They seemed to be at work apparently2 in the thickness of the ponderous3 wall some few feet below where we stood. Was it possible that they had ascertained4 from their plan the place where the gold was hidden?
Sometimes it seemed as though they were working upwards5 towards us, for we could hear a pick upon the stones; and so we waited there, as terriers wait for rats.
Through the remainder of the night we kept a watchful6 vigil, but about four o’clock in the morning the sounds ceased, and we concluded that they had completed their work—at least for the present. We waited an hour, and hearing no further sound resolved to open the flooring of the place wherein we stood and investigate.
This did not take us long, for as soon as we had cut through the cement we discovered, to our surprise, a wooden trap-door, and on pulling it up there was disclosed a narrow winding-stair in the thickness of the wall, leading down into the foundations of the house. The place smelt7 damp and musty, and the up-draught8 blew out the naked candle which the skipper held.
With Reilly holding his hurricane lamp, I descended9 the rough-hewn stairs, revolver in hand, prepared for any attack. At the bottom, which I judged to be on a level with the cellars, was a stout10 door that had been recently sawn through, for the sawdust was fresh, and there lay near by several candle-heads. The door had succumbed11 to the attack of our enemies, and the latter, having opened a way into the house, had evidently retired12 until the following night.
I chuckled13 to myself that we were forearmed against any secret attack, and then went forward, finding myself in a dark and narrow tunnel built round with rough stone and sloping downwards14. In places the stonework had given way, and it was with difficulty that I squeezed past the fallen earth. Behind me came Reilly with the swinging lantern, the skipper following us close in the rear.
Scarcely a word was uttered by either of us. We were in a long, tortuous15 burrow16 that ran deep into the bowels17 of the earth. I had often read of subterranean18 passages made in ancient days to provide secret means of egress19, but to traverse one was an entirely20 new and exciting experience.
Bennett and his accomplices21 had left some of their tools near the scene of their operations, thus showing that they intended to return. But the passage seemed never-ending, now ascending22, and again descending24 sharply. In places water percolated25 through the roof and fell in cold showers upon us as we passed, while beneath our feet it ran in a small channel onward26 before us.
On we went, determined27 to trace the burrow to its end, when, having gone fully28 a quarter of a mile, I suddenly stumbled, lost my breath, and found myself falling through space into a Stygian darkness. A moment later I struck water, and with my hands frantically29 clutched at some slimy stones around.
Where I was I had no idea, for the darkness there was impenetrable. I only felt my body in water that was icy cold, and my hands slipping in the thick slime. I cried out loudly for help, and heard the skipper’s answering shout.
“Are you hurt, doctor?” I heard him inquire, and looking up I saw the light shining like a star far above me, and the form of my two companions peering down.
Then I knew the truth. I had fallen into a well which, dug right across the path, served as a man-trap to any traversing the tunnel with hostile purpose.
I shouted back to them to return to the house and get ropes.
“Can you hold on?” Reilly inquired.
“Not for long,” I answered, for the cold was already cramping30 my limbs, and in that blackness I dared not move, lest my grip should slip and I should sink. Near me water trickled31; beyond that there was no other sound. The air, too, was bad, although, fortunately, it was not poisonous, as is so often the case in wells. The tunnel above was well ventilated, for in places the draught was quite strong, showing that at the end it was open to the air.
Above, my companions held consultation32. There was but one lamp, and whoever went back would be compelled to take it. Reilly, being fleet of foot, sped away, leaving the skipper lying full length with his head peering over the edge of the abyss.
He tried to cheer me and keep up my spirits, but I knew from the tremor33 in his voice how anxious he was.
“Them swabs bridged this place over with planks34,” he informed me. “But when they retired they drew back the boards after them. Keep up your pecker, doctor, Mr. Reilly will be back in a moment and we’ll soon haul you out.”
“I’m cold,” I said wearily.
“Don’t think of it,” came his cheery voice through the darkness. “You’re going to have a drop o’ grog hot when you come up. We can’t see you from up here. How far are you down?”
I guessed at about seventy feet, and told him so. But, of course, distances are very deceptive35 in the dark.
The minutes seemed hours, and a dozen times I felt that my strength must fail before the return of Reilly. But at last I saw a welcome glimmer36 of light above, and gradually it approached me, let down by a string.
Then I realized my desperate position. Half submerged in the black water, I had only been saved by a jutting37 piece of stone to which I was clinging. Save for this one piece, all else was smooth and covered with a thick grey slime, while from the light blind newts and strange creeping things scuttled38 away into their holes in the stones.
Very quickly a rope was dangling39 near me, and after some effort, my limbs being so cramped40, I succeeded in securing it round my waist.
Then, having given the signal, my two friends hauled me out of the death-trap.
Across the abyss there lay two planks that had been used by Bennett and his men, but, not being able to reach them, we all three returned to the house, where I changed my clothes and took a nip of brandy to steady my nerves. My revolver I had lost at the bottom of the well.
Eager to explore the tunnel to its end, my companions obtained two stout planks from the out-house and presently we retraced41 our steps in slow procession until we came to the death-trap. This we succeeded in bridging successfully, and then continued onward, stumbling over mounds42 of fallen earth and squeezing through places where the tunnel had collapsed43.
Certainly, whoever built the Manor44 House, whether old Bartholomew or some one before him, had taken precaution to provide a secret mode of egress. For nearly a mile the burrow ran, and although we held the lantern close to the ground, we discovered no other trap for the unwary. Suddenly the narrow way began to ascend23, slowly at first, then abruptly45. A strange noise caused us to halt and listen. Horses’ hoofs46 and wheels sounded above us. We were beneath a highway.
At last we came to a flight of rough-hewn stone steps leading straight up, with a closed door. We only spoke1 in whispers, and I, walking first, ascended47 and tried the latch48. It yielded.
Slowly I opened the door, but it creaked upon its hinges, and to our dazzled eyes shone the light of day. Then I slipped through, followed by the others, and we found ourselves beneath a large barn.
This did not take us many minutes to explore, for peering out at the open door we found ourselves in a small farmyard, amid unfamiliar49 surroundings. The farmhouse50, a long, low, thatched place half hidden by roses, lay a little distance off, and as we watched in secret we saw before the house a young girl with cotton sun-bonnet feeding a flock of cackling geese.
We were undecided how to act. It was clear that this was the starting-point of our enemies. Beyond the house lay a small village surrounding a church, therefore it was agreed that while Reilly went into the place to make inquiry51 as to the occupants of the farm, I should conceal52 myself with the skipper somewhere in the immediate53 vicinity.
Therefore, one by one we slipped from beneath the barn, and crossed unnoticed to a small spinney in the rear. From a point of vantage we were afforded a good view of the farm premises54, and while I waited with Seal, Reilly took a roundabout route to the village.
We lit our pipes, and, concealed55 amid the undergrowth, waited and watched. The house seemed a pleasant, old-fashioned one, but, with the exception of an aged56 labourer in a smock and the goose-girl, there seemed no sign of life. It was just after nine o’clock, a beautiful bright morning, and in the small garden there was a wealth of cottage flowers, the fresh scent57 of which reached us even in our hiding-place.
The barn beneath which the subterranean passage ended was very old, with patched roof and blackened gables, dating from the same period as the farmhouse, with its mullioned windows and small green diamond panes58. Some of the windows had, however, been blocked up in order to avoid the window tax of long ago.
Nearly an hour had passed, and Seal had been yawning, as was his wont59, when of a sudden a neat female figure in dark blue appeared in the garden, stooping to gather flowers. She wore a large straw hat which flopped60 over her face, but as I looked she raised her head in my direction, and I uttered a cry of surprise.
The figure was none other than that of Miss Bristowe.
“Look!” I cried, to Seal. “Look at that girl in the garden. That’s Miss Bristowe.”
The old skipper shaded his eyes with his hands, then ejaculated:?—
“Je-hoshaphat! She’s a stunning61 fine woman, that she is! Then it’s her lover who’s missing?”
“Yes.”
“I wonder what she’s doing here?”
“Ah, that’s the mystery!” I said, watching her gathering62 the old-fashioned flowers into a great posy.
“You’ll need to have a chat with her, doctor. If she likes she can tell us a lot, that’s certain.”
“But she won’t,” was my response.
“She may, now that the rascals63 have made away with the man she loves.”
“But don’t you recollect64 what Reilly overheard?” I said. “It seems that, in obedience65 to the orders of the gang, she deceived him and enticed66 him, so that he fell into their hands. By that they managed to make her an accessory in the crime, and so ensure her secrecy67.”
“That’s a bit of Black Bennett’s cunning ingenuity68. He’s always artful enough to fix the blame on other people, which accounts for his hair-breadth escapes from the police.”
The girl, having gathered sufficient flowers, halted and, leaning her arms upon a small gate, looked wistfully away across the fields. I was near enough to see how wan69 and pale was her face, and how haggard and worn she seemed. A great change had been wrought70 in her since our first meeting in that dingy71 little consulting-room at Walworth.
She had been my friend then. Was she still? I had never ceased to think of her even in the wild excitement of that search after fortune. That pale, beautiful face was ever before me. Those dark, wistful eyes, that told of a dread72 secret hidden within her heart, seemed everywhere to gaze into mine, just as they had gazed on the last occasion we had met.
I confess to you, my reader, that I loved her—yet she was unapproachable.
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1
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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ponderous
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| adj.沉重的，笨重的，(文章)冗长的 | |
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ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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smelt
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| v.熔解，熔炼；n.银白鱼，胡瓜鱼 | |
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draught
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| n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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succumbed
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| 不再抵抗（诱惑、疾病、攻击等）( succumb的过去式和过去分词 )； 屈从； 被压垮； 死 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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downwards
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| adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地） | |
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tortuous
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| adj.弯弯曲曲的，蜿蜒的 | |
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burrow
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| vt.挖掘(洞穴)；钻进；vi.挖洞；翻寻；n.地洞 | |
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bowels
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| n.肠，内脏，内部；肠( bowel的名词复数 )；内部，最深处 | |
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subterranean
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| adj.地下的，地表下的 | |
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egress
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| n.出去；出口 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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accomplices
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| 从犯，帮凶，同谋( accomplice的名词复数 ) | |
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ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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percolated
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| v.滤( percolate的过去式和过去分词 )；渗透；（思想等）渗透；渗入 | |
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onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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frantically
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| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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cramping
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| 图像压缩 | |
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trickled
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| v.滴( trickle的过去式和过去分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
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32
consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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tremor
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| n.震动，颤动，战栗，兴奋，地震 | |
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planks
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| （厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点 | |
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deceptive
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| adj.骗人的，造成假象的，靠不住的 | |
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glimmer
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| v.发出闪烁的微光；n.微光，微弱的闪光 | |
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jutting
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| v.（使）突出( jut的现在分词 )；伸出；（从…）突出；高出 | |
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scuttled
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| v.使船沉没( scuttle的过去式和过去分词 )；快跑，急走 | |
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39
dangling
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| 悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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cramped
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| a.狭窄的 | |
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retraced
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| v.折回( retrace的过去式和过去分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯 | |
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mounds
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| 土堆，土丘( mound的名词复数 )； 一大堆 | |
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collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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manor
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| n.庄园，领地 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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46
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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47
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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48
latch
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| n.门闩，窗闩；弹簧锁 | |
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49
unfamiliar
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| adj.陌生的，不熟悉的 | |
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50
farmhouse
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| n.农场住宅（尤指主要住房） | |
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51
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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52
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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53
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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54
premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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58
panes
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| 窗玻璃( pane的名词复数 ) | |
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59
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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60
flopped
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| v.（指书、戏剧等）彻底失败( flop的过去式和过去分词 )；（因疲惫而）猛然坐下；（笨拙地、不由自主地或松弛地）移动或落下；砸锅 | |
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stunning
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| adj.极好的；使人晕倒的 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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rascals
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| 流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人 | |
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64
recollect
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| v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得 | |
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obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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66
enticed
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| 诱惑，怂恿( entice的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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secrecy
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| n.秘密，保密，隐蔽 | |
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68
ingenuity
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| n.别出心裁；善于发明创造 | |
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69
wan
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| (wide area network)广域网 | |
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70
wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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71
dingy
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| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
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72
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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