Копи царя Соломона

           "Mindwhereyouputyourfeet,theremaybesomeawfulholeunderneath,"Ianswered. 

           "Muchmorelikelytobeanotherroom,"saidSirHenry,whilehedescendedslowly,countingthestepsashewent. 

           Whenhegotto"fifteen"hestopped. "Here’sthebottom,"hesaid."Thankgoodness!Ithinkit’sapassage.Followmedown." 

           Goodwentnext,andIcamelast,carryingthebasket,andonreachingthebottomlitoneofthetworemainingmatches. Byitslightwecouldjustseethatwewerestandinginanarrowtunnel,whichranrightandleftatrightanglestothestaircasewehaddescended. Beforewecouldmakeoutanymore,thematchburntmyfingersandwentout. Thenarosethedelicatequestionofwhichwaytogo. Ofcourse,itwasimpossibletoknowwhatthetunnelwas,orwhereitledto,andyettoturnonewaymightleadustosafety, andtheothertodestruction. Wewereutterlyperplexed,tillsuddenlyitstruckGoodthatwhenIhadlitthematchthedraughtofthepassageblewtheflametotheleft. 

           "Letusgoagainstthedraught,"hesaid;"airdrawsinwards,notoutwards." 

           Wetookthissuggestion,andfeelingalongthewallwithourhands,whilsttryingthegroundbeforeusateverystep,wedepartedfromthataccursedtreasurechamberonourterriblequestforlife. Ifeveritshouldbeenteredagainbylivingman,whichIdonotthinkprobable,hewillfindtokensofourvisitintheopenchestsofjewels,theemptylamp,andthewhitebonesofpoorFoulata.