Without further mishap he reached it, opened it, and entered
the blackness of the corridor. He could make no mistake in regard to
the door, for it was the end one. He stole quietly along, his fingers
touching the matting, until he came in contact with the corner angle;
then, feeling along from the wall until he touched the strip of bamboo
which marked the end of the door, he probed about gently with the key;
for he knew to within an inch or so where the keyhole was situated.
Ah! he had it! His hand trembling slightly, he sought to insert the key
in the lock. It defied his efforts. He felt it gently with the fingers
of his left hand, thinking that he might have been endeavoring to
insert the key with the irregular edge downward, and not uppermost; but
no--such was not the case.
Again he tried, and with no better result. His nerves were threatening
to overcome him, now; he had not counted upon any such hitch as this:
but fear sharpened his wits. He recollected the fall which he had
sustained, and how he had been precipitated upon the polished floor,
outside.
Could he have mistaken his direction? Was it not possible that owing to
his momentary panic, he had arisen, facing not the door at the foot of
the steps, as he had supposed, but that by which a moment earlier he had
entered the cave of the golden dragon?
Desperation was with him now; he was gone too far to draw back.
Pages:
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363