rs.undertheandes-第37节

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　The　second　time　he　was　gone　out　more　than　half　an　hour；　and　the　instant　I　saw　his　face　when　he　returned　I　knew　what　had　happened。
　But　I　was　not　in　the　best　of　humor；　his　terror　appeared　to　me　to　be　ridiculously　childish；　and　I　said　so　in　no　uncertain　terms。
　But　he　was　too　profoundly　agitated　to　show　any　anger。
　〃You　don't　know；　you　don't　know；〃　was　all　he　said　in　answer　to　me；　then　he　added；　〃I　can't　stand　this　any　longer。　I　tell　you　we've　got　to　get　out　of　here。　You　don't　know　how　awful…〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Desiree；　looking　at　me。
　〃But　I　can　scarcely　walk；〃　I　objected。
　〃True；〃　said　Harry。　〃I　know。　But　we　can　help　you。　There　must　be　another　exit；　and　we'll　start　now。〃
　〃Very　well；〃　I　said　quite　calmly；　and　I　picked　up　one　of　the　spears　which　we　had　carried　with　us；　and；　rising　to　my　knees；　placed　the　butt　of　the　shaft　against　the　wall　near　which　I　lay。
　But　Harry　saw　my　purpose；　and　was　too　quick　for　me。　He　sprang　across　and　snatched　the　spear　from　my　hand　and　threw　it　on　the　ground　a　dozen　feet　away。
　〃Are　you　crazy？〃　he　shouted　angrily。
　〃No；〃　I　answered；　〃but　I　am　little　better；　and　I　doubt　if　I　shall　be。　e…why　not？　I　hinder　you　and　bee　bored　with　myself。〃
　〃You　blame　me；〃　he　said　bitterly；　〃but　I　tell　you　you　don't　know。　Very　well…we　stay。　You　must　give　me　your　promise　not　to　act　the　fool。〃
　〃In　any　event；　you　must　go　soon；〃　I　answered；　〃or　starve　to　death。　Perhaps　in　another　twenty…four　hours　I　shall　be　stronger。
　e；　Desiree；　will　that　satisfy　you？〃
　She　did　not　answer；　her　back　was　turned　to　us　as　she　stood　gazing　across　the　stream　into　the　depths　of　the　cavern。　There　was　a　curious　tenseness　in　her　attitude　that　made　me　follow　her　gaze；　and　what　I　saw　left　me　with　no　wonder　at　it…a　huge；　black；　indistinct　form　that　moved　slowly　toward　us　through　the　darkness。
　Harry　caught　sight　of　it　at　the　same　moment　as　myself；　and　on　the　instant　he　turned　about；　covering　his　face　with　his　hands；　and　called　to　Desiree　and　me　to　do　likewise。
　Desiree　obeyed；　I　had　risen　to　my　knees　and　remained　so；　gazing　straight　ahead；　ready　for　a　bat　if　it　were　not　a　physical　one。　I　will　not　say　that　a　certain　feeling　of　dread　did　not　rise　in　my　heart；　but　I　intended　to　show　Desiree　and　Harry　the　childishness　of　their　terror。
　Nothing　could　be　seen　but　the　uncertain　outline　of　the　immense　bulk；　but　the　same　penetrating；　sickening　odor　that　had　before　all　but　suffocated　me　came　faintly　across　the　surface　of　the　stream；　growing　stronger　with　each　second　that　passed。　Suddenly　the　eyes　appeared…two　glowing　orbs　of　fire　that　caught　my　gaze　and　held　it　as　with　a　chain。
　I　did　not　attempt　to　avoid　it；　but　returned　the　gaze　with　another　as　steadfast。　I　was　telling　myself：　〃Let　us　see　this　trick　and　play　one　stronger。〃　My　nerves　centered　throbbingly　back　of　my　eyes；　and　I　gave　them　the　whole　force　of　my　will。
　The　thing　came　closer　and　the　eyes　seemed　to　burn　into　my　very　brain。　With　a　great　effort　I　brought　myself　back　to　control；　dropping　to　my　hands　and　knees　and　gripping　the　ground　for　strength。
　〃This　is　nothing；　this　is　nothing；〃　I　kept　saying　to　myself　aloud…until　I　realized　suddenly　that　my　voice　had　risen　almost　to　a　scream；　and　I　locked　my　teeth　tight　on　my　lip。
　I　no　longer　returned　the　gaze　from　my　own　power；　it　held　me　of　itself。　I　felt　my　brain　grow　curiously　numb　and　every　muscle　in　my　body　contracted　with　a　pain　almost　unbearable。　Still　the　thing　came　closer　and　closer；　and　it　seemed　to　me；　half　dazed　as　I　was；　that　it　advanced　much　faster　than　before。
　Then　suddenly　I　felt　a　sensation　of　cold　and　moisture　on　my　arms　and　legs　and　a　pressure　against　my　body；　and　I　realized；　as　in　a　dream；　that　I　had　entered　the　stream　of　water！
　I　was　crawling　toward　the　thing　on　my　hands　and　knees；　without　having　even　been　conscious　that　I　had　moved。
　That　brought　despair　and　a　last　supreme　struggle　to　resist　whatever　mysterious　power　it　was　that　dragged　me　forward。
　Cold　beads　of　sweat　rolled　from　my　forehead。　Beneath　the　surface　of　the　water　my　hands　gripped　the　rocks　as　in　a　vise。　My　teeth　had　sunk　deep　into　my　lower　lip　and　covered　my　chin　with　blood；　though　I　did　not　know　that　till　afterward。
　But　I　was　pulled　loose　from　my　hold；　and　forward。　I　bent　the　whole　force　of　my　will　to　the　effort　not　to　move；　but　my　hand　left　the　rock　and　crept　forward。　I　was　fully　conscious　of　what　I　was　doing。　I　knew　that　if　I　could　once　draw　my　eyes　away　from　that　pelling　gaze　the　spell　would　be　broken；　but　the　power　to　do　so　was　not　in　me。
　The　thing　had　halted　on　the　farther　bank　of　the　stream。　Still　I　moved　forward。　The　water　now　lapped　against　my　chest；　soon　it　was　about　my　shoulders。
　I　was　fully　conscious　of　the　fact　that　in　another　ten　feet　the　surface　would　close　over　my　head；　and　that　I　had　not　the　strength　to　swim　or　fight　the　current；　but　still　I　went　forward。　I　tried　to　cry　out；　but　could　force　no　sound　through　my　lips。
　Then　suddenly　the　eyes　began　to　disappear。　But　that　at　least　was　prehensible；　for　I　could　distinctly　see　the　black　and　heavy　lids　closing　over　them；　like　the　curtain　on　a　stage。　They　fell　slowly。
　The　eyes　became　half　moons；　then　narrowed　to　a　thin　slit。　I　rose；　panting　like　a　man　exhausted　with　extreme　and　prolonged　physical　exertion。
　The　eyes　were　gone。
　A　mad　impulse　rushed　into　my　brain　to　dash　forward　and　touch　the　monster；　to　see　if　that　dim；　black　form　were　really　a　thing　of　flesh　and　blood　or　some　contrivance　of　the　devil。　I　smile　at　that　phrase　as　I　write　it　now　in　my　study；　but　I　did　not　smile　then。　I　was　standing　above　my　knees　in　the　water；　trembling　from　head　to　foot；　divided　between　the　impulse　to　go　forward　and　the　inclination　to　flee　in　terror。
　I　did　neither；　I　stood　still。　I　could　see　the　thing　with　a　fair　amount　of　distinctness　and　forced　my　brain　to　take　the　record　of　my　eyes。　But　I　could　make　nothing　of　it。
　I　guessed　at　rather　than　saw　a　hideous　head　rolling　from　side　to　side　at　the　end　of　a　long　and　sinuous　neck；　and　writhing；　reptilian　coils　lashing　the　rock　at　the　edge　of　the　water；　like　the　tentacles　of　an　octopus；　only　many　times　larger。　The　body　itself　was　larger　than　that　of　any　animal　I　had　ever　seen；　and　blacker　even　than　the　darkness。
　Suddenly　the　huge　mass　began　to　move　slowly　backward。　The　sharpness　of　the　odor　had　ceased　with　the　opening　of　the　eyes；　which　did　not　reappear。　I　could　dimly　see　its　huge　legs　slowly　rise　and　recede　and　again　meet　the　ground。　Soon　the　thing　was　barely　discernible。
　I　took　a　step　forward　as　though　to　follow；　but　the　strength　of　the　current　warned　me　of　the　danger　of　proceeding　farther；　and；　besides；　I　feared　every　moment　to　see　the　lids　again　raised　from　the　terrible　eyes。　The　thought　attacked　my　brain　with　horror；　and　I　turned　and　fled　in　a　sudden　panic　to　the　rear；　calling　to　Harry　and　Desiree。
　They　met　me　at　the　edge　of　the　stream；　and　their　eyes　told　me　that　they　read　in　my　face　what　had　happened；　though　they　had　seen　nothing。
　〃You…you　saw　it…〃　Harry　stammered。
　I　nodded；　scarcely　able　to　speak。
　〃Then…perhaps　now…〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　interposed。　〃Let's　get　out　of　here。　It's　horrible。
　And　yet　how　can　we　go？　I　can　hardly　stand。〃
　But　Harry　was　now　the　one　who　argued　for　delay；　saying　that　our　retreat　was　the　safest　place　we　could　find；　and　that　we　should　wait　at　least　until　I　had　had　time　to　recover　from　the　strain　of　the　last　half…hour。　Realizing　that　in　my　weakened　condition　I　would　be　a　hindrance　to　them　rather　than　a　help；　I　consented。
　Besides；　if　the　thing　reappeared　I　could　avoid　it　as　Harry　and　Desiree　had　done。
　〃What　is　it？〃　Harry　asked　presently。
　We　were　sitting　side　by　side；　well　up　against　the　wall。　It　was　an　abrupt　question；　with　no　apparent　pertinence；　but　I　understood。
　〃Heaven　knows！〃　I　answered　shortly。　I　was　none　too　pleased　with　myself。
　〃But　it　must　be　something。　Is　it　an　animal？〃
　〃Do　you　remember；〃　I　asked　by　way　of　answer；　〃a　treatise　of　Aristotle　concerning　which　we　had　a　discussion　one　day？　Its　subject　was　the　hypnotic　power　possessed　by　the　eyes　of　certain　reptiles。　I　laughed　the　idea　to　scorn；　you　maintained　that　it　was　possible。　Well；　I　agree　with　you；　and　I'd　like　to　have　about　a　dozen　of　our　modern　skeptical　scientists　in　this　cave　with　me　for　about　five　minutes。〃
　〃But　what　is　it？　A　reptile！〃　Harry　exclaimed。　〃The　thing　is　as　big　as　a　house！〃
　〃Well；　and　why　not？　I　should　guess　that　it　is　about　thirty　feet　in　height　and　forty　or　fifty　in　length。　There　have　been　species；　now　extinct；　several　times　as　large。〃
　〃Then　you　think　it　is　just…just　an　animal？〃　put　in　Desiree。
　〃What　did　you　think　it　was？〃　I　nearly　smiled。　〃An　infernal　machine？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Only　I　have　never　before　known　what　it　was　to　fear。〃
　A　discussion　which　led　us　nowhere；　but　at　least　gave　us　the　sound　of　one　another's　voices。
　We　passed　many　hours　in　that　manner。　Utterly　blank　and　wearisome；　and　all　but　hopeless。　I　have　often　wondered　at　the　strange　tenacity　with　which　we　clung　to　life　in　conditions　that　made　of　it　a　burden　almost　insupportable；　and　with　what　chance　of　relief？
　The　instinct　of　self…preservation；　it　is　called　by　the　learned；　but　it　needs　a　stronger　name。　It　is　more　than　an　instinct。　It　is　the　very　essence　of　life　itself。
　But　soon　we　were　impelled　to　action　by　somethi