Копи царя Соломона
The Place of Death
Somewerelarge,butoneortwo—andthisisawonderfulinstanceofhownaturecarriesoutherhandiworkbythesameunvaryinglaws,utterlyirrespectiveofsize—weretiny. Onelittlenook,forinstance,wasnolargerthananunusuallybigdoll’shouse,andyetitmighthavebeenamodelforthewholeplace,forthewaterdropped,tinyicicleshung, andsparcolumnswereforminginjustthesameway.
Wehadnot,however,enoughtimetoexaminethisbeautifulcavernsothoroughlyasweshouldhavelikedtodo,sinceunfortunately,Gagoolseemedtobeindifferentastostalactites,andonlyanxioustogetherbusinessover. Thisannoyedmethemore,asIwasparticularlyanxioustodiscover,ifpossible,bywhatsystemthelightwasadmittedintothecave,andwhetheritwasbythehandofmanorbythatofnaturethatthiswasdone;alsoiftheplacehadbeenusedinanywayinancienttimes,asseemedprobable. However,weconsoledourselveswiththeideathatwewouldinvestigateitthoroughlyonourwayback,andfollowedonattheheelsofouruncannyguide.
Onsheledus,straighttothetopofthevastandsilentcave, wherewefoundanotherdoorway, notarchedasthefirstwas,butsquareatthetop,somethinglikethedoorwaysofEgyptiantemples.
"AreyepreparedtoenterthePlaceofDeath,whitemen?"askedGagool,evidentlywithaviewtomakingusfeeluncomfortable.
"Leadon,Macduff,"saidGoodsolemnly,tryingtolookasthoughhewasnotatallalarmed,asindeedwealldidexceptFoulata,whocaughtGoodbythearmforprotection.
