Копи царя Соломона
Solomon’s Road
Wesatdownforawhileandgazedinsilenceatthiswonderfulview. PresentlySirHenryspoke.
"Isn’ttheresomethingonthemapaboutSolomon’sGreatRoad?"hesaid.
Inodded,forIwasstillgazingoutoverthefarcountry.
"Well,look;thereitis!"andhepointedalittletoourright.
GoodandIlookedaccordingly,andthere,windingawaytowardstheplain,waswhatappearedtobeawideturnpikeroad. Wehadnotseenitatfirstbecause,onreachingtheplain,itturnedbehindsomebrokencountry. Wedidnotsayanything,atleast,notmuch;wewerebeginningtolosethesenseofwonder. SomehowitdidnotseemparticularlyunnaturalthatweshouldfindasortofRomanroadinthisstrangeland. Weacceptedthefact,thatwasall.
"Well,"saidGood,"itmustbequitenearusifwecutofftotheright.Hadn’twebetterbemakingastart?"
Thiswassoundadvice,andsosoonaswehadwashedourfacesandhandsinthestreamweactedonit. Foramileormorewemadeourwayoverbouldersandacrosspatchesofsnow,tillsuddenly,onreachingthetopofthelittlerise,wefoundtheroadatourfeet. Itwasasplendidroadcutoutofthesolidrock,atleastfiftyfeetwide,andapparentlywellkept;thoughtheoddthingwasthatitseemedtobeginthere. Wewalkeddownandstoodonit,butonesinglehundredpacesbehindus,inthedirectionofSheba’sBreasts,itvanished, theentiresurfaceofthemountainbeingstrewnwithbouldersinterspersedwithpatchesofsnow.
"Whatdoyoumakeofthis,Quatermain?"askedSirHenry.
