rs.undertheandes-第53部分

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he。
　Immediately　in　front　of　me　lay　the　forms　of　the　woman　and　the　children；　I　could　see　their　dull　eyes；　unblinking；　looking　up　at　me　in　abject　terror。　Still　the　patter　of　footsteps　sounded　from　without；　with　now　and　then　an　interval　of　quiet。
　Struck　by　a　sudden　thought；　I　signaled　to　Harry；　and　when　he　had　moved　further　back　into　his　corner　I　sprang　across　the　room　in　one　bound　to　his　side。　A　word　or　two　of　whispering；　and　he　nodded　to　show　that　he　understood。　We　crouched　together　flat　against　the　wall。
　My　thought　had　e　just　in　time；　for　scarcely　another　minute　had　passed　when　there　suddenly　appeared　in　the　doorway　the　form　of　an　Inca。　He　moved　a　step　inside；　and　I　saw　that　there　was　another　behind　him。　I　had　not　counted　on　two　of　them！　In　the　arms　of　each　was　a　great　copper　vessel；　evidently　very　heavy；　for　their　effort　was　apparent　as　they　stooped　to　place　the　vessels　on　the　ground　just　within　the　doorway。
　As　they　straightened　up　and　saw　that　the　room　before　them　was　empty；　their　faces　filled　with　surprise。　At　the　same　moment　a　movement　came　from　the　woman　in　the　corner；　the　two　men　glanced　at　them　with　a　start　of　wonder；　and　as　I　had　foreseen；　they　ran　across　and　bent　over　the　prostrate　forms。
　The　next　instant　they；　too；　were　prone　on　the　floor；　with　Harry　and　me　on　top　of　them。　They　did　not　succumb　without　a　struggle；　and　the　one　I　had　chosen　proved　nearly　too　much　for　me。
　The　great　muscles　of　his　chest　and　legs　strained　under　me　with　a　power　that　made　me　doubtful　for　a　moment　of　the　oute；　but　the　Incas　themselves　had　taught　us　how　to　conquer　a　man　when　you　attack　him　from　behind；　and　I　grasped　his　throat　with　all　the　strength　there　was　in　my　fingers。
　With　a　desperate　effort　he　got　to　his　knees　and　grasped　my　wrists　in　his　powerful　black　hands　and　tore　my　own　grip　loose。　He　was　half…way　to　his　feet；　and　far　more　powerful　than　I；　I　changed　my　tactics。　Wrenching　myself　loose；　I　fell　back　a　step；　then；　as　he　twisted　round　to　get　at　me；　I　lunged　forward　and　let　him　have　my　fist　squarely　between　the　eyes。
　The　blow　nearly　broke　my　hand；　but　he　dropped　to　the　floor。
　The　next　instant　I　was　joined　by　Harry；　who　had　overe　the　other　Inca　with　little　difficulty；　and　in　a　trice　we　had　them　both　bound　and　gagged　along　with　the　remainder　of　the　family　in　the　corner。
　Owing　to　my　strategy　in　withholding　our　attack　until　the　Incas　had　got　well　within　the　room　and　to　one　side；　we　had　not　been　seen　by　those　constantly　passing　up　and　down　in　the　corridor　without；　at　least；　none　of　them　had　entered。　We　seemed　by　this　stroke　to　have　assured　our　safety　so　long　as　we　remained　in　the　room。
　But　it　was　still　necessary　to　remain　against　the　wall；　for　the　soft　patter　of　footsteps　could　still　be　heard　in　the　corridor。
　They　now　came　at　irregular　intervals；　and　there　were　not　many　of　them。　Otherwise　the　silence　was　unbroken。
　〃What　does　it　all　mean？〃　Harry　whispered。
　〃The　Incas　are　ing　home　to　their　women；〃　I　guessed。
　〃Though；　after　seeing　the　women；　it　is　little　wonder　if　they　spend　most　of　their　time　away　from　them。　He　is　wele　to　his　repose　in　the　bosom　of　his　family。〃
　There　passed　an　uneventful　hour。　Long　before　it　ended　the　sound　of　footsteps　had　entirely　ceased；　but　we　thought　it　best　to　take　no　chances；　and　waited　for　the　last　minute　our　impatience　would　allow　us。　Then；　unfortable　and　stiff　from　the　long　period　of　immobility　and　silence；　we　rose　to　our　feet　and　made　ready　to　start。
　Harry　was　for　appropriating　some　of　the　strips　of　dried　fish　we　saw　suspended　from　the　ceiling；　but　I　objected　that　our　danger　lay　in　any　direction　other　than　that　of　hunger；　and　we　set　out　with　only　our　spears。
　The　corridor　was　deserted。　One　quick　glance　in　either　direction　assured　us　of　that；　then　we　turned　to　the　right　and　set　out　at　a　rapid　pace；　down　the　long　passage　past　a　succession　of　rooms　exactly　similar　to　the　one　we　had　just　left…scores；　hundreds　of　them。
　Each　one　was　occupied　by　from　one　to　ten　of　the　Incas　lying　on　the　couch　which　each　contained；　or　stretched　on　hides　on　the　floor。
　No　one　was　stirring。　Everywhere　was　silence　save　the　patter　of　our　own　feet；　which　we　let　fall　as　noiselessly　as　possible。
　〃Will　it　never　end？〃　whispered　Harry　at　length；　after　we　had　traversed　upward　of　a　mile　without　any　sign　of　a　cross…passage　or　a　termination。
　〃Forward；　and　silence！〃　I　breathed　for　a　reply。
　The　end…at　least；　of　the　silence…came　sooner　than　we　had　expected。　Hardly　were　the　last　words　out　of　my　mouth　when　a　whirring　noise　sounded　behind　us。　We　glanced　over　our　shoulders　as　we　ran；　and　at　the　same　instant　an　Inca　spear　flew　by　not　two　inches　from　my　head　and　struck　the　ground　in　front。
　Not　a　hundred　feet　to　the　rear　we　saw　a　group　of　Incas　rushing　along　the　passage　toward　us。　Harry　wheeled　about；　raising　his　spear；　but　I　grasped　him　by　the　arm；　crying；　〃Run；　it's　our　only　chance！〃　The　next　moment　we　were　leaping　forward　side　by　side　down　the　passage。
　It　would　have　fared　ill　with　any　who　appeared　to　block　our　way　in　that　mad　dash；　but　it　remained　clear。　The　corridor　led　straight　ahead；　with　never　a　turn。　We　were　running　as　we　had　never　run　before；　the　black　walls　flashed　past　us　an　indistinguishable　blur；　and　the　open　doorways　were　blended　into　one。
　Glancing　back　over　my　shoulder；　I　saw　that　the　small　group　of　Incas　was　no　longer　small。　Away　to　the　rear　the　corridor　was　filled　with　rushing　black　forms。　But　I　saw　plainly　that　we　were　gaining　on　them；　the　distance　that　separated　us　was　twice　as　great　as　when　we　had　first　started　to　run。
　〃How　about　it？〃　I　panted。　〃Can　you　hold　out？〃
　〃If　it　weren't　for　this　knee；〃　Harry　returned　between　breaths　and　through　clenched　teeth。　〃But…I'm　with　you。〃　He　was　limping　painfully；　and　I　slackened　my　pace　a　little；　but　he　urged　me　forward　with　an　oath；　and　himself　sprang　to　the　front。　His　knee　must　have　been　causing　him　the　keenest　agony；　his　face　was　white　as　death。
　Then　I　uttered　a　cry　of　joy　as　I　saw　a　bend　in　the　passage　ahead。　We　reached　it；　and　wheeled　to　the　right。　There　was　solid　wall　on　either　side；　the　series　of　doors　was　ended。
　〃We'll　shake　'em　off　now；〃　I　panted。
　Harry　nodded。
　A　short　distance　ahead　we　came　to　another　cross…passage；　and　turned　to　the　left。　Glancing　over　my　shoulder；　I　saw　that　our　pursuers　had　not　yet　reached　the　first　turn。　Harry　kept　in　the　lead；　and　was　giving　me　all　I　could　do　to　keep　up　with　him。
　We　found　ourselves　now　in　a　veritable　maze　of　lanes　and　cross…passages；　and　we　turned　to　one　side　or　the　other　at　every　opportunity。　At　length　I　grasped　Harry　by　the　arm　and　stopped　him。
　We　stood　for　two　full　minutes　listening　intently。　There　was　absolutely　no　sound　of　any　kind。
　〃Thank　Heaven！〃　Harry　breathed；　and　would　have　fallen　to　the　ground　if　I　had　not　supported　him。
　We　started　out　then　in　search　of　water；　moving　slowly　and　cautiously。　But　we　found　none；　and　soon　Harry　declared　that　he　could　go　no　further。　We　sat　down　with　our　backs　against　the　wall　of　the　passage；　still　breathing　heavily　and　all　but　exhausted。
　In　that　darkness　and　silence　the　minutes　passed　into　hours。
　We　talked　but　little；　and　then　only　in　whispers。　Finally　Harry　fell　into　a　restless　sleep；　if　it　may　be　called　that；　and　several　times　I　dozed　off　and　was　awakened　by　my　head　nodding　against　the　stone　wall。
　At　length；　finding　Harry　awake；　I　urged　him　to　his　feet。　His　knee　barely　supported　his　weight；　but　he　gritted　his　teeth　and　told　me　to　lead　on。
　〃We　can　wait…〃　I　began；　but　he　broke　in　savagely：
　〃No！　I　want　to　find　her；　that's　all…and　end　it。　Just　one　more　chance！〃
　We　searched　for　an　hour　before　we　found　the　stream　of　water　we　sought。　After　Harry　had　bathed　his　knee　and　drunk　his　fill　he　felt　more　fit；　and　we　pushed　on　more　rapidly；　but　still　quite　at　random。
　We　turned　first　one　way；　then　another；　in　the　never…ending　labyrinth；　always　in　darkness　and　silence。　We　seemed　to　get　nowhere；　and　I　for　one　was　about　to　give　up　the　disheartening　task　when　suddenly　a　sound　smote　our　ears　that　caused　us　first　to　start　violently；　then　stop　and　gaze　at　each　other　in　prehension　and　eager　surprise。
　〃The　bell！〃　cried　Harry。　〃They　are　being　summoned　to　the　great　cavern！〃
　It　was　the　same　sound　we　had　heard　twice　before；　a　soun