the land of the changing sun-第21节

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〃We　could　not　help　it；　we　had　to　think　of　our　own　safety。〃

〃I　shall　send　for　Captain　Tradmos　and　try　to　devise　some　other　plan；〃　she　said；　as　they　descended　the　stairs。

〃We　should　not　be　seen　together；〃　she　added；　as　they　approached　the　throne…room；　〃besides；　you　ought　to　go　to　your　chambers。　No　one　is　allowed　to　be　out　when　the　dead　is　being　removed。〃

〃Where　is　the　dead　taken？〃

〃Over　the　wall；　to　be　burned　in　the　internal　fires；〃　she　concluded；　as　she　was　leaving　him。

He　found　everything　in　order　in　his　rooms　and　he　lay　down　and　tried　to　sleep；　but　he　was　too　much　excited　over　the　happenings　of　the　day。　Hours　must　have　passed　when　his　attention　was　drawn　to　a　bright　light　shining　on　the　wall　of　his　room。　He　went　to　a　window　and　looked　out　on　the　court。　The　light　came　from　the　rising　moon。

Below　lay　the　ruins　of　fallen　columns；　capitals；　cornices　and　statues。　Figures　in　black　cloaks　and　cowls　were　removing　the　dead　from　the　debris。　With　a　fluttering　sound　something　swooped　down　past　his　window　to　the　ground。　It　looked　like　a　great　bird；　carrying　the　car　of　a　flying…machine。　Thorndyke　watched　its　circular　descent　to　the　earth；　and　shuddered　with　horror　as　the　black　figures　filled　the　car　with　bodies　and　the　gruesome　machine　spread　its　wings　and　rose　slowly　till　it　was　clear　of　the　domes　and　pinnacles　of　the　palace；　and　then　flew　away　westward。

Other　machines　came；　and；　one　after　another；　received　their　ghastly　burdens　and　departed。　In　a　short　time　all　the　dead　was　removed；　and　hundreds　of　workmen　came　from　the　palace　and　began　repairing　the　fallen　masonry。

Thorndyke　went　back　to　his　couch　and　tried　to　sleep；　but　in　vain。　Slowly　the　hours　of　night　passed；　and　as　the　purple　of　dawn　rose　in　the　east　he　dressed　himself　and　went　up　on　the　roof。　The　moon　had　gone　down　and　the　stars　were　fading　from　the　sky。　The　dark　earth　below　showed　no　signs　of　life；　but　as　the　purple　light　softened　into　gray　he　saw　that　the　streets　of　the　city　were　filled　with　silent　expectant　people；　all　watching　the　eastern　sky。　And；　as　the　gray　light　flushed　into　rose；　and　the　rose　began　to　scintillate　with　gold；　they　began　to　stir；　and　a　hum　of　joyful　voices　was　heard。　The　promised　day　had　come。



Chapter　XV。

The　sun　was；　indeed；　slowing　up。　The　two　men　peered　out　at　the　door。

〃It　would　be　unlucky　for　us　if　it　should　not　come　so　near　to　the　earth　as　it　did　on　the　other　side；〃　whispered　Branasko。

〃I　can　hardly　feel　any　motion　to　the　thing　at　all；〃　replied　the　American。　〃Look！　for　some　reason　it　is　not　so　dark　below。　I　can　see　the　rocks。　Surely　we　have　already　passed　over　the　wall。〃

〃That's　so；〃　returned　the　Alphian。　〃Come；　we　must　be　quick　and　watch　our　opportunity　to　land。　I　can't　imagine　where　the　light　comes　from　unless　it　be　from　the　people　waiting　for　the　arrival　of　the　sun。〃　Every　instant　the　speed　was　lessening。　Overhead　the　cables　were　beginning　to　creak　and　groan；　and；　now　and　then；　the　great　globe　swung　perilously　near　some　tall　stony　peak；　or　passed　under　a　mighty　stalactite。　Slower　and　slower　it　got　till；　when　within　a　few　feet　of　the　ground；　it　stopped　its　onward　motion　and　only　swung　back　and　forth　like　a　pendulum。

〃Quick；〃　whispered　Branasko；　〃we　must　get　down　while　it　is　swinging；　no　time　to　losenot　an　instant！〃　And　as　the　sun　moved　backward；　with　his　hand　on　the　doorsill；　he　leaped　to　the　earth。　Johnston　followed　him。　They　were　not　a　moment　too　soon；　for　about　fifty　yards　away　they　saw　a　body　of　sixty　or　seventy　men　with　lights　in　their　hands　hastening　toward　them。

〃Just　in　time；〃　exulted　Branasko；　and　he　quickly　drew　Johnston　into　a　little　cave　in　the　face　of　a　cliff。　Crouching　behind　a　great　rock；　they　saw　and　heard　the　men　as　they　approached。

Some　of　them　walked　around　the　sun；　and　two；　evidently　in　authority；　entered　the　door。　The　others　were　placing　ladders　against　the　side　of　the　sphere；　when　suddenly　there　was　a　loud　clattering　in　the　interior；　a　whirling　of　wheels　under　the　platform　above；　and　the　surface　of　the　sun　burst　into　light。

The　two　refugees　were　momentarily　blinded。　Branasko　had　the　presence　of　mind　to　quickly　draw　his　companion　down　close　to　the　earth　behind　the　rock。　〃They　could　see　us　in　the　light；〃　he　whispered。

There　was　a　joyous　clamoring　of　voices　among　the　men；　and　they　withdrew　several　yards　to　look　at　the　sun。　This　drew　them　nearer　the　hiding…place　of　the　two　refugees。

〃Only　an　accident；〃　said　a　voice；　〃it　won't　happen　again。〃

Then　one　of　them　went　into　the　sun　and　the　lights　died　out。　In　a　moment　the　sun　began　to　move。　Slowly　and　majestically　it　swept　over　the　rocky　earth；　followed　by　the　crowd；　till　it　reached　a　great　hole　and　sank　into　it。

〃Gone　into　the　tunnel；〃　said　the　Alphian；　as　the　crowd　disappeared　behind　the　cliff。

〃What　are　we　to　do　now？〃　asked　Johnston。　〃We　certainly　can't　go　through　with　the　sun。〃

〃Wait　till　the　next　trip；〃　grimly　replied　Branasko。

The　rumbling　noise　from　the　big　hole　gradually　died　away；　and　the　two　men　left　their　hiding…place。

〃What　is　that？〃　asked　Johnston。　He　pointed　to　the　west；　where　a　red　light　shone　against　the　towering　cliffs。

〃It　must　be　the　internal　fires；〃　answered　Branasko；　with　a　noticeable　shudder。　〃Let's　go　nearer；　I　have　heard　that　there　is　a　point　near　here　where　one　can　look　down　into　the　Lake　of　Flame。〃

〃The　Lake　of　Flame！〃　echoed　the　American；　〃What　is　that？〃　〃It　is　where　all　of　the　dead　of　Alpha　is　cast　by　the　black　'vultures　of　death。'〃

Johnston　said　nothing；　for　it　was　difficult　to　keep　up　with　the　Alphian；　who　was　bounding　over　rocks　and　dangerous　fissures　toward　the　red　glow　in　the　distance。

At　every　step　the　atmosphere　got　warmer；　and　they　detected　a　slight　gaseous　odor　in　the　air。　Finally；　after　an　arduous　tramp　of　an　hour；　they　climbed　up　a　steep　hill　and　looked　sharply　down　into　a　vast　bubbling　lake　of　molten　matter　more　than　a　thousand　yards　below。　Branasko　noticed　a　stone　weighing　several　tons　evenly　balanced　on　the　verge　of　the　great　gulf；　and　pushed　it　with　both　his　hands。　It　rocked；　broke　loose　from　its　slender　hold　on　the　cliff　and　bounded　out　into　the　red　space。　Down　it　went；　lessen…　ing　as　it　sank　till　it　became　a　mere　black　speck　and　then　disappeared。

〃That's　where　the　dead　go；〃　said　Branasko　gloomily。

Just　then　the　American；　happening　to　glance　up；　saw　something　like　a　huge　black　bird　with　outspread　wings　circling　about　in　the　red　light　over　the　pit。　Branasko　saw　it；　too；　and　his　face　paled　and　a　tremolo　was　in　his　voice　when　he　spoke。

〃It　is　one　of　the　'vultures　of　death；'　don't　stir；　we　won't　be　seen　if　we　remain　where　we　are！〃　The　strange　machine　sank　lower　over　the　lake　of　fire；　till；　as　if　buoyed　up　on　the　hot　air；　with　faintly　quivering　wings；　it　paused。　A　man　opened　a　door　of　the　black　car　and　carelessly　threw　out　the　bodies　of　a　woman　and　a　child。

The　bodies　whirled　over　and　over　and　disappeared　in　the　pit；　and　the　man　closed　the　door。　The　machine　then　rose　and　gracefully　winged　its　flight　to　the　east。　In　a　moment　others　came　with　their　grim　burdens；　and　still　others；　till　the　mouth　of　the　pit　was　dark　with　them。

〃Something　has　happened；〃　whispered　Branasko；　〃some　great　calamity；　for　surely　so　many　people　do　not　die　in　Alpha　in　a　single　day。〃

For　an　hour　they　watched　the　coming　and　going　of　the　vultures；　till；　finally　the　last　one　hovered　over　the　lake　of　fire。　Suddenly　the　machine　swerved　so　near　to　Branasko　and　Johnston　that　they　shrank　close　to　the　earth　to　keep　from　being　seen。　Something　was　evidently　wrong　with　the　machine；　for　there　was　a　wild　look　of　desperation　on　the　driver's　face　as　he　tugged　excitedly　at　the　pilot…wheel。　But　all　his　efforts　only　caused　the　air…ship　to　dart　irregularly　from　side　to　side；　and；　now　and　then；　to　strike　the　rocks　of　the　pit's　mouth；　to　shoot　up　suddenly；　or　to　sink　dangerously　down　toward　the　fire。

〃He　is　losing　control　of　it；〃　whispered　Branasko；〃he　does　not　know　what　to　do。　See；　he　is　trying　to　lighten　the　load；　by　kicking　out　the　body。〃

That　was　true；　and；　as　the　machine　made　a　sudden　plunge　toward　the　cliff　a　few　yards　to　the　left　of　the　refugees；　the　dead　body；　which　the　driver　had　managed　to　move　to　the　door　with　his　feet；　fell　out　and　lodged　upon　the　edge　of　the　cliff　instead　of　falling　into　the　fiery　depths。　The　machine　bounded　up　a　few　yards　and　paused；　now　apparently　under　the　control　of　its　driver。　The　man　looked　down　hesitatingly　at　the　corpse　for　a　moment　and　then　lowered　the　machine　to　the　sloping　rock　near　where　the　body　lay。　He　alighted　and　cautiously　crept　down　the　steep　incline　to　the　body。　He　raised　it　in　his　arms　and　was　about　to　cast　it　from　him　when　his　foot　slipped；　and　with　a　cry　of　horror　he　fell　with　his　burden　over　the　cliff's　edge　into　the　red　abyss。

Johnston　uttered　an　exclamation　of　horror；　but　Branasko　was　unmoved。　After　a　moment　he　rose；　and　carefully　scanning　the　space　overhead；　he　crawled　on　hands　and　knees　toward　the　machine。　Johnston　heard　him　chuckling　to　himself　and　uttering　spasmodic　laughs；　and　he　watched　him　closely　as　he　reached　the　machine。　For　several　minutes　he　seemed　to　be　inspecting　it　critically；　both　inside　and　out；　then　he　stood　away　from　it；　a　bold；　black　silhouette　on　a　background　of　flame；　and　motioned　the　American　to　come　to　him。

Johnston　p