the land of the changing sun-第18部分

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e　cold；〃　he　said。

Johnston　followed　him。　The　rapid　motion　of　the　swinging　sphere　made　him　dizzy；　and　he　caught　Branasko's　arm　to　keep　from　falling。

〃How　can　we　tell　when　we　go　over　the　wall？〃　he　asked　anxiously。

〃We　shall　have　to　guess　at　it；〃　was　the　answer。　〃At　any　rate　we　must　be　near　the　lower　door　so　as　to　get　out　quickly　if　it　is　necessary　to　do　so　to　escape　detection。〃

In　the　darkness　they　slowly　made　their　way　down　the　stairs　to　the　great　room。

〃There　ought　to　be　some　way　of　making　a　light；〃　said　the　Alphian；　and　his　voice　sounded　loud　and　hollow　in　the　empty　chamber。　After　several　failures　to　find　the　stairs　they　descended　to　the　door　they　had　entered。　Branasko　opened　it　a　little；　and　a　breeze　came　in。　They　sat　down　on　the　stone；　and　after　a　while；　in　sheer　fatigue；　they　fell　asleep。　Hours　passed。　Branasko　rose　with　a　start；　and　shook　Johnston。

〃Our　speed　is　lessening；〃　he　exclaimed。　〃We　must　be　going　down。　Be　ready　to　jump　out　the　instant　we　stop。　There；　let　me　open　the　door　wider。〃



Chapter　XIV。

When　Tradmos　spoke　the　words　of　warning；　Thorndyke　put　his　arm　round　the　princess　and　drew　her　after　Tradmos；　who　was　hastening　away　in　the　gloom。

〃Wait；〃　she　said；　drawing　back。　〃Let　us　not　get　excited。　We　are　really　as　safe　here　as　there；　for　in　their　madness　they　will　kill　one　another　and　trample　them　under　foot。〃　She　led　him　to　a　parapet　overlooking　the　great　court　below。　〃Hear　them；〃　she　said；　in　pity；　〃listen　to　their　blows　and　cries。　That　was　a　woman's　voice；　and　some　man　must　have　struck　her。〃

〃Tell　me　what　is　best　to　do；〃　said　the　Englishman。　〃I　want　to　protect　you；　but　I　am　helpless；　I　don't　know　which　way　to　turn。〃

〃Wait；〃　she　said　simply；　and　the　Englishman　thought　she　drew　closer　to　him；　as　if　touched　by　his　words。

There　was　a　crash　of　timbersa　massive　door　had　fallena　scrambling　of　feet　on　the　stone　pavement；　and　they　could　see　the　dark　human　mass　surging　into　the　court　through　the　corridors　leading　from　the　streets。

〃What　are　they　doing？〃　asked　Thorn　dyke。

She　shrank　from　the　parapet　as　if　she　had　been　struck。

〃Tearing　the　pillars　down；〃　she　replied　aghast；　〃this　part　of　the　palace　will　fall。　Oh；　what　can　be　done！〃

There　was　a　grinding　of　stone　upon　stone；　a　mad　yell　from　an　hundred　throats；　the　crash　of　glass；　and；　with　a　thunderous　sound；　a　colossal　pillar　fell　to　the　earth。　The　roof　beneath　the　feet　of　the　princess　and　Thorndyke　trembled　and　sagged；　and　the　tiling　split　and　showered　about　them。

Raising　Bernardino　in　his　arms；　as　if　she　were　an　infant；　Thorndyke　sprang　toward　the　stairway　leading　to　his　chambers；　but　the　roof　had　sunken　till　it　was　steep　and　slippery。　One　instant　he　was　toppling　over　backward；　the　next；　by　a　mighty　effort；　he　had　recovered　his　equilibrium；　and　finally　managed　to　reach　a　safer　place。　As　he　hurried　on　another　pillar　went　down。　The　roof　sagged　lower；　and　an　avalanche　of　mortar　and　tiling　slid　into　the　court　below。　Yells；　groans；　and　cries　of　fury　rent　the　air。

Bernardino　had　fainted。　Thorndyke　tried　to　restore　her　to　consciousness；　but　dared　not　put　her　from　him　for　an　instant。　On　he　ran；　and　presently　reached　a　flight　of　stairs　which　he　thought　led　to　his　chambers。　He　descended　them；　and　was　hastening　along　a　narrow　corridor　on　the　floor　beneath　when　Bernardino　opened　her　eyes。　She　asked　to　be　released　from　his　arms。　He　put　her　down；　but　supported　her　along　the　corridor。

〃We　have　lost　our　way；〃　he　said；　as　he　discovered　that　the　corridor；　instead　of　leading　to　his　chambers；　turned　off　obliquely　in　another　direction。

〃Let's　go　on　anyway；〃　she　suggested；　〃it　may　lead　us　out。　I　have　never　been　here　before。　I〃　A　great　crash　drowned　her　words。　The　floor　quivered　and　swayed；　but　it　did　not　fall。　On　they　ran　through　the　darkness；　till　Thorndyke　felt　a　heavy　curtain　before。　He　paused　abruptly；　not　knowing　what　to　do。　Bernardino　felt　of　its　texture；　perplexed　for　an　instant。

〃Draw　it　aside；　it　seems　to　hang　across　the　corridor；〃　she　said。　He　obeyed　her；　and　only　a　few　yards　further　on　they　saw　another　curtain　with　bars　of　light　above　and　below　it。　They　drew　this　aside；　and　found　themselves　on　the　threshold　of　a　most　beautiful　apartment。

In　the　mosaic　floor　were　pictures　cut　in　colored　stones；　and　the　ceiling　was　a　silken　canopy　as　filmy　and　as　delicately　blue　as　the　sky　on　a　summer's　night。　The　floor　was　strewn　with　richly　embroidered　pillows；　couches；　rugs　and　ottomans；　and　here　and　there　were　palm　trees　and　beds　of　flowers　and　grottoes。　A　solitary　light；　representing　the　moon；　showed　through　the　silken　canopy　in　whose　folds　little　lights　sparkled　like　far…off　stars。

Thorndyke　looked　at　the　princess　inquiringly。　She　was　bewildered。

〃I　have　no　idea　where　we　are；〃　she　murmured。　〃I　am　sure　I　have　never　been　here　before；　but　there　is　another　apartment　beyond。　Listen！　I　hear　cries。〃

〃Some　one　in　distress；〃　he　answered；　and　he　drew　her　across　the　room　and　through　a　door　into　another　room　more　beautiful　than　the　one　they　had　just　left。　Here；　huddled　together　at　a　window　overlooking　the　court；　were　six　or　eight　beautiful　young　women。　They　were　staring　out　into　the　darkness；　and　moaning　and　muttering　low　cries　of　despair。

〃It　is　my　father's　ladies；〃　ejaculated　the　princess　aghast。　〃He　would　be　angry　if　he　knew　we　had　come　here。　No　one　but　himself　enters　these　apartments。〃

Just　then　one　of　the　women　turned　a　lovely　and　despairing　face　toward　them；　and　came　forward　and　knelt　at　the　feet　of　Bernardino。

〃Oh；　save　us；　Princess；〃　she　cried。

〃Be　calm；〃　said　the　princess；　touching　the　white　brow　of　the　woman。　〃The　danger　may　soon　pass；　this　portion　of　the　palace　is　too　strongly　built　for　them　to　injure　it。〃　Then　she　turned　to　Thorndyke：　〃We　must　hasten　on　and　find　our　way　down；　it　would　never　do　for　us　to　be　seen　here。〃　Then　she　turned　to　the　kneeling　woman　and　said　gently：　〃I　hope　you　will　say　nothing　to　the　king　of　this；　we　lost　our　way　in　trying　to　get　down　from　the　roof。〃

〃I　will　not；〃　gladly　promised　the　woman；　and　seeing　that　Bernardino　knew　not　which　way　to　turn；　she　guided　them　to　a　door　opening　into　a　dimly…lighted　corridor。　〃It　will　take　you　out　to　the　balconies　and　down　to　the　audience…chamber；〃　she　said。　The　princess　thanked　her；　and　she　and　the　Englishman　descended　several　flights　of　stairs。　Reaching　one　of　the　balconies　they　met　the　denser　darkness　of　the　outside　and　the　deafening　clang　and　clamor　of　the　multitude。　There　was　no　light　of　any　kind；　and　Thorndyke　and　his　charge　had　to　press　close　against　the　balustrade　of　the　balcony　to　keep　from　being　crushed　by　the　mad　torrent　of　humanity。

Now　and　then　a　strident　voice　would　rise　above　the　din：

〃Down　with　the　palace！　Death　to　the　king！〃

The　trumpet　in　the　tower　sounded　again　and　again。

〃It　is　my　father　trying　to　attract　their　attention；〃　explained　the　princess。　〃Something　very　serious　has　happened　for　once。　In　speaking　of　the　time　the　sun　went　out　before；　he　told　me　that　he　had　made　an　invention　which；　in　such　a　crisis；　would　instantly　restore　confidence　to　the　people。　I　cannot　understand　why　he　does　not　use　it。　Oh；　I　am　afraid　they　will　kill　him！〃

Thorndyke　tried　to　console　her；　for　he　saw　that　she　was　weeping；　but　just　then　there　was　a　strange　lull　in　the　general　tumult。　What　could　have　happened？

〃The　dawn！　the　ideal　dawn！〃　cried　Bernardino；　pointing　to　the　eastern　sky。　Thorndyke　looked　in　wonder。　A　purple　light　had　spread　along　the　horizon；　and　as　it　gradually　softened　into　gray　and　slowly　turned　to　pink；　the　noise　of　the　populace　died　down。　No　sound　could　now　be　heard　save　the　low　groans　of　wounded　men　and　women。　What　a　sight　met　the　view　as　the　rose…light　shimmered　over　the　city！　The　dead　and　dying　lay　under　the　feet　of　the　crowd。　Almost　every　creature　bore　some　mark　of　violence。　Eyes　were　blood…　shot；　clothing　torn；　limbs　were　bleeding；　and　mingled　fury　and　sudden　hope　struggled　in　each　ashen　face。　The　young　trees　and　shrubbery　had　been　trampled　under　foot；　and　walls；　arcades　and　triumphal　arches　had　been　thrown　down。　The　fragments　of　statues　lay　here　and　there；　and　the　bodies　of　human　beings　filled　the　basins　of　broken　fountains。

〃It　is　not　the　sun；〃　explained　Bernardino；　〃but　the　invention　my　father　spoke　of。　He　is　doing　it　to　calm　them。〃

Thorndyke　made　no　answer。　He　stood　as　if　transfixed；　gazing　at　the　horizon。　The　rose…light　had　spread　over　a　third　of　the　sky　when　gradually　there　appeared　in　its　centre　a　bright　circle　of　yellow　light。　The　yellow　light　faded；　leaving　a　perfect　picture　of　the　throne　of　the　king；　and　as　the　now　silent　masses　looked　at　the　picture；　a　curtain　behind　the　throne　parted　and　the　king　himself　appeared。　He　advanced　and　sat　on　the　throne；　and　turned　a　calm　face　towards　his　subjects。

〃Wonderful！〃ejaculated　Bernardino；　and　her　face　was　full　of　hope。　〃See　what　he　will　do！〃

〃Where　is　the　picture？〃　asked　Thorndyke；　〃can　it　be　seen　by　all　ofof　the　people？〃

〃Yes；　by　all　Alpha；　for　it　is　on　the　sky。〃

Thorndyke　said　nothing　further；　for　the　king　had　stood　up；　and　with　hands　out…stretched　was　bowing。　Above　the　circle　of　light；　as　if　cut　out　of　the　solid　blackness；　in　flaming　letters　stood　the　word；

〃SILENCE！〃

And　there　was　silence。　Even　the　lips　of　the　wounded　men　closed　as　the　king　began　to　speak。　The　sound　of　his　voice　seemed　as　far　away　as　the　stars；　and　to　permeate　all　space：

〃All　danger　is　over。　Tidings　from　the　west　state　that　the　sun　is　setting。　No　harm　has　come　to　it。　It　will　rise　in　the　morning；　and　the　moon　and　stars　will　be　out　in　a　few　hours。　Let　the　dead　be　removed；　the　wounded　cared　for；　and　everything　be　repaired。　This　is　my　will。〃

That　was　all。　The　king　bowed　sedately　and　retired　from　the　throne；　and　the　circle　and　pink　glow　faded　from　the　black　sky。　The　stillness　was　unbroken　for　a　moment；　then　glad　murmurings　were　heard　in　all　directions。

〃They　are　lighting　the　palace；〃　cried　the　princess。　〃See；　down　there　is　the　arcade　leading　to　the　rotunda。〃

〃I　am　glad　it　is　over；〃　said　Thorndyke。

She　grasped　his　arm　and　impulsively　looked　into　his　face。　〃But　your　friend；　we　have　forgotten　him；　and　done　nothing　to　save　him；　and　now　it　is　too　late。〃

〃We　could　not　help　it；　we　had　to　think　of　our　own　safety。〃

〃I　shall　send　for　Captain　Tradmos　and　try　to　devise　some　other　plan；〃