. let me
go!" Higher, shriller, more fearful and urgent, grew the voice--"LET ME
GO!"...
Soames' knees began to tremble beneath him; he clutched at the black
wall for support; then turned, and with unsteady footsteps crossed to
the door communicating with the corridor which contained his room.
It had a lever handle of the Continental pattern, and, trembling with
apprehension that it might prove to be locked, Soames pressed down this
handle.
The door opened...
"Hina, effendi!--hina!"
The voice sounded like that of Said....
"Oh! God in Heaven help me!... Help!--help!"...
"Imsik!"...
Footsteps were pattering upon the stone stairs; someone was descending
from the warehouse! The frenzied shrieks of the woman continued. Soames
broke into a cold perspiration; his heart, which had leaped wildly,
seemed now to have changed to a cold stone in his breast. Just at the
entrance to the corridor he stood, frozen with horror at those cries.
"Ikfil el-bab!" came now, in the voice of Ho-Pin,--and nearer.
"Let me go!... only let me go, and I will never breathe a word. ... Ah!
Ah! Oh! God of mercy! not the needle again! You are killing me!... not
the needle!"...
Soames staggered on to his own room and literally fell within--as across
the cave of the golden dragon, behind him, SOMEONE--one whom he did not
see but only heard, one whom with all his soul he hoped had not seen
HIM--passed rapidly.
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