"Follow me quickly," said my guide; "do not look round!" and, as we
went, I heard the crowd closing up in a menacing way behind us. But we
walked straight forward, neither slowly nor hurriedly but at a
deliberate pace, to the gateway which opened on the cliffs. At this
point I saw a confusion in the crowd, as though some one were being kept
back, and in the forefront of the throng, gesticulating and arguing,
was Lucius himself, with his back to us. Just as we reached the gate I
heard a cry; and from the crowd there ran Cynthia, with her hair
unbound, in terror and faintness. Our guide opened the gate, and
motioned us swiftly through, turning round to face the crowd, which now
ran in upon us. I saw him wave his arm; and then he came quickly through
the gate and closed it. He looked at us with a smile. "Don't be afraid,"
he said; "that was a dangerous business. But they cannot touch us here."
As he said the word, there burst from the gardens behind us a storm of
the most hideous and horrible cries I had ever heard, like the howling
of wild beasts. Cynthia clung to me in terror, and nearly swooned in my
arms.
Pages:
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249