Копи царя Соломона
We Abandon Hope
Asqueeze,astruggle,andSirHenrywasout,andsowasGood,andsowasI,draggingFoulata’sbasketafterme; andthereaboveusweretheblessedstars,andinournostrilswasthesweetair. Thensuddenlysomethinggave,andwewereallrollingoverandoverandoverthroughgrassandbushesandsoft,wetsoil.
ThebasketcaughtinsomethingandIstopped. SittingupIhalloedlustily. Anansweringshoutcamefrombelow,whereSirHenry’swildcareerhadbeencheckedbysomelevelground. Iscrambledtohim,andfoundhimunhurt,thoughbreathless. ThenwelookedforGood. Alittlewayoffwediscoveredhimalso,hammedinaforkedroot. Hewasagooddealknockedabout,butsooncametohimself.
Wesatdowntogether,thereonthegrass,andtherevulsionoffeelingwassogreatthatreallyIthinkwecriedwithjoy. Wehadescapedfromthatawfuldungeon,whichwassoneartobecomingourgrave. SurelysomemercifulPowerguidedourfootstepstothejackalhole,forthatiswhatitmusthavebeen,attheterminationofthetunnel. Andsee,yonderonthemountainsthedawnwehadneverthoughttolookuponagainwasblushingrosyred.
Presentlythegreylightstoledowntheslopes,andwesawthatwewereatthebottom,orrather,nearlyatthebottom,ofthevastpitinfrontoftheentrancetothecave. NowwecouldmakeoutthedimformsofthethreeColossiwhosatuponitsverge. Doubtlessthoseawfulpassages,alongwhichwehadwanderedthelivelongnight,hadbeenoriginallyinsomewayconnectedwiththegreatdiamondmine.
