Копи царя Соломона
We Abandon Hope
SoIjustputmyfistintothefirstchestandfilledalltheavailablepocketsofmyoldshooting-coatandtrousers,toppingup—thiswasahappythought—withafewhandfulsofbigonesfromthethirdchest. Also,byanafterthought,IstuffedFoulata’sbasket,which,exceptforonewater-gourdandalittlebiltong,wasemptynow,withgreatquantitiesofthestones.
"Isay,youfellows,"Isangout,"won’tyoutakesomediamondswithyou?I’vefilledmypocketsandthebasket."
"Oh,comeon,Quatermain!andhangthediamonds!"saidSirHenry."IhopethatImayneverseeanother."
AsforGood,hemadenoanswer. Hewas,Ithink,takinghislastfarewellofallthatwasleftofthepoorgirlwhohadlovedhimsowell. Andcuriousasitmayseemtoyou,myreader,sittingathomeateaseandreflectingonthevast,indeedtheimmeasurable,wealthwhichwewerethusabandoning, Icanassureyouthatifyouhadpassedsometwenty-eighthourswithnexttonothingtoeatanddrinkinthatplace,youwouldnothavecaredtocumberyourselfwithdiamondswhilstplungingdownintotheunknownbowelsoftheearth,inthewildhopeofescapefromanagonisingdeath. Iffromthehabitsofalifetime,ithadnotbecomeasortofsecondnaturewithmenevertoleaveanythingworthhavingbehindiftherewastheslightestchanceofmybeingabletocarryitaway,IamsurethatIshouldnothavebotheredtofillmypocketsandthatbasket.
"Comeon,Quatermain,"repeatedSirHenry,whowasalreadystandingonthefirststepofthestonestair. "Steady,Iwillgofirst."
