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century to century； and whose former earthly
habitation she had till this very night preserved？ But
so it was。 In the face of all we had seen it was
difficult for us as ordinary reasoning men any longer
to doubt its truth； and therefore at last； with humble
hearts and a deep sense of the impotence of human
knowledge； and the insolence of its assumption that
denies that which it has no experience of to be
possible； we laid ourselves down to sleep； leaving our
fates in the hands of that watching Providence which
had thus chosen to allow us to draw the veil of human
ignorance； and reveal to us for good or evil some
glimpse of the possibilities of life。
CHAPTER XXII
JOB HAS A PRESENTIMENT
IT was nine o'clock on the following morning when Job；
who still looked scared and frightened； came in to
call me； and at the same time breathe his gratitude at
finding us alive in our beds； which it appeared was
more than he had expected。 When I told him of the
awful end of poor Ustane he was even more grateful at
our survival； and much shocked； though Ustane had been
no favorite of his； or he of hers； for the matter of
that。 She called him 〃pig〃 in bastard Arabic； and he
called her 〃hussy〃 in good English； but these
amenities were forgotten in the face of the
catastrophe that had overwhelmed her at the hands of
her queen。
〃I don't want to say anything as mayn't be agreeable；
sir；〃 said Job； when he had finished exclaiming at my
tale； 〃but it's my opinion that that there _i_ She _i_
is the old gentleman himself； or perhaps his wife； if
he has one； which I suppose he has； for he couldn't be
so wicked all by himself。 The Witch of Endor was a
fool to her； sir； bless you； she would make no more of
raising every gentleman in the Bible out of these here
beastly tombs than I should of growing cress on an old
flannel。 It's a country of devils； this is； sir； and
she's the master one of the lot； and if ever we get
out of it it will be more than I expect to do。 I don't
see no way out of it。 That witch isn't likely to let a
fine young man like Mr。 Leo go。〃
〃Come；〃 I said； 〃at any rate she saved his life。〃'
〃Yes； and she'll take his soul to pay for it。 _i_ She
_i_ 'll make him a witch； like herself。 I say it's
wicked to have anything to do with those sort of
people。 Last night； sir； I lay awake and read in my
little Bible that my poor old mother gave me about
what is going to happen to sorceresses and them sort
till my hair stood on end。 Lord； how the old lady
would stare if she saw where her Job had got to！〃
〃Yes； it's a queer country； and a queer people too；
Job；〃 I answered； with a sigh； for； though I am not
superstitious like Job； I admit to a natural shrinking
（which will not bear investigation） from the things
that are above Nature。
〃You are right； sir；〃 he answered； 〃and if you won't
think me very foolish； I should like to say something
to you now that Mr。 Leo is out of the way〃（Leo had
got up early and gone for a stroll）〃and that is that
I know it is the last country as ever I shall see in
this world。 I had a dream last night； and I dreamed
that I saw my old father with a kind of night…shirt on
him； something like these folks wear when they want to
be in particular full…dress； and a bit of that
feathery grass in his hand； which he may have gathered
on the way； for I saw lots of it yesterday about three
hundred yards from the mouth of this beastly cave。
〃'Job；' he said to me； solemn…like； and yet with a
kind of satisfaction shining through him； more like a
Methody parson when he has sold a neighbor a marked
horse for a sound one and cleared twenty pounds by the
job than anything I can think on'Job； time's up；
Job； but I never did expect to have to come and hunt
you out in this 'ere place； Job。 Such ado as I have
had to nose you up； it wasn't friendly to give your
poor old father such a run； let alone that a wonderful
lot of bad characters hail from this place Ko^r。'〃
〃Regular cautions；〃 I suggested。
〃Yes； sirof course； sir； that's just what he said
they was'cautions； downright scorchers'sir； and
I'm sure I don't doubt it； seeing what I know of them
and their hot…potting ways；〃 went on Job； sadly。
〃Anyway； he was sure that time was up； and went away
saying that we should see more than we cared for of
each other soon； and I suppose he was a…thinking of
the fact that father and I never could hit it off
together for longer nor three days； and I dare say
that things will be similar when we meet again。〃
〃Surely；〃 I said； 〃you don't think that you are going
to die because you dreamed you saw your old father； if
one dies because one dreams of one's father； what
happens to a man who dreams of his mother…in…law？〃
〃Ah； sir； you're laughing at me；〃 said Job； 〃but； you
see； you didn't know my old father。 If it had been
anybody elsemy Aunt Mary； for instance； who never
made much of a jobI should not have thought so much
of it； but my father was that idle； which he shouldn't
have been with seventeen children； that he would never
have put himself out to come here just to see the
place。 No； sir； I know that he meant business。 Well；
sir； I can't help it； I suppose every man must go some
time or other； though it is a hard thing to die in a
place like this； where Christian burial isn't to be
had for its weight in gold。 I've tried to be a good
man； sir； and do my duty honest； and if it wasn't for
the supercilus kind of way in which father carried on
last nighta sort of sniffing at me； as it were； as
though he hadn't no opinion of my references and
testimonialsI should feel easy enough in my mind。
Any way； sir； I've been a good servant to you and Mr。
Leo； bless him！ Why； it seems but the other day that I
used to lead him about the streets with a penny whip；
and if ever you get out of this placewhich； as
father didn't allude to you； perhaps you mayI hope
you will think kindly of my whitened bones； and never
have anything more to do with Greek writing on flower…
pots； sir； if I may make so bold as to say so。〃
〃Come； come； Job；〃 I said； seriously； 〃this is all
nonsense； you know。 You mustn't be silly enough to go
getting such ideas into your head。 We've lived through
some queer things； and I hope that we may go on doing
so。〃
〃No； sir；〃 answered Job； in a tone of conviction that
jarred on me unpleasantly； 〃it isn't nonsense。 I'm a
doomed man； and I feel it； and a wonderful
uncomfortable feeling it is； sir； for one can't help
wondering how it's going to come about。 If you are
eating your dinner you think of poison and it goes
against your stomach； and if you are walking along
these dark rabbit burrows you think of knives； and
Lord； don't you just shiver about the back！ I ain't
particular； sir； provided it's sharp； like that poor
girl； who； now that she's gone； I am sorry to have
spoke hard on； though I don't approve of her morals in
getting married； which I consider too quick to be
decent。 Still； sir；〃 and poor Job turned a shade paler
as he said it； 〃I do hope it won't be that hot…pot
game。〃
〃Nonsense；〃 I broke in； angrily； 〃nonsense。〃
〃Very well； sir；〃 said Job； 〃it isn't my place to
differ from you； sir； but if you happen to be going
anywhere； sir； I should be obliged if you could manage
to take me with you； seeing that I shall be glad to
have a friendly face to look at when the time comes；
just to help one through； as it were。 And now； sir；
I'll be getting the breakfast；〃 and he went； leaving
me in a very uncomfortable state of mind。 I was deeply
attached to old Job； who was one of the best and
honestest men I have ever had to do with in any class
of life； and really more of a friend than a servant；
and the mere idea of anything happening to him brought
a lump into my throat。 Beneath all his ludicrous talk
I could see that he himself was quite convinced that
something was going to happen； and though in most
cases these convictions turn out to be utter
moonshineand this particular one especially was to
be amply accounted for by the gloomy and unaccustomed
surroundings in which its victim was placedstill it
did more or less carry a chill to my heart； as any
dread that is obviously a genuine object of belief is
apt to do； however absurd the belief may be。 Presently
the breakfast arrived； and with it Leo； who had been
taking a walk outside the caveto clear his mind； he
saidand very glad I was to see both； for they gave
me a respite from my gloomy thoughts。 After breakfast
we went for another walk； and watched some of the
Amahagger sowing a plot of ground with the grain from
which they make their beer。 This they did in
scriptural fashiona man with a bag made of goat's…
hide fastened round his waist walking up and down the
plot and scattering the seed as he went。 It was a
positive relief to see one of these dreadful people do
anything so homely and pleasant as sow a field；
perhaps because it seemed to link them； as it were；
with the rest of humanity。
As we were returning Billali met us； and informed us
that it was _i_ She _i_ '