rs.undertheandes-第13部分

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　Well；　it　was　better　to　talk　of　that　than　nothing；　at　least；　it　kept　Harry　from　his　childish　cries　for　Desiree。　So　I　explained　that　the　precipice　over　which　we　had　fallen　was　presumably　of　recent　origin。
　Geologically　the　Andes　are　yet　in　a　chaotic　and　formative　condition；　huge　slides　of　Silurian　slates　and　diorite　are　of　frequent　occurrence。　A　ridge　of　one　of　these　softer　stones　had　most　probably　been　encased　in　the　surrounding　granite　for　many　centuries；　then；　loosened　by　water　or　by　time；　had　crumbled　and　slid　into　the　stream　below。
　〃And；〃　I　finished；　〃we　followed　it。〃
　〃Then　we　may　find　another；〃　said　Harry　hopefully。
　I　agreed　that　it　was　possible。　Then　he　burst　out：
　〃In　the　name　of　Heaven；　don't　be　so　cool！　We　can't　get　out　till　we　try。　e！　And　who　knows…we　may　find　Desiree。〃
　Then　I　decided　it　was　best　to　tell　him。　Evidently　the　thought　had　not　entered　his　mind；　and　it　was　best　for　him　to　realize　the　worst。　I　gripped　his　hand　tighter　as　I　said：
　〃Nothing　so　pleasant；　Harry。　Because　we're　going　to　starve　to　death。〃
　〃Starve　to　death？〃　he　exclaimed。　Then　he　added　simply；　with　an　oddly　pathetic　tone：　〃I　hadn't　thought　of　that。〃
　After　that　we　lay　silent　for　many　minutes　in　that　awful　darkness。　Thoughts　and　memories　came　and　went　in　my　brain　with　incredible　swiftness；　pictures　long　forgotten　presented　themselves；　an　endless；　jumbled　panorama。　They　say　that　a　drowning　man　reviews　his　past　life　in　the　space　of　a　few　seconds；　it　took　me　a　little　more　time；　but　the　job　was　certainly　a　thorough　one。　Nor　did　I　find　it　more　interesting　in　retrospect　than　it　had　been　in　reality。
　I　closed　my　eyes　to　escape　the　darkness。　It　was　maddening；　easy　enough　then　to　prehend　the　hysterics　of　the　blind　and　sympathize　with　them。　It　finally　reached　a　point　where　I　was　forced　to　grit　my　teeth　to　keep　from　breaking　out　into　curses；　I　could　lie　still　no　longer；　exhausted　as　I　was；　and　Harry；　too。　I　turned　on　him：
　〃e　on；　Hal；　let's　move。〃
　〃Where？〃　he　asked　in　a　tone　devoid　of　hope。
　〃Anywhere…away　from　this　beastly　water。　We　must　dry　out　our　clothing；　no　use　dying　like　drowned　rats。　If　I　only　had　a　match！〃
　We　rose　to　our　hands　and　knees　and　crawled　painfully　up　the　slippery　incline。　Soon　we　had　reached　dry　ground　and　stood　upright；　then；　struck　by　a　sudden　thought；　I　turned　to　Harry：
　〃Didn't　you　drink　any　of　that　water？〃
　He　answered：　〃No。〃
　〃Well；　let's　try　it。　It　may　be　our　last　drink；　Hal；　make　it　a　good　one。〃
　We　crept　back　down　to　the　edge　of　the　lake　（I　call　it　that　in　my　ignorance　of　its　real　nature）；　and；　settling　myself　as　firmly　as　possible；　I　held　Harry's　hand　while　he　lowered　himself　carefully　into　the　water。　He　was　unable　to　reach　its　surface　with　his　mouth　without　letting　go　of　my　hand；　and　I　shook　off　my　poncho　and　used　it　as　a　line。
　〃How　does　it　taste？〃　I　asked。
　〃Fine！〃　was　the　response。　〃It　must　be　clear　as　a　bell。　Lord。
　I　didn't　know　I　was　so　thirsty！〃
　I　was　not　ignorant　of　the　fact　that　there　was　an　excellent　chance　of　the　water　being　unhealthful；　possibly　poisoned；　what　with　the　tertiary　deposits　of　copper　ores　in　the　rock…basins；　but　the　thought　awakened　hope　rather　than　fear。　There　is　a　choice　even　in　death。
　But　when　I　had　pulled　Harry　up　and　descended　myself　I　soon　found　that　there　was　no　danger…or　chance。　The　water　had　a　touch　of　alkali；　but　nothing　more。
　Then　we　crept　back　up　the　wet　ledge；　and　once　more　stood　on　dry　ground。
　The　surface　was　perfectly　level；　and　we　set　off　at　a　brisk　pace；　hand　in　hand；　directly　away　from　the　lake。　But　when；　about　a　hundred　yards　off；　we　suddenly　bumped　our　heads　against　a　solid　wall　of　rock；　we　decided　to　proceed　with　more　caution。
　The　darkness　was　intensified；　if　anything。　We　turned　to　the　right　and　groped　along　the　wall；　which　was　smooth　as　glass　and　higher　than　my　best　reach。　It　seemed　to　the　touch　to　be　slightly　convex；　but　that　may　have　been　delusion。
　We　had　proceeded　in　this　manner　some　hundred　yards　or　more；　advancing　cautiously；　when　we　came　to　a　break　in　the　wall。　A　few　feet　farther　the　wall　began　again。
　〃It's　a　tunnel；〃　said　Harry。
　I　nodded；　forgetting　he　could　not　see　me。　〃Shall　we　take　it？〃
　〃Anything　on　a　chance；〃　he　answered；　and　we　entered　the　passage。
　It　was　quite　narrow…so　narrow　that　we　were　forced　to　advance　very　slowly；　feeling　our　way　to　avoid　colliding　with　the　walls。
　The　ground　was　strewn　with　fragments　of　rock；　and　a　hasty　step　meant　an　almost　certain　fall　and　a　bruised　shin。　It　was　tedious　work　and　incredibly　fatiguing。
　We　had　not　rested　a　sufficient　length　of　time　to　allow　our　bodies　to　recuperate　from　the　struggle　with　the　torrent；　also；　we　began　to　feel　the　want　of　food。　Harry　was　the　first　to　falter；　but　I　spurred　him　on。　Then　he　stumbled　and　fell　and　lay　still。
　〃Are　you　hurt？〃　I　asked　anxiously；　bending　over　him。
　〃No；〃　was　the　answer。　〃But　I'm　tired…tired　to　death…and　I　want　to　sleep。〃
　I　was　tempted　myself；　but　I　brought　him　to　his　feet；　from　some　impulse　I　know　not　what。　For　what　was　the　use？　One　spot　was　as　good　as　another。　However；　we　struggled　on。
　Another　hour　and　the　passage　broadened　into　a　clearing。　At　least　so　it　seemed；　the　walls　abruptly　parted　to　the　right　and　left。　And　still　the　impenetrable；　maddening　darkness　and　awful　silence！
　We　gave　it　up；　we　could　go　no　farther。　A　few　useless　minutes　we　wasted；　searching　for　a　soft　spot　to　lie　on…moss；　reeds；　anything。　We　found　none；　of　course；　but　even　the　hard；　unyielding　rock　was　grateful　to　our　exhausted　bodies。　We　lay　side　by　side；　using　our　ponchos　for　pillows；　our　clothing　at　least　was　dry。
　I　do　not　know　how　long　I　slept；　but　it　seemed　to　me　that　I　had　barely　dozed　off　when　I　was　awakened　by　something…what？
　There　was　no　sound　to　my　strained　ears。　I　sat　up；　gazing　intently　into　the　darkness；　shuddering　without　apparent　reason。
　Then　I　reflected　that　nothing　is　dangerous　to　a　man　who　faces　death；　and　I　laughed　aloud…then　trembled　at　the　sound　of　my　own　voice。　Harry　was　in　sound　sleep　beside　me；　his　regular　breathing　told　of　its　depth。
　Again　I　lay　down；　but　I　could　not　sleep。　Some　instinct；　long　forgotten；　quivered　within　me；　telling　me　that　we　were　no　longer　alone。　And　soon　my　ear　justified　it。
　At　first　it　was　not　a　sound；　but　the　mere　shadow　of　one。　It　was　rhythmic；　low；　beating　like　a　pulse。　What　could　it　be？　Again　I　sat　up；　listening　and　peering　into　the　darkness。　And　this　time　I　was　not　mistaken…there　was　a　sound；　rustling；　sibilant。
　Little　by　little　it　increased；　or　rather　approached；　until　it　sounded　but　a　few　feet　from　me　on　every　side；　sinister　and　menacing。　It　was　the　silent；　suppressed　breathing　of　something　living…whether　animal　or　man…creeping　ever　nearer。
　Then　was　the　darkness　doubly　horrible。　I　sat　paralyzed　with　my　utter　helplessness；　though　fear；　thank　Heaven；　did　not　strike　me！　I　could　hear　no　footstep；　no　sound　of　any　kind　but　that　low；　rushing　breathing；　but　it　now　was　certain　that　whatever　the　thing　was；　it　was　not　alone。
　From　every　side　I　heard　it…closer；　closer…until　finally　I　felt　the　hot；　fetid　breath　in　my　very　face。　My　nerves　quivered　in　disgust；　not　far　from　terror。
　I　sprang　to　my　feet　with　a　desperate　cry　to　Harry　and　swung　toward　him。
　There　was　no　answering　sound；　no　rush　of　feet；　nothing；　but　I　felt　my　throat　gripped　in　monstrous；　hairy　fingers。
　I　tried　to　struggle；　and　immediately　was　crushed　to　the　ground　by　the　overpowering　weight　of　a　score　of　soft；　ill…smelling　bodies。
　The　grasp　on　my　throat　tightened；　my　arms　relaxed；　my　brain　reeled；　and　I　knew　no　more。
　
　Chapter　VII。
　THE　FIGHT　IN　THE　DARK。
　
　I　returned　to　consciousness　with　a　sickening　sensation　of　nausea　and　unreality。　Only　my　brain　was　alive；　my　entire　body　was　numb　and　as　though　paralyzed。　Still　darkness　and　silence；　for　all　my　senses　told　me　I　might　have　been　still　in　the　spot　where　I　had　fallen。
　Then　I　tried　to　move　my　arms；　and　found　that　my　hands　and　feet　were　firmly　bound。　I　strained　at　the　thongs；　making　some　slight　sound；　and　immediately　I　heard　a　whisper　but　a　few　feet　away：
　〃Are　you　awake；　Paul？〃
　〃I　was　still　half　dazed；　but　I　recognized　Harry's　voice；　and　I　answered　simply：　〃Yes。　Where　are　we？〃
　〃The　Lord　knows！　They　carried　us。　You　have　been　unconscious　f