Копи царя Соломона
Solomon’s Treasure Chamber
Asforthethirdchest,itwasonlyaboutafourthfull,butthestoneswereallpickedones;nonelessthantwentycarats,andsomeofthemaslargeaspigeon-eggs. Agoodmanyofthesebiggerones,however,wecouldseebyholdingthemuptothelight,werealittleyellow,"offcoloured,"astheycallitatKimberley.
Whatwedidnotsee,however,wasthelookoffearfulmalevolencethatoldGagoolfavoureduswithasshecrept,creptlikeasnake,outofthetreasurechamberanddownthepassagetowardsthedoorofsolidrock.
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Hark!Cryuponcrycomesringingupthevaultedpath.ItisFoulata’svoice!
"Oh,Bougwan!help!help!thestonefalls!"
"Leavego,girl!Then—"
"Help!help!shehasstabbedme!"
Bynowwearerunningdownthepassage,andthisiswhatthelightfromthelampshowsus. Thedooroftherockisclosingdownslowly;itisnotthreefeetfromthefloor. NearitstruggleFoulataandGagool. Theredbloodoftheformerrunstoherknee,butstillthebravegirlholdstheoldwitch,whofightslikeawildcat. Ah!sheisfree!Foulatafalls,andGagoolthrowsherselfontheground,totwistlikeasnakethroughthecrackoftheclosingstone. Sheisunder—ah!god!toolate!toolate! Thestonenipsher,andsheyellsinagony. Down,downitcomes,allthethirtytonsofit,slowlypressingheroldbodyagainsttherockbelow. Shriekuponshriek,suchaswehaveneverheard,thenalongsickeningcrunch,andthedoorwasshutjustas,rushingdownthepassage,wehurledourselvesagainstit.
