rs.undertheandes-第27部分

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came　a　cry；　half　of　gladness；　half　of　wonder。　For；　seated　on　the　golden　throne；　exactly　as　before；　was　Desiree。　By　her　side　was　seated　the　Inca　king；　round　them；　guards　and　attendants。
　We　gazed　at　her　in　astonishment；　but　she　did　not　look　at　us；　even　at　that　distance　we　could　see　that　her　eyes　were　lowered　to　the　ground。　Harry　called　her　name…there　was　no　answer。　Again　he　called；　and　I　caught　him　by　the　arm。
　〃Don't；　Hal！　She　can't　possibly　do　us　any　good；　and　you　may　do　her　harm。　If　she　doesn't　answer；　it　is　because　she　has　a　reason。〃
　He　was　silent；　but　not　convinced；　and　would　probably　have　argued　the　matter　if　our　attention　had　not　been　arrested　by　a　movement　in　the　alcove。
　The　king　rose　and　extended　an　arm；　and　the　Incas　who　filled　the　seats　surrounding　the　cavern　fell　flat　on　their　faces。
　〃We　don't　seem　to　have　thinned　them　out　any；〃　I　observed。　〃I　believe　there　are　actually　more　than　before。　Where　do　they　all　e　from？〃
　〃The　Lord　knows！〃
　〃And；　by　the　way；　it　is　now　apparent　why　they　waited　so　long　to　attend　to　us。　The　king　naturally　wanted　to　be　present　at　the　entertainment；　and　he　had　to　take　time　to　recover　from　his　little　fasting　operation。　But　now；　what　in　the　name　of…my　word；　the　thing　is　to　be　done　in　all　propriety！　Look！〃
　The　king　had　dropped　his　arm；　and　the　Incas　were　again　sitting　as　Nature　had　intended　they　should　sit；　instead　of　on　their　noses。
　And　four　attendants　had　approached　the　throne；　bearing　a　frame　of　quipos。
　〃So　we　are　to　have　a　fair　trial；〃　Harry　observed。
　〃With　the　king　for　judge。〃
　〃And　a　hundred　dead　rats　as　evidence。〃
　〃Right；　they　can't　get　even　with　us；　anyway；　there　are　only　two　of　us。　And　as　far　as　the　other　is　concerned；　I　have　an　idea。〃
　The　king　had　left　his　throne　and　approached　the　outer　edge　of　the　alcove；　until　he　stood　almost　directly　under　the　oval　plate　of　gold　representing　Pachacamac　or　the　unknown　god。
　To　this　he　knelt　and　made　a　succession　of　weird；　uncouth　gestures　that　suggested　a　lunatic　or　a　traveling　hypnotist。
　Evidently　the　good　Pachacamac　approved　whatever　suggestions　the　royal　priest　municated；　for　he　rose　to　his　feet　with　a　solemn　grin　and　strutted　majestically　to　the　rear；　facing　the　frame　of　quipos。
　It　was　evident　that　he　no　longer　had　faith　in　Desiree's　interpretation　of　the　divine　will　of　the　great　Pachacamac。　It　is　a　royal　privilege　to　be　able　to　judge　your　own　enemies。
　The　hand　of　the　Child　of　the　Sun　passed　slowly　up　and　down　the　frame　of　quipos；　betraying　a　mendable　reluctance。　It　touched　the　yellow　cord　and　passed　on；　grasped　the　white　and　dropped　it。
　〃The　old　hypocrite！〃　exclaimed　Harry　in　disgust。　〃Does　he　imagine　he　is　playing　with　us？〃
　Then　there　was　an　imperceptible　movement；　rather　felt　than　seen；　throughout　the　vast　assemblage；　and　Desiree　sank　back　on　her　throne　of　gold　with　a　shudder　as　the　king　severed　with　the　knife　the　black　cord　of　death　and　laid　it　on　the　ground　at　her　feet。
　I　looked　at　Harry；　his　face　became　slightly　pale；　but　his　eyes　met　mine　firmly；　speaking　of　a　fortitude　unconquerable。　Then　we　again　riveted　our　gaze　on　the　alcove　opposite。
　An　attendant　approached　from　the　rear　and　stood　before　the　golden　throne；　while　the　king　motioned　to　Desiree　to　take　up　the　black　cord。　For　a　moment　she　did　not　understand　him；　then　she　drew　back；　shaking　her　head　firmly。
　The　king　did　not　wait　to　argue　the　matter；　but　stooped　himself　and　picked　up　the　cord　and　handed　it　to　the　attendant；　who　received　it　with　a　great　show　of　respect　and　retired　to　the　rear；　where　a　motion　was　created　by　its　appearance。
　The　judgment　was　passed；　but　what　was　to　be　the　nature　of　the　execution？　That　uncertainty　and　the　weirdness　of　the　scene　gave　to　the　thing　an　air　of　unreality　that　shut　out　the　tragic　and　admitted　only　the　grotesque。
　I　have　many　times　in　my　life　felt　nearer　to　death　than　when　I　stood　on　the　top　of　that　lofty　column；　surrounded　by　the　thousands　of　squatting　dwarfs；　whose　black　bodies　reflected　dully　the　mounting　light　from　the　flaming　urns。
　I　cannot　say　what　we　expected；　for　we　knew　not　what　to　expect。
　Many　conjectures　entered　my　mind；　but　none　of　them　approached　the　fact。　But；　thinking　that　our　guide　might　now　return　at　any　moment　to　lead　us　below；　and　not　caring　to　be　surprised　by　an　attack　from　behind　on　that　narrow　precipice；　I　moved　across　to　the　rear；　where　I　could　keep　my　eyes　on　the　alcove　opposite；　and　at　the　same　time　watch　the　stone　slab　which　closed　the　opening　to　the　spiral　stairway。　A　word　to　Harry　and　he　joined　me。
　〃Perhaps　we　can　open　it　from　above；〃　he　suggested。
　〃Not　likely；〃　I　answered；　〃and；　anyway；　what's　the　use？〃
　He　knelt　down　and　tugged　at　it；　but　there　was　no　edge　on　which　to　obtain　a　purchase。　The　thing　was　immovable。
　Five　minutes　passed；　during　which　there　was　no　movement；　either　in　the　audience　on　the　stone　seats　or　in　the　alcove。　But　there　was　an　indefinable　air　of　expectancy　on　the　faces　of　the　king　and　those　surrounding　him；　and　I　kept　a　sharp　eye　on　the　stone　slab。
　Another　five　minutes　and　still　nothing　happened。　Harry　called　across　to　Desiree；　or　rather　began　to　call；　for　I　stopped　him　with　a　jerk。　It　was　impossible　for　her　to　aid　us；　and　her　situation　was　already　sufficiently　perilous。
　Then；　being　impatient；　I　decided　to　try　to　move　the　stone　slab　myself。　Kneeling　down；　I　placed　the　palms　of　my　hands　firmly　against　its　surface　and　pressed　with　all　my　weight。
　And　then　I　knew。　plete　prehension　flashed　through　my　brain　on　the　instant。　I　sprang　to　my　feet；　and　my　thought　must　have　shown　on　my　face；　for　Harry　looked　at　me　in　surprise；　demanding：
　〃What　is　it？　What　is　it；　Paul？〃
　And　I　answered　calmly：
　〃We're　caught；　Hal。　Like　rats　in　a　trap。　Oh；　the　black　devils！　Listen！　We　have　no　time　to　lose。　Bend　over　and　touch　the　palm　of　your　hand　to　the　ground。〃
　He　did　so；　plainly　puzzled。　Then　he　drew　his　hand　hastily　away；　exclaiming：　〃It's　hot！〃
　〃Yes。〃　I　spoke　quickly。　〃Our　boots　kept　us　from　feeling　it　before；　and　the　stone　doesn't　throw　out　enough　heat　to　feel　it　in　the　air。　They've　built　a　fire　under　us　in　the　column。　The　stone　is　thick　and　heats　slowly。〃
　〃But　what…that　means…〃
　〃It　means　one　of　two　things。　In　a　few　minutes　this　floor　will　be　baking　hot。　Then　we　either　fry　on　their　stone　griddle　or　drown　in　the　lake。　You　see　the　distance　below…only　a　man　crazed　by　suffering　or　one　incredibly　brave　would　take　that　leap。　This　is　their　little　entertainment…they　expect　us　to　dance　for　them。〃
　〃But　the　lake！　If　we　could　take　it　clean…〃
　I　saw　that　the　lake　was　our　only　chance；　if　there　could　be　said　to　be　any　in　so　desperate　a　situation。　To　be　sure；　there　seemed　to　be　no　possibility　of　escaping；　even　if　we　took　the　water　without　injury。　On　every　side　its　bank　was　lined　with　the　watching　Incas；　and　the　bank　itself　was　so　steep　that　to　ascend　it　would　have　required　wings。
　The　heat　began　to　be　felt　even　through　the　soles　of　our　heavy　boots；　involuntarily　I　lifted　one　foot；　then　the　other。　I　saw　the　Child　of　the　Sun　in　the　alcove　lean　forward　with　an　appreciative　grin。　Another　minute…　I　jerked　my　wits　together…never　did　my　brain　answer　with　better　speed。　And　then　I　remembered　that　flash　of　water　I　had　seen　under　the　spiral　stairway　at　the　base　of　the　column。　I　had　thought　at　the　time　that　it　might　be　connected　with　the　lake　itself。　If　that　were　so…　I　turned　to　Harry　and　conveyed　my　idea　to　him　in　as　few　words　as　possible　as　we　walked　up　and　down；　side　by　side。　It　was　impossible　longer　to　stand　still…the　stone　was　so　hot　that　the　bare　hand　could　not　be　held　against　it　for　an　instant。　I　saw　that　he　did　not　prehend　what　I　said　about　the　water　in　the　column；　but　he　did　understand　my　instructions；　and　that　was　all　that　was　necessary。
　We　ran　to　the　edge　of　the　column　nearest　the　alcove。
　Removing　our　woolen　knickerbockers…for　better　ease　in　the　water…we　placed　them　on　the　hot　stone；　and　on　top　of　them　our　boots；　which　we　had　also　removed。　Thus　our　feet　were　protected　as　we　stood　on　the　extreme　edge　of　the　column；　taking　a　deep　breath　for　strength　and　nerve。
　I　saw　the　thousands　of　black　savages…who　had　been　cheated　of　their　dance…crane　their　necks　forward　eagerly。
　I　saw　the　king　gesture　excitedly　to　an　attendant；　who　turned　and　flew　from　the　alcove。
　I　saw　Desiree　spring　up　from　the　golden　throne　and　run　to　the　edge　of　the　alcove；　crying　to　us　in　a　tone　of　despair。　But　I　did　not　hear　her　words；　for　I　myself　was　calling：
　〃Take　it　clean；　Hal。　Ready…go！〃
　The　next　instant　we　were　flying　headlong　through　the　air　toward　the　surface　of　the　lake　a　hundred　feet　below。
　Men　have　told　me　since　that　I　never　made　that　dive；　or　that　I　greatly　overestimated　the　distance；　and　I　admit　that　as　I　look　back　at　it　now　it　appears　incredible。　Well；　they　are　wele　to　their　opinion；　but　I　would　not　advise　them　to　try　to　argue　the　matter　with　Harry。
　The　impact　with　the　water　all　but　pletely　stunned　me；　as　I　struck　the　surface　it　seemed　that　a　thousand　cannons　had　exploded　in　my　ears。　Down；　down　I　went…lucky　for　us　that　the　lake　was　apparently　bottomless！
　I　seemed　to　have　gone　as　far　below　the　water　as　I　had　been　above　it　before　I　was　able　to　twist　myself　about　and　meet　it　with　my　belly。　Then；　striking　out　with　every　ounce　of　strength　in　me；　I　m