Копи царя Соломона
Good Falls Sick
Fromeverydirectioncamethesoundofthewailingofwomenwhosehusbands,sons,andbrothershadperishedinthebattle. Nowonderthattheywailed,forovertwelvethousandmen,ornearlyafifthoftheKukuanaarmy,hadbeendestroyedinthatawfulstruggle. Itwasheart-rendingtolieandlistentotheircriesforthosewhoneverwouldreturn; anditmademeunderstandthefullhorroroftheworkdonethatdaytofurtherman’sambition. Towardsmidnight,however,theceaselesscryingofthewomengrewlessfrequent,tillatlengththesilencewasonlybrokenatintervalsofafewminutesbyalongpiercinghowlthatcamefromahutinourimmediaterear, which,asIafterwardsdiscovered,proceededfromGagool"keening"overthedeadkingTwala.
AfterthatIgotalittlefitfulsleep,onlytowakefromtimetotimewithastart, thinkingthatIwasoncemoreanactorintheterribleeventsofthelasttwenty-fourhours. NowIseemedtoseethatwarriorwhommyhandhadsenttohislastaccountchargingatmeonthemountain-top;nowIwasoncemoreinthatgloriousringofGreys, whichmadeitsimmortalstandagainstallTwala’sregimentsuponthelittlemound; andnowagainIsawTwala’splumedandgoryheadrollpastmyfeetwithgnashingteethandglaringeye.
Atlast,somehoworother,thenightpassedaway; butwhendawnbrokeIfoundthatmycompanionshadsleptnobetterthanmyself.
