Page:Gaston Leroux--The bride of the sun.djvu/297

283 Again he bent over the rigid face of a long-forgotten Coya.

Dick fell to the ground as if stunned. But Orellana was already at work again, setting him the example, and the young engineer was on his feet in a moment. It must be that other one on the left, then! Once again he wrenched the pick from the old man's feeble hands and hammered on the granite… The minutes are flying … flying. And She [sic] may be dying behind that slab, struggling for breath!… The thunder of blows echoed through the hall … the stone moved … slipped … fell.… At last…. No!… Another dead woman…. Another, another!… Not Maria-Teresa!

"Maria Cristina! My daughter! Dearest, I am coming! Your father is here!"

While Dick staggered to the wall, staring before him with blind eyes, the old man, peering into the tomb, had recognized his child.

"Maria Cristina! Dearest! Wait, wait! Only one more stone, and you will be out of your prison!"

Sobbing and laughing in turn, Orellana worked desperately, finding the strength of his youth anew.

Then Dick fell on him.

"Give me that pick. You're wasting time on a dead woman. Give it to me, I say!"