It came and went, and played fitfully on the granite walls; still
it remained. It was supernaturally brilliant; or so it seemed to
us, who had lived in utter darkness for many days.
I turned to Harry, and the man who had just been ready to die was
rising to his feet!
"Wait a minute--not so fast!" I said half angrily, springing to
support him. "And, for Heaven's sake, don't make any noise! We're
in no condition to fight now, and you know what that light
means."
"But what is it?" demanded the boy excitedly. "Come on, man--
let's go!"
To tell the truth, I felt as eager as he. For the first time I
understood clearly why the Bible and ancient mythology made such
a fuss about the lighting up of the world. Modern civilization is
too far away from its great natural benefits to appreciate them
properly.
And here was a curious instance of the force of habit--or,
rather, instinct--in man. So long as Harry and I had remained in
the dark passage and byways of the cavern we had proceeded almost
entirely without caution, with scarcely a thought of being
discovered.
But the first sight of light made us wary and careful and silent;
and yet we knew perfectly well that the denizens of this
underworld could see as well in the darkness as in the light--
perhaps even better.
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