But as I kept my eye on the narrow
streak of light I was much startled, for I looked at the south-west
corner of the tomb, and yet was looking towards the sun. This I gathered
from the tone of the light; and although there was no direct outlet to
the air, and only a glimmer came in, as I have said, yet I knew certainly
that the sun was low in the west and falling full upon this stone.
Here was a surprise, and a sad one for me, for I perceived that I had
slept away a day, and that the sun was setting for another night. And yet
it mattered little, for night or daytime there was no light to help me in
this horrible place; and though my eyes had grown accustomed to the
gloom, I could make out nothing to show me where to work. So I took out
my tinder-box, meaning to fan the match into a flame, and to get at least
one moment's look at the place, and then to set to digging with my hands.
But as I lay asleep the top had been pressed off the box, and the tinder
got loose in my pocket; and though I picked the tinder out easily enough,
and got it in the box again, yet the salt damps of the place had soddened
it in the night, and spark by spark fell idle from the flint.
And then it was that I first perceived the danger in which I stood; for
there was no hope of kindling a light, and I doubted now whether even in
the light I could ever have done much to dislodge the great slab of
slate.
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