Nothing before or around us but the darkness and the heat of the night that brought up the fever-fog; and from the distance came the horrid noise of a Chinese sing-song.
And we still walked on, till, in the darkness of the night, there loomed another darkness, thicker and more compact: and I saw it was the shadow of a pagoda.
The Second led the way right to the entrance; as we reached the threshold, a light sprang up within.
The Second was mounting the steps; I seized his arm and with my whole force tried to retain him; he did not even pause, but dragged me after him as if my strength were nothing. And so we went into the temple.
The light shone from the other end: we drew closer to it and stood in front. There, on a shrine, was an enormous figure of Buddha, sitting cross-legged, with six arms extended. The light shone from his eyes; and, glancing along his nostrils, on one side sparkled back. In his nose was a jewel the duplicate of that the Second wore; on the other side was a space for a second jewel, which was the Second's.
As I looked, I cried aloud and started back; my hand was still on the Second's arm, and so great was my terror that I drew him back with me a space. At that moment the pavement in front of us opened where but an instant before we had both been standing; and in the void revealed, I felt and smelt, rather than saw, the foetid moisture of a bottomless water-pit. And the light in the idol's eyes burnt red.
A little finger touched my left hand: I turned. It was a woman, the same woman of the hut; who whispered, so that none but I could hear--
"Come, my lord, and quickly. Leave _him_ to his fate, for he is doomed. But thou, while there is yet time, come."
"Yes," I said to her; "but not alone. _He_ must come too."
"Then I will try," she whispered; "yet it is Death we three look in the face."
She raised her hand and rubbed my lips with something she held, something that was cold like menthol, and bitter as gall. She did likewise to the Second, who at that seemed to awake from sleep and stare about him bewildered. And taking me by the hand, and I the Second, she led us to the door; and the door was shut and barred, and the light in the idol went out.
"There is another way," she said at last, and led us on; till behind a pillar she stopped and stooped, and, groping for some time, found at last a rude staple in the stonework.