Копи царя Соломона
The Place of Death
"IhearInfadoos; Iknowthee,thoudidsteverlovebigwords; whenthouwastababeIrememberthoudidstthreatenthineownmother. Thatwasbuttheotherday. But,fearnot,fearnot,Iliveonlytodothebiddingoftheking. Ihavedonethebiddingofmanykings,Infadoos,tillintheendtheydidmine. Ha!ha!Igotolookupontheirfacesoncemore,andTwala’salso! Comeon,comeon,hereisthelamp," andshedrewalargegourdfullofoil,andfittedwitharushwick,fromunderherfurcloak.
"Artthoucoming,Foulata?"askedGoodinhisvillainousKitchenKukuana,inwhichhehadbeenimprovinghimselfunderthatyounglady’stuition.
"Ifear,mylord,"thegirlansweredtimidly.
"Thengivemethebasket."
"Nay,mylord,whitherthougoestthereIgoalso."
"Thedeuceyouwill!"thoughtItomyself; "thatmayberatherawkwardifweevergetoutofthis."
WithoutfurtheradoGagoolplungedintothepassage,whichwaswideenoughtoadmitoftwowalkingabreast,andquitedark. Wefollowedthesoundofhervoiceasshepipedtoustocomeon,insomefearandtrembling,whichwasnotallayedbytheflutterofasuddenrushofwings.
"Hullo!what’sthat?"halloedGood;"somebodyhitmeintheface."
"Bats,"saidI;"onyougo."
When,sofaraswecouldjudge,wehadgonesomefiftypaces,weperceivedthatthepassagewasgrowingfaintlylight. Anotherminute,andwewereinperhapsthemostwonderfulplacethattheeyesoflivingmanhavebeheld.
