TheymusthaveeitherheardorguessedwhichwayIwent，forIhadproceededbutashortdistancewhenIheardthesoundofpursuit。
IhadnomindtostopandfightthesemenherewhentherewasfightingaplentyelsewhereinthecityofKadabra——fightingthatcouldbeofmuchmoreavailtomeandminethanuselesslife—takingfarbelowthepalace。
Butthefellowswerepressingme;andasIdidnotknowthewayatall，IsoonsawthattheywouldovertakemeunlessIfoundaplacetoconcealmyselfuntiltheyhadpassed，whichwouldthengivemeanopportunitytoreturnthewayIhadcomeandregainthetower，orpossiblyfindawaytoreachthecitystreets。
Thepassagewayhadrisenrapidlysinceleavingtheapartmentoftheswitch，andnowranlevelandwelllightedstraightintothedistanceasfarasIcouldsee。ThemomentthatmypursuersreachedthisstraightstretchIwouldbeinplainsightofthem，withnochancetoescapefromthecorridorundetected。
PresentlyIsawaseriesofdoorsopeningfromeithersideofthecorridor，andastheyalllookedaliketomeItriedthefirstonethatIreached。Itopenedintoasmallchamber，luxuriouslyfurnished，andwasevidentlyanante—chamberoffsomeofficeoraudiencechamberofthepalace。