CHAPTER XXXV.

"I soon recovered from my passing weakness, and, crawling on my hands and knees, I made my way, as quickly as possible, to the reservoir, and, as I feared, the grave of my friends.

"The flood, now that it had vanquished every obstacle, seemed to have abated its fury. A moment before, it had thrown me down to the ground and carried me away; now it drew me onwards and swept me along its granite bed, but I was master of it. I did not lose my breath, and I was no longer helpless.

"When I reached the reservoir I clung to the trunk of a tree which had been overthrown by the hurricane and I peered down into the whirlpool.

"It was surging, boiling, lashing itself into fury against the walls of its prison, and looked like some sea let loose by the tempest, which, confined once more in limits too narrow for it, sought for freedom.

"And in this whirlpool I saw nothing—nothing; the dead bodies of my friends rose not to the surface, were nowhere to be seen. Some eddy, doubtless, had formed and held them captive below.

"Ah! there was no hesitation now. I have told you that I was mad with grief. I had but one wish—to join them, to be buried with them in their watery grave.

"But, at the very moment when my hands were loosening their grasp of the tree they had so eagerly clutched, at the very moment when my body hung over the abyss, I heard a voice. I stopped and listened.

"It was Ali calling me.

"What was he to me? More fortunate, more calculating than my companions, he doubtless had not taken refuge in the cavern and was saved.

"Once more I hung over the abyss, but fresh voices sounded on my ear, a few paces from me, as if from the ledge I had just left.

"I listened—it was Delange's voice—and then Périères spoke.

"How came they there, behind me, instead of being below my feet, at the bottom of the abyss? By what miracle had they been saved?

"I could not think—I imagined I was dreaming—I was mad.

"I turned round, crying out, 'here I am, here I am!' and toiled painfully up towards the ledge, struggling now against the current, but buoyed up with hope and courage.

"At last I managed to crawl out of the bed which the torrent had hollowed out, I stood once more on my feet, and made my way towards the place whence the voices came.

"I saw Périères and Delange.

"As soon as they caught sight of me they rushed towards me.

"'Ah!' I exclaimed, looking round in all directions, and with my voice trembling with emotion, 'Madame de Guéran is not with you! She has perished?'

"'No, no,' said Périères, 'she is saved!'

"'Nobody has perished,' added Delange, 'neither Madame de Guéran, nor Miss Poles!'

"'Where are they?' I asked.

"'Close by, under the care of our guide; they are bruised and battered about, but they have not sustained any serious injury.'

"Then I raised my eyes to look at our two friends, and I saw that their hands and faces were bleeding.

"'What is the matter with you? What has happened?' I exclaimed. 'Tell me all—I do not understand. Is it really you? Are you alive, and how is it that you, by some blessed chance, were able to leave the cavern, without my seeing you, before that terrible accident happened? And, then, how comes this blood, these wounds? Why are you hurt?'

"'We were under the rock, in the reservoir,' said Périères.

"'Impossible.'

"'Quite true,' said Delange.

"'But how?'

"'How?' he replied. 'At the bottom of the reservoir, and at one end there is a large opening, a sort of subterranean passage debouching on to a lower ledge. The torrent, rushing into the cavern, hurled us towards this opening, dragged us into the passage, and, after a second or two, threw us back, half-suffocated, wounded, bleeding, as you see us, but alive—very much alive, as you may perceive.'

"I began to understand, my head became clearer, I could collect my ideas, and I had no more fear for my reason.

"'You are certain,' said I, 'that Madame de Guéran is not seriously injured?'

"'I assure you,' replied Delange, 'that her forehead and wrists alone are hurt. Miss Poles has always some plaister with her (rather stiff from the bath it has had), and at this moment she is dressing the wounds of the Baroness as skilfully as I could do it myself.'

"'And you may add,' continued Périères, looking at me with a somewhat mournful smile, 'that Madame de Guéran is very anxious about you, my dear friend, and is wondering if you have not been crushed by the trees, carried away by the torrent, and, moreover, has insisted on our coming to look after you.'

"'Then,' I exclaimed, 'let us hasten to set her mind at rest.'

"'Come along, my rival,' whispered Périères to me.

"But as he spoke, his unwounded hand sought mine, as if the brave fellow were asking for pardon for the momentary impulse of jealousy to which he had given way.

"'Ah,' said I, as we all made our way towards the lower ledge, 'your safety is indeed, a source of joy to me; but I should be happier still if it were not for one thing—I have a revenge to take, and I do not see my way to it.'

"'You have plenty of time before you,' replied Périères; 'our _rôle_ will, perhaps, speedily be reversed, and you will be the foremost.'

"'That is what I long for.'

"'De Morin,' said Delange, suddenly, 'suppose we have our little game?'

"'Surely, Doctor, you are not serious?' said I.

"'No, my dear fellow, I am too damp.'

"'And a good thing, too,' I replied; 'for if you had been in earnest I would have throttled you, and so have got rid, once and for all, of you and your cards. I have no right to break my word, or to fail to carry out my engagement, but nothing prevents my putting an end to you.'

"'Nothing, I admit. Only, you would not be placed in such an extremity. You lost yesterday, and it is I who have to meet your wishes.'

"'True, I forgot it. Then I substitute a bet for the cards.'

"'What?'

"'That I will reach the rock near which I see Madame de Guéran before you do.'

"'Done,' said Delange, 'it will warm me.'

"He started off in the required direction in such earnest as to convince me that, however seriously his hands and face were damaged, his legs were intact. I left off running, for I did not want to come upon Madame de Guéran like an avalanche, though I was very anxious that she should see, as quickly as possible, that I was safe and sound. Delange thus became my unconscious messenger, and his run cost me a thousand francs.

"When I reached Madame de Guéran, in due course, I held out my hands, which she grasped warmly, and as I looked at her I saw that she was pale and agitated.

"'We escaped rather well!' said she, smiling.

"'I thought you were dead,' was my reply.

"'And what would you have done?' said she, turning towards me with that frank look which you one evening noticed.

"'I should have died, too.'

"'Truly?' she asked, still looking at me.

"'Truly.'

"'I believe you,' she said, and she once more held out her hand, which, carried away by an irresistible impulse, I raised to my lips.

"Périères came up at this moment, and then I remembered Miss Poles, who might be hurt at my not having enquired after her. I went to her, and found her sitting, leaning against a rock, with Delange on his knees before her, binding up her foot.

"'Are you hurt?' I asked, concernedly.

"'A sprain,' she replied, and, holding out her foot, she added, with a smile, 'according to my sin am I judged.'

"The storm had passed away, and the sky was as clear and tranquil as it was in the early morn. A glorious sun, which now we blessed, dried our sodden garments. We commenced the descent, step by step, picking our way cautiously, like people who are not quite sure whether they are alive or not. Miss Poles also retarded our progress, in spite of all her efforts to keep up with us and cause us no inconvenience.

"But the Doctor expressly forbade her walking a single step, and so she was compelled to allow herself to be carried in turn by Ali and the Bedouin, Périères and myself.

"At the foot of the mountain we found the camels, which, by a happy thought, we had ordered. Miss Poles was hoisted, notwithstanding her resistance, on to the back of one of these animals. We mounted the others, and, two hours afterwards, we reached our camp.

"Our three Nubians were asleep, as is their wont, and Joseph was revelling with his donkey on the plain."