Погребённый с фараонами

           ButatthisjunctureIbegantowake—oratleast,toassumeaconditionlesscompletelythatofsleepthantheonejustpreceding. Irecalledthefightatopthepyramid,thetreacherousBedouinsandtheirattack,myfrightfuldescentbyropethroughendlessrockdepths,andmymadswingingandplunginginachillvoidredolentofaromaticputrescence. IperceivedthatInowlayonadamprockfloor,andthatmybondswerestillbitingintomewithunloosenedforce. Itwasverycold,andIseemedtodetectafaintcurrentofnoisomeairsweepingacrossme. ThecutsandbruisesIhadreceivedfromthejaggedsidesoftherockshaftwerepainingmewoefully,theirsorenessenhancedtoastingingorburningacutenessbysomepungentqualityinthefaintdraft,andthemereactofrollingoverwasenoughtosetmywholeframethrobbingwithuntoldagony. 

           AsIturnedIfeltatugfromabove,andconcludedthattheropewherebyIwasloweredstillreachedtothesurface. WhetherornottheArabsstillheldit,Ihadnoidea;norhadIanyideahowfarwithintheearthIwas. Iknewthatthedarknessaroundmewaswhollyornearlytotal,sincenorayofmoonlightpenetratedmyblindfold; butIdidnottrustmysensesenoughtoacceptasevidenceofextremedepththesensationofvastdurationwhichhadcharacterizedmydescent.