Копи царя Соломона

           "IhearInfadoos; Iknowthee,thoudidsteverlovebigwords; whenthouwastababeIrememberthoudidstthreatenthineownmother. Thatwasbuttheotherday. But,fearnot,fearnot,Iliveonlytodothebiddingoftheking. Ihavedonethebiddingofmanykings,Infadoos,tillintheendtheydidmine. Ha!ha!Igotolookupontheirfacesoncemore,andTwala’salso! Comeon,comeon,hereisthelamp," andshedrewalargegourdfullofoil,andfittedwitharushwick,fromunderherfurcloak. 

           "Artthoucoming,Foulata?"askedGoodinhisvillainousKitchenKukuana,inwhichhehadbeenimprovinghimselfunderthatyounglady’stuition. 

           "Ifear,mylord,"thegirlansweredtimidly. 

           "Thengivemethebasket." 

           "Nay,mylord,whitherthougoestthereIgoalso." 

           "Thedeuceyouwill!"thoughtItomyself; "thatmayberatherawkwardifweevergetoutofthis." 

           WithoutfurtheradoGagoolplungedintothepassage,whichwaswideenoughtoadmitoftwowalkingabreast,andquitedark. Wefollowedthesoundofhervoiceasshepipedtoustocomeon,insomefearandtrembling,whichwasnotallayedbytheflutterofasuddenrushofwings. 

           "Hullo!what’sthat?"halloedGood;"somebodyhitmeintheface." 

           "Bats,"saidI;"onyougo." 

           When,sofaraswecouldjudge,wehadgonesomefiftypaces,weperceivedthatthepassagewasgrowingfaintlylight. Anotherminute,andwewereinperhapsthemostwonderfulplacethattheeyesoflivingmanhavebeheld.