rs.undertheandes-第58部分

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　Looking　across　we　could　see　dimly　a　wall　some　distance　away；　smooth　and　with　a　faint　whiteness。　On　either　side　of　us　other　walls　extended　to　meet　the　farther　wall；　smooth　and　polished　as　glass。
　〃The　Incas　didn't　do　that；　I　hope；〃　said　Harry；　turning　to　me。
　〃Hardly；〃　I　answered；　and　in　my　absorbing　interest　in　the　phenomenon　before　me　I　half　forgot　my　pain。
　I　moved　to　the　edge　of　one　of　the　walls　extending　at　right　angles　to　the　passage；　but　there　was　little　to　be　made　of　it。　It　was　of　soft　limestone；　and　most　probably　the　portion　that　had　disappeared　was　granite；　carried　away　by　the　force　of　its　own　weight。
　〃We　are　like　to　be　buried；〃　I　observed；　returning　to　Harry　and　Desiree。　〃Though　for　that　matter；　even　that　can　hardly　frighten　us　now。〃
　〃For　my　part；〃　said　Harry；　with　a　curious　gravity　beneath　the　apparent　lightness　of　his　words；　〃I　have　always　admired　the　death　of　Porthos。　Let　it　e；　and　wele。〃
　〃Are　we　to　go　further？〃　put　in　Desiree。
　Just　as　Harry　opened　his　mouth　to　reply　a　more　decisive　answer　came　from　another　source。　The　rock　that　had　fallen；　obstructing　the　path　of　the　Incas；　must　have　left　an　opening　that　Harry　had　missed；　or　they　had　removed　it…what　matter？
　In　some　way　they　had　forced　a　passage；　for　as　Desiree　spoke　a　dozen　spears　whistled　through　the　air　past　our　heads　and　we　looked　up　to　see　a　swarm　of　Incas　climbing　and　tumbling　down　the　face　of　a　boulder　over　which　we　had　passed　to　reach　our　resting…place。
　I　have　said　that　we　had　halted　in　a　level；　unbroken　stretch　that　still　led　some　distance　ahead　of　us。　At　its　farther　end　could　be　seen　a　group　of　rocks　and　boulders　pletely　choking　the　lane；　Beyond；　other　rocks　arose　to　a　still　greater　height…the　way　appeared　to　be　impassable。
　But　there　was　no　time　for　deliberation　or　the　weighing　of　chances；　and　we　turned　and　made　for　the　pile　of　rocks；　with　the　Incas　rushing　after　us。
　There　Desiree　and　I　halted　in　despair；　but　with　a　great　oath　Harry　brushed　us　aside　and　leaped　upon　a　rock　higher　than　his　head　with　incredible　agility。　Then；　lying　flat　on　his　face　and　extending　his　arms　downward　over　the　edge；　he　pulled　first　Desiree；　then　myself；　up　after　him。　The　whole　performance　had　occupied　a　scant　two　seconds；　and；　waiting　only　to　pick　up　the　three　spears　he　had　thrown　up　the　sloping　surface　of　the　rock　to　another　yet　higher　and　steeper。
　〃Why　don't　we　hold　them　here？〃　I　demanded。　〃They　could　never　e　up　that　rock　with　us　on　top。〃
　Harry　looked　at　me。
　〃Spears；〃　he　said　briefly；　and；　of　course；　he　was　right。　They　would　have　picked　us　off　like　birds　on　a　limb。
　We　scaled　the　second　rock　with　extreme　difficulty；　Harry　assisting　both　Desiree　and　me；　and　as　we　stood　upright　on　its　top　I　saw　the　Incas　scrambling　over　the　edge　of　the　one　below。　Two　or　three　of　them　had　already　started　to　cross；　many　more　were　ing　up　from　behind；　and　one；　as　he　made　the　top　and　arose　to　his　feet；　braced　himself　on　the　sloping　rock　and　raised　a　spear　high　above　his　head。
　At　sight　of　him　I　started；　crying　to　Harry　and　Desiree。　They　turned。
　〃The　king！〃　I　shouted；　and　I　saw　a　shudder　of　terror　run　over　Desiree's　face　as　she；　too；　recognized　the　black　form　below。　At　the　same　instant　the　spear　darted　forward　from　the　hand　of　the　Child　of　the　Sun；　but　it　landed　harmlessly　against　the　rock　several　feet　away。
　The　next　moment　the　Inca　king　had　bounded　across　the　rock　toward　us；　followed　by　a　score　of　others。
　I　was　minded　to　try　my　luck　with　his　own　weapon；　but　we　had　no　spears　to　waste；　and　Harry　was　dragging　Desiree　forward　and　shouting　to　me　to　follow。　I　turned　and　ran　after　them；　and　just　as　we　let　ourselves　down　into　a　narrow　crevice　below　the　Incas　appeared　over　the　edge　of　the　rock　behind。
　Somehow　we　scrambled　forward；　with　the　Incas　at　our　heels。
　Sharp　corners　of　projecting　rocks　bruised　our　faces　and　bodies；　once　my　leg　bent　double　under　me　as　I　fell　from　a　ledge　onto　a　boulder　below；　and　I　thought　it　was　broken；　but　Harry　jerked　me　to　my　feet　and　I　struggled　on。
　Harry　seemed　possessed　of　the　strength　of　ten　men　and　the　heart　of　a　thousand。　He　pulled　Desiree　and　me　up　and　over　boulders　and　rocks　as　though　we　had　been　feathers；　the　Lord　knows　how　he　got　there　himself！　Half　of　the　time　he　carried　Desiree；　the　other　half　he　supported　me。　His　energy　and　exertions　were　titanic；　even　in　the　desperate　excitement　of　our　retreat　I　found　time　to　marvel　at　it。
　We　did　not　gain　an　inch；　our　pursuers　kept　close　behind　us；　but　we　held　our　own。　Now　and　then　a　stray　spear　came　hurtling　through　the　air　or　struck　the　rock　near　us；　but　they　were　infrequent　and　we　were　not　hit。
　One；　flying　past　my　head；　stuck　in　a　crevice　of　the　rock　and　I　grasped　the　shaft　to　pull　it　out；　but　abandoned　my　effort　when　I　heard　Harry　shouting　to　me　from　the　front　to　e　to　his　aid。
　He　and　Desiree　were　standing　on　the　rim　of　a　ledge　that　stood　high　above　the　ground　of　the　passage。　At　its　foot　began　a　level　stretch　leading　straight　ahead　as　far　as　we　could　see。
　〃We　must　lift　her　down；〃　Harry　was　saying。
　He　let　himself　over　the　ledge；　hung　by　his　hands；　and　dropped。
　〃All　right！〃　he　called　from　below；　and　I　lay　flat　on　the　rock　while　Desiree　scrambled　over　the　edge；　holding　to　my　hands。　For　a　moment　I　held　her　suspended　in　my　outstretched　arms；　then；　at　a　word　from　Harry；　I　let　her　drop。　Another　moment　and　I　was　over　myself；　knocking　Harry　to　the　ground　and　tumbling　on　top　of　him　as　he　stood　beneath　to　break　my　fall。
　By　then　the　Incas　had　reached　the　top　of　the　ledge　above　us；　and　we　turned　and　raced　down　the　long　stretch　ahead。　I　was　in　front；　Harry　came　behind　with　Desiree。
　Suddenly；　as　I　ran；　I　felt　a　curious　trembling　of　the　ground　beneath　my　feet；　similar　to　the　vibrations　of　a　bridge　at　the　passing　of　a　heavy　load。
　Then　the　ground　actually　swayed　beneath　me；　and；　realizing　the　danger；　I　sent　a　desperate　shout　to　Harry　over　my　shoulder　and　bounded　forward。　He　was　at　my　side　on　the　instant；　with　Desiree　in　his　arms。
　The　ground　rocked　beneath　our　feet　like　a　ship　in　a　storm；　and；　just　as　I　thought　we　were　gone；　my　foot　touched　firm　rock　as　I　passed　a　yawning　crevice　a　foot　wide　under　me。
　One　more　leap　to　safety；　and　we　turned　just　in　time　to　see　the　floor　of　the　passage　which　we　had　traversed　disappear　into　some　abyss　beneath　with　a　shattering　roar。
　We　stood　at　the　very　edge　of　the　chasm　thus　suddenly　formed；　gazing　at　each　other　in　silent　wonder　and　awe。
　〃The　beggars　are　stopped　now；〃　said　Harry　finally。　〃That　break　in　the　game　is　ours。〃
　Looking　back　across　the　chasm；　we　saw　the　Incas　tumbling　by　twos　and　threes　over　the　boulder　on　the　other　side。　As　they　saw　the　yawning　abyss　that　separated　them　from　their　prey　they　stopped　short　and　gazed　across　in　profound　astonishment。
　Others　came　to　join　them；　until　there　were　several　hundred　of　the　black；　ugly　forms　huddled　together　on　the　opposite　rim　of　the　chasm；　a　hundred　feet　away。
　I　ran　over　the　group　with　a　keen　eye；　seeking　the　figure　of　the　Inca　king；　and　soon　my　search　was　successful。　He　stood　a　step　in　front　of　the　others；　a　little　to　the　right。　I　pointed　him　out　to　Harry　and　Desiree。
　〃It's　up　to　him　to　walk　right　out　again；〃　said　Harry。
　Desiree　shivered；　and　proceeded　to　send　her　last　invitation　to　the　devil。
　Turning　suddenly；　she　grasped　Harry's　spear　and　tore　it　from　his　hand。　Before　we　realized　her　purpose；　she　stepped　forward　until　her　foot　rested　on　the　very　edge　of　the　chasm；　and　had　hurled　the　spear　across　straight　at　the　Inca　king。
　It　missed　him；　but　struck　another　Inca　standing　near　full　in　the　breast。　Quick　as　lightning　the　king　turned；　grasped　the　shaft　of　the　spear；　and　pulled　it　forth；　and　with　his　white　teeth　gleaming　in　a　snarl　of　furious　hate；　sent　it　whistling　through　the　air　straight　at　Desiree。
　Harry　and　I　sprang　forward　with　a　shout　of　warning；　Desiree　stood　motionless　as　a　statue。　We　grasped　her　frantically　and　pulled　her　back；　but　too　late。
　She　came；　but　only　to　fall　lifeless　into　our　arms　with　the　spear　buried　deep　in　her　white　throat。
　We　laid　her　on　the　ground　and　knelt　beside　her　for　a　moment；　then　Harry　arose　to　his　feet　with　a　face　white　as　death；　and　I　uttered　a　silent　and　vengeful　prayer　as　I　saw　him　level　a　spear　at　the　Inca　king　acro