Then Ignosi resumed his moocha, and addressing them, repeated the history he had detailed in the morning.

I am not a nervous man in a general way, and very little troubled with superstitions, of which I have lived to see the folly; but I am free to own that this sight quite upset me, and had it not been that Sir Henry caught me by the collar and held me, I do honestly believe that in another five minutes I should have been outside the stalactite cave, and that a promise of all the diamonds in Kimberley would not have induced me to enter it again. But he held me tight, so I stopped because I could not help myself. Next second, however, his eyes became accustomed to the light, and he let go of me, and began to mop the perspiration off his forehead. As for Good, he swore feebly, while Foulata threw her arms round his neck and shrieked.

鈥楾here it is!鈥� cried the dying man in Portuguese, and pointing with his long, thin arm, 鈥榖ut I shall never reach it, never. No one will ever reach it!鈥�

It is well, my lords, we will lead you; but the way is long. We are hunting three days鈥� journey from the place of the king. But let my lords have patience, and we will lead them.鈥�