the land of the changing sun-第19节

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〃They　will　kill　my　father；〃　she　said　despondently；　〃they　always　hold　him　responsible　for　any　accident。〃

〃They　cannot　reach　him；〃　consoled　Tradmos。　〃He　is　safe　for　the　present　at　least。〃

〃Is　it　possible　to　make　the　repairs　needed？〃

〃I　don't　know。　When　the　accident　happened　long　ago　the　sun　was　just　rising。〃

〃Has　it　stopped？〃

〃I　think　not；　it　has　simply　gone　out；　the　electric　connection　has；　in　some　way；　been　cut　off。〃

The　tumult　seemed　to　have　extended　to　the　very　limits　of　the　city；　and　was　constantly　increasing。　The　smashing　of　timber　and　the　falling　of　heavy　stones　were　heard　near　by。

Tradmos　leaned　far　over　the　parapet。　〃They　are　coming　toward　us！〃　he　said；　〃they　intend　to　destroy　the　palace；　we　must　try　to　get　down；　but　we　shall　meet　danger　even　there。〃



Chapter　XIII。

Johnston　and　Branasko　looked　down　at　the　great　ball　of　light　below　them　in　silent　wonder。　Johnston　was　the　first　to　speak。　He　pointed　to　the　four　massive　cables　which　supported　the　sun　at　each　corner　of　the　platform　and　extended　upward　till　they　were　enveloped　in　the　darkness。

〃They　hold　us　up；〃　he　said；　〃where　do　they　go　to？〃

〃To　the　big　trucks　which　run　on　the　tracks　near　the　roof　of　the　cavern；　the　endless　cables　are　up　there；　too；　but　we　can　not　see　them　with　this　glare　about　us。〃

〃We　can　see　nothing　of　Alpha　from　here；〃　remarked　Johnston　disappointedly；　〃we　can　see　nothing　beyond　our　circle　of　light。〃

〃I　should　like　to　look　down　from　this　height　at　night；〃　said　the　Alphian。　〃It　would　be　a　great　view。〃

〃What　is　this？〃　Johnston　went　to　one　side　of　the　platform　and　laid　his　hand　on　the　spokes　of　a　polished　metal　wheel　shaped　like　the　pilot…wheel　of　a　steamboat。　Branasko　hastened　to　him。

〃Don't　touch　it；〃　he　warned。　〃It　looks　as　if　it　were　to　turn　the　electric　connection　off　and　on。　If　the　sun　should　go　out；　the　consequences　would　be　awful。　The　people　of　Alpha　would　go　mad　with　fear。〃

The　American　withdrew　his　hand；　and　he　and　Branasko　walked　back　to　the　centre　of　the　platform。　Johnston　uttered　an　exclamation　of　surprise。　〃The　light　is　changing。〃

And　it　was；　for　it　was　gradually　fading　into　a　purple　that　was　delightfully　soothing　to　the　eye　after　the　painful　brightness　of　a　moment　before。

〃I　understand；〃　said　the　Alphian；　〃we　are　running　very　slow　and　are　only　now　about　to　approach　the　great　wall；　for　purple　is　the　color　of　the　first　morning　hour。〃

〃But　how　is　the　light　changed？〃　asked　Johnston　curiously。

〃By　some　shifting　of　glasses　through　which　the　rays　shine；　I　presume；〃　returned　the　Alphian；　〃but　the　mechanism　seems　to　be　concealed　in　the　walls　of　the　globe。〃

Not　a　word　was　spoken　for　an　hour。　They　had　lain　down　on　the　platform　near　the　iron　railing　which　encompassed　it；　and　Branasko　was　dozing　intermittently。　Again　the　light　began　to　change　gradually。　This　time　it　was　gray。　Johnston　put　out　his　hand　to　touch　Branasko；　but　the　Alphian　was　awake。　He　sat　up　and　nodded　smiling。　〃Wait　till　the　next　hour；〃　he　said；　〃it　will　be　rose…　color；　that　is　the　most　beautiful。〃

Slowly　the　hours　dragged　by　till　the　yellow　light　showed　that　it　was　the　sixth　hour。　Branasko　had　been　exploring　the　vast　interior　below　and　came　back　to　Johnston　who　was　asleep　on　the　floor　of　the　platform。

〃I　have　just　thought　of　something；〃　said　Branasko。　〃This　is　the　day　appointed　by　the　king　to　entertain　his　subjects　with　a　grand　display　of　the　elements。〃

〃I　do　not　understand；〃　said　Johnston。

〃The　king；〃　explained　the　Alphian；　〃darkens　the　sun　with　clouds　so　that　all　Alpha　is　blacker　than　night；　and　then　he　produces　great　storms　in　the　sky；　and　lightning　and　musical　thunder。　We　may；　perhaps；　hear　the　music；　but　we　cannot　witness　the　storm　and　electric　display　on　account　of　the　light　about　us。　It　usually　begins　at　this　hour；　so　be　silent　and　listen。〃

After　a　few　minutes　there　was　a　rumble　from　below　like　the　roar　of　a　volcano　and　an　answering　echo　from　the　black　dome　overhead。　This　died　away　and　was　succeeded　by　a　crash　of　musical　thunder　that　thrilled　Johnston's　being　to　its　very　core。　Branasko's　face　was　aglow　with　enthusiasm。

〃Grand；　glorious！〃　he　ejaculated；　〃but　if　only　you　could　see　the　lightning　and　the　dawn　in　the　east　you　would　remember　it　all　your　life。　The　sunlight　is　cut　off　from　Alpha　by　the　clouds；　and　there　is　no　light　except　the　wonderful　effects　in　the　sky。〃

Johnston　had　gone　back　to　the　wheel　and　was　examining　it　curiously。

〃I　have　a　mind　to　turn　off　the　current　for　a　moment　anyway；〃　he　said　doggedly；　〃if　the　sun　is　hidden　they　would　not　discover　it。〃

Branasko　came　to　him；　a　weird　look　of　interest　in　his　eyes。　〃That　is　true；〃　he　said；　〃besides；　what　matters　it？　We　may　not　live　to　see　another　day。〃

Johnston　acted　on　a　sudden　impulse。　He　intended　only　to　frighten　Branasko　by　moving　the　wheel　slightly；　and　he　had　turned　it　barely　an　eighth　of　an　inch；　when；　as　if　controlled　by　some　powerful　spring；　it　whirled　round　at　a　great　rate；　making　a　loud　rattling　noise。　To　their　dismay　the　light　went　out。

〃My　God！　what　have　I　done？〃　gasped　the　American　in　alarm。

〃Settled　our　fate；　I　have　no　doubt；〃　muttered　the　Alphian　from　the　darkness。

Johnston　had　recoiled　from　the　whirling　wheel；　and　now　cautiously　groped　back　to　it；　and　attempted　to　turn　it。　It　would　not　move。

〃It　has　caught　some　way；〃　he　groaned　under　his　breath。

〃And　we　have　no　light　to　find　the　cause　of　the　trouble；〃　added　the　Alphian；　who　had　knelt　down　and　was　feeling　about　the　wheel。　Presently　he　rose。

〃I　give　it　up；〃　he　sighed；　〃I　cannot　understand　it。　The　machinery　is　somewhere　inside。〃

〃It　has　grown　colder；〃　shuddered　Johnston。

〃We　were　warmed　by　the　light；　of　course；〃　remarked　Branasko；　〃and　now　we　feel　the　dampness　more。　We　are　going　at　a　frightful　speed。〃

Just　then　there　was　a　jar；　and　the　sun　swung　so　violently　from　side　to　side　that　the　two　men　were　prostrated　on　the　floor。　The　speed　seemed　to　slacken。

〃I　wonder　if　we　are　going　to　stop；〃　groaned　the　American；　and　he　sat　up　and　held　to　Branasko。　〃Perhaps　they　will　draw　us　back　to　rectify　the　mistake；　and　then〃

〃It　cannot　be　done；〃　interrupted　the　Alphian。　〃The　machinery　runs　only　one　way。　We　shall　simply　have　to　finish　our　journey　in　darkness。〃

〃They　may　catch　us　on　the　other　side　before　the　sun　starts　back　through　the　tunnel；〃　suggested　the　American。

〃Not　unlikely；〃　returned　Branasko。　〃There；　we　are　going　ahead　again。　One　thing　in　our　favor　is　that　we　can　more　easily　escape　capture　in　darkness　than　if　the　sun　were　shining。〃

〃Does　the　sun　stop　before　entering　the　tunnel？〃

〃I　do　not　know；〃　replied　Branasko；　〃perhaps　somebody　will　be　there　to　see　what　is　wrong　with　the　light。　We　must　have　our　wits　about　us　when　we　land。〃

Johnston　was　looking　over　the　edge　of　the　platform。　〃If　the　king's　display　is　taking　place　down　there　I　can　see　no　sign　of　it。〃

〃How　stupid　of　us！〃　ejaculated　Branasko。　〃Of　course；　clouds　sufficiently　dense　to　hide　the　sun　from　Alpha　would　also　prevent　us　from　seeing　the　display　below。　I　ought　to〃

He　was　interrupted　by　a　grand　outburst　of　harmony。　The　whole　earth　seemed　to　vibrate　with　sublime　melody。　〃Our　blunder　has　not　been　discovered　yet；〃　finished　Branasko；　after　a　pause；　〃else　the　fete　down　below　would　have　been　over。　I　am　cold；　shall　we　go　inside？〃

Johnston's　answer　was　taken　out　of　his　mouth　by　a　loud　rattling　beneath　the　floor；　near　the　wheel　he　had　just　turned；　the　sun　shook　spasmodically　for　an　instant；　and　its　entire　surface　was　faintly　illuminated；　but　the　light　failed　signally。

〃It　must　have　been　an　extra　current　of　electricity　sent　to　relight　the　lamps；〃　remarked　Johnston；　and；　as　he　concluded；　the　sun　trembled　again；　and　another　flash　and　failure　occurred。　〃Look；〃　cried　the　American；　〃the　clouds　are　thinning；　see　the　lights　below！　They　have　discovered　the　accident！〃

They　both　leaned　over　the　railing　and　looked　below。　As　far　as　the　eye　could　reach；　within　the　arc　of　their　vision；　they　could　see　fitful　lights　flashing　up；　here　and　there；　and　going　out　again。　And　then　they　heard　faint　sounds　of　crashing　masonry　and　the　condensed　roar　of　human　voices；　which　seemed　to　come　from　above　rather　than　from　below。　The　Alphian　turned。　〃I　cannot　stand　the　cold；〃　he　said。

Johnston　followed　him。　The　rapid　motion　of　the　swinging　sphere　made　him　dizzy；　and　he　caught　Branasko's　arm　to　keep　from　falling。

〃How　can　we　tell　when　we　go　over　the　wall？〃　he　asked　anxiously。

〃We　shall　have　to　guess　at　it；〃　was　the　answer。　〃At　any　rate　we　must　be　near　the　lower　door　so　as　to　get　out　quickly　if　it　is　necessary　to　do　so　to　escape　detection。〃

In　the　darkness　they　slowly　made　their　way　down　the　stairs　to　the　great　room。

〃There　ought　to　be　some　way　of　making　a　light；〃　said　the　Alphian；　and　his　voice　sounded　loud　and　hollow　in　the　empty　chamber。　After　several　failures　to　find　the　stairs　they　descended　to　the　door　they　had　entered。　Branasko　opened　it　a　little；　and　a　breeze　came　in。　They　sat　down　on　the　stone；　and　after　a　while；　in　sheer　fatigue；　they　fell　asleep。　Hours　passed。　Branasko　rose　with　a　start；　and　shook　Johnston。

〃Our　speed　is　lessening；〃　he　exclaimed。　〃We　must　be　going　down。　Be　ready　to　jump　out　the　instant　we　stop。　There；　let　me　open　the　door　wider。〃



Chapter　XIV。

When　Tradmos　spoke　the