[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

In this doorway lay a bag that appeared to be full of stones. ' We must do something,' said Sir Henry.' The lamp will soon go out. Where is
' Hee! hee!' laughed Gagool, as the light from her lamp fell on it.' I told you the handle that moves the rock?'
that the white man left quickly and dropped the bag. That is it!' We began to feel up and down the door and the rock at the sides. But we could
Good bent down and lifted it.' I believe it is full of diamonds,' he whispered. discover nothing.
' Let's go in,' said Sir Henry.' Here, give me the lamp.' He took it from ' I am sure,' I said,' that it cannot be opened from the inside. Gagool rushed to
Gagool's hand and stepped through the doorway. get underneath the stone.'
We followed, and found ourselves in Solomon's treasure room. It was a room ' We can do nothing with the door,' said Sir Henry.' Let's go back to the
cut out of the rock, not more than ten feet square. treasure room.'
'My lords, look over there where it is darkest,' said Gagool. 'There are three We sat down with our backs against the three stone boxes of diamonds. We
stone boxes.Two are shut and one is open.' had brought a basket of food and some water with us. There was enough food and
We hurried across the room. There were three stone boxes against the wall. water for about two days.
Sir Henry held the lamp over the open box. It was almost full of uncut diamonds. We ate and drank and felt a little better. Then we got up and began to examine
We stood and gazed at them. the walls and floor of our prison. There was no way out. It was unlikely that there
' Hee! hee! hee!' laughed old Gagool behind us.' There are the bright stones would be a second entrance to a treasure room.
that you love. Take them in your fingers. Eat them, hee! hee! Drink them, ha! ha!' ' Quatermain,' said Sir Henry,' what is the time ?'
We opened the other two boxes. The first of them was full to the top. The I looked to see. It was six o'clock. We had entered the cave at eleven.
other was only about a quarter full, but these were the best stones. Some were as ' Infadoos will miss us,' I said.' If we do not return tonight, he will search for
large as eggs. us in the morning.'
We did not see the terrible look of hate on old Gagool's face as she crept out ' He does not know the secret of the door,' replied Sir Henry. ' He does not
of the treasure-room towards the great door of rock. even know where it is. And if he found the door, he could not break it down. There
Suddenly Foulata shouted.' Oh, come quickly! Help! Help! The rock is are several feet of rock.'
falling.' The flame of the lamp became smaller. Then it burned bright for a moment
We started running. The light from the lamp showed us that the door of rock and showed the whole scene: the soft shine of the diamonds, and the white faces of
was closing slowly. It was less than a few feet from the floor. Near it, Gagool and the three men who were waiting for death.
Foulata were fighting. Foulata's blood was on the floor, but still she held the old Suddenly, the flame went out.
witch. Then Gagool got free and threw herself on the ground to get under the closing
stone. But the door caught her and she shouted in terrible pain. Down, down it came, Chapter 13 We Lose Hope
the whole weight of it. We had never heard such horrible screams, and then the door
was shut. I cannot give a real description of the night that followed. We were prisoners
We turned to Foulata. She was badly hurt and I saw that she could not live for in the centre of a great snow-topped mountain. Thousands of feet above us the fresh
long. She looked up at Good, who was holding her in his arms. I heard her say that air rushed over the white snow, but no sound reached us. More than three feet of
she loved him. Then she was silent. rock separated us from the awful Hall of the Dead, and the dead make no noise. The
' She is dead  she is dead!' said Good, and tears ran down his face. silence was total.
'Well, we will soon join her, old fellow,' said Sir Henry. 'The door is shut, and Enough treasures lay around us for a whole nation, but we could not buy the
16
smallest chance of escape. We could not change them for a little food or a cup of the ring.' Quatermain, take Sir Henry round his waist. Pull when I tell you to. Now!'
water, or for a quick end to our suffering. ' Pull! Pull! It's moving!' said Sir Henry. Suddenly there was a breaking
' Good,' said Sir Henry's voice at last, and it sounded terrible in that great sound, then a movement of air, and we were all on our backs on the floor with a
silence,' how many matches have you got in the box ?' heavy stone on the top of us.
'Eight.' ' Light a match, Quatermain,' Sir Henry said, when we had got up again.'
' Strike one and let's see the time.' Carefully now.'
After that black darkness, the flame nearly blinded us. It was five o'clock. The There, in front of us, were stone stairs.
early morning sun was now shining on the snow far above our heads. ' Now what should we do ?' asked Good.
' Let's eat,' said Sir Henry.' While there is life there is hope.' 'Follow the stairs, of course, and hope for good luck.'
So we ate and then drank a little water. ' Stop!' said Sir Henry.' Quatermain, get the food and water. We may need
After some time we went to the door and shouted. Good, from long practice at them.'
sea, made a terrible noise. I had never heard such shouts, but there was nobody I went back to our place by the boxes, and an idea came to me. I put my hand
there. into the first box and filled the pockets of my coat. Then I put in a few of the big
So we sat down against the boxes of useless diamonds. There was nothing that ones from the third box.
we could do. 'Won't you take some diamonds with you?' I said to the others.'I've filled my
Brave Sir Henry Curtis tried to help. He told stories of men who had made pockets.' [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]