Curdie followed them again with renewed precaution. For a long time
he
heard no sound except something like the rush of a river inside the
rock; but at length what seemed the far-off noise of a great shouting
reached his ears, which however presently ceased. After advancing a
good
way farther, he thought he heard a single voice. It sounded clearer and
clearer as he went on, until at last he could almost distinguish the
words. In a moment or two, keeping after the goblins round another
corner, he once more started back--this time in amazement.
He was at the entrance of a magnificent cavern, of an oval shape, once
probably a huge natural reservoir of water, now the great palace hall of
the goblins. It rose to a tremendous height, but the roof was composed
of such shining materials, and the multitude of torches carried by the
goblins who crowded the floor lighted up the place so brilliantly, that
Curdie could see to the top quite well. But he had no idea how
immense
the place was, until his eyes had got accustomed to it, which was not
for a good many minutes. The rough projections on the walls, and the
shadows thrown upward from them by the torches, made the sides of
the
chamber look as if they were crowded with statues upon brackets and
Madhuri Noah
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