This last part of the journey was not very long. The old mine was not so
narrow as the one they had just left. Large and lofty galleries led
directly to the shaft; it had not been necessary to dig very deep here
in order to find copper ore, and the shaft, which was of a moderate
depth and dry, remained as it had always been. Although they no longer
needed the old man, he still continued to lead them. The exaltation of
spirit which he had shown, gave no sign of sinking, his walk was firm,
and he held with a steady hand his brilliantly-burning torch. There
still seemed to be some living occupants of the mine, though it had been
quite abandoned, for now and then, as the miners proceeded, something
fled out of their path, either a mole frightened by the unexpected sight
of men, or a pole-cat which had made its home in these subterranean
passages.
Ivan continued to see in front of him the white Apparition, and he
believed that he heard Jesus calling and inviting him to follow.
The ground they were now passing over was almost entirely dry. It was
evident that if here water had ever streamed from the roofs and the
walls, it had long ago drained off down the slanting passages, probably
into the neighbouring mine. Here and there some water-drops were visible
shining on the stones, but one did not hear the loud noise of the
water-springs, nor the roar of the torrents rushing down the crevasses.
When the miners reached the shaft they beheld above their heads a
greyish light, a certain indication that they were no longer very far
from the surface of the earth.
"Well, now, how are we to get up?"
"There are still ladders left, but so rotten that they would not support
us."
"Listen to me," said the chief miner. "One of us must try to get up
there. Once he has got up, he will go and get help from the village.
Hullo! Where is the old man?"
Still under the impression of his fixed idea, the old man had seen Jesus
mounting the ladders and did not wish to remain behind. He thought no
more of his comrades; he had forgotten them. However, the higher he
climbed, clinging to the ladders, the more weary he felt. His weakness
overcame him again, and long-forgotten phantoms seemed to be climbing at
his side--he did not know whether they were phantoms or living beings.
He saw his mother; she was wearing the same miner's boots which he had
seen projecting from the mass of earth which covered her. He saw also
the old man who had loved and petted him when he was a child. He saw him
with his beard just as he used to be, wearing the same coarse shirt with
unbuttoned collar, showing his chest covered with grey hair. Both these
dumb companions smiled affectionately at him.
Overhead the orifice of the shaft continued to grow larger. The old man
could already distinguish a fragment of pure blue sky, for what seemed
from below the grey light of morning was, above the surface, the
splendour of a sunny day. And in this splendour, Jesus was continually
ascending, and was now well above the opening of the shaft.
He reached the last rung of the ladder. The earth was basking under the
bright autumnal sun. The grass, although withered, appeared rejuvenated
by it; yellowed leaves hung thickly on the branches of the birches.
Birds were winging a zigzag flight through the cloudless sky. On the
horizon mountains showed their forest-clothed summits. The air was
impregnated with a pleasant warmth.
Ivan gazed above him with an expression of astonishment. The Apparition
ascended higher and higher, inviting him to follow. His mother stood on
one side, the old man on the other, gazing at him....
The miners had seen the old man scale the ladders of the shaft. Then,
without listening to the chief miner, they hastened to follow him. They
followed so close one after the other that they seemed to be climbing on
each others' backs. When they reached the surface of the ground, they
suddenly paused and remained without moving, after having uncovered
their heads. They did not dare to disturb by a word the mystery which
was being consummated before their eyes. Nor was the consummation long
in coming. The miners formed a circle in the midst of which lay old
Ivan stretched on the ground, his face turned towards the sky, his arms
already numb, stretched far apart; his wide-open eyes saw no one; they
were intently fixed on the blue vault above him as though following some
one who was mounting in infinite space. His lips were seen to be feebly
moving, and when the chief miner bent over him, his keen ear caught the
dying old man's last whispers, "Here I am, Lord.... I am following You!"
[Illustration]
_MAHMOUD'S FAMILY_
[Illustration: "Your prediction is fulfilled. The Turk has escaped."]
_MAHMOUD'S FAMILY_