the land of the changing sun-第28章

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Johnston　nodded　knowingly　as　he　looked　into　his　friend's　face；　but；　considering　the　presence　of　the　princess；　he　said　nothing。

〃My　brother；　Prince　Marentel；　is　the　greatest　man　in　our　kingdom；〃　she　re　marked。　〃He　has　taken　enough　explosives　to　remove　a　mountain。〃

〃How　will　he　use　them？〃　asked　Thorndyke。

〃I　don't　know；　but　I　fancy　he　will　try　to　close　the　opening　in　some　way。〃

The　latter　slowly　shook　his　head。　〃I　fear　he　will　fail。　The　fall　must　be　as　voluminous　as　Niagara　by　this　time。〃

〃My　father　must　have　lost　hope；　or　he　would　not　have　stopped　the　sun；〃　sighed　the　princess；　and　she　cast　a　sad　glance　towards　the　west。　The　rolling　clouds　had　become　more　dense；　and　the　rumbling　and　booming　in　the　distance　was　growing　more　frequent。　A　thin　gray　cloud　passed　before　the　sun；　and　a　dim　shadow　fell　over　the　city。

〃That　is　a　natural　cloud；〃　said　Thorndyke；　〃it　comes　from　the　steam　that　rises　from　the　pit。〃

〃It　is　exactly　like　our　rain　clouds；〃　returned　the　princess；　〃but　it　comes　from　the　steam；　as　you　say。　But　let　us　go　into　the　Electric　Auditorium　and　hear　the　news。　As　soon　as　anything　is　done　we　will　hear　of　it　there。〃　The　others　had　no　time　to　question　her；　for　she　was　hastening　into　the　corridor　outside。　She　piloted　them　down　a　flight　of　stairs　into　a　large　circular　room　beneath　the　surface　of　the　ground。　It　was　filled　with　seats　like　a　modern　theatre；　and　in　the　place　where　the　stage　would　have　been；　stood　a　mighty　mirror　over　an　hundred　feet　square。　She　led　them　to　a　private　box　in　front　of　the　mirror。　The　room　was　filled　from　the　first　row　of　chairs　to　the　rear　with　a　silent；　anxious　crowd。　In　the　massive　frame　of　the　mirror　were　numerous　bell…shaped　trumpets　like　those　on　the　ordinary　phonograph；　though　much　larger。

〃Watch　the　mirror；〃　whispered　Bernardino　as　she　sat　down。

And　at　that　instant　the　surface　of　the　great　glass　began　to　glow　like　the　sky　at　dawn；　and　all　the　lights　in　the　room　went　out。　Then　from　the　trumpets　in　the　frame　came　the　loud　ringing　of　musical　bells。

〃They　are　ready；〃　whispered　Bernardino；　〃now　watch　and　listen。〃

The　pink　light　on　the　mirror　faded；　and　a　life…like　reflection　appearedthe　reflection　of　a　young　man　standing　on　a　rock　in　bold　relief　against　a　dark　background　of　rugged；　slabbering　cliffs　and　the　forbidding　mouths　of　caves。

〃Waldmeer！〃　ejaculated　the　princess；　and　she　relapsed　into　silence。

The　young　man　held　in　his　hand　a　cup…shaped　instrument　from　which　extended　a　wire　to　the　ground。　He　raised　it　to　his　lips；　and　instantly　a　calm；　deliberate　voice　came　from　the　mirror；　soft　and　low　and　yet　loud；　enough　to　reach　the　most　remote　parts　of　the　great　room。

〃The　ocean；〃　began　he；　〃is　pouring　into　the　'Volcano　of　the　Dead'　in　a　gradually　increasing　torrent。　Prince　Marentel　hopes　temporarily　to　delay　the　crisis　by　partially　turning　the　torrent　away　from　the　pit　into　the　lowlands　of　the　country。　For　that　purpose　a　portion　of　the　endless　wall　is　being　torn　down；　and　Marentel's　forces　are　placing　their　explosives。　After　this　is　done　an　attempt　will　be　made　to　stop　the　original　break。　There　is；　however；　little　hope。　The　prince　has　warned　the　king　to　be　prepared　for　the　worst。〃

At　this　point；　the　speaker　turned　as　if　startled　toward　the　red　glare　at　his　right。　He　quickly　picked　up　another　instrument　attached　to　a　wire　and　put　it　to　his　ear。　A　look　of　horror　changed　his　face　as　he　turned　to　the　audience　and　began　to　speak：〃The　opening　in　the　wall　is　not　progressing　rapidly。　Workmen　are　drowning　and　the　tunnel　of　the　sun　is　filling　with　water。　It　will　be　impossible　for　the　sun　to　go　through　to　the　east。〃

Just　then　there　was　a　far…away　crash；　and　instantly　the　mirror　was　void。　There　was　now　no　sound　except　the　low　groans　of　women　in　the　audience　and　the　subdued　curses　of　maddened　men。　The　silence　was　profound。　Then　the　mirror　began　to　glow；　and　the　image　of　another　man　took　Waldmeer's　place。

〃It　is　the　Mayor　of　Telmantio；〃　whispered　the　princess；　〃a　place　near　the　western　limits　of　Alpha。〃

He　held　a　like　instrument　to　the　one　used　by　Waldmeer；　and　through　it　spoke：〃Venus；　one　of　the　great　stars；　has　been　shaken　from　the　firmament。　It　fell　in　the　suburbs　of　Telmantio；　and　many　lives　were　lost。〃

That　was　all；　and　the　figure　vanished。　Presently　Waldmeer　reappeared。　He　seemed　to　be　standing　nearer　the　pit；　for　the　entire　background　was　aflame；　volumes　of　black　smoke　now　and　then　hid　him　from　view；　and　a　thick　shower　of　ashes　and　small　stones　were　falling　round　him。　He　spoke；　but　his　voice　was　drowned　in　a　deafening　explosion；　and　the　whole　landscape　about　him　seemed　afire。　In　the　semi…darkness　hundreds　of　protectors　could　be　seen　struggling　in　the　rushing　water；　moving　stones　and　building　a　dam。　Waldmeer　again　faced　his　far…off　audience　and　spoke：〃Prince　Marentel　has　turned　the　course　of　the　stream。　All　now　depends　on　the　success　or　failure　of　his　final　test　with　explosives；　which　will　take　place　in　about　half　an　hour。〃

〃We　ought　to　go　outside　again；〃　suggested　Bernardino；　as　Waldmeer's　image　disappeared；　〃my　father　might　want　us。〃

Seeing　no　one　in　the　king's　apartment；　they　passed　through　it　to　the　balcony。　Half　the　sky　was　now　covered　with　mingled　fog　and　smoke；　and　the　sun　could　be　seen　only　now　and　then。　A　drizzling　rain　was　fallinga　rain　that　brought　down　clots　of　ashes　and　soot。　But　this　made　no　difference　to　the　throngs　in　the　now　muddy　and　slippery　streets。　They　stood　shivering　in　damp　and　soiled　clothing；　their　blearing　eyes　fixed　hopelessly　on　the　lowering　signs　in　the　west。　Johnston　noticed　a　bent　figure　crouched　against　a　wall　beneath　them。　It　was　Branasko。

〃Who　is　it？〃　inquired　the　princess。

〃Branasko；　the　companion　of　my　adventures；〃　he　replied。

〃Call　him　to　us；〃　she　said　eagerly；　and　the　American　went　down　to　the　Alphian。

As　they　entered　together；　Branasko　uncovered　his　dishevelled　head　and　bowed　most　humbly。

〃You　look　tired　and　sick　and　hungry；　have　you　eaten　anything　today？〃　she　asked。

〃Not　in　two　days；〃　he　replied。

The　princess　called　to　a　frightened　maid　who　was　wringing　her　hands　in　a　corridor。

〃Give　this　man　food　and　drink　at　once；〃　she　ordered；　and　Branasko；　with　a　grateful　bow　and　glance；　withdrew。　Johnston　followed　him　to　the　door。

〃Fear　nothing；〃　he　said。　〃If　the　danger　passes　we　are　safe；　the　king　has　promised　to　pardon　me；　and　he　will　do　the　same　for　you。〃

〃There　is　no　hope　for　any　of　us；〃　replied　Branasko　grimly；　〃but　I　do　not　want　to　die　with　this　gnawing　in　my　stomach；　adieu。〃

〃If　the　worst　comes；　is　there　any　chance　for　us　to　escape　from　here　to　the　outer　world？〃　the　Englishman　was　asking　the　princess　when　Johnston　turned　back　to　them。

〃For　a　few　hundred；　yes；by　the　sub…water　ships；　but　for　all；　no；　and；　then；　my　father　would　not　consent　to　rescue　a　part　and　not　the　whole　of　his　subjects。　He　would　not　try　to　save　himself　or　any　of　his　family。〃

The　clouds　still　covered　the　sun；　but　on　the　eastern　sky　its　rays　were　shining　gloriously。　Ever　and　anon　there　sounded　from　afar　a　low　rumbling　as　if　the　earth　were　swelling　with　heat。

Johnston　left　the　two　lovers　together　and　went　to　the　door　of　the　Electric　Auditorium；　and　over　the　heads　of　the　breathless　crowd　he　watched　the　great　mirror。　After　a　few　moments　Waldmeer　appeared　and　spoke：

〃Prince　Marentel　is　operating　with　great　difficulty。　A　large　quantity　of　his　explosives　has　been　injured　by　water；　but　he　hopes　there　is　enough　left　intact　to　serve　his　purpose。　The　final　explosion　will　soon　take　place。　The　greatest　peril　hangs　over　Alpha。〃

Waldmeer's　reflection　was　becoming　in…distinct；　and　sick　at　heart　the　American　elbowed　his　way　through　the　muttering　crowd　into　the　corridor。　Here　he　met　Branasko；　and　together　they　walked　back　to　Thorndyke　and　the　princess；　who　were　mutely　watching　the　signs　in　the　east。　Just　then　the　sun　slowly　emerged　from　the　cloud。

〃Look！〃　cried　Bernardino　in　horror。　〃The　cloud　is　not　moving；　the　sun　has　not　stopped！　It　is　going　down　and　we　shall　soon　be　in　utter　darkness。　Oh；　it　is　awfulto　die　in　this　way！〃

The　king　had　just　returned；　and　he　over…heard　her　words。　He　came　hastily　to　the　edge　of　the　balcony；　and　gazed　at　the　sun。　The　others　held　their　breath　and　waited。　His　face　became　more　rigid；　he　swa