The Most Dangerous Game 6

Bleak darkness was blacking out the sea and jungle when Rainsfordsighted the lights. He came upon them as he turned a crook in the coastline; and his first thought was that be had come upon a village, forthere were many lights. But as he forged along he saw to his greatastonishment that all the lights were in one enormous building–a loftystructure with pointed towers plunging upward into the gloom. His eyesmade out the shadowy outlines of a palatial chateau; it was set on ahigh bluff, and on three sides of it cliffs dived down to where the sealicked greedy lips in the shadows.  “Mirage,” thought Rainsford. But it was no mirage, he found, when heopened the tall spiked iron gate. The stone steps were real enough; themassive door with a leering gargoyle for a knocker was real enough; yetabove it all hung an air of unreality. He lifted the knocker, and it creaked up stiffly, as if it had neverbefore been used. He let it fall, and it startled him with its boomingloudness. He thought he heard steps within; the door remained closed.Again Rainsford lifted the heavy knocker, and let it fall. The dooropened then–opened as suddenly as if it were on a spring–and Rainsfordstood blinking in the river of glaring gold light that poured out. Thefirst thing Rainsford’s eyes discerned was the largest man Rainsford hadever seen–a gigantic creature, solidly made and black bearded to thewaist. In his hand the man held a long-barreled revolver, and he waspointing it straight at Rainsford’s heart. Out of the snarl of beard two small eyes regarded Rainsford. “Don’t be alarmed,” said Rainsford, with a smile which he hoped wasdisarming. “I’m no robber. I fell off a yacht. My name is SangerRainsford of New York City.”