Копи царя Соломона
Found
ThenIcameup. "Howdoyoudo,Mr.Neville?"Isaid;"doyourememberme?"
"Why,"hesaid,"isn’titHunterQuatermain,eh,andGoodtoo? Holdonaminute,youfellows,Iamgettingdizzyagain.Itisallsoverystrange,and,whenamanhasceasedtohope,soveryhappy!"
***
Thatevening,overthecampfire,GeorgeCurtistoldushisstory,which,initsway,wasalmostaseventfulasourown,and,putshortly,amountedtothis. Alittlelessthantwoyearsbefore,hehadstartedfromSitanda’sKraal,totrytoreachSuliman’sBerg. AsforthenoteIhadsenthimbyJim,thatworthylostit,andhehadneverheardofittilltoday. But,actinguponinformationhehadreceivedfromthenatives,heheadednotforSheba’sBreasts,butfortheladder-likedescentofthemountainsdownwhichwehadjustcome, whichisclearlyabetterroutethanthatmarkedoutinoldDomSilvestra’splan. InthedesertheandJimhadsufferedgreathardships,butfinallytheyreachedthisoasis,whereaterribleaccidentbefellGeorgeCurtis. Onthedayoftheirarrivalhewassittingbythestream,andJimwasextractingthehoneyfromthenestofastinglessbeewhichistobefoundinthedesert,onthetopofabankimmediatelyabovehim. Insodoingheloosenedagreatboulderofrock,whichfelluponGeorgeCurtis’srightleg,crushingitfrightfully. Fromthatdayhehadbeensolamethathefounditimpossibletogoeitherforwardorback,andhadpreferredtotakethechancesofdyingintheoasistothecertaintyofperishinginthedesert.
