the land of the changing sun-第18章

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He　felt　certain　that　the　fall　would　kill　him；　and　he　groaned　in　agony。　His　fingers　were　benumbed　and　beginning　to　slip。　Then　he　fell。　The　air　whizzed　in　his　ears。　He　tried　to　keep　his　feet　downward；　but　it　was　no　use。　He　was　whirled　heels　over　head　many　times；　and　his　senses　were　leaving　him　when　he　was　restored　by　a　plunge　into　the　cold　water。

Down　he　sank。　It　seemed　to　him　that　he　never　would　lose　his　momentum　and　that　he　would　strangle　before　he　could　rise　to　the　surface。　Finally；　however；　he　came　up　more　dead　than　alive。　He　had　narrowly　missed　the　flat…boat；　for　he　saw　it　receding　from　him　only　a　few　yards　away。　On　the　shore　stood　Branasko　motioning　to　him；　and；　slowly；　for　his　strength　was　almost　gone；　Johnston　swam　toward　him。

The　latter　waded　out　into　the　shallow　water　and　drew　him　ashore。

〃You　had　a　narrow　escape；〃　he　said；　with　a　dry　laugh。　〃I　saw　the　boat　come　from　under　the　cliff　just　as　you　hung　down　from　the　ledge。　At　first　I　hoped　that　you　would　get　back　on　the　rock；　but　when　I　saw　you　try　and　do　it　and　fail　I　thought　that　you　were　lost。〃

The　American　could　not　speak　for　exhaustion；　but；　as　he　looked　at　the　departing　craft　with　concern；　Branasko　laughed　again：　〃Oh；　you　thought　it　had　a　crew；　so　did　I　at　first；　but　it　has　no　one　aboard。　It　is　drawn　by　a　cable；　and　seems　to　be　laden　with　coal。〃

〃Did　they　notice　our　fall　up　there？〃　panted　Johnston；　nodding　toward　the　lights　in　the　distance。

〃No；　they　are　farther　away　than　I　thought。〃

〃Well；　what　ought　we　to　do？〃　〃Hide　here　among　the　rocks　till　our　clothing　dries　and　then　look　about　us。　We　have　nearly　twenty…four　hours　to　wait　for　the　sun　to　return　through　the　tunnel。〃

〃Where　is　the　tunnel？〃

〃Over　on　the　other　side　of　that　black　hill。　There；　you　can　see　the　mouth　of　the　tunnel　through　which　the　sun　comes。〃

〃We　need　sleep；〃　said　the　Alphian；　when　their　clothing　was　dry；　〃and　it　may　be　a　long　time　before　we　get　a　chance　to　get　it。　Let　us　lie　down　in　the　shadow　of　that　rock　and　rest。〃

Johnston　consented；　and；　lying　down　together；　they　soon　dropped　asleep。　They　slept　soundly。

Johnston　was　the　first　to　awake。　He　felt　so　refreshed　that　he　knew　he　must　have　been　unconscious　several　hours。　He　touched　Branasko　and　the　latter　sat　up　and　rubbed　his　eyes　and　looked　about　him　bewildered。

〃I　had　a　horrible　dream；〃　he　said　shuddering。　〃I　thought　that　we　were　in　the　sun　and　over　the　capital　city　when　it　fell　down。　I　thought　the　fall　was　awful；　and　that　all　Alpha　was　aflame。　Then　the　fires　went　out。　Everything　was　black；　and　the　whole　world　rang　with　cries　of　terrified　people。　Ugh！　I　don't　want　to　dream　so　again；　I'd　rather　not　sleep　at　all。　But　hush！　what　is　that？〃

Far　away；　as　if　in　the　centre　of　the　earth；　they　heard　a　low　monotonous　rumbling。　They　listened　breathlessly。　Every　moment　the　sound　increased。　They　could　feel　the　ground　trembling　as　if　shaken　by　an　earthquake。

〃It　is　the　coming　sun；〃　said　Branasko。　〃We　must　get　nearer　the　tunnel　and　see　what　can　be　done。　It　would　be　useless　to　try　to　go　back　now。〃

Stealing　along　in　the　shadow　of　the　cliffs　to　keep　from　being　seen　by　the　workmen　on　the　plateau　above；　they　climbed　over　a　rocky　incline　and　saw　in　the　side　of　a　towering　cliff；　a　great　black　hole。　It　was　the　mouth　of　the　tunnel。　Into　it　ran　eight　wide　tracks　of　railway　and　six　mammoth　cables　each　twenty　or　thirty　feet　in　diameter。

〃The　sun　cannot　be　far　away　now；〃　remarked　the　Alphian。

〃Is　it　not　lighted？〃

〃I　presume　not；　I　think　it　comes　through　in　darkness。　The　light　is　saved　for　its　passage　over　Alpha。〃

〃Would　it　not　be　as　safe　for　us　to　attempt　to　walk　through　the　tunnel　to　the　palace　of　the　king？〃

〃Never；　it　would　be　over　fifty　miles　in　utter　darkness。　There　may　be　a　thousand　trestles　and　bridges　over　frightful　chasms：　for　the　most　part；　I　have　heard　the　tunnel　is　a　natural　channel　or　a　succession　of　caverns　united　by　tunnels。　The　other　is　the　safer　way；　though　it　certainly　is　risky　enough。〃

Louder　and　nearer　grew　the　rumbling　noise；　and　a　faint　light　began　to　shine　from　the　tunnel　and　flash　on　the　cliff　opposite。

〃It　is　the　sun's　headlight；〃　explained　Branasko。

Johnston　was　thrilled　to　the　centre　of　his　being　as　he　saw　the　light　playing　over　the　polished　tracks　and　cables　and　illuminating　the　walls　of　the　great　tunnel。

Suddenly　there　was　a　deep；　mellow…toned　stroke　of　a　bell　in　the　sun；　and；　as　the　two　men　shrank　involuntarily　into　the　deeper　shade　of　the　cliff；　the　great　globe；　a　stupendous　ball　of　crystal；　five　hundred　feet　in　height；　slowly　emerged　from　the　mouth　of　the　tunnel　and　came　to　a　stop　under　the　opening　in　the　rock　which　led　to　the　space　above。

〃What　had　we　better　do　now？〃　said　Johnston。

〃Wait；〃　cautioned　Branasko；　and　he　drew　the　American　to　a　great　boulder　nearer　the　sun；　from　behind　which　they　could；　without　being　seen；　watch　the　action　of　the　crowd　of　workmen　that　was　hurriedly　approaching。　They　placed　ladders　of　steel　against　the　sides　of　the　sun　and　swarmed　over　it　like　bees。

〃They　are　cleaning　the　glass　and　adjusting　the　lights；〃　said　the　Alphian；　〃wait　till　they　go　round　to　the　other　side。　Don't　you　see　that　square　opening　near　the　ground？〃

The　American　nodded。

〃It　is　the　door；〃　said　Branasko；　〃and　we　must　try　to　enter　it　while　they　are　on　the　other　side。　Let　us　slip　nearer；　there　is　another　rock　ahead　that　we　can　hide　behind。〃　Suiting　the　action　to　the　word；　Branasko　led　the　way；　stooping　near　to　the　ground　until　both　were　safely　ensconced　behind　the　boulder　in　question。　They　were　now　so　near　that　they　could　hear　the　electricians　rubbing　the　glass。

One　who　seemed　to　be　superintending　the　work　opened　the　door　and　went　into　the　sun　and　lighted　a　bright　light。　From　where　they　were　crouched　Johnston　and　Branasko　caught　a　view　of　a　little　hall；　a　flight　of　stairs；　and　some　pictures　on　the　walls。

Presently　the　man　extinguished　the　light　and　came　out。

〃They　are　removing　their　ladders　from　this　side；〃　said　Branasko　in　a　whisper。　〃Be　ready；　we　must　act　quickly　and　without　a　particle　of　sound。　Run　straight　for　that　door　and　climb　up　the　steps　immediately。〃

The　men　had　all　gone　round　to　the　other　side；　and　no　one　was　in　sight。

〃Quick！　Follow　me；〃　and　bending　low　to　the　earth　the　Alphian　darted　across　the　intervening　space　and　into　the　doorway。　Johnston　was　quite　as　successful。　As　he　entered　the　door　he　saw　Branasko　crawling　up　the　carpeted　stairs　ahead　of　him；　and；　on　his　all…　fours；　he　followed。　The　first　landing　was　large；　and　there　in　the　wall　they　found　a　closet。　It　would　have　been　dark　but　for　a　dim　light　that　streamed　down　from　above。　Branasko　opened　the　closet　door。　〃We　must　hide　here　for　the　present；〃　he　whispered。

They　had　barely　got　seated　on　the　floor　and　closed　the　door　when　a　bright　light　broke　round　them　and　they　heard　somebody　ascending　the　stairs。　The　person　passed　by　and　went　on　further　up。　The　two　adventurers　dared　not　exchange　a　word。　They　could　hear　the　footsteps　above　and　the　sound　of　the　electricians　outside　as　they　polished　the　lights　and　moved　their　ladders　from　place　to　place。

〃If　he　should　stay；　what　could　we　do？〃　asked　Johnston；　after　a　long　pause；　and　when　the　footsteps　sounded　farther　away。

〃There　are　two　of　us　and　one　of　him；〃　grimly　replied　the　brawny　Alphian。

Johnston　shuddered。　〃Let's　not　commit　murder　in　any　emergency；〃　he　said。

〃It　would　not　be　murder；　every　man　has　a　right　to　save　his　own　life。〃

Nothing　more　was　said　just　then；　for　the　footsteps　were　growing　nearer。　The　man　was　descending。　He　crossed　the　landing　they　were　on　and　went　down　the　last　flight　of　stairs　and　out　of　the　door。

Branasko　rubbed　his　rough　hands　together。　〃We　are　going　alone；〃　he　said　with　satisfaction。

There　was　a　sound　of　sliding　ladders　on　the　walls　outside。　The　workmen　had　finished　their　task。　A　moment　later　a　great　bell　overhead　rang　mellowly；　the　colossal　sphere　trembled　and　rocked　and　then　rose　and　swung　easily　forward　like　the　car　of　a　balloon。

〃We　are　rising；〃　said　the　Alphian；　in　a　tone　of　superstitious　awe。　Johnston　said　nothing。　There　was　a　cool；　sinking　sensation　in　his　stomach　and　his　head　was　swimming。　Branasko；　however；　was　in　possession　of　all　his　faculties。

〃We　shall　soon　be　through　the　shaft　we　first　discov