rs.undertheandes-第24节

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at　me　with　an　expression　that　would　have　been　terrifying　in　the　intensity　of　its　malignant　hatred　if　he　had　not　been　utterly　helpless。　I　turned　to　Harry：
　〃What　are　we　going　to　do　with　him？〃
　〃By　Jove；　I　had　forgotten！〃　exclaimed　the　lad。　〃Paul；　perhaps　if　we　could　municate　with　them…〃　He　stopped；　glancing　at　the　closed　doorway；　then　added：　〃But　it's　impossible。〃
　〃I　believe　it　is　possible；〃　I　contradicted。　〃If　the　Incas　were　able　to　lower　that　stone　at　any　moment　you　may　be　sure　they　are　prepared　to　raise　it。　How；　Heaven　only　knows；　but　the　fact　is　certain。　Do　you　think　they　would　have　condemned　their　precious　king　to　starvation？〃
　〃Then　the　king　can　save　us！〃
　〃And　how？〃
　〃Our　lives　for　his。　We'll　give　him　nothing　to　eat；　and　if；　as　you　say；　they　have　some　way　of　watching　us；　they'll　be　forced　to　negotiate。　You　can　talk　with　the　quipos；　and　tell　them　that　unless　they　give　us　our　freedom　and　let　us　go　in　safety　they'll　have　a　dead　king。　From　the　way　they　seem　to　worship　him　they'd　e　through　in　a　minute。〃
　〃Oh；　they'd　promise；　all　right；〃　I　agreed；　〃but　how　could　we　hold　them　to　it？〃
　〃Well；　a　promise　is　a　promise。　And　it's　our　only　chance。〃
　〃No；　Harry；　to　trust　them　would　be　folly。　The　minute　we　stepped　through　that　doorway　they　would　be　on　us…the　whole　beggarly；　smelly　lot　of　them。〃
　〃Then　there　is　no　chance…none　whatever？〃　put　in　Desiree。
　〃None。　We　may　as　well　admit　the　worst。　And　the　worst　is　best　for　us　now。　Really；　we　are　in　luck；　we　die　in　our　own　way　and　at　our　own　time。　But　there　is　one　difficulty。〃
　Then；　in　answer　to　their　glances　of　inquiry；　I　added　significantly：　〃We　have　no　weapons。　We　cannot　allow　ourselves　to　starve…the　end　must　e　before　that；　for　as　soon　as　they　saw　us　weakening　we　would　be　at　their　mercy。〃
　There　was　prehension　and　horror　in　Desiree's　eyes；　but　she　looked　at　me　with　a　brave　attempt　to　smile　as　she　took　from　her　hair　something　which　gleamed　and　shone　in　the　light　from　the　flaming　urns。　It　was　a　tiny　steel　blade　with　a　handle　of　pearl　studded　with　diamonds。
　I　had　seen　it　before　many　times…a　present；　Desiree　had　told　me；　from　the　young　man　I　had　seen　in　the　royal　coach　on　that　day　in　Madrid　when　I　had　first　heard　the　name　of　Le　Mire。
　〃Will　that　do？〃　she　asked　calmly；　holding　it　out　to　me　with　a　firm　hand。
　Brave　Le　Mire！　I　took　the　dagger　and　placed　it　in　my　pocket；　and；　looking　at　Harry；　exchanged　with　him　a　nod　of　understanding。
　No　words　were　necessary。
　〃But　I　must　confess　I　am　a　coward；〃　said　Desiree。　〃When　the　time　es　I…I　could　not　bear　to　see…to　wait…〃
　I　looked　at　her　and　said　simply：　〃You　shall　be　first；〃　and　she　gave　me　a　smile　of　thanks　that　spoke　of　a　heart　that　would　not　fail　when　the　final　moment　arrived。　And　in　my　admiration　of　her　high　courage　I　forgot　the　horror　of　the　task　that　must　be　mine。
　It　was　a　relief　to　have　admitted　the　worst　and　discussed　it　calmly；　there　is　no　torment　like　suspense；　and　ours　was　at　an　end。
　A　load　was　lifted　from　our　hearts；　and　a　quiet　sympathy　created　between　us；　sincere　as　death　itself。　And　it　was　in　our　power　to　choose　for　ourselves　the　final　moment…we　were　yet　masters　of　our　fates。
　All　action　seems　useless　when　hope　is　dead；　but　certain　things　needed　to　be　done；　and　Harry　and　I　bestirred　ourselves。　We　extinguished　the　flame　in　all　the　urns　but　one　to　save　the　oil；　not　caring　to　depart　in　darkness。
　Our　supply　of　water；　we　found；　was　quite　sufficient　to　last　for　several　days；　if　used　sparingly；　for　we　intended　to　support　life　so　long　as　we　had　the　fuel。　Then　responsibility　ceases；　man　has　a　right　to　hasten　that　which　fortune　has　made　inevitable。
　The　hours　passed　by。
　We　talked　very　little；　at　times　Desiree　and　Harry　conversed　in　subdued　tones　which　I　did　not　overhear；　I　was　engaged　with　my　own　thoughts。　And　they　were　not　unpleasant；　if；　looking　death　in　the　face；　a　man　can　preserve　his　philosophy　unchanged；　he　has　made　the　only　success　in　life　that　is　worth　while。
　We　ate　and　drank；　but　gave　neither　water　nor　food　to　our　fellow　prisoner。　Not　because　I　really　expected　to　force　negotiations　with　the　Incas…but　the　thing　was　possible　and　was　worth　a　trial。　I　knew　them　well　enough　to　appraise　correctly　the　value　of　any　safe…conduct　they　might　give　us。
　I　was　a　little　surprised　to　find　in　Desiree　no　levity；　the　vulgar　prop　for　courage　based　on　ignorance。　There　was　a　tenderness　in　her　manner；　especially　toward　Harry；　that　spoke　of　something　deeper　and　awoke　in　my　own　breast　a　deeper　respect　for　her。　The　world　had　not　known　Desiree　Le　Mire…it　had　merely　been　fascinated　and　amused　by　her。
　Many　hours　had　passed　in　this　tomblike　apathy。　Two　or　three　times　I　had　advised　Desiree　to　lie　down　to　rest　and；　if　possible；　to　sleep。　She　had　refused；　but　I　became　insistent；　and　Harry　added　his　voice　to　my　own。　Then；　to　please　us；　she　consented；　we　arranged　the　cover　on　the　granite　couch　and　made　her　as　fortable　as　possible。
　In　five　minutes　she　was　fast　asleep。　Harry　stood　a　few　feet　away　from　the　couch；　looking　down　at　her。　I　spoke　to　him；　in　a　low　tone：
　〃And　you　must　rest　too；　Hal。　One　of　us　must　remain　on　watch；　I'll　take　it　first　and　call　you　when　I　feel　drowsy。　It　may　be　a　needless　precaution；　but　I　don't　care　to　wake　up　and　find　myself　in　the　condition　of　our　friend　yonder。〃
　He　wanted　to　take　the　first　watch　himself；　but　I　insisted；　and　he　arranged　our　ponchos　on　the　ground；　and　soon　he　too　was　sleeping　easily　and　profoundly。　I　looked　from　him　to　Desiree　with　a　smile；　and　reflection　that　Socrates　himself　could　not　have　met　misfortune　with　more　sublime　posure。
　It　was　possible　that　the　stone　curtain　across　the　doorway　could　be　raised　noiselessly；　and　that　made　it　necessary　to　keep　my　eyes　fastened　on　it　almost　continuously。　This　became　irksome；　besides；　twice　I　awoke　to　the　fact　that　my　thoughts　had　carried　me　so　far　away　from　my　surroundings　that　the　stone　could　have　been　raised　to　the　roof　and　I　would　not　have　noticed　it。
　So；　using　my　jacket　for　a　cushion；　I　seated　myself　on　the　ground　in　the　threshold；　leaning　my　back　against　the　stone；　and　gave　myself　up　to　meditation。
　I　had　sat　thus　for　three　hours　or　more；　and　was　thinking　of　calling　Harry　to　relieve　me；　when　I　felt　a　movement　at　my　back。　I　turned　quickly　and　saw　that　the　stone　was　moving　upward。
　Slowly　it　rose；　by　little　frequent　jerks；　not　more　than　an　eighth　of　an　inch　at　a　time。　In　fifteen　minutes　it　was　only　about　four　inches　from　the　ground。　There　was　no　sound　save　a　faint　grating　noise　from　above。
　I　stood　several　feet　away；　holding　one　of　the　golden　clubs　in　my　hand；　thinking　it　unnecessary　to　rouse　Harry　until　the　space　was　wide　enough　to　cause　apprehension。　Or　rather；　because　I　had　no　fear　of　an　assault…I　was　convinced　that　our　ruse　had　succeeded；　and　that　they　were　about　to　municate　with　us　by　means　of　the　quipos。
　The　stone　was　raised　a　little　over　a　foot；　then　became　stationary。　I　waited；　expecting　to　see　a　bundle　of　quipos　thrust　through　the　opening；　but　they　did　not　appear。
　Instead；　five　golden　vessels　were　pushed　across　the　ground　until　they　were　inside；　clear　of　the　stone；　I　could　see　the　black；　hairy　hands　and　arms；　which　were　immediately　withdrawn。
　Then　the　granite　curtain　fell　with　a　crash　that　caused　me　to　start　with　its　suddenness　and　awakened　both　Harry　and　Desiree。
　Two　of　the　vessels　contained　water；　two　oil；　and　the　other　dried　fish。　Harry；　who　had　sprung　to　his　feet　excitedly；　grumbled　in　disgust。
　〃At　least；　they　might　have　sent　us　some　soup。　But　what's　their　idea？〃
　〃It　means　that　Desiree　was　right；〃　I　observed。　〃They　have　some　way　of　watching　us。　And；　seeing　that　we　refused　to　provide　their　beloved　monarch　with　provender；　they　have　sent　him　an　allowance　from　the　pantry。〃
　Harry　grinned。
　〃Will　he　get　it？〃
　〃Hardly；〃　said　I　with　emphasis。　〃We'll　make　'em　treat　with　us　if　it's　only　to　observe　their　diplomacy。　There'll　be　a　message　from　them　within　twenty…four　hours。　You'll　see。〃
　〃Anyway；　we　know　now　that　they　can　raise　that　stone　whenever　they　feel　like　it。　But　in　the　name　of　Archimedes；　how？〃
　He　advanced　to　the　doorway　and　examined　the　block　of　granite　curiously；　but　there　was　no　clue　to　its　weight　or　thickness　from　the　inside。　I　explained　that　there　were　several　ways　by　which　the　thing　could　be　raised；　but　that　the　most　probable　one　was　by　means　of　a　rolling　pulley；　which　required　merely　some　rounded　stones　and　a　flat　surface　above；　with　ropes　of　hide　for　stays。
　It　had　been　several　hours　since　we　had　last　eaten；　and　we　decided　to　at　once　convey　to　the　spies　without　our　intentions　concerning　our　prisoner。　So　we　regaled　ourselves　with　dried　fish　and　water；　taking　care　not　to　approach　the　king；　who　had　rolled　over　on　his　side　and　lay　facing　us；　looking　for　all　the　world；　in　the　dim　light；　like　a　black　dog　crouched　on　the　floor。
　Harry　relieved　me　at　my　post　against　the　door；　and　I　lay　down　to　sleep。　Desiree　had　seated　herself　beside　him；　and　the　low　tones　of　their　voices　came　to　me　as　I　lay　on　the　couch　（which　Desiree　had　insisted　I　should　occupy）　in　an　indistinct；　musical　murmur。　This　for　perhaps　ten　minutes；　then　I　slept。
　That　became　our　routine。　During　the　many　weary　hours　that　followed　there　was　never　a　moment　when　one　of　us　was　not　seated　with　his　back　against　the　stone