the land of the changing sun-第15章

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〃Shbe　cautious。　Those　words；　implying　an　inclination　to　treason；　if　spoken　to　any　other　officer　would　place　you　under　immediate　arrest。　I　like　you；　therefore　I　want　to　warn　you　against　such　folly。　You　are　wholly　in　the　king's　power。　Another　thing　I　would　specially　warn　you　against〃

〃And　that　is？〃

〃Not　to　allow　the　king　to　suspect　your　admiration　for　the　Princess　Bernardino。　It　would　displease　the　king。　She　is　much　taken　with　you；　I　saw　it　in　her　eyes　when　she　danced　for　your　entertainment。〃

Thorndyke　made　no　reply；　but　gazed　searchingly　into　the　eyes　of　the　officer。　Tradmos　laughed。

〃You　are　afraid　of　me。〃

〃No；　I　am　not；　I　trust　you　wholly；　I　know　that　you　are　honorable；　I　never　make　a　mistake　along　that　line。〃

Tradmos　bowed；　pleased　by　the　compliment。

〃I　shall　aid　you　all　I　can　with　my　advice；　for　I　know　you　will　not　betray　me；　but　at　present　I　am　powerless　to　give　you　material　aid。　Every　subject　of　this　realm　is　bound　to　the　autocratic　will　of　the　king。　It　is　impossible　for　any　one　to　get　from　under　his　power。〃

〃Why？〃

〃The　only　outlet　to　the　upper　world　is　carefully　guarded　by　men　who　would　not　be　bribed。〃

〃Is　there　any　chance　for　my　friend？〃

〃None　that　I　can　see；　but　I　must　walk　on；　there　comes　one　of　the　king's　attendants。〃

〃The　king　has　asked　to　speak　to　you；〃　announced　the　attendant　to　Thorndyke。

〃I　will　go　with　you；〃　was　his　reply；　and　he　followed　the　man　through　the　crowded　corridors　into　the　throne…room　of　the　king。　Thorndyke　forced　a　smile　as　he　saw　the　king　smiling　at　him　as　he　approached　the　throne。

〃What　do　you　think　of　my　palace？〃　asked　the　king；　after　Thorndyke　had　knelt　before　him。

〃It　is　superb；〃　answered　the　Englishman；　recalling　the　advice　of　Bernardino。　〃I　am　dazed　by　its　splendor；　its　architecture；　and　its　art。　I　have　seen　nothing　to　equal　it　on　earth。〃

The　king　rose　and　stood　beside　him。　His　manner　was　both　pleasing　and　sympathetic。　〃I　am　persuaded；〃　said　he；　〃that　you　will　make　a　good　subject；　and　have　the　interest　of　Alpha　always　at　heart；　but　I　have　often　been　mistaken　in　the　character　of　men　and　think　it　best　to　give　you　a　timely　warning。　An　attendant　will　conduct　you　to　a　chamber　beneath　the　palace　where　it　will　be　your　privilege　to　converse　with　a　man　who　once　planned　to　get　up　a　rebellion　among　my　people。〃

There　had　come　suddenly　a　stern　harshness　into　the　king's　tone　that　roused　the　fears　of　Thorndyke。　He　was　about　to　reply；　but　the　king　held　up　his　hand。　〃Wait　till　you　have　visited　the　dungeon　of　Nordeskyne；　then　I　am　sure　that　you　will　be　convinced　that　strict　obedience　in　thought　as　well　as　deed　is　best　for　an　inhabitant　of　Alpha。〃　Speaking　thus；　he　signed　to　an　attendant　who　came　forward　and　bowed。

〃Conduct　him　to　the　dungeon　of　Nordeskyne；　and　return　to　me；〃　ordered　the　king。

Thorndyke's　heart　was　heavy；　and　he　was　filled　with　strange　forebodings；　but　he　simply　smiled　and　bowed；　as　the　attendant　led　him　away。　The　attendant　opened　a　door　at　the　back　of　the　throne…　room　and　they　were　confronted　by　darkness。　They　went　along　a　narrow　corridor　for　some　distance；　the　dark…　ness　thickening　at　every　step。　There　was　no　sound　except　the　sound　of　the　guide's　shoes　on　the　smooth　stone　pavement。　Presently　the　man　released　Thorndyke's　arm；　saying：

〃It　is　narrow　here；　follow　close　behind；　and　do　not　attempt　to　go　back。〃

〃I　shall　certainly　stick　to　you；〃　replied　the　Englishman　drily。　They　turned　a　sharp　corner　suddenly；　and　were　going　in　another　direction　when　Thorndyke　felt　a　soft　warm　hand　steal　into　his　from　behind；　and　knew　intuitively　that　it　was　Bernardino。　The　guide　was　a　few　feet　in　advance　of　them　and　she　drew　Thorndyke's　head　down　and　whispered　into　his　ear。

〃Be　braveby　all　that　you　lovefor　your　life；　keep　your　presence　of　mind；　and〃

〃What　was　that？〃　asked　the　guide；　turning　suddenly　and　catching　the　Englishman's　arm；　〃I　thought　I　heard　whispering。〃

〃I　was　saying　my　prayers；　that　is　all；〃　and　the　Englishman　pressed　the　hand　of　the　princess；　who；　pressed　close　against　the　wall；　was　gliding　cautiously　away。

〃Prayers；　humphyou'll　need　them　later；come　on！〃　and　he　caught　the　Englishman's　arm　and　hastily　drew　him　onward。　Thorndyke's　spirits　sank　lower。　The　air　of　the　narrow　under…ground　corridor　was　cold　and　damp；　and　he　quivered　from　head　to　foot。



Chapter　IX。

Branasko　paused　again　in　his　walk　towards　the　mysterious　light。

〃It　cannot　be　from　the　internal　fires；〃　said　he；　〃for　this　light　is　white；　and　the　glow　of　the　fires　is　red。〃

〃Let's　turn　back；〃　suggested　Johnston；　〃it　can　do　us　no　good　to　go　down　there；　it　is　only　taking　us　further　from　the　wall。〃

〃I　should　like　to　understand　it；〃　returned　the　Alphian　thoughtfully；　〃and；　besides；　there　can　be　no　more　danger　there　than　back　among　the　hot　crevices。　We　have　got　to　perish　anyway；　and　we　might　as　well　spice　the　remainder　of　our　lives　with　whatever　adventure　we　can。　Who　knows　what　we　may　not　discover？　There　are　many　things　about　the　land　of　Alpha　that　the　inhabitants　do　not　understand。〃

〃I'll　follow　you　anywhere；〃　acquiesced　Johnston；　〃you　are　right。〃

They　stumbled　on　over　the　rocky　surface　in　silence。　At　times；　the　roof　of　the　cavern　sank　so　low　that　they　had　to　stoop　to　pass　under　it；　and　again　it　rose　sharply　like　the　roof　of　a　cathedral；　and　the　rays　of　the　far…away；　but　ever…increasing　light；　shone　upon　glistening　stalactites　that　hung　from　the　darkness　above　them　like　daggers　of　diamonds　set　in　ebony。

〃It　is　not　so　near　as　I　supposed；〃　said　the　Alphian　wearily。　〃And　the　light　seemed　to　me　to　be　shining　on　a　cliff　over　which　water　is　pouring　in　places。　Yes；　you　can　see　that　it　is　water　by　the　ripples　in　the　light。〃

〃Yes；　but　where　can　the　light　itself　be？〃

〃I　cannot　yet　tell；　wait　till　we　get　nearer。〃

In　about　an　hour　they　came　to　a　wide　chasm　on　the　other　side　of　which　towered　a　vast　cliff　of　white　crystal。　It　was　on　this　that　the　trembling　light　was　playing。

〃Not　a　waterfall　after　all；〃　said　Branasko；　〃see；　there　is　the　source　of　the　reflection；〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　left　through　a　series　of　dark　chambers　of　the　cavern　to　a　dazzling　light。　〃Come；　let's　go　nearer　it。〃　He　moved　a　few　steps　forward　and　then　happening　to　look　over　his　shoulder　he　stopped　abruptly；　and　uttered　an　exclamation　of　surprise。

〃What　is　it？〃　And　Johnston　followed　the　eyes　of　the　Alphian。

〃Our　shadows　on　the　crystal　cliff；〃　said　Branasko　in　an　awed　tone；　〃only　the　light　from　the　changing　sun　could　make　them　so。〃

Johnston　shuddered　superstitiously　at　the　tone　of　Branasko's　quivering　voice；　and　their　giant　shadows　which　stood　out　on　the　smooth　crystal　like　silhouettes。　So　clear…cut　were　they；　that；　in　his　own　shadow；　the　American　could　see　his　breast　heaving　and　in　Branasko's　the　quivering　of　the　Alphian's　huge　body　and　limbs。

〃If　we　have　happened　upon　the　home　of　the　sun；　only　the　spirit　of　the　dead　kings　could　tell　what　will　become　of　us；〃　said　Branasko。

〃Puh！　you　are　blindly　superstitious；〃　said　Johnston；　〃what　if　we　do　come　upon　the　sun？　Let's　go　down　there　and　look　into　the　mystery。〃

Branasko　fell　into　the　rear　and　the　American　stoutly　pushed　ahead　toward　the　light　which　was　every　moment　increasing。　As　they　advanced　the　cave　got　larger　until　it　opened　out　into　a　larger　plain　over　which　hung　fathomless　darkness；　and　out　of　the　plain　a　great　dazzling　globe　of　light　was　slowly　rising。

〃It　is　the　sun　itself；〃　exclaimed　Branasko；　and　he　sank　to　the　earth　and　covered　his　face　with　his　hands。　〃I　have　not　thought　ever　to　see　it　out　of　the　sky。〃

The　American　was　deeply　thrilled　by　the　grand　sight。　He　sat　down　by　Branasko　and　together　they　watched　the　vast　ball　of　light　emerge　from　the　black　earth　and　gradually　disappear　in　a　great　hole　in　the　roof　of　the　cavern。　It　left　a　broad　stream　of　light　behind　it；　and；　now　that　the　sun　it…　self　was　out　of　view；　the　silent　spectators　could　see　the　great　square　hole　from　which　it　had　risen。

As　if　by　mutual　consent；　they　rose　and　made　their　way　over　the　rocks　to　the　verge　of　the　hole；　which　seemed　several　thousand　feet　square。　At　first；　owing　to　the　brightness　of　the　sun　overhead；　they　could　see　nothing；　but；　as　the　great　orb　gradually　disappeared；　they　began　to　see　lights　and　the　figures　of　men　moving　about　bel