THE excitement of the last few hours, the terrible struggle and its
awful conclusion, had utterly exhausted me, and I lay where I had
fallen, almost deprived of sense or power of motion. The voice of
Bug-Jargal restored me to myself.
“Brother,” cried he, “hasten to leave this place. In half an hour the
sun will have set; I will meet you in the valley. Follow Rask.”
The words of my friend restored hope, strength, and courage to me. I
rose to my feet. The great dog ran rapidly down the subterranean
passage; I followed him, his bark guiding me through the darkness. After
a time I saw a streak of light, and in a few minutes I gained the
entrance, and breathed more freely as I passed through the archway. As I
left the damp and gloomy vault behind me, I recalled to my mind the
prediction of the dwarf, and its fatal fulfilment, “_One only of us
shall return by this road_.” His attempt had failed, but the prophecy
had been carried out.