for the term of his natural life-第68章

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　to　send　it　raging　up　to　the　man　who　had　escaped　its　fury。　It　was　impossible　to　get　down　that　way。　　He　turned　back　into　the　cavern；　and　began　to　explore　in　that　direction。　　The　twin…rocks　against　which　he　had　been　hurled　were；　in　fact；　pillars　which　supported　the　roof　of　the　water…drive。　　Beyond　them　lay　a　great　grey　shadow　which　was　emptiness；　faintly　illumined　by　the　sea…light　cast　up　through　the　bottom　of　the　gulf。　Midway　across　the　grey　shadow　fell　a　strange　beam　of　dusky　brilliance；　which　cast　its　flickering　light　upon　a　wilderness　of　waving　sea…weeds。　Even　in　the　desperate　position　in　which　he　found　himself；　there　survived　in　the　vagabond's　nature　sufficient　poetry　to　make　him　value　the　natural　marvel　upon　which　he　had　so　strangely　stumbled。　　The　immense　promontory；　which；　viewed　from　the　outside；　seemed　as　solid　as　a　mountain；　was　in　reality　but　a　hollow　cone；　reft　and　split　into　a　thousand　fissures　by　the　unsuspected　action　of　the　sea　for　centuries。　　The　Blow…hole　was　but　an　insignificant　cranny　compared　with　this　enormous　chasm。　Descending　with　difficulty　the　steep　incline；　he　found　himself　on　the　brink　of　a　gallery　of　rock；　which；　jutting　out　over　the　pool；　bore　on　its　moist　and　weed…bearded　edges　signs　of　frequent　submersion。　　It　must　be　low　tide　without　the　rock。　　Clinging　to　the　rough　and　root…like　algae　that　fringed　the　ever…moist　walls；　John　Rex　crept　round　the　projection　of　the　gallery；　and　passed　at　once　from　dimness　to　daylight。　There　was　a　broad　loop…hole　in　the　side　of　the　honey…combed　and　wave…perforated　cliff。　　The　cloudless　heaven　expanded　above　him；　a　fresh　breeze　kissed　his　cheek　and；　sixty　feet　below　him；　the　sea　wrinkled　all　its　lazy　length；　sparkling　in　myriad　wavelets　beneath　the　bright　beams　of　morning。　　Not　a　sign　of　the　recent　tempest　marred　the　exquisite　harmony　of　the　picture。　　Not　a　sign　of　human　life　gave　evidence　of　the　grim　neighbourhood　of　the　prison。　　From　the　recess　out　of　which　he　peered　nothing　was　visible　but　a　sky　of　turquoise　smiling　upon　a　sea　of　sapphire。

The　placidity　of　Nature　was；　however；　to　the　hunted　convict　a　new　source　of　alarm。　　It　was　a　reason　why　the　Blow…hole　and　its　neighbourhood　should　be　thoroughly　searched。　　He　guessed　that　the　favourable　weather　would　be　an　additional　inducement　to　McNab　and　Burgess　to　satisfy　themselves　as　to　the　fate　of　their　late　prisoner。　　He　turned　from　the　opening；　and　prepared　to　descend　still　farther　intO　the　rock　pathway。　The　sunshine　had　revived　and　cheered　him；　and　a　sort　of　instinct　told　him　that　the　cliff；　so　honey…combed　above；　could　not　be　without　some　gully　or　chink　at　its　base；　which　at　low　tide　would　give　upon　the　rocky　shore。　It　grew　darker　as　he　descended；　and　twice　he　almost　turned　back　in　dread　of　the　gulfs　on　either　side　of　him。　　It　seemed　to　him；　also；　that　the　gullet　of　weed…clad　rock　through　which　he　was　crawling　doubled　upon　itself；　and　led　only　into　the　bowels　of　the　mountain。　Gnawed　by　hunger；　and　conscious　that　in　a　few　hours　at　most　the　rising　tide　would　fill　the　subterranean　passage　and　cut　off　his　retreat；　he　pushed　desperately　onwards。　　He　had　descended　some　ninety　feet；　and　had　lost；　in　the　devious　windings　of　his　downward　path；　all　but　the　reflection　of　the　light　from　the　gallery；　when　he　was　rewarded　by　a　glimpse　of　sunshine　striking　upwards。　　He　parted　two　enormous　masses　of　seaweed；　whose　bubble…headed　fronds　hung　curtainwise　across　his　path；　and　found　himself　in　the　very　middle　of　the　narrow　cleft　of　rock　through　which　the　sea　was　driven　to　the　Blow…hole。

At　an　immense　distance　above　him　was　the　arch　of　cliff。　　Beyond　that　arch　appeared　a　segment　of　the　ragged　edge　of　the　circular　opening；　down　which　he　had　fallen。　　He　looked　in　vain　for　the　funnel…mouth　whose　friendly　shelter　had　received　him。　　It　was　now　indistinguishable。　At　his　feet　was　a　long　rift　in　the　solid　rock；　so　narrow　that　he　could　almost　have　leapt　across　it。　　This　rift　was　the　channel　of　a　swift　black　current　which　ran　from　the　sea　for　fifty　yards　under　an　arch　eight　feet　high；　until　it　broke　upon　the　jagged　rocks　that　lay　blistering　in　the　sunshine　at　the　bottom　of　the　circular　opening　in　the　upper　cliff。　A　shudder　shook　the　limbs　of　the　adventurous　convict。　He　comprehended　that　at　high　tide　the　place　where　he　stood　was　under　water；　and　that　the　narrow　cavern　became　a　subaqueous　pipe　of　solid　rock　forty　feet　long；　through　which　were　spouted　the　league…long　rollers　of　the　Southern　Sea。

The　narrow　strip　of　rock　at　the　base　of　the　cliff　was　as　flat　as　a　table。　Here　and　there　were　enormous　hollows　like　pans；　which　the　retreating　tide　had　left　full　of　clear；　still　water。　　The　crannies　of　the　rock　were　inhabited　by　small　white　crabs；　and　John　Rex　found　to　his　delight　that　there　was　on　this　little　shelf　abundance　of　mussels；　which；　though　lean　and　acrid；　were　sufficiently　grateful　to　his　famished　stomach。　　Attached　to　the　flat　surfaces　of　the　numerous　stones；　moreover；　were　coarse　limpets。　These；　however；　John　Rex　found　too　salt　to　be　palatable；　and　was　compelled　to　reject　them。　　A　larger　variety；　however；　having　a　succulent　body　as　thick　as　a　man's　thumb；　contained　in　long　razor…shaped　shells；　were　in　some　degree　free　from　this　objection；　and　he　soon　collected　the　materials　for　a　meal。　　Having　eaten　and　sunned　himself；　he　began　to　examine　the　enormous　rock；　to　the　base　of　which　he　had　so　strangely　penetrated。　　Rugged　and　worn；　it　raised　its　huge　breast　against　wind　and　wave；　secure　upon　a　broad　pedestal；　which　probably　extended　as　far　beneath　the　sea　as　the　massive　column　itself　rose　above　it。　Rising　thus；　with　its　shaggy　drapery　of　seaweed　clinging　about　its　knees；　it　seemed　to　be　a　motionless　but　sentient　beingsome　monster　of　the　deep；　a　Titan　of　the　ocean　condemned　ever　to　front　in　silence　the　fury　of　that　illimitable　and　rarely…travelled　sea。　　Yetsilent　and　motionless　as　he　wasthe　hoary　ancient　gave　hint　of　the　mysteries　of　his　revenge。　Standing　upon　the　broad　and　sea…girt　platform　where　surely　no　human　foot　but　his　had　ever　stood　in　life；　the　convict　saw；　many　feet　above　him；　pitched　into　a　cavity　of　the　huge　sun…blistered　boulders；　an　object　which　his　sailor　eye　told　him　at　once　was　part　of　the　top　hamper　of　some　large　ship。　Crusted　with　shells；　and　its　ruin　so　overrun　with　the　ivy　of　the　ocean　that　its　ropes　could　barely　be　distinguished　from　the　weeds　with　which　they　were　encumbered；　this　relic　of　human　labour　attested　the　triumph　of　nature　over　human　ingenuity。　　Perforated　below　by　the　relentless　sea；　exposed　above　to　the　full　fury　of　the　tempest；　set　in　solitary　defiance　to　the　waves；　that　rolling　from　the　ice…volcano　of　the　Southern　Pole；　hurled　their　gathered　might　unchecked　upon　its　iron　front；　the　great　rock　drew　from　its　lonely　warfare　the　materials　of　its　own　silent　vengeance。　Clasped　in　iron　arms；　it　held　its　prey；　snatched　from　the　jaws　of　the　all…devouring　sea。　　One　might　imagine　that；　when　the　doomed　ship；　with　her　crew　of　shrieking　souls；　had　splintered　and　gone　down；　the　deaf；　blind　giant　had　clutched　this　fragment；　upheaved　from　the　seething　waters；　with　a　thrill　of　savage　and　terrible　joy。

John　Rex；　gazing　up　at　this　memento　of　a　forgotten　agony；　felt　a　sensation　of　the　most　vulgar　pleasure。　　〃There's　wood　for　my　fire！〃　thought　he；　and　mounting　to　the　spot；　he　essayed　to　fling　down　the　splinters　of　timber　upon　the　platform。　　Long　exposed　to　the　sun；　and　flung　high　above　the　water…mark　of　recent　storms；　the　timber　had　dried　to　the　condition　of　touchwood；　and　would　burn　fiercely。　　It　was　precisely　what　he　required。　Strange　accident　that　had　for　years　stored；　upon　a　desolate　rock；　this　fragment　of　a　vanished　and　long…forgotten　vessel；　that　it　might　aid　at　last　to　warm　the　limbs　of　a　villain　escaping　from　justice！

Striking　the　disintegrated　mass　with　his　iron…shod　heel；　John　Rex　broke　off　convenient　portions；　and　making　a　bag　of　his　shirt　by　tying　the　sleeves　and　neck；　he　was　speedily　staggering　into　the　cavern　with　a　supply　of　fuel。　He　made　two　trips；　flinging　down　the　wood　on　the　floor　of　the　gallery　that　overlooked　the　sea；　and　was　returning　for　a　third；　when　his　quick　ear　caught　the　dip　of　oars。　　He　had　barely　time　to　lift　the　seaweed　curtain　that　veiled　the　entrance　to　the　chasm；　when　the　Eaglehawk　boat　rounded　the　promontory。　　Burgess　was　in　the　stern…sheets；　and　seemed　to　be　making　signals　to　someone　on　the　top　of　the　cliff。　　Rex；　grinning　behind　his　veil；　divined　the　manoeuvre。　　McNab　and　his　party　were　to　search　above；　while　the　Commandant　examined　the　gulf　below。　　The　boat　headed　direct　for　the　passage；　and　for　an　instant　John　Rex's　undaunted　soul　shivered　at　the　thought　that；　perhaps；　after　all；　his　pursuers　might　be　aware　of　the　existence　of　the　cavern。　　Yet　that　was　unlikely。　　He　kept　his　ground；　and　the　boat　passed　within　a　foot　of　him；　gliding　silently　into　the　gulf。　He　observed　that　Burgess's　usually　florid　face　was　pale；　and　that　his　left　sleeve　was　cut　open；　showing　a　bandage　on　the　arm。　There　had　been　some　fighting；　then；　and　it　was　not　unlikely　that　all　his　fellow…desperadoes　had　been　captured！　　He　chuckled　at　his　own　ingenuity　and　good　sense。　　The　boat；　emerging　from　the　archway；　entered　the　pool　of　the　Blow…hole；　and；　held　with　the　full　strength　of　the　party；　remained　stationary。　　John　Rex　watched　Burgess　scan　the　rocks　and　eddies；　saw　him　signal　to　McNab；　and　then；　with　much　relief；　beheld　the　boat's　head　brought　round　to　the　sea…board。

He　was　so　intent　upon　watching　this　dangerous　and　difficult　operation　that　he　was　oblivious　of　an　extraordinary　change　which　had　taken　place　in　the　interior　of　the　cavern。　　The　water　which；　an　hour　ago；　had　left　exposed　a　long　reef　of　black　hummock…rocks；　was　now　spread　in　one　foam…flecked　sheet　over　the　ragged　bottom　of　the　rude　staircase　by　which　he　had　descended。　　The　tide　had　turned；　and　the　sea；　apparently　sucked　in　through　some　deeper　tunnel　in　the　portion　of　the　cliff　which　was　below　water；　was　being　forced　into　the　vault　with　a　rapidity　which　bid　fair　to　shortly　submerge　the　mouth　of　the　cave。　　The　convict's　feet　were　already　wetted　by　the　incoming　waves；　and　as　he　turned　for　one　last　look　at　the　boat　he　saw　a　green　billow　heave　up　against　the　entrance　to　the　chasm；　and；　almost　blotting　out　the　daylight；　roll　majestically　through　the　arch。　It　was　high　time　for　Burgess　to　take　his　departure　if　he　did　not　wish　his　whale…boat　to　be　cracked　like　a　nut　against　the　roof　of　the　tunnel。　Alive　to　his　danger；　the　Commandant　abandoned　the　search　after　his　late　prisoner's　corpse；　and　he　hastened　to　gain　the　open　sea。　The　boat；　carried　backwards　and　upwards　on　the　bosom　of　a　monstrous　wave；　narrowly　escaped　destruction；　and　John　Rex；　climbing　to　the　gallery；　saw　with　much　satisfaction　the　broad　back　of　his　out…witted　gaoler　disappear　round　the　sheltering　promontory。　　The　last　efforts　of　his　pursuers　had　failed；　and　in　another　hour　the　only　accessible　entrance　to　the　convict's　retreat　was　hidden　under　three　feet　of　furious　seawater。

His　gaolers　were　convinced　of　his　death；　and　would　search　for　him　no　more。　So　far；　so　good。　　Now　for　the　last　desperate　venturethe　escape　from　the　wonderful　cavern　which　was　at　once　his　shelter　and　his　prison。　Piling　his　wood　together；　and　succeeding　after　many　efforts；　by　the　aid　of　a　flint　and　the　ring　which　yet　clung　to　his　ankle；　in　lighting　a　f