Копи царя Соломона
Solomon’s Treasure Chamber
Iamnotgoingtobefrightenedbythatolddevil;"andfollowedbyFoulata,who,however,evidentlydidnotatalllikethebusiness,forshewasshiveringwithfear,heplungedintothepassageafterGagool —anexamplewhichwequicklyfollowed.
Afewyardsdownthepassage,inthenarrowwayhewnoutofthelivingrock,Gagoolhadpaused, andwaswaitingforus.
"See,mylords,"shesaid,holdingthelightbeforeher,"thosewhostoredthetreasureherefledinhaste, andbethoughtthemtoguardagainstanywhoshouldfindthesecretofthedoor,buthadnotthetime," andshepointedtolargesquareblocksofstone,which,totheheightoftwocourses(abouttwofeetthree),hadbeenplacedacrossthepassagewithaviewtowallingitup. Alongthesideofthepassageweresimilarblocksreadyforuse, and,mostcuriousofall,aheapofmortarandacoupleoftrowels,whichtools,sofaraswehadtimetoexaminethem,appearedtobeofasimilarshapeandmaketothoseusedbyworkmentothisday.
HereFoulata,whohadbeeninastateofgreatfearandagitationthroughout,saidthatshefeltfaintandcouldgonofarther,butwouldwaitthere. Accordinglywesetherdownontheunfinishedwall,placingthebasketofprovisionsbyherside,andlefthertorecover.
Followingthepassageforaboutfifteenpacesfarther,wecamesuddenlytoanelaboratelypaintedwoodendoor. Itwasstandingwideopen. Whoeverwaslasttherehadeithernotfoundthetimetoshutit,orhadforgottentodoso.
