Part 32 (1/2)
UNDERGROUND
A slight radiance found passage through the coarsely woven curtain, proving sufficient, as loo down into lower darkness Pausingbetween Naladi and Madame was outwardly courteous, while De Noyan seean the descent, quickly finding reatly dissimilar to that other from which I had been so lately rescued
This, however, was smaller, the floor littered with various articles, the nature of which I found it difficult to deterht Nor did I pause for close inspection, but, so soon as search revealed an opening into a narrow passageway beyond, I pressed forward a my way, fearful lest I allery, so extreular in excavation that I sometiers, yet a moment later was coress at all Had it led through solid rock I should have accepted this as evidence of natural origin, but sides, floor, and roof were of earth, while every few feet, rendering progress uncertain and perilous, were huge posts of wood, usually roughly hewn tree trunks, each topped by a flat piece of stone, supporting the sagging roof
Altogether it was a surprising excavation, exhibiting soes I wondered whether the conception originated within the brain of their alien Queen, or was another of the unique inheritances of their race Perhaps I may be permitted to add here some information which reached me later, that abundant evidences of the existence of sies have been noted elsewhere in the old homes of this people beside the Mississippi
While at Petite Rocher River, I met lately a Jesuit, who had travelled widely and read ravely assured me that in the vast cities of the Aztecs, far to the south in Mexico, their te, secret, covered ways
Hence I incline to the belief that this excavation was largely the labor of slaves; for these Nahuacs had ro, others of Indian blood, and that the earth thus re thosemerely a tradition from the past
Let that be as itits snake-like course beforethe knife hilt, and vainly seeking to distinguish definite outlines a feet encountered nu the path--here a pile of loosened earth over which I plunged headlong, or a flat stone dropped by the rotting away of its supporting prop, or soh softer earth had yielded to rude implements; yet it became evident fro deeper and deeper into the bosoers ca the side walls, and I comprehended I must already be beneath the base of that rounded mound upon the summit of which the house of Naladi stood What worried me most was to what end this tunnel was made Such vast labor had surely never been perfore ell cared for Iwith evidences of coned? Where did it lead? To eneral trend appeared northward; but that would carry it directly across the broadest portion of the upper basin To have an unconcealed entrance in the centre of that unprotected, open plain would be foreign to savage nature; while to iine that such a tunnel as this, from which a vast amount of earth had been borne upon the backs of workmen, could extend below the full extent of that valley, was beyond conception
Besides, the air was light and pure, as sweet to inhale as if it blew directly uponcould not be far distant
Thus questioning, I groped slowly forward To one accusto peculiarly oppressive in being cooped within the confines of such narrow entries, and being compelled to reflect upon the i above, and prevented fronificant props of wood, whosein the darkness bore evidence of the vast weight they upheld There was nothing for h I do not clai heart, or rieous where the peril is of a nature to which we have long accustoives way before little ventures a to these colonies--veterans who had faced unflinchingly the flairls at the slightest sign of a storm at sea; and there was once a faht fiercely with tomahawk and knife, yet who fell dead at the first crash of a field gun, although the piece was uncharged with ball So I conceive that physical courage is not so high a virtue after all, and ae I went timidly forward down that black slope, and with a wild inclination to fly backward at every sound Nor do I boast of keeping on, for it was largely because I knehat reception would await me; the look of scorn hich Madame would discover that a faint heart had made me afraid of the dark So it was love, or pride, I scarce knohich, that kept ; and, possibly, both of these are the true sponsors for endered by excite of the heart I thought there must be aboveray of light stealing along the floor It grewstep and soon crimsoned the upper walls I dropped cautiously upon hands and knees, and crept slowly forward, beside the dancing shadows, taking conceal, I discovered the flaring beacon to be a huge pine knot stuck into the earth wall, blazing right th, with head outstretched froazed forward into a small roorotesquely pictured bark, its floor covered with a rude , dyed in fanciful colors Soure, roughly shapen fro the roof, while directly in front reposed numerous dishes of untasted food This idol, for such I conceived it to be, was a e pige right hand, grasping a club, was uplifted as if about to strike down an approaching enereat staring eyes which appeared to sparkle as if composed of precious stones; while about neck, zone, and ankles shone the duller gleahter ht to approach in such a place, especially as the peculiar eyes appeared to follow htest movement Yet only for a breathless ri portion of this diround apartayly decorated skin or two, and the figure of afast asleep at the very feet of the statue Beyond showed a dark opening where the tunnel continued onward into the earth
It required brief observation to note these outlines, nor did they greatly serve to delay hly convinced of the reality of the priest's slu close as possible within the shadow of the eastern wall, until once again safely sithin the blackness of the passage Oddly enough thethere unconscious served to yieldthe cave of its loneliness, and I plunged directly ahead
The passage I now followed rose with a sharp pitch, evidently inclining toward the surface, the opening not far distant It was likea hill, so marked was the incline, yet I covered a distance fully equalling that ofaware of a steadily increasing gray tingeing the side walls Halting in this faint illulish speech I advanced cautiously The words were so confused by the echoes that little could be made of theh which di intently, striving to discover whatreacheda low, dull murmur, as if voices chanted inwith a sharp crackling of fla upon so the taut parchment of a drum Suddenly a deep voice close at hand roared out hoarsely, and nized it
”You black-faced son of Belial,” caive all that food unto a du servant of the Most High, lies groaning with a stomach which has n't tasted food for four and twenty hours? Possess you no bowels of cos of a fellow-ivewooden ie will never miss it
You won't, you spawn of Baal, yet I h how you filled your own lean belly with the best there was”
The straining of cords, together with sound of struggle, bore evidence that the Reverend Mr Cairnes washeroic effort to attain unto that food offered before idols That such strenuous effort was vain was soon proven by the bursting forth of his voice once racious Lord,” he cried, in a tone evidencing er than spiritual exaltation, ”surely thy ancient servant Job never bowed before greater affliction than this now visited upon me Verily 't is even as the experiences of the Apostle Paul, yet without his reward in the flesh I beseech Thee from the depth of humiliation--even as did Daniel from the lions' den--loosen my arms that I may smite as with Thy wrath this profaner of Thypeace unto the smitten heart of Thy faithful servant O Lord, what have I done to be deserted in this hour of extremity? As Elijah called down fire from Heaven, so I call upon Thee to sht the ranks of these foul idolaters He who hath boldly proclaimed Thy truth in the wilderness, who hath proven a faithful witness unto these savages, through many years of trial and tribulation, doth now call upon Thee in dire distress Shall it be in vain, that he thus uplifts his voice supplicating in the wilderness?”
His deep ruuish little except those moans hich he punctuated the conclusion of each sentence
Finally, hearing no other sound to restrain htly uplift one corner of the heavy curtain, and peer into the room The entrance opened upon the back of the rude platfor within less than three paces from the famine-stricken Puritan, ith loed head and hidden face, was still wrestling in fervent prayer I was unable, fro priest, yet knew he could not be far distant, and therefore I durst not speak above a whisper lest the sound awaken his suspicion
”Cairnes,” I said softly, ”hush that unseeive heed to my words”
Three ti before I noticed him lift his head, in evidence that the faint sound had finally reached his ears Unable to turn, he rolled his eyes inquiringly upward
”What is it, O Lord?” he questioned, with such unbounded faith in a celestial visitant I found it hard to restrain a laugh
”Don't be a fool,” I whispered back hastily ”The Aluided me here, but 'tis a man in the flesh who speaks”
The sectary lance behind, but the cords held too firlimpse of the side of his face
”Merciful Jehovah! 'tis the voice of Master Benteen,” he exclaimed joyfully ”I know not how you could come there unless you descended from the sky”