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the present, and I submit to any fair-minded man if it is not a terrifying thing to
lie bound hand and foot in the Stygian blackness of an immense cave peopled by
unknown dangers in a land overrun by hideous beasts and reptiles of the greatest
ferocity. At any moment, perhaps at this very moment, some silent-footed beast
of prey might catch my scent where it laired in some contiguous passage, and
might creep stealthily upon me. I craned my neck about, and stared through the
inky darkness for the twin spots of blazing hate which I knew would herald the
coming of my executioner. So real were the imaginings of my overwrought brain
that I broke into a cold sweat in absolute conviction that some beast was close
before me; yet the hours dragged, and no sound broke the grave-like stillness of
the cavern.
During that period of eternity many events of my life passed before my mental
vision, a vast parade of friends and occurrences which would be blotted out
forever on the morrow. I cursed myself for the foolish act which had taken me
from the search-party that so depended upon me, and I wondered what progress,
if any, they had made. Were they still beyond the barrier cliffs, awaiting my
return? Or had they found a way into Caspak? I felt that the latter would be the
truth, for the party was not made up of men easily turned from a purpose. Quite
probable it was that they were already searching for me; but that they would ever
find a trace of me I doubted. Long since, had I come to the conclusion that it was
beyond human prowess to circle the shores of the inland sea of Caspak in the
face of the myriad menaces which lurked in every shadow by day and by night.
Long since, had I given up any hope of reaching the point where I had made my
entry into the country, and so I was now equally convinced that our entire
expedition had been worse than futile before ever it was conceived, since Bowen
J. Tyler and his wife could not by any possibility have survived during all these
long months; no more could Bradley and his party of seamen be yet in existence.
If the superior force and equipment of my party enabled them to circle the north
end of the sea, they might some day come upon the broken wreck of my plane
hanging in the great tree to the south; but long before that, my bones would be
added to the litter upon the floor of this mighty cavern.
And through all my thoughts, real and fanciful, moved the image of a perfect girl,
clear-eyed and strong and straight and beautiful, with the carriage of a queen
and the supple, undulating grace of a leopard. Though I loved my friends, their
fate seemed of less importance to me than the fate of this little barbarian stranger
for whom, I had convinced myself many a time, I felt no greater sentiment than
passing friendship for a fellow-wayfarer in this land of horrors. Yet I so worried
and fretted about her and her future that at last I quite forgot my own
predicament, though I still struggled intermittently with bonds in vain endeavor
to free myself; as much, however, that I might hasten to her protection as that I
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