tarzan and the jewels of opar-第7章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



door　to　the　treasure　room；　his　weight　pushed　it　open

and　his　body　rolled　inward　upon　the　floor。



In　the　great　apartment　where　the　treasure　lay　less

damage　was　wrought　by　the　earthquake。　　A　few　ingots

toppled　from　the　higher　tiers；　a　single　piece　of　the

rocky　ceiling　splintered　off　and　crashed　downward　to

the　floor；　and　the　walls　cracked；　though　they　did　not

collapse。



There　was　but　the　single　shock；　no　other　followed　to

complete　the　damage　undertaken　by　the　first。　　Werper；

thrown　to　his　length　by　the　suddenness　and　violence　of

the　disturbance；　staggered　to　his　feet　when　he　found

himself　unhurt。　　Groping　his　way　toward　the　far　end　of

the　chamber；　he　sought　the　candle　which　Tarzan　had　left

stuck　in　its　own　wax　upon　the　protruding　end　of　an

ingot。



By　striking　numerous　matches　the　Belgian　at　last　found

what　he　sought；　and　when；　a　moment　later；　the　sickly

rays　relieved　the　Stygian　darkness　about　him；　he

breathed　a　nervous　sigh　of　relief；　for　the　impenetrable

gloom　had　accentuated　the　terrors　of　his　situation。



As　they　became　accustomed　to　the　light　the　man　turned

his　eyes　toward　the　doorhis　one　thought　now　was　of

escape　from　this　frightful　tomband　as　he　did　so　he

saw　the　body　of　the　naked　giant　lying　stretched　upon

the　floor　just　within　the　doorway。　　Werper　drew　back　in

sudden　fear　of　detection；　but　a　second　glance　convinced

him　that　the　Englishman　was　dead。　　From　a　great　gash　in

the　man's　head　a　pool　of　blood　had　collected　upon　the

concrete　floor。



Quickly；　the　Belgian　leaped　over　the　prostrate　form　of

his　erstwhile　host；　and　without　a　thought　of　succor　for

the　man　in　whom；　for　aught　he　knew；　life　still

remained；　he　bolted　for　the　passageway　and　safety。



But　his　renewed　hopes　were　soon　dashed。　　Just　beyond

the　doorway　he　found　the　passage　completely　clogged　and

choked　by　impenetrable　masses　of　shattered　rock。

Once　more　he　turned　and　re…entered　the　treasure　vault。

Taking　the　candle　from　its　place　he　commenced　a

systematic　search　of　the　apartment；　nor　had　he　gone　far

before　he　discovered　another　door　in　the　opposite　end

of　the　room；　a　door　which　gave　upon　creaking　hinges　to

the　weight　of　his　body。　　Beyond　the　door　lay　another

narrow　passageway。　　Along　this　Werper　made　his　way；

ascending　a　flight　of　stone　steps　to　another　corridor

twenty　feet　above　the　level　of　the　first。　　The

flickering　candle　lighted　the　way　before　him；　and　a

moment　later　he　was　thankful　for　the　possession　of　this

crude　and　antiquated　luminant；　which；　a　few　hours

before　he　might　have　looked　upon　with　contempt；　for　it

showed　him；　just　in　time；　a　yawning　pit；　apparently

terminating　the　tunnel　he　was　traversing。



Before　him　was　a　circular　shaft。　　He　held　the　candle

above　it　and　peered　downward。　　Below　him；　at　a　great

distance；　he　saw　the　light　reflected　back　from　the

surface　of　a　pool　of　water。　　He　had　come　upon　a　well。

He　raised　the　candle　above　his　head　and　peered　across

the　black　void；　and　there　upon　the　opposite　side　he　saw

the　continuation　of　the　tunnel；　but　how　was　he　to　span

the　gulf？



As　he　stood　there　measuring　the　distance　to　the

opposite　side　and　wondering　if　he　dared　venture　so

great　a　leap；　there　broke　suddenly　upon　his　startled

ears　a　piercing　scream　which　diminished　gradually　until

it　ended　in　a　series　of　dismal　moans。　　The　voice　seemed

partly　human；　yet　so　hideous　that　it　might　well　have

emanated　from　the　tortured　throat　of　a　lost　soul；

writhing　in　the　fires　of　hell。



The　Belgian　shuddered　and　looked　fearfully　upward；

for　the　scream　had　seemed　to　come　from　above　him。

As　he　looked　he　saw　an　opening　far　overhead；　and　a

patch　of　sky　pinked　with　brilliant　stars。



His　half…formed　intention　to　call　for　help　was　expunged

by　the　terrifying　crywhere　such　a　voice　lived；　no

human　creatures　could　dwell。　　He　dared　not　reveal

himself　to　whatever　inhabitants　dwelt　in　the　place

above　him。　　He　cursed　himself　for　a　fool　that　he　had

ever　embarked　upon　such　a　mission。　　He　wished　himself

safely　back　in　the　camp　of　Achmet　Zek；　and　would　almost

have　embraced　an　opportunity　to　give　himself　up　to　the

military　authorities　of　the　Congo　if　by　so　doing　he

might　be　rescued　from　the　frightful　predicament　in

which　he　now　was。



He　listened　fearfully；　but　the　cry　was　not　repeated；

and　at　last　spurred　to　desperate　means；　he　gathered

himself　for　the　leap　across　the　chasm。　　Going　back

twenty　paces；　he　took　a　running　start；　and　at　the　edge

of　the　well；　leaped　upward　and　outward　in　an　attempt　to

gain　the　opposite　side。



In　his　hand　he　clutched　the　sputtering　candle；

and　as　he　took　the　leap　the　rush　of　air　extinguished　it。

In　utter　darkness　he　flew　through　space；　clutching　outward

for　a　hold　should　his　feet　miss　the　invisible　ledge。



He　struck　the　edge　of　the　door　of　the　opposite　terminus

of　the　rocky　tunnel　with　his　knees；　slipped　backward；

clutched　desperately　for　a　moment；　and　at　last　hung

half　within　and　half　without　the　opening；　but　he　was　safe。

For　several　minutes　he　dared　not　move；　but

clung；　weak　and　sweating；　where　he　lay。　　At　last；

cautiously；　he　drew　himself　well　within　the　tunnel；

and　again　he　lay　at　full　length　upon　the　floor；

fighting　to　regain　control　of　his　shattered　nerves。



When　his　knees　struck　the　edge　of　the　tunnel　he　had

dropped　the　candle。　　Presently；　hoping　against　hope

that　it　had　fallen　upon　the　floor　of　the　passageway；

rather　than　back　into　the　depths　of　the　well；　he　rose

upon　all　fours　and　commenced　a　diligent　search　for　the

little　tallow　cylinder；　which　now　seemed　infinitely

more　precious　to　him　than　all　the　fabulous　wealth　of

the　hoarded　ingots　of　Opar。



And　when；　at　last；　he　found　it；　he　clasped　it　to　him

and　sank　back　sobbing　and　exhausted。　　For　many　minutes

he　lay　trembling　and　broken；　but　finally　he　drew

himself　to　a　sitting　posture；　and　taking　a　match　from

his　pocket；　lighted　the　stump　of　the　candle　which

remained　to　him。　　With　the　light　he　found　it　easier　to

regain　control　of　his　nerves；　and　presently　he　was

again　making　his　way　along　the　tunnel　in　search　of　an

avenue　of　escape。　　The　horrid　cry　that　had　come　down　to

him　from　above　through　the　ancient　well…shaft　still

haunted　him；　so　that　he　trembled　in　terror　at　even　the

sounds　of　his　own　cautious　advance。



He　had　gone　forward　but　a　short　distance；　when；　to　his

chagrin；　a　wall　of　masonry　barred　his　farther　progress；

closing　the　tunnel　completely　from　top　to　bottom　and

from　side　to　side。　　What　could　it　mean？　　Werper　was　an

educated　and　intelligent　man。　　His　military　training

had　taught　him　to　use　his　mind　for　the　purpose　for

which　it　was　intended。　　A　blind　tunnel　such　as　this　was

senseless。　　It　must　continue　beyond　the　wall。　　Someone；

at　some　time　in　the　past；　had　had　it　blocked　for　an

unknown　purpose　of　his　own。　　The　man　fell　to　examining

the　masonry　by　the　light　of　his　candle。　　To　his　delight

he　discovered　that　the　thin　blocks　of　hewn　stone　of

which　it　was　constructed　were　fitted　in　loosely　without

mortar　or　cement。　　He　tugged　upon　one　of　them；　and　to

his　joy　found　that　it　was　easily　removable。　　One　after

another　he　pulled　out　the　blocks　until　he　had　opened　an

aperture　large　enough　to　admit　his　body；　then　he

crawled　through　into　a　large；　low　chamber。　　Across　this

another　door　barred　his　way；　but　this；　too；　gave　before

his　efforts；　for　it　was　not　barred。　　A　long；　dark

corridor　showed　before　him；　but　before　he　had　followed

it　far；　his　candle　burned　down　until　it　scorched　his

fingers。　　With　an　oath　he　dropped　it　to　the　floor；

where　it　sputtered　for　a　moment　and　went　out。



Now　he　was　in　total　darkness；　and　again　terror　rode

heavily　astride　his　neck。　　What　further　pitfalls　and

dangers　lay　ahead　he　could　not　guess；　but　that　he　was

as　far　as　ever　from　liberty　he　was　quite　willing　to

believe；　so　depressing　is　utter　absence　of　light　to　one

in　unfamiliar　surroundings。



Slowly　he　groped　his　way　along；　feeling　with　his　ha