Part 28 (1/2)
We ate and drank, but gave neither water nor food to our fellow prisoner Not because I really expected to force negotiations with the Incas--but the thing was possible and orth a trial I knew theh to appraise correctly the value of any safe-conduct they ive us
I was a little surprised to find in Desiree no levity, the vulgar prop for courage based on ignorance There was a tenderness in herdeeper and awoke in my own breast a deeper respect for her The world had not known Desiree Le Mire--it had merely been fascinated and amused by her
Many hours had passed in this tomblike apathy Two or three times I had advised Desiree to lie down to rest and, if possible, to sleep
She had refused, but I became insistent, and Harry added his voice to ed the cover on the granite couch and made her as comfortable as possible
In five minutes she was fast asleep Harry stood a few feet away fro down at her I spoke to him, in a low tone:
”And you must rest too, Hal One of us must remain on watch; I'll take it first and call you when I feel drowsy It may be a needless precaution, but I don't care to wake up and find myself in the condition of our friend yonder”
He wanted to take the first watch hiround, and soon he too was sleeping easily and profoundly I looked from him to Desiree with a smile, and reflection that Socrates himself could not have met misfortune with more sublime composure
It was possible that the stone curtain across the doorway could be raised noiselessly, and that made it necessary to keep my eyes fastened on it almost continuously This becahts had carried s that the stone could have been raised to the roof and I would not have noticed it
So, using round in the threshold, leaning ave myself up to meditation
I had sat thus for three hours orHarry to relieve me, when I felt a movement atupward
Slowly it rose, by little frequent jerks, not hth of an inch at a time In fifteen round There was no sound save a faint grating noise froolden clubs init unnecessary to rouse Harry until the space ide enough to cause apprehension Or rather, because I had no fear of an assault--I was convinced that our ruse had succeeded, and that they were about to communicate with us by means of the quipos
The stone was raised a little over a foot, then beca to see a bundle of quipos thrust through the opening, but they did not appear
Instead, five golden vessels were pushed across the ground until they were inside, clear of the stone; I could see the black, hairy hands and arranite curtain fell with a crash that caused me to start with its suddenness and awakened both Harry and Desiree
Two of the vessels contained water, two oil, and the other dried fish
Harry, who had sprung to his feet excitedly, gruht have sent us some soup But what's their idea?”
”It ht,” I observed ”They have so that we refused to provide their beloved monarch with provender, they have sent hirinned
”Will he get it?”
”Hardly,” said I with emphasis ”We'll make 'em treat with us if it's only to observe their diploe from them within twenty-four hours You'll see”
”Anye kno that they can raise that stone whenever they feel like it But in the name of Archimedes, how?”
He advanced to the doorway and exaranite curiously, but there was no clue to its weight or thickness from the inside I explained that there were several ways by which the thing could be raised, but that thepulley, which required merely some rounded stones and a flat surface above, with ropes of hide for stays
It had been several hours since we had last eaten, and we decided to at once convey to the spies without our intentions concerning our prisoner So we regaled ourselves with dried fish and water, taking care not to approach the king, who had rolled over on his side and lay facing us, looking for all the world, in the di crouched on the floor
Harry relieved ainst the door, and I lay down to sleep