rs.undertheandes-第44节

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　the　air　about　us　was　full　of　flying　water。
　The　roar　of　the　rapids　became　louder　and　louder。　I　turned　for　an　instant；　shouting　at　the　top　of　my　voice：　〃Flat　on　your　faces；　and　hold　on　for　dear　life！〃　Then　I　dropped　down　with　my　oar　under　me；　passing　my　feet　under　two　of　the　straps　and　clinging　to　two　others　with　my　hands。
　Another　few　seconds　passed　that　seemed　an　hour。　The　raft　was　swaying　and　lurching　with　the　mad　force　of　the　current。　I　called　out　again　to　Harry　and　Desiree；　but　my　words　were　pletely　drowned　by　the　deafening；　stunning　roar　of　the　water。　All　was　darkness　and　confusion。　I　kept　asking　myself：　〃Why　doesn't　it　e？〃　It　seemed　an　age　since　I　had　thrown　myself　on　my　face。
　Suddenly　the　raft　leaped　up　under　me　and　away。　It　seemed　as　though　some　giant　hand　had　grasped　it　from　beneath　and　jerked　it　down　with　tremendous　force。　The　air　was　filled　with　water；　lashing　my　face　and　body　furiously。　The　raft　whirled　about　like　a　cork。
　I　gripped　the　straps　with　all　the　strength　that　was　in　me。　Down；　down　we　went　into　the　darkness；　my　breath　was　gone　and　my　brain　whirled　dizzily。
　There　was　a　sudden　sharp　lurch；　a　jerk　upward；　and　I　felt　the　surface　of　the　water　close　over　me。　Blinded　and　dazed；　I　clung　to　my　hold　desperately；　struggling　with　the　instinct　to　free　myself。
　For　several　seconds　the　roar　of　the　cataract　sounded　in　my　ears　with　a　furious　faintness；　as　though　it　were　at　a　great　distance；　then　I　felt　the　air　again　and　a　sudden　cessation　of　motion。
　I　opened　my　eyes；　choking　and　sputtering。　For　a　time　I　could　see　nothing；　then　I　made　out　Desiree's　form；　and　Harry's；　stretched　behind　me　on　the　raft。　At　the　same　instant　Harry's　voice　came：
　〃Paul！　Ah；　Desiree！〃
　In　another　moment　we　were　at　her　side。　Her　hands　held　to　the　straps　on　each　side　with　a　grip　as　of　death；　we　had　to　pry　off　each　of　her　fingers　separately　to　loosen　them。　Then　we　bent　her　over　Harry's　knee　and　worked　her　arms　up　and　down；　and　soon　her　chest　heaved　convulsively　and　her　lungs　freed　themselves　of　the　water　they　had　taken。　Presently　she　turned　about；　her　eyes　opened　and　she　pressed　her　hands　to　her　head。
　〃Don't　say　'Where　am　I？'〃　said　Harry；　〃because　we　don't　know。
　How　do　you　feel？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　answered；　still　gasping　for　breath。　〃What　was　it？　What　did　we　do？〃
　I　left　them　then；　turning　to　survey　the　extent　of　our　damage。
　There　was　absolutely　none；　we　were　as　intact　as　when　we　started。
　The　provisions　and　spears　remained　under　their　straps；　my　oar　lay　where　I　had　fallen　on　it。　The　raft　appeared　to　be　floating　easily　as　before；　without　a　scratch。
　The　water　about　us　was　churned　into　foam；　though　we　had　already　been　carried　so　far　from　the　cataract　that　it　was　lost　behind　us　in　the　darkness；　only　its　roar　reached　our　ears。　To　this　day　I　haven't　the　faintest　idea　of　its　height；　it　may　have　been　ten　feet　or　two　hundred。　Harry　says　a　thousand。
　We　were　moving　slowly　along　on　the　surface　of　what　appeared　to　be　a　lake；　still　carried　forward　by　the　force　of　the　falls　behind　us。　For　my　part；　I　found　its　roar　bewildering　and　confusing；　and　I　picked　up　my　oar　and　menced　to　paddle　away　from　it；　at　least；　so　I　judged。
　Harry's　voice　came　from　behind：
　〃In　the　name　of　goodness；　where　did　you　get　that　oar？〃
　I　turned。
　〃Young　man；　a　good　sailor　never　loses　an　oar。　How　do　you　feel；　Desiree？〃
　〃Like　a　drowned　rat；〃　she　answered；　but　with　a　laugh　in　her　voice。　〃I'm　faint　and　sick　and　wet；　and　my　throat　is　ready　to　burst；　but　I　wouldn't　have　missed　that　for　anything。　It　was　glorious！　I'd　like　to　do　it　again。〃
　〃Yes；　you　would；〃　said　Harry　skeptically。　〃You're　wele；　thank　you。　But　what　I　want　to　know　is；　where　did　that　oar　e　from？〃
　I　explained　that　I　had　taken　the　precaution　to　fall　on　it。
　
　〃Do　you　never　lose　your　head？〃　asked　Desiree。
　〃No；　merely　my　heart。〃
　〃Oh；　as　for　that；〃　she　retorted；　with　a　lightness　that　still　had　a　sting；　〃my　good　friend；　you　never　had　any。〃
　Whereupon　I　returned　to　my　paddling　in　haste。
　Soon　I　discovered　that　though；　as　I　have　said；　we　appeared　to　be　in　a　lake…for　I　could　see　no　bank　on　either　side…there　was　still　a　current。　We　drifted　slowly；　but　our　movement　was　plainly　perceptible；　and　I　rested　on　my　oar。
　Presently　a　wall　loomed　up　ahead　of　us　and　I　saw　that　the　stream　again　narrowed　down　as　it　entered　the　tunnel；　much　lower　than　the　one　above　the　cataract。　The　current　became　swifter　as　we　were　carried　toward　its　mouth；　and　I　called　to　Harry　to　get　his　spear　to　keep　us　off　from　the　walls　if　it　should　prove　necessary。
　But　we　entered　exactly　in　the　center　and　were　swept　forward　with　a　rush。
　The　ceiling　of　the　tunnel　was　so　low　that　we　could　not　stand　upright　on　the　raft；　and　the　stream　was　not　more　than　forty　feet　wide。　That　was　anything　but　promising；　if　the　stream　really　ran　through　to　the　western　slope；　its　volume　of　water　should　have　been　increasing　instead　of　diminishing。　I　said　nothing　of　that　to　Harry　or　Desiree。
　We　had　sailed　along　thus　without　incident　for　upward　of　half　an　hour；　when　my　carelessness；　or　the　darkness；　nearly　brought　us　to　grief。　Suddenly；　without　warning；　there　was　a　violent　jar　and　the　raft　rebounded　with　a　force　that　all　but　threw　us　into　the　water。　ing　to　a　bend　in　the　stream；　the　current　had　dashed　us　against　the　other　bank。
　But；　owing　to　the　flexibility　of　its　sides；　the　raft　escaped　damage。　I　had　my　oar　against　the　wall　instantly；　shoving　off；　and　we　swung　round　and　caught　the　current　again　round　the　curve。
　But　that　bend　was　to　the　left；　as　the　other　had　been；　which　meant　that　we　were　now　going　in　exactly　the　opposite　direction　of　that　in　which　we　had　started！　Which；　in　turn；　meant　the　death　of　hope；　we　were　merely　winding　in　and　out　in　a　circle　and　getting　nowhere。　Harry　and　Desiree　had　apparently　not　noticed　the　fact；　and　I　said　nothing　of　it。　Time　enough　when　they　should　find　out　for　themselves；　and　besides；　there　was　still　a　chance；　though　a　slim　one。
　Soon　the　bed　of　the　stream　became　nearly　level；　for　we　barely　moved。　The　roof　of　the　tunnel　was　very　low…but　a　scant　foot　above　our　heads　as　we　sat　or　crouched　on　the　raft。　It　was　necessary　to　keep　a　sharp　lookout　ahead；　a　rock　projecting　from　above　would　have　swept　us　into　the　water。
　The　air；　too；　was　close　and　foul；　our　breath　became　labored　and　difficult；　and　Desiree；　half　stifled　and　drowsy；　passed　into　a　fitful　and　broken　sleep；　stirring　restlessly　and　panting　for　air。
　Harry　had　taken　the　bow　and　I　lay　across　the　stern。　Suddenly　his　voice　came；　announcing　that　we　had　left　the　tunnel。
　I　sat　up　quickly　and　looked　round。　The　walls　were　no　longer　to　be　seen；　we　had　evidently　entered　a　cavern　similar　to　the　one　in　which　we　had　embarked。
　〃Shall　we　lay　off？　I　asked；　stepping　across　to　Harry's　side。
　He　assented；　and　I　took　the　oar　and　worked　the　raft　over　to　the　left。　There　was　but　little　current　and　she　went　well　in。　In　a　few　minutes　we　were　in　shallow　water；　and　Harry　and　I　jumped　off　and　shoved　her　to　the　bank。
　Desiree　sat　up；　rubbing　her　eyes。
　〃Where　are　we？〃　she　asked。
　Harry　explained　while　we　beached　the　raft。　Then　we　broke　out　our　provisions　and　partook　of　them。
　〃But　why　do　we　stop？〃　asked　Desiree。
　The　words　〃Because　we　are　not　getting　anywhere〃　rose　to　my　lips；　but　I　kept　them　back。
　〃For　a　rest　and　some　air；〃　I　answered。
　Desiree　exclaimed：　〃But　I　want　to　go　on！〃
　So　as　soon　as　we　had　eaten　our　fill　we　loaded　the　stuff　again　and　prepared　to　shove　off。　By　that　time　I　think　Harry；　too；　had　realized　the　hopelessness　of　our　expedition；　for　he　had　lost　all　his　enthusiasm；　but　he　said　nothing；　nor　did　I。　We　secured　Desiree　on　her　pile　of　skins　and　again　pushed　out　into　the　current。
　The　cavern　was　not　large；　for　we　had　been　under　way　but　a　few　minutes　when　its　wall　loomed　up　ahead　and　the　stream　again　entered　a　tunnel；　so　low　and　narrow　that　I　hesitated　about　entering　at　all。
　I　consulted　Harry。
　〃Take　a　chance；〃　he　advised。　〃Why　not？　As　well　that　as　anything。〃
　We　slipped　through　the　entrance。
　The　current　was　extremely　sluggish；　and　we　barely　seemed　to　move。　Still　we　went　forward。
　〃If　we　only　had　a　little　speed　we　could　stand　it；〃　Harry　grumbled。
　Which　shows　that　a　man　does　not　always　appreciate　a　blessing。
　It　was　not　long　before　we　were　offering　up　thanks　that　our　speed　had　been　so　slight。
　To　be　exact；　about　an　hour；　as　well　as　I　could　measure　time；　which　passed　slowly；　for　not　only　were　the　minutes　tedious；　but　the　foulness　of　the　air　made　them　also　extremely　unfortable。
　Desiree　was　again　lying　down；　half…unconscious　but　not　asleep；　for　now　and　then　she　spoke　drowsily。　Harry　plained　of　a　dizziness　in　the　head；　and　my　own　seemed　ready　to　burst　through　my　temples。
　The　soroche　of　the　mountains　was　agreeable　pared　to　that。
　Suddenly　the　swiftness　of　the　current　increased　appreciably　on　the　instant；　there　was　a　swift　jerk　as　we　were　carried　forward。　I　rose　to　my　knees…the　tunnel　was　too　low　to　permit　of　standing…and　gazed　intently　ahead。　I　could　see　nothing　save　that　the　stream　had　narrowed　to　half　its　former　width；　and　was　still　being　narrower。
　We　went　faster　and　faster；　and　the　stream　narrowed　until　the　bank　was　but　a　few　feet　away　on　either　side。
　〃Watch　the　stern！〃　I　called　to　Harry。　〃Keep　her　off　wit