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“Magnificent,” Napoleon murmured

“Here’s what Pelletier found just inside the entrance,” Laurent said,toward the wall Napoleon walked over to where Laurent was shining his lantern on an object on the floor It was a shield

Roughly five feet tall, two feet wide, and shaped like a figure 8, it was made of wicker and covered in leather painted with faded red and black interlocking squares

“It’s ancient,” Napoleon murmured

“At least two thousand years is uess,” Laurent said “My history isn’t what it used to be, but I believe it’s called a gerron It was used by Persian light infantry soldiers”

“Mon dieu”

“There’s more, General This way”

Winding his way through the forest of stalactite columns, Laurent led him to the rear of the cavern and another tunnel entrance, this one a rough oval four feet tall

Behind the one end around the base of a colulow of the lantern

“Going down, are we?” Napoleon asked “Into the pits of hell?”

“Not today, General,” Laurent answered “Across”

Laurent aimed his lantern into the tunnel A few feet inside was an ice bridge, not quite two feet wide, stretching across a crevasse before disappearing into another tunnel

“You’ve been across?” Napoleon asked

“It’s quite sturdy It’s rock beneath the ice Still, you can’t be too safe”

He secured the line first around Napoleon’s waist, then his own Pelletier gave the knotted end a final tug and nodded to Laurent, who said, “Watch your footing, General,” then stepped into the tunnel Napoleon waited a few moments, then followed