按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃These barbarians declare that Ko^r is haunted；〃 she
said； 〃and of a truth I do believe their saying； for
never did I know so ill a night save once。 I remember
it now。 It was on that very spot when thou didst lie
dead at my feet； Kallikrates。 Never will I visit it
again； it is a place of evil omen。〃
After a very brief halt for breakfast we pressed on
with such good will that by two o'clock in the
afternoon we were at the foot of the vast wall of rock
that formed the lip of the volcano； and which at this
point towered up precipitously above us for fifteen
hundred or two thousand feet。 Here we halted；
certainly not to my astonishment； for I did not see
how it was possible that we should go any farther。
〃Now；〃 said Ayesha； as she descended from her litter；
〃doth our labor but commence； for here do we part with
these men； and henceforward must we bear ourselves；〃
and then； addressing Billali； 〃do thou and these
slaves remain here； and abide our coming。 By to…morrow
at the midday shall we be with theeif not； wait。〃
Billali bowed humbly； and said that her august bidding
should be obeyed if they stopped there till they grew
old。
〃And this man； O Holly；〃 said _i_ She _i_ ； pointing
to Job； 〃best is it that he should tarry also； for if
his heart be not high and his courage great； perchance
some evil might overtake him。 Also； the secrets of the
place whither we go are not fit for common eyes。〃
I translated this to Job； who instantly and earnestly
entreated me； almost with tears in his eyes； not to
leave him behind。 He said he was sure that he could
see nothing worse than he had already seen； and that
he was terrified to death at the idea of being left
alone with those 〃dumb folk；〃 who； he thought； would
probably take the opportunity to hot…pot him。
I translated what he said to Ayesha； who shrugged her
shoulders； and answered； 〃Well； let him come； it is
naught to me； on his own head be it； and he will serve
to bear the lamp and this；〃 and she pointed to a
narrow plank； some sixteen feet in length； which had
been bound above the long bearing…pole of her hammock；
as I had thought to make the curtains spread out
better； but； as it now appeared； for some unknown
purpose connected with our extraordinary undertaking。
Accordingly； the plank； which； though tough； was very
light； was given to Job to carry； and also one of the
lamps。 I slung the other on to my back； together with
a spare jar of oil； while Leo loaded himself with the
provisions and some water in a kid's skin。 When this
was done _i_ She _i_ bade Billali and the six bearer
mutes to retreat behind a grove of flowering magnolias
about a hundred yards away； and remain there under
pain of death till we had vanished。 They bowed humbly；
and went； and； as he departed； old Billali gave me a
friendly shake of the hand； and whispered that he had
rather that it was I than he who was going on this
wonderful expedition with 〃 _i_ She _i_ …who…must…be…
obeyed；〃 and upon my word I felt inclined to agree
with him。 In another minute they were gone； and then；
having briefly asked us if we were ready； Ayesha
turned； and gazed up the towering cliff。
〃Goodness me； Leo；〃 I said； 〃surely we are not going
to climb that precipice！〃
Leo shrugged his shoulders； being in a condition of
half…fascinated； half…expectant mystification； and as
he did so Ayesha with a sudden move began to climb the
cliff； and of course we had to follow her。 It was
perfectly marvellous to see the ease and grace with
which she sprang from rock to rock； and swung herself
along the ledges。 The ascent was not； however； so
difficult as it seemed； although there were one or two
nasty places where it did not do to look behind you；
the fact being that the rock still sloped here； and
was not absolutely precipitous； as it was higher up。
In this way we； with no great labor； mounted to the
height of some fifty feet above our last standing…
place； the only really troublesome thing to manage
being Job's board； and in doing so drew some fifty or
sixty paces to the left of our starting…point； for we
went up like a crab； sideways。 Presently we reached a
ledge； narrow enough at first； but which widened as we
followed it； and moreover sloped inward like the petal
of a flower； So that as we followed it we gradually
got into a kind of rut or fold of rock that grew
deeper and deeper； till at last it resembled a
Devonshire lane in stone； and hid us perfectly from
the gaze of anybody on the slope below； if there had
been anybody to gaze。 This lane （which appeared to be
a natural formation） continued for some fifty or sixty
paces； and then suddenly ended in a cave； also
natural； running at right angles to it。 I am sure that
it was a natural cave； and not hollowed by the hand of
man； because of its irregular and contorted shape and
course； which gave it the appearance of having been
blown bodily in the mountain by some frightful
eruption of gas following the line of least
resistance。 All the caves hollowed by the ancients of
Ko^r； on the contrary； were cut out with the most
perfect regularity and symmetry。 At the mouth of this
cave Ayesha halted； and bade us light the two lamps；
which I did； giving one to her and keeping the other
myself。 Then； taking the lead； she advanced down the
cavern； picking her way with great care； as indeed it
was necessary to do； for the floor was most irregular…
…strewn with boulders like the bed of a stream； and in
some places pitted with deep holes； in which it would
have been easy to break one's leg。
This cavern we pursued for twenty minutes or more； it
being； so far as I could form a judgmentowing to its
numerous twists and turns no easy taskabout a
quarter of a mile long。
At last； however； we halted at its farther end； and
while I was still trying to pierce the gloom a great
gust of air came tearing down it； and extinguished
both the lamps。
Ayesha called to us； and we crept up to her； for she
was a little in front； and were rewarded with a view
that was positively appalling in its gloom and
grandeur。 Before us was a mighty chasm in the black
rock； jagged and torn and splintered through it in a
far…past age by some awful convulsion of nature； as
though it had been cleft by stroke upon stroke of the
lightning。 This chasm； which was bounded by a
precipice on the hither； and presumably； though we
could not see it； on the farther side also； may have
measured any width across； but from its darkness I do
not think that it can have been very broad。 It was
impossible to make out much of its outline； or how far
it ran； for the simple reason that the point where we
were standing was so far from the upper surface of the
cliff； at least fifteen hundred or two thousand feet；
that only a very dim light struggled down to us from
above。 The mouth of the cavern that we had been
following gave on to a most curious and tremendous
spur of rock； which jutted out in mid…air into the
gulf before us for a distance of some fifty yards；
coming to a sharp point at its termination； and
resembling nothing that I can think of so much as the
spur upon the leg of a cock in shape。 This huge spur
was attached only to the parent precipice at its base；
which was； of course； enormous； just as the cock's
spur is attached to its leg。 Otherwise it was utterly
unsupported。
〃Here we must pass；〃 said Ayesha。 〃Be careful lest
giddiness overcome you； or the wind sweep you into the
gulf beneath； for of a truth it hath no bottom；〃 and；
without giving us any further time to get scared； she
started walking along the spur； leaving us to follow
her as best we might。 I was next to her； then came
Job； painfully dragging his plank； while Leo brought
up the rear。 It was a wonderful sight to see this
intrepid woman gliding fearlessly along that dreadful
place。 For my part； when I had gone but a very few
yards； what between the pressure of the air and the
awful sense of the consequences that a slip would
entail； I found it necessary to go down on my hands
and knees and crawl； and so did the other two。
But Ayesha never condescended to this。 On she went；
leaning her body against the gusts of wind； and never
seeming to lose her head or her balance。
In a few minutes we had crossed some twenty paces of
this awful bridge； which got narrower at every step；
and then all of a sudden a great gust came tearing
along the gorge。 I saw Ayesha lean herself against it；
but the strong draught got under her dark cloak； and
tore it from her； and away it went down the wind
flapping like a wounded bird。 It was dreadful to see
it go till it was lost in the blackness。 I clung to
the saddle of rock and looked round； while the great
spur vibrated with a humming sound beneath us； like a
living thing。 The sight was a truly awesome one。 There
we were poised in the gloom between earth and heaven。
Beneath us were hundreds upon hundreds of feet of
emptiness that gradually grew darker； till at last it
was absolutely black； and at what depth it ended is
more than I can gu