rs.undertheandes-第26部分

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　I　think　I　tried　to　rise　to　my　own　feet。　I　heard　Harry's　voice　crying　in　a　frenzy：　〃Quick…here　they　e！　Desiree；　where　is　it？〃
　There　was　a　ringing　cry　of　despair　from　Desiree；　a　swinging　oath　from　Harry；　and　the　next　instant　I　found　myself　pinned　to　the　floor　by　the　weight　of　a　score　of　bodies。
　
　Chapter　XIII。
　INTO　THE　WHIRLPOOL。
　
　I　hardly　know　what　happened　after　that。　I　was　barely　conscious　that　there　was　movement　round　me；　and　that　my　wrists　and　ankles　were　being　tightly　bound。　Harry　told　me　afterward　that　he　made　one　last　desperate　stand；　and　was　halted　by　a　cry　from　Desiree；　imploring　him　to　employ　the　club　in　the　intended　office　of　the　dagger。
　He　wheeled　about　and　raised　it　to　strike；　then　his　arm　dropped；　unable　to　obey　for　the　brutal　horror　of　it。　In　another　instant　he　and　Desiree；　too；　had　been　overpowered　and　carried　to　the　floor　by　the　savage　rush。
　This　he　told　me　as　we　lay　side　by　side　in　a　dark　cavern；　whither　we　had　been　carried　by　the　victorious　Incas。　I　had　expected　instant　death；　the　fact　that　our　lives　had　been　spared　could　have　but　one　meaning；　I　thought：　to　the　revenge　of　death　was　to　be　added　the　vindictiveness　of　torture。
　We　knew　nothing　of　Desiree's　fate。　Harry　had　not　seen　her　since　he　had　been　crushed　to　the　floor　by　that　last　assault。　And　instead　of　fearing　for　her　life；　we　were　convinced　that　a　still　more　horrible　doom　was　to　be　hers；　and　hoped　only　that　she　would　find　the　means　to　avoid　it　by　the　only　possible　course。
　I　have　said　that　we　again　found　ourselves　in　darkness；　but　it　was　much　less　profound　than　it　had　been　before。　We　could　distinctly　see　the　four　walls　of　the　cavern　in　which　we　lay；　it　was　about　twelve　feet　by　twenty；　and　the　ceiling　was　very　low。　The　ground　was　damp　and　cold；　and　we　had　neither　ponchos　nor　jackets　to　protect　us。
　A　description　of　our　state　of　mind　as　we　lay　exhausted；　wounded；　and　bound　so　tightly　that　any　movement　was　impossible；　would　seem　to　betray　a　weakness。　Perhaps　it　was　so；　but　we　prayed　for　the　end…Harry　with　curses　and　oaths；　myself　in　silence。　There　is　a　time　when　misery　bees　so　acute　that　a　man　wants　only　deliverance　and　gives　no　thought　to　the　means。
　That　was　reaction；　and　gradually　it　lessened。　And　when；　after　we　had　lain　unconscious　for　many　hours　（we　can　hardly　be　said　to　have　slept）　they　came　to　bathe　our　wounds　and　bruises　and　bring　us　food　and　drink；　the　water　was　actually　grateful　to　our　hot；　suffering　flesh；　and　we　ate　almost　with　relish。　But　before　they　left　they　again　bound　our　wrists　firmly　behind　us；　and　tightened　the　cords　on　our　ankles。
　If　they　meditated　punishment　they　certainly　seemed　to　be　in　no　hurry　about　it。　The　hours　passed　endlessly　by。　We　were　cared　for　as　tenderly　as　though　we　had　been　wounded　rades　instead　of　vanquished　foes；　and　though　we　were　allowed　to　remain　on　the　damp；　hard　rock　of　the　cavern；　we　gradually　recovered　from　the　effects　of　that　gruesome　struggle　in　the　doorway；　and　our　suffering　bodies　began　to　feel　parative　fort。
　〃What　the　deuce　are　they　waiting　for？〃　Harry　growled；　after　one　of　their　visits　with　food　and　water。　〃Why　don't　they　end　it？〃
　〃Most　likely　because　a　well　man　can　appreciate　torture　better　than　a　sick　one；〃　I　answered；　not　having　seen　fit　to　speak　of　it　before。　〃You　may　be　sure　we'll　get　all　that's　ing　to　us。〃
　〃But　what　will　they　do？〃
　〃Heaven　knows。　They　are　capable　of　anything。　We'll　get　the　worst。〃
　There　was　a　silence；　then　Harry　said　slowly；　hesitating：
　〃Paul…do　you　think…Desiree…〃
　〃I　don't　think…I　dare　not　think　about　her；〃　I　interrupted。
　〃And　it　is　our　fault；　we　failed　her。　I　should　have　put　her　beyond　their　reach；　as　I　promised。　I　have　reproached　myself　bitterly；　Hal；　you　need　add　nothing。〃
　〃Do　you　think　I　would？　Only…there　is　something　else。　About　what　she　said　to　you。　I　knew　that；　you　know。〃
　I　was　silent；　he　continued：
　〃I　knew　it　long　ago。　Do　you　think　I　am　blind？　And　I　want　to　say　this　while　I　have　a　chance…it　was　unmon　good　of　you。　To　take　it　the　way　you　did；　I　mean。〃
　His　simplicity　made　me　unfortable；　and　I　made　no　answer。
　Indeed；　the　thing　was　beyond　discussion；　it　was　merely　a　bare　fact　which；　when　once　stated；　left　nothing　to　be　said。　So　I　refused　to　humor　Harry's　evident　desire　to　thrash　out　the　topic；　and　abruptly　changed　the　subject。
　We　must　have　lain　bound　in　that　cavern　little　short　of　a　week。
　Our　wounds　and　bruises　were　pletely　healed；　save　one　gash　on　Harry's　side　where　he　had　been　hurled　against　the　sharp　edge　of　one　of　the　stone　seats　as　he　had　been　borne　to　the　floor。　But　it　was　not　painful；　and　was　nearly　closed。　And　we　could　feel　the　return　of　strength　even　through　the　stiffness　caused　by　the　inactivity　of　our　muscles。
　We　had　given　up　wondering　at　the　delay　by　the　time　it　came　to　an　end。　When　they　finally　came　and　cut　our　bonds　and　led　us　from　the　cavern　we　felt　nothing　keener　than　a　mere　curiosity　as　to　what　awaited　us　at　the　end　of　our　journey。　For　myself；　there　was　a　distinct　sensation　of　thankfulness　that　uncertainty　was　to　end。
　They　took　no　chances　with　us；　but　paid　us　the　pliment　of　a　truly　royal　escort…at　least；　in　number。　There　could　not　have　been　less　than　two　hundred　of　them　in　front；　behind；　and　on　either　side；　as　we　left　the　cavern　and　proceeded　along　a　narrow；　winding　passage　to　the　left。
　Once；　as　we　started；　we　stretched　our　arms　high　and　stood　on　tiptoe　to　relieve　the　stiffness　of　our　joints；　and　immediately　found　ourselves　clutched　on　every　side　by　a　score　of　hands。
　〃Gad！　We　seem　to　have　made　an　impression！〃　Harry　grinned。
　On　the　way　down　the　passage　we　marched　with　the　Prussian　goose…step；　and　felt　the　blood　quickening　to　life　in　our　legs　and　arms。
　We　had　proceeded　in　this　manner　for　some　ten　minutes　when　we　rounded　a　corner　which　I　recognized　at　once　by　the　peculiar　circular　formation　of　the　walls。　We　were　on　our　way　to　the　great　cavern…the　cavern　where　we　had　first　seen　Desiree；　and　where　later　she　had　won　the　toss　for　our　lives　and　then　preserved　them。
　Another　minute　and　we　had　reached　the　steps　leading　to　the　tunnel　under　the　lake。　Here　our　guards　seemed　in　doubt　as　to　just　what　to　do；　those　in　front　halted　and　stood　hesitant；　and　it　seemed　to　me　that　as　they　gazed　below　down　the　stone　stair　their　eyes　held　a　certain　shrinking　terror。　Then　one　came　up　from　behind　and　with　a　manding　gesture　ordered　them　to　descend；　and　they　obeyed。
　Harry　and　I　still　found　ourselves　surrounded　by　a　full　pany；　there　were　fifty　or　sixty　ahead　of　us　and　at　least　twice　that　number　behind。　The　idea　of　a　successful　struggle　was　so　patently　impossible　that　I　believe　it　never　entered　our　minds。
　There　was　further　delay　at　the　bottom　of　the　stairs；　for；　as　I　have　said　before；　the　tunnel　was　extremely　narrow　and　it　was　barely　possible　to　walk　two　abreast。　None　of　them　turned　back；　but　Harry　and　I　could　scarcely　restrain　a　laugh　at　the　sight　of　those　immediately　in　front　of　us　treading　on　the　toes　of　their　fellows　to　keep　out　of　our　way。　With　all　their　savage　brutality　I　believe　they　possessed　little　real　bravery。
　Five　minutes　more　and　we　had　reached　the　end　of　the　tunnel　and　found　ourselves　at　the　foot　of　the　spiral　stairway。　The　passage　was　so　blocked　by　those　ahead　that　we　were　unable　to　approach　it；　they　flattened　their　squatty　bodies　against　the　wall　and　we　were　forced　to　squeeze　our　way　past　them。
　There　we　stood；　barely　able　to　make　out　their　black　forms　against　the　blacker　wall；　when　the　one　who　appeared　to　be　the　leader　approached　and　motioned　to　us　to　ascend。　We　hesitated；　feeling　instinctively　that　this　was　our　last　chance　to　make　a　stand；　weighing　our　fate。
　That　was　a　dark　moment；　but　though　I　did　not　know　it；　Providence　was　with　us。　For；　happening　to　glance　downward；　beneath　the　spiral　stair…for　there　was　no　ground　immediately　beneath　it…I　saw　a　faint　glimmer　and　a　movement　as　though　of　a　dim　light　in　the　black；　yawning　space　at　my　feet。　（You　must　understand　that　we　were　now　inside　the　base　of　the　column　in　the　center　of　the　great　cavern。）
　Moved　either　by　curiosity　or　a　mand　of　Providence；　I　stooped　and　peered　intently　downward；　and　saw　that　the　movement　was　the　almost　imperceptible　reflection　of　a　stray　ray　of　light　from　above　on　the　surface　of　water。　At　the　time　I　merely　wondered　idly　if　the　water　came　from　the　same　source　as　that　in　the　lake　outside；　not　thinking　it　sufficiently　important　to　mention　to　Harry。
　Then　a　question　came　from　him：
　〃No　good；　Paul。　They　are　a　hundred　to　one；　and　we　are　empty…handed。　Do　we　go？〃
　〃There　is　nothing　else　to　do；〃　I　answered；　and　I　placed　my　foot　on　the　first　step　of　the　spiral　stair。
　Behind　us　came　the　guide；　with　a　dozen　others　at　his　heels。
　The　ascent　seemed　even　longer　and　more　arduous　than　before；　for　then　we　had　been　propelled　by　keen　curiosity。　Twice　I　stumbled　in　the　darkness；　and　would　have　fallen　if　it　had　not　been　for　Harry's　supporting　hand　behind　me。　But　finally　we　reached　the　top　and　stepped　out　into　the　glare　of　the　great　cavern。　I　saw　the　stone　slab　close　to　behind　us；　noiselessly；　and　wondered　if　I　should　ever　see　it　open　again。
　We　looked　about　us；　and　as　our　eyes　sought　the　alcove　in　the　wall　opposite；　we　gave　a　simultaneous　start　of　surprise；　and　from　Harry's　lips　came　a　cry；　half　of　gladness；　half