　filled　with　terror。
　A　hundred　feet　and　we　were　enpassed　by　the　most　intense　darkness。　I　muttered：　〃This　is　folly；　let　us　get　a　light；〃　and　tried　to　hold　Harry　back。　But　he　pushed　me　aside　and　groped　on；　crying：　〃Desiree！　e　back；　Desiree！〃
　What　could　I　do？　I　followed。
　Suddenly　a　scream　resounded　through　the　cavern。　Multiplied　and　echoed　by　the　black　walls；　it　was　inhuman；　shot　with　terror；　profoundly　horrible。
　A　tremor　ran　through　me　from　head　to　foot；　beside　me　I　heard　Harry　gasp　with　a　nameless　fear。　An　instant　later　we　dashed　forward　into　the　darkness。
　How　long　we　ran　I　could　never　tell；　probably　a　few　seconds；　possibly　as　many　minutes。
　On　we　rushed；　blindly；　impelled　not　by　reason；　but　by　the　memory　of　that　terrible　cry；　side　by　side；　gasping；　fearful。　And　then…　A　step　into　thin　air…a　mighty　effort　to　recover　a　footing…a　wild　instant　of　despair　and　pawing　helpless　agony。　Then　blackness　and　oblivion。
　
　Chapter　VI。
　CAPTURED。
　
　The　fall…was　it　ten　feet　or　a　thousand？　I　shall　never　know。
　Hurtling　headlong　through　space；　a　man　can　scarcely　be　expected　to　keep　his　wits　about　him。
　Actually；　my　only　impression　was　of　righteous　indignation；　my　memory　is　that　I　cursed　aloud；　but　Harry　denies　it。
　But　it　could　not　have　been　for　long；　for　when　we　struck　the　water　at　the　bottom　we　were　but　slightly　stunned　by　the　impact。　To　this　Harry　has　since　agreed；　he　must　have　been　as　lucky　as　myself；　for　I　took　it　headlong　with　a　clean　cleavage。
　I　rose　to　the　top；　sputtering；　and　flung　out　my　arms　in　the　attempt　to　swim…or；　rather；　to　keep　afloat…and　was　overjoyed　to　find　my　arms　and　legs　answer　to　the　call　of　the　brain。
　About　me　was　blackest　night　and　utter　silence；　save　a　low；　unbroken　murmur；　unlike　any　other　sound；　hardly　to　be　heard。　It　was　in　my　effort　to　account　for　it　that　I　first　became　aware　of　the　fact　that　the　water　was　a　stream；　and　a　moving　one…moving　with　incredible　swiftness；　smooth　and　all　but　silent。　As　soon　as　I　became　convinced　of　this　I　gave　up　all　attempt　to　swim；　and　satisfied　myself　with　keeping　my　head　above　the　surface　and　drifting　with　the　current。
　Then　I　thought　of　Harry；　and　called　his　name　aloud　many　times。
　The　reverberations　throughout　the　cave　were　as　the　report　of　a　thousand　cannon；　but　there　was　no　response。
　The　echoes　became　fainter　and　fainter　and　died　away；　and　again　all　was　silence　and　impenetrable　night；　while　I　battled　with　the　strong　suction　of　the　unseen　current；　which　was　growing　swifter　and　swifter；　and　felt　my　strength　begin　to　leave　me。
　Terror；　too；　began　to　call　to　me　as　the　long　minutes　passed　endlessly　by。　I　thought；　〃If　I　could　only　see！〃　and　strained　my　eyes　in　the　effort　till　I　was　forced　to　close　them　from　the　dizzy　pain。　The　utter；　plete　darkness　hid　from　me　all　knowledge　of　what　I　passed　or　what　awaited　me　beyond。
　The　water；　carrying　me　swiftly　onward　with　its　silent；　remorseless　sweep；　was　cold　and　black；　it　pressed　with　tremendous　power　against　me；　now　and　then　I　was　forced　beneath　the　surface　and　fought　my　way　back；　gasping　and　all　but　exhausted。
　I　forgot　Desiree　and　Harry；　I　lost　all　consciousness　of　where　I　was　and　what　I　was　doing；　the　silent　fury　of　the　stream　and　the　awful　blackness　maddened　me；　I　plunged　and　struggled　desperately；　blindly；　sobbing　with　rage。　This　could　not　have　lasted　much　longer；　I　was　very　near　the　end。
　Suddenly；　with　a　thrill　of　joy；　I　realized　that　the　speed　of　the　current　was　decreasing。　Then　a　reaction　of　despair　seized　me；　I　tried　to　strangle　hope　and　resign　myself　to　the　worst。　But　soon　there　was　no　longer　any　doubt；　the　water　carried　me　slower　and　slower。
　I　floated　with　little　difficulty；　wondering…could　it　be　an　approach　to　a　smaller　outlet　which　acted　as　a　dam？　Or　was　it　merely　a　lessening　of　the　incline　of　the　bed　of　the　stream？　I　cursed　the　darkness　for　my　helplessness。
　Finally　the　water　became　absolutely　still；　as　I　judged　by　the　absence　of　pressure　on　my　body；　and　I　turned　sharply　at　a　right　angle　and　began　to　swim。　My　weariness　left　me　as　by　magic；　and　I　struck　out　with　bold　and　sweeping　strokes；　and　by　that　lack　of　caution　all　but　destroyed　myself　when　my　head　suddenly　struck　against　a　wall　of　stone；　unseen　in　the　darkness。
　I　was　stunned　pletely　and　sank；　but　the　ducking　revived　me；　and　when　I　returned　to　the　surface　I　swam　a　few　careful　strokes；　searching　for　the　wall。　It　was　not　there；　and　I　had　no　idea　of　its　direction。　But　I　had　now　learned　caution；　and　by　swimming　a　few　feet　first　one　way；　then　another；　and　taking　care　not　to　go　far　in　any　one　direction；　I　finally　discovered　it。
　My　hand　easily　reached　the　top；　and；　grasping　the　slippery　surface　with　a　grip　made　firm　by　despair；　and　concentrating　every　ounce　of　strength　in　one　final　effort；　I　drew　myself　out　of　the　water　and　fell　pletely　exha