Копи царя Соломона
Good Falls Sick
"Whatwillyewithme,Ignosi?"shepiped."Yedarenottouchme. IfyetouchmeIwillslayyouasyesit.Bewareofmymagic."
"ThymagiccouldnotsaveTwala,oldshe-wolf,anditcannothurtme,"wastheanswer. "Listen;Iwillthisofthee,thatthourevealtousthechamberwherearetheshiningstones."
"Ha!ha!"shepiped,"noneknowitssecretbutI,andIwillnevertellthee. Thewhitedevilsshallgohenceempty-handed."
"Thoushalttellme.Iwillmaketheetellme."
"How,Oking?Thouartgreat,butcanthypowerwringthetruthfromawoman?"
"Itisdifficult,yetwillIdoso."
"How,Oking?"
"Nay,thus;ifthoutellestnotthoushaltslowlydie."
"Die!"sheshriekedinterrorandfury; "yedarenottouchme—man,yeknownotwhoIam. HowoldthinkyeamI? Iknewyourfathers,andyourfathers’fathers’fathers. WhenthecountrywasyoungIwashere;whenthecountrygrowsoldIshallstillbehere. IcannotdieunlessIbekilledbychance,fornonedareslayme."
"YetwillIslaythee.See,Gagool,motherofevil,thouartsooldthatthoucanstnolongerlovethylife. Whatcanlifebetosuchahagasthou,whohastnoshape,norform,norhair,norteeth—hastnaught,savewickednessandevileyes? Itwillbemercytomakeanendofthee,Gagool."
"Thoufool,"shriekedtheoldfiend, "thouaccursedfool,deemestthouthatlifeissweetonlytotheyoung? Itisnotso,andnaughtthouknowestoftheheartofmantothinkit.
