rs.undertheandes-第38部分

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ft　drew　up　alongside；　and　as　I　fell　to　the　ground　flat　on　my　face　I　heard　the　two　spears　whistle　shrewdly　over　me。
　At　that　game　they　were　my　masters；　it　would　have　been　folly　to　have　tried　conclusions　with　them　with　their　own　weapons。　As　the　spears　clattered　on　the　ground　thirty　feet　away　I　sprang　to　my　feet　and　ran　to　the　farther　side　of　the　ledge；　where　I　had　before　noticed　some　loose　stones　in　a　corner。
　With　two　or　three　of　these　in　my　hands　I　ran　back　to　the　water's　edge；　meeting　two　more　of　the　spears　that　came　twisting　at　me　through　the　air；　one　of　which　tore　the　skin　from　my　left　shoulder。
　A　quick　glance　at　the　crevice　as　I　passed　showed　me　Harry　fighting　at　its　entrance；　they　were　at　us　there；　too。　I　heard　Desiree　shout　something　at　me；　but　didn't　catch　the　words。
　My　first　stone　found　its　goal。　The　two　rafts；　side　by　side　not　forty　feet　away；　were　a　fair　mark。　The　stone　was　nearly　the　size　of　a　man's　head　and　very　heavy；　I　had　all　I　could　do　to　get　the　distance。
　It　struck　the　raft　on　the　right　fairly；　the　thing　turned　turtle　in　a　flash；　precipitating　its　occupants　onto　the　other　raft。
　The　added　weight　carried　that；　too；　under　the　surface；　and　the　six　Incas　were　floundering　about　in　the　water。
　I　expected　to　see　them　turn　and　swim　for　the　landing　opposite；　but；　instead；　they　headed　directly　toward　me！
　The　light　from　the　urns　was　but　faint；　and　it　was　not　easy　to　distinguish　their　black　heads　against　the　black　water；　still；　I　could　see　their　approach。　Two　of　them　held　spears　in　their　hands；　I　saw　the　copper　heads　flash　on　high。
　I　stood　at　the　edge　of　the　lake；　wondering　at　their　folly　as　I　waited；　they　were　now　scarcely　ten　feet　away。　Another　few　strokes　and　the　foremost　stretched　out　his　hand　to　grasp　the　slippery　ledge；　my　spear　came　down　crushingly　on　his　head　and　he　fell　back　into　the　water。
　By　that　time　another　had　crawled　half　onto　the　ledge；　and　another；　a　blow　and　a　quick　thrust；　and　they；　too；　slipped　back　beneath　the　surface；　pawing　in　agony；　not　to　rise　again。
　Just　in　time　I　saw　that　one　of　the　remaining　three　had　lifted　himself　in　the　water　not　five　feet　away；　with　his　spear　aimed　at　my　breast。　But　the　poor　devil　had　no　purchase　for　his　feet　and　the　thing　went　wide。
　The　next　instant　he　had　received　a　ten…pound　stone　full　in　the　face　and　went　down　with　a　gurgle。　At　that　the　remaining　two；　seeming　to　acquire　a　glimmering　of　intelligence；　turned　and　swam　hastily　away。　I　let　them　go。
　Turning　to　Harry；　I　saw　that　the　crevice　also　was　clear。　He　had　left　his　post　and　started　toward　me；　but　I　waved　him　back。
　〃All　right　here；　Hal：　have　they　given　it　up？〃
　There　was　an　expression　of　the　most　profound　disgust　on　his　face。
　〃Paul；　it's　rank　butchery。　I'm　wading　in　blood。　Will　this　thing　never　stop？〃
　I　looked　at　him　and　said　merely：　〃Yes。〃
　No　need　to　ask　when；　he　understood　me；　he　sent　me　the　glance　of　a　man　who　has　bee　too　familiar　with　death　to　fear　it；　and　answered：
　〃Another　hour　of　this；　and…I'm　ready。〃
　I　told　him　to　keep　an　eye　on　both　points　of　attack　and　went　across　to　where　Desiree　sat　crouched　on　the　ground。　I　hadn't　many　words。
　〃How　is　your　foot？〃
　〃Oh；　it　is　better；　well。　But　your　leg…〃
　〃Never　mind　that。　Could　you　sleep？〃
　〃Bon　Dieu…no！〃
　〃We　have　only　raw　fish。　Can　you　eat？〃
　〃I'll　try；〃　she　answered；　with　a　grimace。
　I　went　to　the　edge　of　the　ledge　where　we　had　the　fish　stowed　away　near　the　water　and　took　some　of　it　both　to　her　and　Harry。　We　ate；　but　with　little　relish。　The　stuff　did　not　seem　very　fresh。
　I　remained　on　guard　at　the　mouth　of　the　crevice　while　Harry　went　to　the　lake　for　a　drink；　having　first　helped　Desiree　to　the　water　and　back　to　her　seat。　Her　foot　gave　her　a　great　deal　of　pain；　but　instead　of　a　sprain　it　appeared　that　there　had　been　merely　a　straining　of　the　ligaments。　After　bathing　it　in　the　cold　water　she　was　considerably　relieved。
　I　remained　on　watch　at　the　mouth　of　the　crevice；　from　where　I　could　also　obtain　a　pretty　fair　view　of　the　lake；　and　manded　Harry　to　rest。　He　demurred；　but　I　insisted。　Within　two　minutes　he　was　sleeping　like　a　log；　pletely　exhausted。
　Several　hundred　of　the　Incas　remained　huddled　together　on　the　ledge　without；　but　they　made　no　effort　to　attack　us。　I　had　been　watching　perhaps　three　hours　when　they　began　to　melt　away　into　the　passage。　Soon　but　a　scant　dozen　or　so　remained。　These　squatted　along　the　wall　just　under　the　lighted　urns；　evidently　in　the　capacity　of　sentinels。
　Soon　I　became　drowsy…intolerably　so；　I　was　scarcely　able　to　stand。　I　dozed　off　once　or　twice　on　my　feet；　and；　realizing　the　danger；　I　called　Harry　to　take　my　place。
　Desiree　also　had　been　asleep；　lying　on　the　raft　which　Harry　and　I　had　concealed　along　with　our　fish。　At　sound　of　my　voice　she　awoke　and　sat　up；　rubbing　her　eyes；　then；　as　I　assured　her　that　all　was　quiet；　she　fell　back　again　on　her　rude　bed。
　I　have　never　understood　the　delay　of　the　Incas　at　this　juncture；　possibly　they　took　time　to　consult　the　great　Pachacamac　and　found　his　advice　difficult　to　understand。　At　the　time　I　thought　they　had　given　up　the　attack　and　intended　to　starve　us　out；　but　they　were　incapable　of　a　decision　so　sensible。
　Many　hours　had　passed；　and　we　had　alternated　on　four　watches。
　We　had　plenty　of　rest　and　were　really　quite　fit。　The　gash　on　my　leg　had　proven　a　mere　trifle；　I　was　a　little　stiff；　but　there　was　no　pain。
　Desiree's　foot　was　almost　entirely　well；　she　was　able　to　walk　with　ease；　and　had　insisted　on　taking　a　turn　at　watch；　making　such　a　point　of　it　that　we　had　humored　her。
　Something　had　to　happen；　and　I　suppose　it　was　as　well　that　the　Incas　should　start　it。　For　we　had　met　with　a　misfortune　that　made　us　see　the　beginning　of　the　end。　Our　fish　was　no　longer　fit　to　eat；　and　we　had　been　forced　to　throw　the　remainder　of　it　in　the　lake。
　Then　we　held　a　council　of　war。　The　words　we　uttered；　standing　together　at　the　mouth　of　the　crevice；　e　to　me　now　as　in　a　dream；　if　my　memory　of　them　were　not　so　vivid　I　should　doubt　their　reality。　We　discussed　death　with　a　calmness　that　spoke　eloquently　of　our　experience。
　Desiree's　position　may　be　given　in　a　word…she　was　ready　for　the　end；　and　invited　it。
　I　was　but　little　behind　her；　but　advised　waiting　for　one　more　watch…a　sop　to　Harry。　And　there　was　one　other　circumstance　that　moved　me　to　delay…the　hope　for　a　sight　of　the　Inca　king　and　a　chance　at　him。
　Desiree　had　refused　to　tell　us　her　experiences　between　the　time　of　our　dive　from　the　column　and　our　rescue　of　her；　but　she　had　said　enough　to　cause　me　to　guess　at　its　nature。　There　was　a　suppressed　but　ever　present　horror　in　her　eyes　that　made　me　long　to　stand　once　more　before　the　Child　of　the　Sun；　then　to　go；　but　not　alone。
　Harry　advised　retreat。　I　have　mentioned　that　when　he　and　I　had　started　on　our　search　for　Desiree　we　had　found　two　exits　from　the　cavern…the　one　which　we　had　taken　and　another　which　led　through　the　maze　of　boulders　and　chasms　back　of　us　to　a　passage　full　of　twists　and　turns　and　choked　with　massive　rocks；　almost　impassable。
　Through　this　he　advised　making　our　way　to　whatever　might　await　us　beyond。
　The　question　was　still　undecided　when　our　argument　was　brought　to　a　halt　and　the　decision　was　taken　away　from　us。　Through　the　crevice　I　saw　a　band　of　Incas　emerge　from　the　passage　opposite　and　advance　to　the　water's　edge。　At　their　head　was　the　Inca　king。
　Soon　the　landing　was　pletely　covered　with　them…probably　three　hundred　or　more…and　others　could　be　seen　in　the　mouth　of　the　passage。　Each　one　carried　a　spear；　their　heads　of　copper；　upraised　in　a　veritable　forest；　shone　dully　in　the　light　of　the　urns　on　the　wall　above。
　Harry　and　Desiree　stood　close　behind　me；　looking　through　at　the　fantastic　sight。　I　turned　to　him：
　〃This　time　they　mean　business。〃
　He　nodded。
　〃But　what　can　they　do？　Except　get　knocked　on　the　head；　and　I'm　sick　of　it。　If　we　had　only　left　an　hour　ago！〃
　〃For　my　part；〃　I　retorted；　〃I'm　glad　we　didn't。　Desiree；　I'm　going　to　put　you　in　my　debt；　if　fortune　will　only　show　me　one　last　kindness　and　let　me　get　within　reach　of　him。〃
　I　pointed　to　where　the　Inca　king　stood　in　the　forefront；　at　the　very　edge　of　the　lake。
　She　shuddered　and　grew　pale。
　〃He　is　a　monster；〃　she　said　in　a　voice　so　l