the lost continent-第20部分

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ust　find　another　hiding　place。

Stepping　boldly　into　the　corridor；　I　saw　that　it　was　now　empty　save　for　the　single　sentry　before　the　emperor's　door。　He　glanced　up　as　I　emerged　from　the　room；　the　occupants　of　which　had　not　seen　me。　　I　walked　straight　toward　the　soldier；　my　mind　made　up　in　an　instant。　　I　tried　to　simulate　an　expression　of　cringing　servility；　and　I　must　have　succeeded；　for　I　entirely　threw　the　man　off　his　guard；　so　that　he　permitted　me　to　approach　within　reach　of　his　rifle　before　stopping　me。　　Then　it　was　too　latefor　him。

Without　a　word　or　a　warning；　I　snatched　the　piece　from　his　grasp；　and；　at　the　same　time　struck　him　a　terrific　blow　between　the　eyes　with　my　clenched　fist。　　He　staggered　back　in　surprise；　too　dumbfounded　even　to　cry　out；　and　then　I　clubbed　his　rifle　and　felled　him　with　a　single　mighty　blow。

A　moment　later；　I　had　burst　into　the　room　beyond。　　It　was　empty！

I　gazed　about；　mad　with　disappointment。　　Two　doors　opened　from　this　to　other　rooms。　　I　ran　to　the　nearer　and　listened。　Yes；　voices　were　coming　from　beyond　and　one　was　a　woman's；　level　and　cold　and　filled　with　scorn。　　There　was　no　terror　in　it。　　It　was　Victory's。

I　turned　the　knob　and　pushed　the　door　inward　just　in　time　to　see　Menelek　seize　the　girl　and　drag　her　toward　the　far　end　of　the　apartment。　　At　the　same　instant　there　was　a　deafening　roar　just　outside　the　palacea　shell　had　struck　much　nearer　than　any　of　its　predecessors。　　The　noise　of　it　drowned　my　rapid　rush　across　the　room。

But　in　her　struggles；　Victory　turned　Menelek　about　so　that　he　saw　me。　　She　was　striking　him　in　the　face　with　her　clenched　fist；　and　now　he　was　choking　her。

At　sight　of　me；　he　gave　voice　to　a　roar　of　anger。

〃What　means　this；　slave？〃　he　cried。　　〃Out　of　here！　Out　of　here！　　Quick；　before　I　kill　you！〃

But　for　answer　I　rushed　upon　him；　striking　him　with　the　butt　of　the　rifle。　　He　staggered　back；　dropping　Victory　to　the　floor；　and　then　he　cried　aloud　for　the　guard；　and　came　at　me。　　Again　and　again　I　struck　him；　but　his　thick　skull　might　have　been　armor　plate；　for　all　the　damage　I　did　it。

He　tried　to　close　with　me；　seizing　the　rifle；　but　I　was　stronger　than　he；　and；　wrenching　the　weapon　from　his　grasp；　tossed　it　aside　and　made　for　his　throat　with　my　bare　hands。　I　had　not　dared　fire　the　weapon　for　fear　that　its　report　would　bring　the　larger　guard　stationed　at　the　farther　end　of　the　corridor。

We　struggled　about　the　room；　striking　one　another；　knocking　over　furniture；　and　rolling　upon　the　floor。　　Menelek　was　a　powerful　man；　and　he　was　fighting　for　his　life。　　Continually　he　kept　calling　for　the　guard；　until　I　succeeded　in　getting　a　grip　upon　his　throat；　but　it　was　too　late。　　His　cries　had　been　heard；　and　suddenly　the　door　burst　open；　and　a　score　of　armed　guardsmen　rushed　into　the　apartment。

Victory　seized　the　rifle　from　the　floor　and　leaped　between　me　and　them。　　I　had　the　black　emperor　upon　his　back；　and　both　my　hands　were　at　his　throat；　choking　the　life　from　him。

The　rest　happened　in　the　fraction　of　a　second。　　There　was　a　rending　crash　above　us；　then　a　deafening　explosion　within　the　chamber。　　Smoke　and　powder　fumes　filled　the　room。　　Half　stunned；　I　rose　from　the　lifeless　body　of　my　antagonist　just　in　time　to　see　Victory　stagger　to　her　feet　and　turn　toward　me。　　Slowly　the　smoke　cleared　to　reveal　the　shattered　remnants　of　the　guard。　　A　shell　had　fallen　through　the　palace　roof　and　exploded　just　in　the　rear　of　the　detachment　of　guardsmen　who　were　coming　to　the　rescue　of　their　emperor。　Why　neither　Victory　nor　I　were　struck　is　a　miracle。　　The　room　was　a　wreck。　　A　great；　jagged　hole　was　torn　in　the　ceiling；　and　the　wall　toward　the　corridor　had　been　blown　entirely　out。

As　I　rose；　Victory　had　risen；　too；　and　started　toward　me。　But　when　she　saw　that　I　was　uninjured　she　stopped；　and　stood　there　in　the　center　of　the　demolished　apartment　looking　at　me。　　Her　expression　was　inscrutableI　could　not　guess　whether　she　was　glad　to　see　me；　or　not。

〃Victory！〃　I　cried。　　〃Thank　God　that　you　are　safe！〃　And　I　approached　her；　a　greater　gladness　in　my　heart　than　I　had　felt　since　the　moment　that　I　knew　the　Coldwater　must　be　swept　beyond　thirty。

There　was　no　answering　gladness　in　her　eyes。　　Instead；　she　stamped　her　little　foot　in　anger。

〃Why　did　it　have　to　be　you　who　saved　me！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃I　hate　you！〃

〃Hate　me？〃　I　asked。　　〃Why　should　you　hate　me；　Victory？　　I　do　not　hate　you。　　II〃　　What　was　I　about　to　say？　　I　was　very　close　to　her　as　a　great　light　broke　over　me。　　Why　had　I　never　realized　it　before？　　The　truth　accounted　for　a　great　many　hitherto　inexplicable　moods　that　had　claimed　me　from　time　to　time　since　first　I　had　seen　Victory。

〃Why　should　I　hate　you？〃　she　repeated。　　〃Because　Snider　told　mehe　told　me　that　you　had　promised　me　to　him；　but　he　did　not　get　me。　　I　killed　him；　as　I　should　like　to　kill　you！〃

〃Snider　lied！〃　I　cried。　　And　then　I　seized　her　and　held　her　in　my　arms；　and　made　her　listen　to　me；　though　she　struggled　and　fought　like　a　young　lioness。　　〃I　love　you；　Victory。　　You　must　know　that　I　love　youthat　I　have　always　loved　you；　and　that　I　never　could　have　made　so　base　a　promise。〃

She　ceased　her　struggles；　just　a　trifle；　but　still　tried　to　push　me　from　her。　　〃You　called　me　a　barbarian！〃　she　said。

Ah；　so　that　was　it！　　That　still　rankled。　　I　crushed　her　to　me。

〃You　could　not　love　a　barbarian；〃　she　went　on；　but　she　had　ceased　to　struggle。

〃But　I　do　love　a　barbarian；　Victory！〃　I　cried；　〃the　dearest　barbarian　in　the　world。〃

She　raised　her　eyes　to　mine；　and　then　her　smooth；　brown　arms　encircled　my　neck　and　drew　my　lips　down　to　hers。

〃I　love　youI　have　loved　you　always！〃　she　said；　and　then　she　buried　her　face　upon　my　shoulder　and　sobbed。　　〃I　have　been　so　unhappy；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　could　not　die　while　I　thought　that　you　might　live。〃

As　we　stood　there；　momentarily　forgetful　of　all　else　than　our　new　found　happiness；　the　ferocity　of　the　bombardment　increased　until　scarce　thirty　seconds　elapsed　between　the　shells　that　rained　about　the　palace。

To　remain　long　would　be　to　invite　certain　death。　　We　could　not　escape　the　way　that　we　had　entered　the　apartment；　for　not　only　was　the　corridor　now　choked　with　debris；　but　beyond　the　corridor　there　were　doubtless　many　members　of　the　emperor's　household　who　would　stop　us。

Upon　the　opposite　side　of　the　room　was　another　door；　and　toward　this　I　led　the　way。　　It　opened　into　a　third　apartment　with　windows　overlooking　an　inner　court。　　From　one　of　these　windows　I　surveyed　the　courtyard。　　Apparently　it　was　empty；　and　the　rooms　upon　the　opposite　side　were　unlighted。

Assisting　Victory　to　the　open；　I　followed；　and　together　we　crossed　the　court；　discovering　upon　the　opposite　side　a　number　of　wide；　wooden　doors　set　in　the　wall　of　the　palace；　with　small　windows　between。　　As　we　stood　close　behind　one　of　the　doors；　listening；　a　horse　within　neighed。

〃The　stables！〃　I　whispered；　and；　a　moment　later；　had　pushed　back　a　door　and　entered。　　From　the　city　about　us　we　could　hear　the　din　of　great　commotion；　and　quite　close　the　sounds　of　battlethe　crack　of　thousands　of　rifles；　the　yells　of　the　soldiers；　the　hoarse　commands　of　officers；　and　the　blare　of　bugles。

The　bombardment　had　ceased　as　suddenly　as　it　had　commenced。　I　judged　that　the　enemy　was　storming　the　city；　for　the　sounds　we　heard　were　the　sounds　of　hand…to…hand　combat。

Within　the　stables　I　groped　about　until　I　had　found　saddles　and　bridles　for　two　horses。　　But　afterward；　in　the　darkness；　I　could　find　but　a　single　mount。　　The　doors　of　the　opposite　side；　leading　to　the　street；　were　open；　and　we　could　see　great　multitudes　of　men；　women；　and　children　fleeing　toward　the　west。　　Soldiers；　afoot　and　mounted；　were　joining　the　mad　exodus。　　Now　and　then　a　camel　or　an　elephant　would　pass　bearing　some　officer　or　dignitary　to　safety。　　It　was　evident　that　the　city　would　fall　at　any　momenta　fact　which　was　amply　proclaimed　by　the　terror…stricken　haste　of　the　fear…　mad　mob。

Horse；　camel；　and　elephant　trod　helpless　women　and　children　beneath　their　feet。　　A　common　soldier　dragged　a　general　from　his　mount；　and；　leaping　to　the　animal's　back；　fled　down　the　packed　street　toward　the　west。　　A　woman　seized　a　gun　and　brained　a　court　dignitary；　whose　horse　had　trampled　her　child　to　death。　　Shrieks；　curses；　commands；　supplications　filled　the　air。　　It　was　a　frightful　sceneone　that　will　be　burned　upon　my　memory　forever。

I　had　saddled　and　bridled　the　single　horse　which　had　evidently　been　overlooked　by　the　royal　household　in　its　flight；　and；　standing　a　little　back　in　the　shadow　of　the　stable's　interior；　Victory　and　I　watched　the　surging　throng　without。

To　have　entered　it　would　have　been　to　have　courted　greater　danger　than　we　were　already　in。　　We　decided　to　wait　until　the　stress　of　blacks　thinned；　and　for　more　than　an　hour　we　stood　there　while　the　sounds　of　battle　raged　upon　the　eastern　side　of　the　city　and　the　population　flew　toward　the　west。　　More　and　more　numerous　became　the　uniformed　soldiers　among　the　fleeing　throng；　until；　toward　the　last；　the　street　was　packed　with　them。　　It　was　no　orderly　retreat；　but　a　rout；　complete　and　terrible。

The　fighting　was　steadily　approaching　us　now；　until　the　crack　of　rifles　sounded　in　the　very　street　upon　which　we　were　looking。　　And　then　came　a　handful　of　brave　mena　little　rear　guard　backing　slowly　toward　the　west；　working　their　smoking　rifles　in　feverish　haste　as　they　fired　volley　after　volley　at　the　foe　we　could　not　see。

But　these　were　pressed　back　and　back　until　the　first　line　of　the　enemy　came　opposite　our　shelter。　　They　were　men　of　medium　height；　with　olive　complexions　and　almond　eyes。　　In　them　I　recognized　the　descendants　of　the　ancient　Chinese　race。

They　were　well　uniformed　and　superbly　armed；　and　they　fought　bravely　and　under　perfect　discipline。　　So　rapt　was　I　in　the　exciting　events　transpiring　in　the　street　that　I　did　not　hear　the　approach　of　a　body　of　men　from　behind。　　It　was　a　party　of　the　conquerors　who　had　entered　the　palace　and　were　searching　it。

They　came　upon　us　so　unexpectedly　that　we　were　prisoners　before　we　realized　what　had　happened。　　That　night　we　were　held　under　a　strong　guard　just　outside　the　eastern　wall　of　the　city；　and　the　next　morning　were　started　upon　a　long　march　toward　the　east。

Our　captors　were　not　unkind