[Allan Quatermain by by H. Rider Haggard]@TWC D-Link book
Allan Quatermain

CHAPTER VIII
17/20

I ground my teeth! Fire flashed from my eyes! I shouted "En avant!" and longed to slay.

Before my eyes there rose a vision of my heroic grandfather! In short, I was mad! I was a warrior indeed! But then in my heart I heard a small voice: "Alphonse," said the voice, "restrain thyself, Alphonse! Give not way to this evil passion! These men, though black, are brothers! And thou wouldst slay them?
Cruel Alphonse!" The voice was right.

I knew it; I was about to perpetrate the most horrible cruelties: to wound! to massacre! to tear limb from limb! And how restrain myself?
I looked round; I saw the tree, I perceived the hole.

"Entomb thyself," said the voice, "and hold on tight! Thou wilt thus overcome temptation by main force!" It was bitter, just when the blood of my heroic grandfather boiled most fiercely; but I obeyed! I dragged my unwilling feet along; I entombed myself! Through the hole I watched the battle! I shouted curses and defiance on the foe! I noted them fall with satisfaction! Why not?
I had not robbed them of their lives.

Their gore was not upon my head.


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