the lost continent-第12部分

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She　shuddered　and　drew　closer　to　me。

〃You　dare？〃　she　asked。

〃Why　not？〃　I　returned。　　〃We　shall　be　safe　from　Buckingham；　and　you　have　seen；　for　the　second　time　in　two　days；　that　lions　are　harmless　before　my　weapons。　　Then；　too；　I　can　find　my　friends　easiest　in　this　direction；　for　the　River　Thames　runs　through　this　place　you　call　the　Camp　of　the　Lions；　and　it　is　farther　down　the　Thames　that　my　friends　are　awaiting　me。　　Do　you　not　dare　come　with　me？〃

〃I　dare　follow　wherever　you　lead；〃　she　answered　simply。

And　so　I　turned　and　passed　beneath　the　great　arch　into　the　city　of　London。



5


As　we　entered　deeper　into　what　had　once　been　the　city；　the　evidences　of　man's　past　occupancy　became　more　frequent。　　For　a　mile　from　the　arch　there　was　only　a　riot　of　weeds　and　undergrowth　and　trees　covering　small　mounds　and　little　hillocks　that；　I　was　sure；　were　formed　of　the　ruins　of　stately　buildings　of　the　dead　past。

But　presently　we　came　upon　a　district　where　shattered　walls　still　raised　their　crumbling　tops　in　sad　silence　above　the　grass…grown　sepulchers　of　their　fallen　fellows。　　Softened　and　mellowed　by　ancient　ivy　stood　these　sentinels　of　sorrow；　their　scarred　faces　still　revealing　the　rents　and　gashes　of　shrapnel　and　of　bomb。

Contrary　to　our　expectations；　we　found　little　indication　that　lions　in　any　great　numbers　laired　in　this　part　of　ancient　London。　　Well…worn　pathways；　molded　by　padded　paws；　led　through　the　cavernous　windows　or　doorways　of　a　few　of　the　ruins　we　passed；　and　once　we　saw　the　savage　face　of　a　great；　black…maned　lion　scowling　down　upon　us　from　a　shattered　stone　balcony。

We　followed　down　the　bank　of　the　Thames　after　we　came　upon　it。　　I　was　anxious　to　look　with　my　own　eyes　upon　the　famous　bridge；　and　I　guessed；　too；　that　the　river　would　lead　me　into　the　part　of　London　where　stood　Westminster　Abbey　and　the　Tower。

Realizing　that　the　section　through　which　we　had　been　passing　was　doubtless　outlying；　and　therefore　not　so　built　up　with　large　structures　as　the　more　centrally　located　part　of　the　old　town；　I　felt　sure　that　farther　down　the　river　I　should　find　the　ruins　larger。　　The　bridge　would　be　there　in　part；　at　least；　and　so　would　remain　the　walls　of　many　of　the　great　edifices　of　the　past。　　There　would　be　no　such　complete　ruin　of　large　structures　as　I　had　seen　among　the　smaller　buildings。

But　when　I　had　come　to　that　part　of　the　city　which　I　judged　to　have　contained　the　relics　I　sought　I　found　havoc　that　had　been　wrought　there　even　greater　than　elsewhere。

At　one　point　upon　the　bosom　of　the　Thames　there　rises　a　few　feet　above　the　water　a　single；　disintegrating　mound　of　masonry。　　Opposite　it；　upon　either　bank　of　the　river；　are　tumbled　piles　of　ruins　overgrown　with　vegetation。

These；　I　am　forced　to　believe；　are　all　that　remain　of　London　Bridge；　for　nowhere　else　along　the　river　is　there　any　other　slightest　sign　of　pier　or　abutment。

Rounding　the　base　of　a　large　pile　of　grass…covered　debris；　we　came　suddenly　upon　the　best　preserved　ruin　we　had　yet　discovered。　　The　entire　lower　story　and　part　of　the　second　story　of　what　must　once　have　been　a　splendid　public　building　rose　from　a　great　knoll　of　shrubbery　and　trees；　while　ivy；　thick　and　luxuriant；　clambered　upward　to　the　summit　of　the　broken　walls。

In　many　places　the　gray　stone　was　still　exposed；　its　smoothly　chiseled　face　pitted　with　the　scars　of　battle。　　The　massive　portal　yawned；　somber　and　sorrowful；　before　us；　giving　a　glimpse　of　marble　halls　within。

The　temptation　to　enter　was　too　great。　　I　wished　to　explore　the　interior　of　this　one　remaining　monument　of　civilization　now　dead　beyond　recall。　　Through　this　same　portal；　within　these　very　marble　halls；　had　Gray　and　Chamberlin　and　Kitchener　and　Shaw；　perhaps；　come　and　gone　with　the　other　great　ones　of　the　past。

I　took　Victory's　hand　in　mine。

〃Come！〃　I　said。　　〃I　do　not　know　the　name　by　which　this　great　pile　was　known；　nor　the　purposes　it　fulfilled。　　It　may　have　been　the　palace　of　your　sires；　Victory。　　From　some　great　throne　within；　your　forebears　may　have　directed　the　destinies　of　half　the　world。　　Come！〃

I　must　confess　to　a　feeling　of　awe　as　we　entered　the　rotunda　of　the　great　building。　　Pieces　of　massive　furniture　of　another　day　still　stood　where　man　had　placed　them　centuries　ago。　　They　were　littered　with　dust　and　broken　stone　and　plaster；　but；　otherwise；　so　perfect　was　their　preservation　I　could　hardly　believe　that　two　centuries　had　rolled　by　since　human　eyes　were　last　set　upon　them。

Through　one　great　room　after　another　we　wandered；　hand　in　hand；　while　Victory　asked　many　questions　and　for　the　first　time　I　began　to　realize　something　of　the　magnificence　and　power　of　the　race　from　whose　loins　she　had　sprung。

Splendid　tapestries；　now　mildewed　and　rotting；　hung　upon　the　walls。　　There　were　mural　paintings；　too；　depicting　great　historic　events　of　the　past。　　For　the　first　time　Victory　saw　the　likeness　of　a　horse；　and　she　was　much　affected　by　a　huge　oil　which　depicted　some　ancient　cavalry　charge　against　a　battery　of　field　guns。

In　other　pictures　there　were　steamships；　battleships；　submarines；　and　quaint　looking　railway　trainsall　small　and　antiquated　in　appearance　to　me；　but　wonderful　to　Victory。　She　told　me　that　she　would　like　to　remain　for　the　rest　of　her　life　where　she　could　look　at　those　pictures　daily。

From　room　to　room　we　passed　until　presently　we　emerged　into　a　mighty　chamber；　dark　and　gloomy；　for　its　high　and　narrow　windows　were　choked　and　clogged　by　ivy。　　Along　one　paneled　wall　we　groped；　our　eyes　slowly　becoming　accustomed　to　the　darkness。　　A　rank　and　pungent　odor　pervaded　the　atmosphere。

We　had　made　our　way　about　half　the　distance　across　one　end　of　the　great　apartment　when　a　low　growl　from　the　far　end　brought　us　to　a　startled　halt。

Straining　my　eyes　through　the　gloom；　I　made　out　a　raised　dais　at　the　extreme　opposite　end　of　the　hall。　　Upon　the　dais　stood　two　great　chairs；　highbacked　and　with　great　arms。

The　throne　of　England！　　But　what　were　those　strange　forms　about　it？

Victory　gave　my　hand　a　quick；　excited　little　squeeze。

〃The　lions！〃　she　whispered。

Yes；　lions　indeed！　　Sprawled　about　the　dais　were　a　dozen　huge　forms；　while　upon　the　seat　of　one　of　the　thrones　a　small　cub　lay　curled　in　slumber。

As　we　stood　there　for　a　moment；　spellbound　by　the　sight　of　those　fearsome　creatures　occupying　the　very　thrones　of　the　sovereigns　of　England；　the　low　growl　was　repeated；　and　a　great　male　rose　slowly　to　his　feet。

His　devilish　eyes　bored　straight　through　the　semi…darkness　toward　us。　　He　had　discovered　the　interloper。　　What　right　had　man　within　this　palace　of　the　beasts？　Again　he　opened　his　giant　jaws；　and　this　time　there　rumbled　forth　a　warning　roar。

Instantly　eight　or　ten　of　the　other　beasts　leaped　to　their　feet。　　Already　the　great　fellow　who　had　spied　us　was　advancing　slowly　in　our　direction。　　I　held　my　rifle　ready；　but　how　futile　it　appeared　in　the　face　of　this　savage　horde。

The　foremost　beast　broke　into　a　slow　trot；　and　at　his　heels　came　the　others。　　All　were　roaring　now；　and　the　din　of　their　great　voices　reverberating　through　the　halls　and　corridors　of　the　palace　formed　the　most　frightful　chorus　of　thunderous　savagery　imaginable　to　the　mind　of　man。

And　then　the　leader　charged；　and　upon　the　hideous　pandemonium　broke　the　sharp　crack　of　my　rifle；　once；　twice；　thrice。　　Three　lions　rolled；　struggling　and　biting；　to　the　floor。　　Victory　seized　my　arm；　with　a　quick；　〃This　way！　Here　is　a　door；〃　and　a　moment　later　we　were　in　a　tiny　antechamber　at　the　foot　of　a　narrow　stone　staircase。

Up　this　we　backed；　Victory　just　behind　me；　as　the　first　of　the　remaining　lions　leaped　from　the　throne　room　and　sprang　for　the　stairs。　　Again　I　fired；　but　others　of　the　ferocious　beasts　leaped　over　their　fallen　fellows　and　pursued　us。

The　stairs　were　very　narrowthat　was　all　that　saved　usfor　as　I　backed　slowly　upward；　but　a　single　lion　could　attack　me　at　a　time；　and　the　carcasses　of　those　I　slew　impeded　the　rushes　of　the　others。

At　last　we　reached　the　top。　　There　was　a　long　corridor　from　which　opened　many　doorways。　　One；　directly　behind　us；　was　tight　closed。　　If　we　could　open　it　and　pass　into　the　chamber　behind　we　might　find　a　respite　from　attack。

The　remaining　lions　were　roaring　horribly。　　I　saw　one　sneaking　very　slowly　up　the　stairs　toward　us。

〃Try　that　door；〃　I　called　to　Victory。　　〃See　if　it　will　open。〃

She　ran　up　to　it　and　pushed。

〃Turn　the　knob！〃　I　cried；　seeing　that　she　did　not　know　how　to　open　a　door；　but　neither　did　she　know　what　I　meant　by　knob。

I　put　a　bullet　in　the　spine　of　the　approaching　lion　and　leaped　to　Victory's　side。　　The　door　resisted　my　first　efforts　to　swing　it　inward。　　Rusted　hinges　and　swollen　wood　held　it　tightly　closed。　　But　at　last　it　gave；　and　just　as　another　lion　mounted　to　the　top　of　the　stairway　it　swung　in；　and　I　pushed　Victory　across　the　threshold。

Then　I　turned　to　meet　the　renewed　attack　of　the　savage　foe。　One　lion　fell　in　his　tracks；　another　stumbled　to　my　very　feet；　and　then　I　leaped　within　and　slammed　the　portal　to。

A　quick　glance　showed　me　that　this　was　the　only　door　to　the　small　apartment　in　which　we　had　found　sanctuary；　and；　with　a　sigh　of　relief；　I　leaned　for　a　moment　against　the　panels　of　the　stout　barrier　that　separated　us　from　the　ramping　demons　without。

Across　the　room；　between　two　windows；　stood　a　flat…topped　desk。　　A　little　pile　of　white　and　brown　lay　upon　it　close　to　the　opposite　edge。　　After　a　moment　of　rest　I　crossed　the　room　to　investigate。　　The　white　was　the　bleached　human　bonesthe　skull；　collar　bones；　arms；　and　a　few　of　the　upper　ribs　of　a　man。　　The　brown　was　the　dust　of　a　decayed　military　cap　and　blouse。　　In　a　chair　before　the　desk　were　other　bones；　while　more　still　strewed　the　floor　beneath　the　desk　and　about　the　chair。　　A　man　had　died　sitting　there　with　his　face　buried　in　his　armstwo　hundred　years　ago。

Beneath　the　desk　were　a　pair　of　spurred　military　boots；　green　and　rotten　with　decay。　　In　them　were　the　leg　bones　of　a　man。　　Among　the　tiny　bones　of　the　hands　was　an　ancient　fountain　pen；　as　good；　apparently；　as　the　day　it　was　made；　and　a　metal　covered　memoranda　book；　closed　over　the　bones　of　an　index　finger。

It　was　a　gruesome　sighta　pitiful　sightthis　lone　inhabitant　of　mighty　London。

I　picked　up　the　met