the land of the changing sun-第14部分

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〃It　is　searching　for　my　heart；〃　thought　Thorndyke。　〃My　God；　when　it　reaches　it；　I　shall　die！〃　As　the　strange　spot；　gleaming　like　a　burning　diamond　in　whose　heart　leaped　a　thousand　different　colored　flames；　and　which　seemed　possessed　of　some　strange　hellish　purpose；　crossed　his　thighs　and　began　to　climb　up　his　body；　the　brain　of　the　prisoner　seemed　on　fire。　He　tried　to　close　his　eyes；　but；　horror　of　horrors！　his　eyelids　were　paralyzed。　It　was　almost　over　his　heart；　and　Thorndyke　was　fainting　through　sheer　mental　exhaustion　when　it　stopped；　began　to　descend　slowly；　and；　then；　with　a　rapid；　wavering　motion；　it　fell　to　the　floor；　flashed　about　in　the　darkness；　and　vanished。

An　hour　dragged　slowly　by。　What　would　happen　next？　The　Englishman　felt　that　his　frightful　ordeal　was　not　over。　To　his　surprise　the　darkness　began　to　lighten　till　he　could　see　dimly　the　outlines　of　the　chamber。　It　was　bare　save　for　the　chair　he　occupied　against　a　wall；　and　a　couch　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　room。　The　couch　held　something　which　looked　like　a　human　body　covered　with　a　white　cloth。　He　could　see　where　the　sheet　rounded　over　the　head　and　rose　sharply　at　the　feet。

Something　told　him　that　it　was　a　corpse　and　a　new　terror　possessed　him。　For　several　minutes　he　gazed　at　the　couch　in　dreadful　suspense；　then　his　heart　stopped　pulsing　as　the　figure　on　the　couch　began　to　move。　Slowly　the　sheet　fell　from　the　head　and　the　figure　sat　up　stiffly。　There　was　a　faint　hum　of　hidden　machinery　at　the　couch；　and　a　flashing　blue　and　green　line　running　from　the　couch　to　the　wall　betrayed　the　presence　of　an　electric　wire。

Slowly　the　figure　rose；　and　with　creaking；　rattling　joints　stood　erect。　Pale　lights　shone　in　the　orbits　of　the　eyes　and　the　sound　of　harsh　automatic　breathing　came　from　the　mouth　and　nostrils。　Slowly　and　haltingly　the　figure　advanced　toward　Thorndyke。　The　poor　fellow　tried　to　wrench　himself　free　from　the　chair；　but　he　could　not　stir　an　inch。　On　came　the　figure；　its　long　arms　swinging　mechanically；　and　its　feet　slurring　over　the　stone　pavement。

When　within　ten　feet　of　the　Englishman　it　stopped；　nodded　its　head　three　or　four　times；　and　slowly　opened　its　mouth。　There　was　a　sharp；　whirring　noise；　such　as　comes　from　a　phonograph；　and　a　voice　spoke：

〃My　voice　shall　sound　on　earth　for　a　million　years　after　my　spirit　has　left　my　body；　and　I　shall　wander　about　my　dark　dungeon　as　a　warning　to　men　not　to　do　as　I　have　done。〃

The　voice　ceased；　but　the　whirring　sound　in　the　creature's　breast　went　on。　The　figure　shambled　nearer　to　Thorndyke　and　the　voice　began　again：

〃I　disobeyed　the　laws　of　great　Alpha　and　her　imperial　king　and　am　to　die。　Beware　of　the　temptation　to　search　into　the　royal　motives　or　attempt　to　escape。　The　fate　of　all　the　inhabitants　of　Alpha；　the　wonderful　Land　of　the　Changing　Sun；　is　in　the　hands　of　its　ruler。　Beware！　My　death…torture　is　to　be　lingering　and　horrible。　I　sink　into　deepest　dejection。　I　was　eager　to　return　to　my　native　land　and　tried　to　escape。　Behold　my　punishment！　Even　my　bones　and　flesh　will　not　be　allowed　to　rest　or　decay。　Beware；　the　king　is　just　and　good；　but　he　will　be　obeyed！〃

Slowly　the　figure　retreated　toward　the　couch　and　lay　down　on　it。　The　whirring　sound　ceased；　the　light　along　the　wire　went　out；　and　the　darkness　thickened　till　the　couch　and　the　outlines　of　the　chamber　were　obscured。　Then　Thorndyke's　chair　was　lift…　ed；　as　if　by　unseen　hands；　and　he　was　borne　backward。　In　a　moment　he　felt　the　cool；　damp　air　of　the　corridor；　and　some　one　raised　him　to　his　feet　and　led　him　back　to　the　throne…room。

In　the　bright　light　which　burst　on　him　as　the　door　opened；　the　beautiful　women　and　handsome　men　moving　about　the　throne　were　to　him　like　a　glimpse　of　Paradise。　The　attendant　left　him　at　the　door　and　he　walked　in；　so　dazed　and　weak　that　he　hardly　knew　what　to　do。　No　one　seemed　to　notice　him　and　the　king　was　engaged　in　an　animated　conversation　with　several　ladies　who　were　sitting　at　his　feet。

In　a　bevy　of　women　Thorndyke　noticed　Bernardino。　She　gave　him　a　quick；　sympathetic　glance　of　recognition　and　then　looked　down　discreetly。　Presently　she　left　the　others　and　moved　on　till　she　had　disappeared　behind　a　great　carved　wine…cistern　which　stood　on　the　backs　of　four　crouching　golden　leopards　in　a　retired　part　of　the　room。　Something　in　her　sudden　movement　made　the　Englishman　think　she　wanted　to　speak　to　him；　and　he　went　to　her。　He　was　not　mistaken；　for　she　smiled　as　he　approached。

〃I　am　glad；〃　she　whispered；　touching　his　arm　impulsively；　and　then　quickly　removing　her　hand　as　if　afraid　of　detection。

〃Glad　of　what？〃　he　asked。

〃Glad　that　you　stood　thatthat　torture　so　well；　several　men　have　died　in　that　chair　and　some　went　mad。〃

〃I　remembered　your　advice；　that　saved　me。〃

〃I　have　a　plan　for　us　to　try　to　rescue　your　friend。〃

〃Ah；　I　had　forgotten　him！　what　is　it？〃

〃Captain　Tradmos　likes　you　and　has　consented　to　aid　us。　We　shall　need　an　air…ship　and　he　has　one　at　his　disposal　which　is　used　only　for　governmental　purposes。〃

〃What　do　you　want　with　the　air…ship？〃

〃To　go　beyond　and　over　the　great　wall。〃

〃But　can　we　get　away　from　here　without　being　seen？〃

〃Under　ordinary　circumstances；　neither　by　day　nor　night；　but　tomorrow　the　king　has　planned　to　let　his　people　witness　a　'War　of　the　Elements。'〃

〃A　War　of　the　Elements？〃

〃Yes；　the　grandest　fete　of　Alpha。　There　will　be　a　frightful　storm　in　the　sky；　no　light　for　hours；　the　thunder　will　be　musical　and　the　lightning　will　seem　to　set　the　world　on　fire。　That　will　be　our　chance。　When　it　is　darkest　we　shall　try　to　get　away　unseen。　We　may　fail。　Such　a　daring　thing　has　never　been　attempted　by　any　one。　If　we　are　detected　we　shall　suffer　death　as　the　penalty；　the　king　could　never　pardon　such　a　bold　violation　of　law。〃



Chapter　XI。

Johnston　clung　tenaciously　to　the　rock。　He　tried　to　look　down　to　see　if　the　barge　had　passed　beneath　him；　but　the　intense　strain　on　his　arm　now　drew　his　head　back；　so　that　he　could　not　do　so。　Once　more　he　made　an　effort　to　regain　his　position　on　the　rock；　but　he　was　not　able　to　raise　himself　an　inch。

He　felt　certain　that　the　fall　would　kill　him；　and　he　groaned　in　agony。　His　fingers　were　benumbed　and　beginning　to　slip。　Then　he　fell。　The　air　whizzed　in　his　ears。　He　tried　to　keep　his　feet　downward；　but　it　was　no　use。　He　was　whirled　heels　over　head　many　times；　and　his　senses　were　leaving　him　when　he　was　restored　by　a　plunge　into　the　cold　water。

Down　he　sank。　It　seemed　to　him　that　he　never　would　lose　his　momentum　and　that　he　would　strangle　before　he　could　rise　to　the　surface。　Finally；　however；　he　came　up　more　dead　than　alive。　He　had　narrowly　missed　the　flat…boat；　for　he　saw　it　receding　from　him　only　a　few　yards　away。　On　the　shore　stood　Branasko　motioning　to　him；　and；　slowly；　for　his　strength　was　almost　gone；　Johnston　swam　toward　him。

The　latter　waded　out　into　the　shallow　water　and　drew　him　ashore。

〃You　had　a　narrow　escape；〃　he　said；　with　a　dry　laugh。　〃I　saw　the　boat　come　from　under　the　cliff　just　as　you　hung　down　from　the　ledge。　At　first　I　hoped　that　you　would　get　back　on　the　rock；　but　when　I　saw　you　try　and　do　it　and　fail　I　thought　that　you　were　lost。〃

The　American　could　not　speak　for　exhaustion；　but；　as　he　looked　at　the　departing　craft　with　concern；　Branasko　laughed　again：　〃Oh；　you　thought　it　had　a　crew；　so　did　I　at　first；　but　it　has　no　one　aboard。　It　is　drawn　by　a　cable；　and　seems　to　be　laden　with　coal。〃

〃Did　they　notice　our　fall　up　there？〃　panted　Johnston；　nodding　toward　the　lights　in　the　distance。

〃No；　they　are　farther　away　than　I　thought。〃

〃Well；　what　ought　we　to　do？〃　〃Hide　here　among　the　rocks　till　our　clothing　dries　and　then　look　about　us。　We　have　nearly　twenty…four　hours　to　wait　for　the　sun　to　return　through　the　tunnel。〃

〃Where　is　the　tunnel？〃

〃Over　on　the　other　side　of　that　black　hill。　There；　you　can　see　the　mouth　of　the　tunnel　through　which　the　sun　comes。〃

〃We　need　sleep；〃　said　the　Alphian；　when　their　clothing　was　dry；　〃and　it　may　be　a　long　time　before　we　get　a　chance　to　get　it。　Let　us　lie　down　in　the　shadow　of　that　rock　and　rest。〃

Johnston　consented；　and；　lying　down　together；　they　soon　dropped　asleep。　They　slept　soundly。

Johnston　was　the　first　to　awake。　He　felt　so　refreshed　that　he　knew　he　must　have　been　unconscious　several　hours。　He　touched　Branasko　and　the　latter　sat　up　and　rubbed　his　eyes　and　looked　about　him　bewildered。

〃I　had　a　horrible　dream；〃　he　said　shuddering。　〃I　thought　that　we　were　in　the　sun　and　over　the　capital　city　when　it　fell　down。　I　thought　the　fall　was　awful；　and　that　all　Alpha　was　aflame。　Then　the　fires　went　out。　Everything　was　black；　and　the　whole　world　rang　with　cries　of　terrified　people。　Ugh！　I　don't　want　to　dream　so　again；　I'd　rather　not　sleep　at　all。　But　hush！　what　is　that？〃

Far　away；　as　if　in　the　centre　of　the　earth；　they　heard　a　low　monotonous　rumbling。　They　listened　breathlessly。　Every　moment　the　sound　increased。　They　could　feel　the　ground　trembling　as　if　shaken　by　an　earthquake。

〃It　is　the　coming　sun；〃　said　Branasko。　〃We　must　get　nearer　the　tunnel　and　see　what　can　be　done。　It　would　be　useless　to　try　to　go　back　now。〃

Stealing　along　in　the　shadow　of　the　cliffs　to　keep　from　being　seen　by　the　workmen　on　the　plateau　above；　they　climbed　over　a　rocky　incline　and　saw　in　the　side　of　a　towering　cliff；　a　great　black　hole。　It　was　the　mouth　of　the　tunnel。　Into　it　ran　eight　wide　tracks　of　railway　and　six　mammoth　cables　each　twenty　or　thirty　feet　in　diameter。

〃The　sun　cannot　be　far　away　now；〃　remarked　the　Alphian。

〃Is　it　not　lighted？〃

〃I　presume　not；　I　think　it　comes　through　in　darkness。　The　light　is　saved　for　its　passage　over　Alpha。〃

〃Would　it　not　be　as　safe　for　us　to　attempt　to　walk　through　the　tunnel　to　the　palace　of　the　king？〃

〃Never；　it　would　be　over　fifty　miles　in　utter　darkness。　There　may　be　a　thousand　trestles　and　bridges　over　frightful　chasms：　for　the　most　part；　I　have　heard　the　tunnel　is　a　natural　channel　or　a　succession　of　caverns　united　by　tunnels。　The　other　is　the　safer　way；　though　it　certainly　is　risky　enough。〃

Louder　and　nearer　grew　the　rumbling　noise；　and　a　faint　light　began　to　shine　from　the　tunnel　and　flash　on　the　cliff　opposite。

〃It　is　the　sun's　headlight；〃　explained　Branasko。

Johnston　was　thrilled　to　the　centre　of　his