rs.undertheandes-第22部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ut taking my eyes from Le Mire's face。
Suddenly she spoke：
〃You are right； my friend Paul。 I take no advantage。 Leave it to Fortune。 Have you a coin？〃
I had won my chance。 That was all…a chance…but that was better than nothing。 I took a silver peseta from my pocket…by luck it had not been lost…and held it in the air above my head。
〃Heads！〃 cried Desiree。
I let the coin fall。 It rolled half…way across the top of the column and stopped at the very edge。 I crossed and stooped over it。 It lay heads up！
Harry was behind me； as I straightened up I saw his white； set face and eyes of horror。 He； too； had seen the verdict； but he was moved not by that； but by the thought of Desiree； for Harry was not a man to flinch at sight of death。
I stood straight； and my voice was calm。 It cost me an effort to clear it of bitterness and reproach。 I could not avoid the reflection that but for Desiree we would never have seen the cave of the devil and the Children of the Sun； but I said simply and clearly：
〃You win； madame。〃
Desiree stared at me in the most profound surprise。 I understood her； and I laughed scornfully aloud； and held my head high； and I think a voice never held so plete a disdain as did mine as I called to her：
〃I am one who plays fair； even with death； Le Mire。 The coin fell heads…you win your black cord fairly。〃
She made no sign that she had heard； she was raising the knife。 Suddenly she stopped； again her hand fell； and she said：
〃You say the purple for reward； Paul？〃
I nodded…I could not speak。 Her hand touched the white cord and passed on； the yellow； and again passed on。 Then there was a flash of the knife…another…and she approached the king and laid at his feet the purple cord。
Then； without a glance toward us； she resumed her seat on the golden throne。
A lump rose to my throat and tears to my eyes。 Which was very foolish； for the thing had been pletely theatrical。 It was merely a tribute from one of nature's gamblers to the man who 〃played fair； even with death〃； nevertheless； there was feeling in it； and the eternal mercy of woman。
For all that was visible to the eye the verdict made not the slightest impression on the rows of silent Incas。 Not a movement was seen； they might have been carved from the stone on which they were seated。
Their black； hairy bodies； squat and thick； threw back the light from the flaming torches as though even those universal rays could not penetrate such grossness。
Suddenly they rose…the king had moved。 He picked the purple cord from the ground； and； after passing his hand over it three times； handed it to an attendant who approached。
Then he stretched out his hand； and the Incas； who had remained standing； turned about and began to disappear。 As before； the cavern was emptied in an incredibly short space of time； in two minutes we were alone with those in the alcove。
There was a sound behind us。 We turned and saw a great slab of stone slowly slide to one side in the floor； leaving an aperture some three feet square。 Evidently it had been closed behind us when we had ascended； we had had no time to notice it then。 In this hole presently appeared the head and shoulders of our guide； who beckoned to us to follow and then disappeared below。
I started to obey； but turned to wait for Harry； who was gazing at Desiree。 His back was toward me and I could not see his face； his eyes must have held an appeal； for I saw Desiree's lips part in a smile and heard her call：
〃You will see me！〃
Then he joined me； and we began the descent together。
I found myself wondering how these half…civilized brutes had possibly managed to conceive the idea of the spiral stair。 It was known to neither the Aztecs nor the Incas； in America； nor to any of the primitive European or Asiatic civilizations。 But they had found a place where nothing else would do…and they made it。
Another of the innumerable offspring of Mother Necessity。
I took time to note its construction。 It was rude enough； but a good job for all that。 It was not exactly circular； there were many angles； evidently following the softer strata in the rock； they had bowed to their material…the way of the artist。
Even the height of the steps was irregular； some were scarcely more than three inches； while others were twelve or fourteen。 You may know we descended slowly and with care； especially when we had reached the point where no light came from above to aid us。 We found our guide waiting for us at the bottom； alone。
We followed him down the low and narrow passage through which we had previously e。 But when we reached the steps which led up to the passage above and to the cave where we had formerly been confined； he ignored them and turned to the right。 We hesitated。
〃He's alone；〃 said Harry。 〃Shall we chuck the beggar？〃
〃We shall not； for that very reason；〃 I answered。 〃It means that we are guests instead of captives； and far be it from us to outrage the laws of hospitality。 But seriously； the safest thing we can do is to follow him。〃
The passage in which we now found ourselves was evidently no work of nature。 Even in the semidarkness the mark of man's hand was apparent。 And the ceiling was low； another proof； for dwarfs do not build for the acmodation of giants。 But I had some faint idea of the pitiful inadequacy of their tools； and I found myself reflecting on the stupendous courage of the men who had undertaken such a task； even allowing for the fact that four hundred years had been allowed them for its pletion。
Soon we reached a veritable maze of these passages。 We must have taken a dozen or more turns； first to the right； then to the left。 I had been marking our way on my memory as well as possible； but I soon gave up the attempt as hopeless。
Several times our guide turned so quickly that we could scarcely follow him。 When we signified by gestures our desire to go slower he seemed surprised； of course； he expected us to see in the dark as well as he。
Then a dim light appeared； growing brighter as we advanced。
Soon I saw that it came through an opening in the wall to our left； which we were approaching。 Before the opening the guide halted； motioning us to enter。
We did so； and found ourselves in an apartment no less than royal。
Several blazing urns attached to the walls furnished the light； wavering but brilliant。 There were tables and rude seats； fashioned from the same prismatic stones which covered the column in the lake； and from their surfaces a thousand points of color shone dazzlingly。
At one side was a long slab of granite covered with the skins of some animal； dry； thick； and soft。 The walls themselves were of the hardest granite； studded to a height of four or five feet with tiny； innumerable spots of gold。
Harry crossed to the middle of the apartment and stood gazing curiously about him。 I turned to the door and looked down the outer passage in both directions…our guide had disappeared。
〃We appear to be friends of the family；〃 said Harry with a grin。
〃Thanks to Desiree； yes。〃
〃Thanks to the devil！ What did she mean…what could she mean？
Was it one of her jokes？ For I can't believe that she would…would…〃
〃Have sent us to death？ Well…who knows？ Yes； it may have been one of her jokes；〃 I lied。
For； of course； Harry knew nothing of the cause of Desiree's desire for revenge on me； and it would have served no good purpose to tell him。
We talked for an hour or more； examining our apartment meanwhile with considerable curiosity。
The gold excited our wonder； had it e from Huanuco four hundred years ago； or had they found it here in the mountain？
I examined the little blocks of metal or gems with which the tables and seats were inlaid； but could make nothing of them。 They resembled a carbon formation sometimes found in quartzite； but were many times more brilliant than anything I had ever seen； excepting precious stones。
The hides which covered the granite couch were also unknown to me； they were of an amazing thickness and incredibly soft。
We were amusing ourselves with an attempt to pry one of the bits of gold from the wall when we heard a sound behind us。
We turned and saw Desiree。
She stood in the entrance； smil
