"But, at the very moment when my hands were loosening their grasp of the tree they had so eagerly clutched, at the very moment when my body hung over the abyss, I heard a voice. I stopped and listened. "It was Ali calling me. "What was he to me? More fortunate, more calculating than my companions, he doubtless had not taken refuge in the cavern and was saved. "Once more I hung over the abyss, but fresh voices sounded on my ear, a few paces from me, as if from the ledge I had just left. "I listened—it was Delange's voice—and then Périères spoke. "How came they there, behind me, instead of being below my feet, at the bottom of the abyss? By what miracle had they been saved? "I could not think—I imagined I was dreaming—I was mad. "I turned round, crying out, 'here I am, here I am!' and toiled painfully up towards the ledge, struggling now against the current, but buoyed up with hope and courage. "At last I managed to crawl out of the bed which the torrent had hollowed out, I stood once more on my feet, and made my way towards the place whence the voices came. "I saw Périères and Delange. "As soon as they caught sight of me they rushed towards me. "'Ah!' I exclaimed, looking round in all directions, and with my voice trembling with emotion, 'Madame de Guéran is not with you! She has perished?' "'No, no,' said Périères, 'she is saved!' "'Nobody has perished,' added Delange, 'neither Madame de Guéran, nor Miss Poles!' "'Where are they?' I asked. "'Close by, under the care of our guide; they are bruised and battered about, but they have not sustained any serious injury.' "Then I raised my eyes to look at our two friends, and I saw that their hands and faces were bleeding. "'What is the matter with you? What has happened?' I exclaimed. 'Tell me all—I do not understand. Is it really you? Are you alive, and how is it that you, by some blessed chance, were able to leave the cavern, without my seeing you, before that terrible accident happened? And, then, how comes this blood, these wounds? Why are you hurt?' "'We were under the rock, in the reservoir,' said Périères. "'Impossible.' "'Quite true,' said Delange. "'But how?' "'How?' he replied. 'At the bottom of the reservoir, and at one end there is a large opening, a sort of subterranean passage debouching on to a lower ledge. The torrent, rushing into the cavern, hurled us towards this opening, dragged us into the passage, and, after a second or two, threw us back, half-suffocated, wounded, bleeding, as you see us, but alive—very much alive, as you may perceive.' "I began to understand, my head became clearer, I could collect my ideas, and I had no more fear for my reason. "'You are certain,' said I, 'that Madame de Guéran is not seriously injured?'