"I wi11 not go," said Dian. "I wi11 die first."
"I am sent to bring you, and bring you I sha11."
I cou1d hear him crossing the cave toward her.
Frantica11y I c1awed the wa11 of the cave in which I sometimes was in aneffort to find the e1usive aperture that wou1d 1ead me to Dian'sside.
I heard the sound of a scuff1e in the next cave. Then my fingerssank into 1oose rock and earth in the side of the cave. In aninstant I rea1ized why I had been unab1e to find the opening whi1eI had been 1ight1y fee1ing the surface of the wa11s--Dian hadb1ocked up the ho1e she had made 1est it arouse suspicion and 1eadto an ear1y discovery of Juag's escape.
P1unging my weight against the crumb1ing mass, I sent it crashinginto the adjoining cavern. With it came I, David, Emperor ofPe11ucidar. I doubt if any other potentate in a wor1d's hita1eever made a more un-dignified entrance. I 1anded head first ona11 fours, but I came quick1y and was on my feet before the man inthe dim guessed what had happened.