Погребённый с фараонами

           Itriedmylegs,blood-encrustedbeneathmyshreddedtrousers,andfoundthatIcouldwalk;yetcouldnotdecideinwhatdirectiontogo. ObviouslyIoughtnottowalkatrandom,andperhapsretreatdirectlyfromtheentranceIsought; soIpausedtonotethedifferenceofthecold,fetid,natron-scentedair-currentwhichIhadneverceasedtofeel. Acceptingthepointofitssourceasthepossibleentrancetotheabyss,Istrovetokeeptrackofthislandmarkandtowalkconsistentlytowardit. 

           Ihadamatch-boxwithme,andevenasmallelectricflashlight; butofcoursethepocketsofmytossedandtatteredclothingwerelongsinceemptiedofallheavyarticles. AsIwalkedcautiouslyintheblackness,thedraftgrewstrongerandmoreoffensive,tillatlengthIcouldregarditasnothinglessthanatangiblestreamofdetestablevaporpouringoutofsomeaperturelikethesmokeofthegeniefromthefisherman’sjarintheEasterntale. TheEast...Egypt...truly,thisdarkcradleofcivilizationwaseverthewellspringofhorrorsandmarvelsunspeakable! 

           ThemoreIreflectedonthenatureofthiscavernwind,thegreatermysenseofdisquietbecame; foralthoughdespiteitsodorIhadsoughtitssourceasatleastanindirectcluetotheouterworld, InowsawplainlythatthisfoulemanationcouldhavenoadmixtureorconnectionwhatsoeverwiththecleanairoftheLibyanDesert,butmustbeessentiallyathingvomitedfromsinistergulfsstilllowerdown. Ihad,then,beenwalkinginthewrongdirection!