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！
drowned my rapid rush across the room。
But in her struggles； Victory turned Menelek about so that he saw me。
She was striking him in the face with her clenched fist； and now he was
choking her。
At sight of me； he gave voice to a roar of anger。
〃What means this； slave？〃 he cried。 〃Out of here！ Out of here！
Quick； before I kill you！〃
But for answer I rushed upon him； striking him with the butt of the
rifle。 He staggered back； dropping Victory to the floor； and then he cried
aloud for the guard； and came at me。 Again and again I struck him； but
his thick skull might have been armor plate； for all the damage I did it。
He tried to close with me； seizing the rifle； but I was stronger than he；
and； wrenching the weapon from his grasp； tossed it aside and made for
his throat with my bare hands。 I had not dared fire the weapon for fear that
97
… Page 98…
THE LOST CONTINENT
its report would bring the larger guard stationed at the farther end of the
corridor。
We struggled about the room； striking one another； knocking over
furniture； and rolling upon the floor。 Menelek was a powerful man； and
he was fighting for his life。 Continually he kept calling for the guard；
until I succeeded in getting a grip upon his throat； but it was too late。 His
cries had been heard； and suddenly the door burst open； and a score of
armed guardsmen rushed into the apartment。
Victory seized the rifle from the floor and leaped between me and
them。 I had the black emperor upon his back； and both my hands were at
his throat； choking the life from him。
The rest happened in the fraction of a second。 There was a rending
crash above us； then a deafening explosion within the chamber。 Smoke
and powder fumes filled the room。 Half stunned； I rose from the lifeless
body of my antagonist just in time to see Victory stagger to her feet and
turn toward me。 Slowly the smoke cleared to reveal the shattered
remnants of the guard。 A shell had fallen through the palace roof and
exploded just in the rear of the detachment of guardsmen who were
coming to the rescue of their emperor。 Why neither Victory nor I were
struck is a miracle。 The room was a wreck。 A great； jagged hole was
torn in the ceiling； and the wall toward the corridor had been blown
entirely out。
As I rose； Victory had risen； too； and started toward me。 But when she
saw that I was uninjured she stopped； and stood there in the center of the
demolished apartment looking at me。 Her expression was inscrutableI
could not guess whether she was glad to see me； or not。
〃Victory！〃 I cried。 〃Thank God that you are safe！〃 And I approached
her； a greater gladness in my heart than I had felt since the moment that I
knew the Coldwater must be swept beyond thirty。
There was no answering gladness in her eyes。 Instead； she stamped
her little foot in anger。
〃Why did it have to be you who saved me！〃 she exclaimed。 〃I hate
you！〃
〃Hate me？〃 I asked。 〃Why should you hate me； Victory？ I do not
98
… Page 99…
THE LOST CONTINENT
hate you。 II〃 What was I about to say？ I was very close to her as a
great light broke over me。 Why had I never realized it before？ The
truth accounted for a great many hitherto inexplicable moods that had
claimed me from time to time since first I had seen Victory。
〃Why should I hate you？〃 she repeated。 〃Because Snider told mehe
told me that you had promised me to him； but he did not get me。 I killed
him； as I should like to kill you！〃
〃Snider lied！〃 I cried。 And then I seized her and held her in my arms；
and made her listen to me； though she struggled and fought like a young
lioness。 〃I love you； Victory。 You must know that I love youthat I
have always loved you； and that I never could have made so base a
promise。〃
She ceased her struggles； just a trifle； but still tried to push me from
her。 〃You called me a barbarian！〃 she said。
Ah； so that was it！ That still rankled。 I crushed her to me。
〃You could not love a barbarian；〃 she went on； but she had ceased to
struggle。
〃But I do love a barbarian； Victory！〃 I cried； 〃the dearest barbarian in
the world。〃
She raised her eyes to mine； and then her smooth； brown arms
encircled my neck and drew my lips down to hers。
〃I love youI have loved you always！〃 she said； and then she buried
her face upon my shoulder and sobbed。 〃I have been so unhappy；〃 she
said； 〃but I could not die while I thought that you might live。〃
As we stood there； momentarily forgetful of all else than our new
found happiness； the ferocity of the bombardment increased until scarce
thirty seconds elapsed between the shells that rained about the palace。
To remain long would be to invite certain death。 We could not escape
the way that we had entered the apartment； for not only was the corridor
now choked with debris； but beyond the corridor there were doubtless
many members of the emperor's household who would stop us。
Upon the opposite side of the room was another door； and toward this I
led the way。 It opened into a third apartment with windows overlooking
an inner court。 From one of these windows I surveyed the courtyard。
99
… Page 100…
THE LOST CONTINENT
Apparently it was empty； and the rooms upon the opposite side were
unlighted。
Assisting Victory to the open； I followed； and together we crossed the
court； discovering upon the opposite side a number of wide； wooden doors
set in the wall of the palace； with small windows between。 As we stood
close behind one of the doors； listening； a horse within neighed。
〃The stables！〃 I whispered； and； a moment later； had pushed back a
door and entered。 From the city about us we could hear the din of great
commotion； and quite close the sounds of battlethe crack of thousands of
rifles； the yells of the soldiers； the hoarse commands of officers； and the
blare of bugles。
The bombardment had ceased as suddenly as it had commenced。 I
judged that the enemy was storming the city； for the sounds we heard were
the sounds of hand…to…hand combat。
Within the stables I groped about until I had found saddles and bridles
for two horses。 But afterward； in the darkness； I could find but a single
mount。 The doors of the opposite side； leading to the street； were open；
and we could see great multitudes of men； women； and children fleeing
toward the west。 Soldiers； afoot and mounted； were joining the mad
exodus。 Now and then a camel or an elephant would pass bearing some
officer or dignitary to safety。 It was evident that the city would fall at
any momenta fact which was amply proclaimed by the terror…stricken
haste of the fear… mad mob。
Horse； camel； and elephant trod helpless women and children beneath
their feet。 A common soldier dragged a general from his mount； and；
leaping to the animal's back； fled down the packed street toward the west。
A woman seized a gun and brained a court dignitary； whose horse had
trampled her child to death。 Shrieks； curses； commands； supplications
filled the air。 It was a frightful sceneone that will be burned upon my
memory forever。
I had saddled and bridled the single horse which had evidently been
overlooked by the royal household in its flight； and； standing a little back
in the shadow of the stable's interior； Victory and I watched the surging
throng without。
100
… Page 101…
THE LOST CONTINENT
To have entered it would have been to