the lost continent-第15部分

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d　been　victorious　in　the　Great　War。

Snider　demurred　at　the　suggestion。　　He　said　that　it　was　bad　enough　to　have　come　this　far。　　He　did　not　want　to　make　it　worse　by　going　to　the　continent。　　The　outcome　of　it　was　that　I　finally　lost　my　patience；　and　told　him　that　from　then　on　he　would　do　what　I　thought　bestthat　I　proposed　to　assume　command　of　the　party；　and　that　they　might　all　consider　themselves　under　my　orders；　as　much　so　as　though　we　were　still　aboard　the　Coldwater　and　in　Pan…American　waters。

Delcarte　and　Taylor　immediately　assured　me　that　they　had　not　for　an　instant　assumed　anything　different；　and　that　they　were　as　ready　to　follow　and　obey　me　here　as　they　would　be　upon　the　other　side　of　thirty。

Snider　said　nothing；　but　he　wore　a　sullen　scowl。　　And　I　wished　then；　as　I　had　before；　and　as　I　did　to　a　much　greater　extent　later；　that　fate　had　not　decreed　that　he　should　have　chanced　to　be　a　member　of　the　launch's　party　upon　that　memorable　day　when　last　we　quitted　the　Coldwater。

Victory；　who　was　given　a　voice　in　our　councils；　was　all　for　going　to　the　continent；　or　anywhere　else；　in　fact；　where　she　might　see　new　sights　and　experience　new　adventures。

〃Afterward　we　can　come　back　to　Grabritin；〃　she　said；　〃and　if　Buckingham　is　not　dead　and　we　can　catch　him　away　from　his　men　and　kill　him；　then　I　can　return　to　my　people；　and　we　can　all　live　in　peace　and　happiness。〃

She　spoke　of　killing　Buckingham　with　no　greater　concern　than　one　might　evince　in　the　contemplated　destruction　of　a　sheep；　yet　she　was　neither　cruel　nor　vindictive。　　In　fact；　Victory　is　a　very　sweet　and　womanly　woman。　　But　human　life　is　of　small　account　beyond　thirtya　legacy　from　the　bloody　days　when　thousands　of　men　perished　in　the　trenches　between　the　rising　and　the　setting　of　a　sun；　when　they　laid　them　lengthwise　in　these　same　trenches　and　sprinkled　dirt　over　them；　when　the　Germans　corded　their　corpses　like　wood　and　set　fire　to　them；　when　women　and　children　and　old　men　were　butchered；　and　great　passenger　ships　were　torpedoed　without　warning。

Thirty…six；　finally　assured　that　we　did　not　intend　slaying　him；　was　as　keen　to　accompany　us　as　was　Victory。

The　crossing　to　the　continent　was　uneventful；　its　monotony　being　relieved；　however；　by　the　childish　delight　of　Victory　and　Thirty…six　in　the　novel　experience　of　riding　safely　upon　the　bosom　of　the　water；　and　of　being　so　far　from　land。

With　the　possible　exception　of　Snider；　the　little　party　appeared　in　the　best　of　spirits；　laughing　and　joking；　or　interestedly　discussing　the　possibilities　which　the　future　held　for　us：　what　we　should　find　upon　the　continent；　and　whether　the　inhabitants　would　be　civilized　or　barbarian　peoples。

Victory　asked　me　to　explain　the　difference　between　the　two；　and　when　I　had　tried　to　do　so　as　clearly　as　possible；　she　broke　into　a　gay　little　laugh。

〃Oh；〃　she　cried；　〃then　I　am　a　barbarian！〃

I　could　not　but　laugh；　too；　as　I　admitted　that　she　was；　indeed；　a　barbarian。　　She　was　not　offended；　taking　the　matter　as　a　huge　joke。　　But　some　time　thereafter　she　sat　in　silence；　apparently　deep　in　thought。　　Finally　she　looked　up　at　me；　her　strong　white　teeth　gleaming　behind　her　smiling　lips。

〃Should　you　take　that　thing　you　call　'razor；'〃　she　said；　〃and　cut　the　hair　from　the　face　of　Thirty…six；　and　exchange　garments　with　him；　you　would　be　the　barbarian　and　Thirty…six　the　civilized　man。　　There　is　no　other　difference　between　you；　except　your　weapons。　　Clothe　you　in　a　wolfskin；　give　you　a　knife　and　a　spear；　and　set　you　down　in　the　woods　of　Grabritinof　what　service　would　your　civilization　be　to　you？〃

Delcarte　and　Taylor　smiled　at　her　reply；　but　Thirty…six　and　Snider　laughed　uproariously。　　I　was　not　surprised　at　Thirty…　six；　but　I　thought　that　Snider　laughed　louder　than　the　occasion　warranted。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　Snider；　it　seemed　to　me；　was　taking　advantage　of　every　opportunity；　however　slight；　to　show　insubordination；　and　I　determined　then　that　at　the　first　real　breach　of　discipline　I　should　take　action　that　would　remind　Snider；　ever　after；　that　I　was　still　his　commanding　officer。

I　could　not　help　but　notice　that　his　eyes　were　much　upon　Victory；　and　I　did　not　like　it；　for　I　knew　the　type　of　man　he　was。　　But　as　it　would　not　be　necessary　ever　to　leave　the　girl　alone　with　him　I　felt　no　apprehension　for　her　safety。

After　the　incident　of　the　discussion　of　barbarians　I　thought　that　Victory's　manner　toward　me　changed　perceptibly。　　She　held　aloof　from　me；　and　when　Snider　took　his　turn　at　the　wheel；　sat　beside　him；　upon　the　pretext　that　she　wished　to　learn　how　to　steer　the　launch。　　I　wondered　if　she　had　guessed　the　man's　antipathy　for　me；　and　was　seeking　his　company　solely　for　the　purpose　of　piquing　me。

Snider　was；　too；　taking　full　advantage　of　his　opportunity。　Often　he　leaned　toward　the　girl　to　whisper　in　her　ear；　and　he　laughed　much；　which　was　unusual　with　Snider。

Of　course；　it　was　nothing　at　all　to　me；　yet；　for　some　unaccountable　reason；　the　sight　of　the　two　of　them　sitting　there　so　close　to　one　another　and　seeming　to　be　enjoying　each　other's　society　to　such　a　degree　irritated　me　tremendously；　and　put　me　in　such　a　bad　humor　that　I　took　no　pleasure　whatsoever　in　the　last　few　hours　of　the　crossing。

We　aimed　to　land　near　the　site　of　ancient　Ostend。　　But　when　we　neared　the　coast　we　discovered　no　indication　of　any　human　habitations　whatever；　let　alone　a　city。　　After　we　had　landed；　we　found　the　same　howling　wilderness　about　us　that　we　had　discovered　on　the　British　Isle。　　There　was　no　slightest　indication　that　civilized　man　had　ever　set　a　foot　upon　that　portion　of　the　continent　of　Europe。

Although　I　had　feared　as　much；　since　our　experience　in　England；　I　could　not　but　own　to　a　feeling　of　marked　disappointment；　and　to　the　gravest　fears　of　the　future；　which　induced　a　mental　depression　that　was　in　no　way　dissipated　by　the　continued　familiarity　between　Victory　and　Snider。

I　was　angry　with　myself　that　I　permitted　that　matter　to　affect　me　as　it　had。　　I　did　not　wish　to　admit　to　myself　that　I　was　angry　with　this　uncultured　little　savage；　that　it　made　the　slightest　difference　to　me　what　she　did　or　what　she　did　not　do；　or　that　I　could　so　lower　myself　as　to　feel　personal　enmity　towards　a　common　sailor。　　And　yet；　to　be　honest；　I　was　doing　both。

Finding　nothing　to　detain　us　about　the　spot　where　Ostend　once　had　stood；　we　set　out　up　the　coast　in　search　of　the　mouth　of　the　River　Rhine；　which　I　purposed　ascending　in　search　of　civilized　man。　　It　was　my　intention　to　explore　the　Rhine　as　far　up　as　the　launch　would　take　us。　　If　we　found　no　civilization　there　we　would　return　to　the　North　Sea；　continue　up　the　coast　to　the　Elbe；　and　follow　that　river　and　the　canals　of　Berlin。　　Here；　at　least；　I　was　sure　that　we　should　find　what　we　soughtand；　if　not；　then　all　Europe　had　reverted　to　barbarism。

The　weather　remained　fine；　and　we　made　excellent　progress；　but　everywhere　along　the　Rhine　we　met　with　the　same　disappointmentno　sign　of　civilized　man；　in　fact；　no　sign　of　man　at　all。

I　was　not　enjoying　the　exploration　of　modern　Europe　as　I　had　anticipatedI　was　unhappy。　　Victory　seemed　changed；　too。　　I　had　enjoyed　her　company　at　first；　but　since　the　trip　across　the　Channel　I　had　held　aloof　from　her。

Her　chin　was　in　the　air　most　of　the　time；　and　yet　I　rather　think　that　she　regretted　her　friendliness　with　Snider；　for　I　noticed　that　she　avoided　him　entirely。　　He；　on　the　contrary；　emboldened　by　her　former　friendliness；　sought　every　opportunity　to　be　near　her。　　I　should　have　liked　nothing　better　than　a　reasonably　good　excuse　to　punch　his　head；　yet；　paradoxically；　I　was　ashamed　of　myself　for　harboring　him　any　ill　will。　　I　realized　that　there　was　something　the　matter　with　me；　but　I　did　not　know　what　it　was。

Matters　remained　thus　for　several　days；　and　we　continued　our　journey　up　the　Rhine。　　At　Cologne；　I　had　hoped　to　find　some　reassuring　indications；　but　there　was　no　Cologne。　　And　as　there　had　been　no　other　cities　along　the　river　up　to　that　point；　the　devastation　was　infinitely　greater　than　time　alone　could　have　wrought。　　Great　guns；　bombs；　and　mines　must　have　leveled　every　building　that　man　had　raised；　and　then　nature；　unhindered；　had　covered　the　ghastly　evidence　of　human　depravity　with　her　beauteous　mantle　of　verdure。　Splendid　trees　reared　their　stately　tops　where　splendid　cathedrals　once　had　reared　their　domes；　and　sweet　wild　flowers　blossomed　in　simple　serenity　in　soil　that　once　was　drenched　with　human　blood。

Nature　had　reclaimed　what　man　had　once　stolen　from　her　and　defiled。　　A　herd　of　zebras　grazed　where　once　the　German　kaiser　may　have　reviewed　his　troops。　　An　antelope　rested　peacefully　in　a　bed　of　daisies　where；　perhaps；　two　hundred　years　ago　a　big　gun　belched　its　terror…laden　messages　of　death；　of　hate；　of　destruction　against　the　works　of　man　and　God　alike。

We　were　in　need　of　fresh　meat；　yet　I　hesitated　to　shatter　the　quiet　and　peaceful　serenity　of　the　view　with　the　crack　of　a　rifle　and　the　death　of　one　of　those　beautiful　creatures　before　us。　　But　it　had　to　be　donewe　must　eat。　　I　left　the　work　to　Delcarte；　however；　and　in　a　moment　we　had　two　antelope　and　the　landscape　to　ourselves。

After　eating；　we　boarded　the　launch　and　continued　up　the　river。　　For　two　days　we　passed　through　a　primeval　wilderness。　　In　the　afternoon　of　the　second　day　we　landed　upon　the　west　bank　of　the　river；　and；　leaving　Snider　and　Thirty…six　to　guard　Victory　and　the　launch；　Delcarte；　Taylor；　and　I　set　out　after　game。

We　tramped　away　from　the　river　for　upwards　of　an　hour　before　discovering　anything；　and　then　only　a　small　red　deer；　which　Taylor　brought　down　with　a　neat　shot　of　two　hundred　yards。　It　was　getting　too　late　to　proceed　farther；　so　we　rigged　a　sling；　and　the　two　men　carried　the　deer　back　toward　the　launch　while　I　walked　a　hundred　yards　ahead；　in　the　hope　of　bagging　something　further　for　our　larder。

We　had　covered　about　half　the　distance　to　the　river；　when　I　suddenly　came　face　to　face　with　a　man。　　He　was　as　primitive　and　uncouth　in　appearance　as　the　Grabritinsa　shaggy；　unkempt　savage；　clothed　in　a　shirt　of　skin　cured　with　the　head　on；　the　latter　surmounting　his　own　head　to　form　a　bonnet；　and　giving　to　him　a　most　fearful　and　ferocious　aspect。

The　fellow　was　armed　with　a　long　spear　and　a　club；　the　latter　dangling　down　his　back