Погребённый с фараонами
Chapter 2
Thesignificanceofthiscondition,ofcourse,cametomeonlygradually; butevensoIthinkitwouldhavebroughtunconsciousnessagainhadInotbythistimereachedsuchastateofemotionalexhaustionthatnonewhorrorcouldmakemuchdifference. Iwasalone...withwhat?
BeforeIcouldtorturemyselfwithanynewreflection,ormakeanyfreshefforttoescapefrommybonds,anadditionalcircumstancebecamemanifest. Painsnotformerlyfeltwererackingmyarmsandlegs,andIseemedcoatedwithaprofusionofdriedbloodbeyondanythingmyformercutsandabrasionscouldfurnish. Mychest,too,seemedpiercedbyahundredwounds,asthoughsomemalign,titanicibishadbeenpeckingatit. Assuredlytheagencywhichhadremovedtheropewasahostileone,andhadbeguntowreakterribleinjuriesuponmewhensomehowimpelledtodesist. Yetatthesametimemysensationsweredistinctlythereverseofwhatonemightexpect.Insteadofsinkingintoabottomlesspitofdespair,Iwasstirredtoanewcourageandaction; fornowIfeltthattheevilforceswerephysicalthingswhichafearlessmanmightencounteronanevenbasis.
OnthestrengthofthisthoughtItuggedagainatmybonds,andusedalltheartofalifetimetofreemyselfasIhadsooftendoneamidsttheglareoflightsandtheapplauseofvastcrowds.
