Копи царя Соломона
Ignosi’s Farewell
Also,onthedaybeforewestartedbacktoLoo,wemadeafurtherexaminationofthewondersofthestalactitecave,and,drawnbyakindofrestlessfeeling,evenpenetratedoncemoreintotheChamberoftheDead. PassingbeneaththespearoftheWhiteDeathwegazed,withsensationswhichitwouldbequiteimpossibleformetodescribe,atthemassofrockthathadshutusofffromescape, thinkingthewhileofpricelesstreasuresbeyond,ofthemysteriousoldhagwhoseflattenedfragmentslaycrushedbeneathit,andofthefairgirlofwhosetombitwastheportal. Isaygazedatthe"rock,"for,examineaswecould,wecouldfindnotracesofthejoinoftheslidingdoor;nor,indeed,couldwehituponthesecret,nowutterlylost,thatworkedit,thoughwetriedforanhourormore. Itiscertainlyamarvellousbitofmechanism,characteristic,initsmassiveandyetinscrutablesimplicity,oftheagewhichproducedit; andIdoubtiftheworldhassuchanothertoshow.
Atlastwegaveitupindisgust; though,ifthemasshadsuddenlyrisenbeforeoureyes,IdoubtifweshouldhavescrewedupcouragetostepoverGagool’smangledremains,andoncemoreenterthetreasurechamber, eveninthesureandcertainhopeofunlimiteddiamonds. AndyetIcouldhavecriedattheideaofleavingallthattreasure,thebiggesttreasureprobablythatintheworld’shistoryhaseverbeenaccumulatedinonespot. Buttherewasnohelpforit. Onlydynamitecouldforceitswaythroughfivefeetofsolidrock.
