no point could they detect even the faintest movement of air in the
tunnels, and in the end they came back to the flooded shaft and stared
despairingly at the pool of still black water that blocked it.
'That is the only way out,' von Schiller whispered.
11 wonder if the monk escaped that way,' said Nahoot as he slumped down
the wall.
'There is no other way.'
They were silent for a while; it -was difficult to judge the passage of
time in the tomb. Now that the river had found its own level there was
no movement of water in the shaft, and the faint and distant sound of
the current running through the sink-hole seemed merely to enhance the
silence. In it they could hear their own breathing.
Nahoot spoke at last. 'The fuel in the generator. It must be running
low. I did not see any reserves-'
They thought about what would happen when the small fuel tank ran dry.
They thought about the darkness to come.
Suddenly von Schiller screamed, 'You have to go out through the shaft to
fetch help. I order you to do it., Nahoot stared at him in disbelief.
'It's over a hundred yards back through the tunnel to the outside, and
the river is in flood.'
Von Schiller sprang to his feet and stood over Nahoot threateningly.
'The monk escaped that way. It's the only way. You must swim through the
tunnel and reach Helm and Nogo. Helm will know what to do. He will make
a plan to get me out of here.'
'You are mad.' Nahoot backed away from him, but'von Schiller followed
him.
'I order you to do id'
'You crazy old man!' Nahoot tried to scramble to his feet, but von
Schiller swung the heavy golden flail, a sudden unexpected blow in
Nahoot's face that knocked him over backwards, splitting his lips and
breaking off two of his front teeth.
'You are rnad!' he wailed. 'You can't do this-' but von Schiller swung
again and again, lacerating his face and Is of the whip cutting
shoulders, the heavy golden tai through the thin cotton of his shirt.
'I will kill you,' von Schiller screamed, raining blows on him. 'If you
don't obey me I will kill you.'
'Stop!, Nahoot whined. 'No, please, stop. I will do it, only stop.'
He crawled away from von Schiller, dragging himself along the floor of
the tunnel until he sat waist-deep in the water.
AZT',, 'Give me time to prepare he pleaded.
'Go now!' Von Schiller menaced him, lifting the whip high. 'Very likely
you will find air trapped in the tunnel.
You will find your way through. Go!'
Nahoot scooped a double handful of water and dashed it into his own
face, washing away the blood that poured from one of the deep cuts in
his cheek.
'I have to take off my clothes, my shoes,' he whimpered, pleading for
time, but von Schiller would not allow him to leave the water.
Do it where you are standing, he ordered, brandishing the heavy whip. In
