rinkitink in oz-第26节

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immovable。　Then　he　made　his　way　to　the　opposite　door；

leading　to　Bilbil's　room；　to　discover　that　also　had

been　closed　and　fastened。



The　boy　had　a　curious　sensation　that　all　of　his　room

　the　walls；　floor　and　ceiling　　was　slowly　whirling

as　if　on　a　pivot；　and　it　was　such　an　uncomfortable

feeling　that　he　got　into　bed　again；　not　knowing　what

else　to　do。　And　as　the　grating　noise　had　ceased　and　the

room　now　seemed　stationary；　he　soon　fell　asleep　again。



When　the　boy　wakened；　after　many　hours；　he　found　the

room　again　light。　So　he　dressed　himself　and　discovered

that　a　small　table；　containing　a　breakfast　that　was

smoking　hot；　had　suddenly　appeared　in　the　center　of

his　room。　He　tried　the　two　doors；　but　finding　that　he

could　not　open　them　he　ate　some　breakfast；　thoughtfully

wondering　who　had　locked　him　in　and　why　he　had　been

made　a　prisoner。　Then　he　again　went　to　the　door　which

he　thought　led　to　Rinkitink's　chamber　and　to　his

surprise　the　latch　lifted　easily　and　the　door　swung

open。



Before　him　was　a　rude　corridor　hewn　in　the　rock　and

dimly　lighted。　It　did　not　look　inviting；　so　Inga　closed

the　door；　puzzled　to　know　what　had　become　of

Rinkitink's　room　and　the　King；　and　went　to　the　opposite

door。　Opening　this；　he　found　a　solid　wall　of　rock

confronting　him；　which　effectually　prevented　his　escape

in　that　direction。



The　boy　now　realized　that　King　Kaliko　had　tricked

him；　and　while　professing　to　receive　him　as　a　guest　had

plotted　to　separate　him　from　his　comrades。　One　way　had

been　left；　however；　by　which　he　might　escape　and　he

decided　to　see　where　it　led　to。



So；　going　to　the　first　door；　he　opened　it　and

ventured　slowly　into　the　dimly　lighted　corridor。　When

he　had　advanced　a　few　steps　he　heard　the　door　of　his

room　slam　shut　behind　him。　He　ran　back　at　once；　but　the

door　of　rock　fitted　so　closely　into　the　wall　that　he

found　it　impossible　to　open　it　again。　That　did　not

matter　so　much；　however；　for　the　room　was　a　prison　and

the　only　way　of　escape　seemed　ahead　of　him。



Along　the　corridor　he　crept　until；　turning　a

corner；　he　found　himself　in　a　large　domed　cavern　that

was　empty　and　deserted。　Here　also　was　a　dim　light　that

permitted　him　to　see　another　corridor　at　the　opposite

side；　so　he　crossed　the　rocky　floor　of　the　cavern　and

entered　a　second　corridor。　This　one　twisted　and　turned

in　every　direction　but　was　not　very　long；　so　soon　the

boy　reached　a　second　cavern；　not　so　large　as　the　first。

This　he　found　vacant　also；　but　it　had　another　corridor

leading　out　of　it；　so　Inga　entered　that。　It　was

straight　and　short　and　beyond　was　a　third　cavern；　which

differed　little　from　the　others　except　that　it　had　a

strong　iron　grating　at　one　side　of　it。



All　three　of　these　caverns　had　been　roughly　hewn　from

the　rock　and　it　seemed　they　had　never　been　put　to　use；

as　had　all　the　other　caverns　of　the　nomes　he　had

visited。　Standing　in　the　third　cavern；　Inga　saw　what　he

thought　was　still　another　corridor　at　its　farther　side；

so　he　walked　toward　it。　This　opening　was　dark；　and　that

fact；　and　the　solemn　silence　all　around　him；　made　him

hesitate　for　a　while　to　enter　it。　Upon　reflection；

however；　he　realized　that　unless　he　explored　the　place

to　the　very　end　he　could　not　hope　to　escape　from　it；　so

he　boldly　entered　the　dark　corridor　and　felt　his　way

cautiously　as　he　moved　forward。



Scarcely　had　he　taken　two　paces　when　a　crash

resounded　back　of　him　and　a　heavy　sheet　of　steel　closed

the　opening　into　the　cavern　from　which　he　had　just

come。　He　paused　a　moment；　but　it　still　seemed　best　to

proceed；　and　as　Inga　advanced　in　the　dark；　holding　his

hands　outstretched　before　him　to　feel　his　way；

handcuffs　fell　upon　his　wrists　and　locked　themselves

with　a　sharp　click；　and　an　instant　later　he　found　he

was　chained　to　a　stout　iron　post　set　firmly　in　the　rock

floor。



The　chains　were　long　enough　to　permit　him　to　move　a

yard　or　so　in　any　direction　and　by　feeling　the　walls　he

found　he　was　in　a　small　circular　room　that　had　no

outlet　except　the　passage　by　which　he　had　entered；　and

that　was　now　closed　by　the　door　of　steel。　This　was　the

end　of　the　series　of　caverns　and　corridors。



It　was　now　that　the　horror　of　his　situation　occurred

to　the　boy　with　full　force。　But　he　resolved　not　to

submit　to　his　fate　without　a　struggle；　and　realizing

that　he　possessed　the　Blue　Pearl；　which　gave　him

marvelous　strength；　he　quickly　broke　the　chains　and　set

himself　free　of　the　handcuffs。　Next　he　twisted　the

steel　door　from　its　hinges；　and　creeping　along　the

short　passage；　found　himself　in　the　third　cave。



But　now　the　dim　light；　which　had　before　guided　him；

had　vanished；　yet　on　peering　into　the　gloom　of　the　cave

he　saw　what　appeared　to　be　two　round　disks　of　flame；

which　cast　a　subdued　glow　over　the　floor　and　walls。　By

this　dull　glow　he　made　out　the　form　of　an　enormous　man；

seated　in　the　center　of　the　cave；　and　he　saw　that　the

iron　grating　had　been　removed；　permitting　the　man　to

enter。



The　giant　was　unclothed　and　its　limbs　were　thickly

covered　with　coarse　red　hair。　The　round　disks　of　flame

were　its　two　eyes　and　when　it　opened　its　mouth　to　yawn

Inga　saw　that　its　jaws　were　wide　enough　to　crush　a

dozen　men　between　the　great　rows　of　teeth。



Presently　the　giant　looked　up　and　perceived　the　boy

crouching　at　the　other　side　of　the　cavern；　so　he　called

out　in　a　hoarse；　rude　voice：



〃Come　hither；　my　pretty　one。　We　will　wrestle

together；　you　and　I；　and　if　you　succeed　in　throwing　me

I　will　let　you　pass　through　my　cave。〃



The　boy　made　no　reply　to　the　challenge。　He　realized

he　was　in　dire　peril　and　regretted　that　he　had　lent　the

Pink　Pearl　to　King　Rinkitink。　But　it　was　now　too　late

for　vain　regrets；　although　he　feared　that　even　his

great　strength　would　avail　him　little　against　this

hairy　monster。　For　his　arms　were　not　long　enough　to

span　a　fourth　of　the　giant's　huge　body；　while　the

monster's　powerful　limbs　would　be　likely　to　crush　out

Inga's　life　before　he　could　gain　the　mastery。



Therefore　the　Prince　resolved　to　employ　other　means

to　combat　this　foe；　who　had　doubtless　been　placed　there

to　bar　his　return。　Retreating　through　the　passage　he

reached　the　room　where　he　had　been　chained　and　wrenched

the　iron　post　from　its　socket。　It　was　a　foot　thick　and

four　feet　long；　and　being　of　solid　iron　was　so　heavy

that　three　ordinary　men　would　have　found　it　hard　to

lift。



Returning　to　the　cavern；　the　boy　swung　the　great　bar

above　his　head　and　dashed　it　with　mighty　force　full　at

the　giant。　The　end　of　the　bar　struck　the　monster　upon

its　forehead；　and　with　a　single　groan　it　fell　full

length　upon　the　floor　and　lay　still。



When　the　giant　fell；　the　glow　from　its　eyes　faded

away；　and　all　was　dark。　Cautiously；　for　Inga　was　not

sure　the　giant　was　dead；　the　boy　felt　his　way　toward

the　opening　that　led　to　the　middle　cavern。　The　entrance

was　narrow　and　the　darkness　was　intense；　but；　feeling

braver　now；　the　boy　stepped　boldly　forward。　Instantly

the　floor　began　to　sink　beneath　him　and　in　great　alarm

he　turned　and　made　a　leap　that　enabled　him　to　grasp　the

rocky　sides　of　the　wall　and　regain　a　footing　in　the

passage　through　which　he　had　just　come。



Scarcely　had　he　obtained　this　place　of　refuge　when　a

mighty　crash　resounded　throughout　the　cavern　and　the

sound　of　a　rushing　torrent　came　from　far　below。　Inga

felt　in　his　pocket　and　found　several　matches；　one　of

which　he　lighted　and　held　before　him。　While　it

flickered　he　saw　that　the　entire　floor　of　the　cavern

had　fallen　away；　and　knew　that　had　he　not　instantly

regained　his　footing　in　the　passage　he　would　have

plunged　into　the　abyss　that　lay　beneath　him。



By　the　light　of　another　match　he　saw　the　opening　at

the　other　side　of　the　cave　and　the　thought　came　to　him

that　possibly　he　might　leap　across　the　gulf。　Of　course；

this　could　never　be　accomplished　without　the　marvelous

strength　lent　him　by　the　Blue　Pearl；　but　Inga　had　the

feeling　that　one　powerful　spring　might　carry　him　over

the　chasm　into　safety。　He　could　not　stay　where　he　was；

that　was　certain；　so　he　resolved　to　make　the　attempt。



He　took　a　long　run　through　the　first　cave　and　the

short　corridor；　then；　exerting　all　his　strength；　he

launched　himself　over　the　black　gulf　of　the　second

cave。　Swiftly　he　flew　and；　although　his　heart　stood

still　with　fear；　only　a　few　seconds　elapsed　before　his

feet　touched　the　ledge　of　the　opposite　passageway　and

he　knew　he　had　safely　accomplished　the　wonderful　feat。



Only　pausing　to　draw　one　long　breath　of　relief；　Inga

quickly　traversed　the　crooked　corridor　that　led　to　the

last　cavern　of　the　three。　But　when　he　came　in　sight　of

it　he　paused　abruptly；　his　eyes　nearly　blinded　by　a

glare　of　strong　light　which　burst　upon　them。　Covering

his　face　with　his　hands；　Inga　retreated　behind　a

projecting　corner　of　rock　and　by　gradually　getting　his

eyes　used　to　the　light　he　was　finally　able　to　gaze

wi