African realm, and for many years
happily ruled the world.'

CHAPTER XXI

I CLIMB THE CRAGS A SECOND TIME

I remember that I looked over the brink into the yeasty abyss with a
mind hovering between perplexity and tears. I wanted to sit down and
cry--why, I did not know, except that some great thing had happened.
My brain was quite clear as to my own position. I was shut in this
place, with no chance of escape and with no food. In a little I must
die of starvation, or go mad and throw myself after Laputa. And yet I
did not care a rush. My nerves had been tried too greatly in the past
week. Now I was comatose, and beyond hoping or fearing.

I sat for a long time watching the light play on the fretted sheet of
water and wondering where Laputa's body had gone. I shivered and wished
he had not left me alone, for the darkness would come in time and I had
no matches. After a little I got tired of doing nothing, and went
groping among the treasure chests. One or two were full of
coin--British sovereigns, Kruger sovereigns, Napoleons, Spanish and
Portuguese gold pieces, and many older coins ranging back to the Middle
Ages and even to the ancients. In one handful there was a splendid
gold stater, and in another a piece of Antoninus Pius. The treasure
had been collected for many years in many places, contributions of
chiefs from ancient hoards as well as the cash received from I.D.B. I
untied one or two of the little bags of stones and poured the contents
into my hands. Most of the diamonds were small, such as a labourer
might secrete on his person. The larger ones--and some were very
large--were as a rule discoloured, looking more like big cairngorms.
But one or two bags had big stones which even my inexperienced eye told
me were of the purest water. There must be some new pipe, I thought,
for these could not have been stolen from any known mine.

After that I sat on the floor again and looked at the water. It
exercised a mesmeric influence on me, soothing all care. I was quite
happy to wait for death, for death had no meaning to me. My hate and
fury were both lulled into a trance, since the passive is the next
stage to the overwrought.

It must have been full day outside now, for the funnel was bright with
sunshine, and even the dim cave caught a reflected radiance. As I
watched the river I saw a bird flash downward, skimming the water. It
turned into the cave and fluttered among its dark recesses.