With the aid of his hunting knife, he set himself to work picking out the precious gems2 that were within his reach at all times.
Now and then, when some one of unusual size fell into his palm he uttered an exclamation3 of delight, and turned and held it up for Ariel to admire. She smiled at his pleasure, and showed her sympathy by assisting in the excavation4 of the marvellous pebbles5.
As they toiled6, they advanced, sometimes a step at a time, and then for several paces. Conscious that he could carry away only an infinitely8 small portion of the riches, Ashman found himself in the unparalleled situation of casting aside the smaller gems and taking only those that were large and of the first water.
Who before was compelled to fling away diamonds worth hundreds of dollars apiece, simply because they were of too insignificant9 value to be carried with him? Ariel, who was a much better expert than he, carefully selected the choicest until she was burdened with all she could conveniently carry. He filled his pockets and thrust others into every receptacle at command. The partially10 emptied cartridge-belt was made to do duty as a casket, and it is safe to say that no similar contrivance was ever laden12 with a tithe13 of the riches that particular one held.
"Ah," reflected the young man again and again, "if only the Professor and Long were here to help me!"
But there came the time, all too soon, when he was forced to admit that it was useless to attempt to carry more. He had the wealth of a prince about his person, and yet the storehouse showed no diminution14 of its boundless15 supply, which was enough to burden a regiment16 of soldiers.
Gold, the most precious of all metals, for which men delve17 and starve and toil7 and die, still lies hidden in immeasurable masses, in unsuspected places, screened perhaps by a thin sheeting of earth, over which thousands have tramped, never dreaming of the boundless riches just beneath their feet. And rubies18 and diamonds strew19 the bottom of the ocean or scintillate20 within caverns21 and caves, as they have shone and gleamed through ages, still waiting for the fortunate miner or explorer to bring them to light and the gaze of an admiring world.
"If I ever live to get away from this spot," added Ashman, when he ceased his wonderful garnering22, "I will bring a force here; I can afford to make it irresistible23 by King Haffgo, for every one of the men can take away a fortune and leave more than enough for these barbarians24."
"I can take no more," he said, turning his flushed face upon the radiant countenance25 just behind him; "King Haffgo will never miss these, but when I carry you to my distant home, Ariel, where I shall cherish and love you forever, these diamonds will bring us such wealth that we shall never know the meaning of want; every luxury that affection can dream of, or heart can crave26, shall be yours."
"The greatest luxury my heart yearns27 for," said she softly, "is your love."
"And that you have now," he replied catching28 her in his arms and straining her to his heart.
"I am sure of it," replied the happy maiden29, resisting no longer the ardent30 embrace of him whose affection seemed to grow with every passing hour.
"All that I pray heaven to grant is the opportunity to prove to you that you are not mistaken. I do not want to leave here or ever see my home again unless you are with me. I shall live or die with you, for death with you is preferable to life without you, my cherished, my own Ariel."
The radiant countenance was illumined by a light such as only the divine passion can impart. She did not speak, for there are some emotions of the soul beyond the power of language.
The hunt for the diamonds had taken the lovers to a point almost opposite the entrance. They observed what they had not noticed during their absorbing work,—the ledge31 along which they advanced, steadily32 ascended33 until it carried them to a point half-way to the top of the mighty34 dome35. Standing36 there, they could look back on the awful chasms37 spread below their feet, the crimsoned38 walls, sparkling and scintillating39 with innumerable gems, with the craggy roof seemingly almost within their reach.
Looking over the wild, dazzling, unapproachable scene, the American was considering the practical question of what was next to be done, when Ariel at his side abruptly40 seized his arm with an intensity41 which startled and caused him to ask,
"What has frightened you, dearest?"
With a gasp42, she pointed43 to the other side of the cavern, where they had entered this region of enchantment44 and wonders.
A procession of figures was moving along the ledge, over which they had just made their way. The intervening objects shut them partly out of sight, but the heads and shoulders of several were always in view and they were moving with the utmost haste possible.
The foremost figure was a white man; the next was a dusky giant, and the third was of fair complexion45, while all the others were of the hue46 of native Africans.
There could be no mistaking the identity of the leaders: the foremost was Waggaman, the second, Ziffak, and the third, King Haffgo. Those who followed were the pick of the Murhapa warriors47.
It mattered not whether Ariel was right in her belief that the existence of the cavern of diamonds was unknown to every one else, or that some fateful good fortune had directed the party to the entrance. It was enough that they had found it, and were now pressing forward along the very ridge11 on which they had halted, and stood gazing back in amazement48 and horror, unable for the moment to divine what could be done to help themselves.
But Ashman needed but a few seconds to decide his course. He held his Winchester and revolver and was ready to die in the defence of the idol49 of his heart.
"Have courage," he said; "all is not yet lost."
The ledge on which they stood was so narrow that there was no room for two to walk beside each other. Lifting the gentle form in one arm, he swung her over the abyss at his feet and placed her on the ledge in front of him.
The danger was at the rear, and that was the place for him.
"Now advance," he added; "we may find a better spot than this for defence."
He feared that his pursuers might divide, and some of them start around the other way, so as to come upon him from the opposite side. If that were done, he would be caught between two fires; and, since one of the party possessed50 a gun, the advantage would be preponderatingly against him.
There was subject, too, for perplexing thought in the situation. He had no wish to shoot King Haffgo, and would not do it if any possible way of avoiding it should present itself. He determined51 that he should be spared until the last one, when he could probably be handled, without resorting to the last extremity52.
Then, too, he felt no doubt about the presence of the giant Ziffak. He was the friend of himself and Ariel, though for politic53 reasons he had assumed the guise54 of an enemy. His situation was a most delicate one, and, even in his bewilderment and anxiety, Ashman could not help wondering how he would conduct himself in the crisis at hand.
Inasmuch as the American was resolved to avoid injuring the dusky Hercules, it will be observed that there were two of the company of pursuers whom he was much more anxious to spare than he was to inflict55 harm upon the rest.
He was hopeful for a moment that he and his companion had not been detected, but a resounding56 shout echoed through the cavern of diamonds—a shout of such amazing power that he knew it had come from the throat of Ziffak himself, who, as if to make sure his meaning was not misunderstood, brandished57 his mighty javelin58 over his prodigious59 head and shoulders, as he almost pushed his leader from the path in front of him.
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1
cavern
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| n.洞穴，大山洞 | |
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gems
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| growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长 | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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excavation
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| n.挖掘，发掘；被挖掘之地 | |
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pebbles
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| [复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 ) | |
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toiled
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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8
infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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tithe
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| n.十分之一税；v.课什一税，缴什一税 | |
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diminution
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| n.减少；变小 | |
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boundless
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| adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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delve
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| v.深入探究，钻研 | |
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rubies
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| 红宝石( ruby的名词复数 )； 红宝石色，深红色 | |
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strew
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| vt.撒；使散落；撒在…上，散布于 | |
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scintillate
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| v.闪烁火光；放出火花 | |
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caverns
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| 大山洞，大洞穴( cavern的名词复数 ) | |
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garnering
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| v.收集并（通常）贮藏（某物），取得，获得( garner的现在分词 ) | |
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irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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barbarians
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| n.野蛮人( barbarian的名词复数 )；外国人；粗野的人；无教养的人 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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crave
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| vt.渴望得到，迫切需要，恳求，请求 | |
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yearns
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| 渴望，切盼，向往( yearn的第三人称单数 ) | |
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catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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ardent
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
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ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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dome
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| n.圆屋顶，拱顶 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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chasms
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| 裂缝( chasm的名词复数 )； 裂口； 分歧； 差别 | |
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crimsoned
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| 变为深红色（crimson的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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scintillating
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| adj．才气横溢的,闪闪发光的; 闪烁的 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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44
enchantment
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| n.迷惑，妖术，魅力 | |
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45
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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hue
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| n.色度；色调；样子 | |
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47
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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48
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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idol
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| n.偶像，红人，宠儿 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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52
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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politic
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| adj.有智虑的；精明的；v.从政 | |
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54
guise
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| n.外表，伪装的姿态 | |
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55
inflict
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| vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担 | |
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resounding
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| adj. 响亮的 | |
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57
brandished
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| v.挥舞( brandish的过去式和过去分词 )；炫耀 | |
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javelin
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| n.标枪，投枪 | |
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prodigious
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| adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的 | |
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