w, and such
a spectacle as we presented I have never set eyes on before or since.
Gaunt-cheeked, hollow-eyed wretches, smeared all over with dust and
mud, bruised, bleeding, the long fear of imminent death yet written on
our countenances, we were, indeed, a sight to frighten the daylight.
And yet it is a solemn fact that Good's eye-glass was still fixed in
Good's eye. I doubt whether he had ever taken it out at all. Neither
the darkness, nor the plunge in the subterranean river, nor the roll
down the slope, had been able to separate Good and his eye-glass.
Presently we rose, fearing that our limbs would stiffen if we stopped
there longer, and commenced with slow and painful steps to struggle up
the sloping sides of the great pit. For an hour or more we toiled
steadfastly up the blue clay, dragging ourselves on by the help of the
roots and grasses with which it was clothed. But now I had no more
thought of leaving the basket; indeed, nothing but death should have
parted us.
At last it was done, and we stood by the great road, on that side of
the pit which is opposite to the Colossi.
At the side of the road, a hundred yards off, a fire was burning in
front of some huts, and round the fire were figures. We staggered
towards them, supporting one another, and halting every few paces.
Presently one of the figures rose, saw us and fell on to the ground,
crying out for fear.
"Infadoos, Infadoos! it is we, thy friends."
He rose; he ran to us, staring wildly, and still shaking with fear.
"Oh, my lords, my lords, it is indeed you come back from the
dead!--come back from the dead!"
And the old warrior flung himself down before us, and clasping Sir
Henry's knees, he wept aloud for joy.
CHAPTER XIX
IGNOSI'S FAREWELL
Ten days from that eventful morning found us once more in our old
quarters at Loo; and, strange to say, but little the worse for our
terrible experience, except that my stubbly hair came out of the
treasure cave about three shades greyer than it went in, and that Good
never was quite the same after Foulata's death, which seemed to move
him very greatly. I am bound to say, looking at the thing from the
point of view of an oldish man of the world, that I consider her
removal was a fortunate occurrence, since, otherwise, complications
would have been sure to ensue. The poor creature was no ordinary native
girl, but a person of great, I had almost said stately, beauty, and of
considerable refinemen
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