“I SUPPOSE I must have swooned; for, the next thing I remember, I opened my eyes, and all was dusk. I was lying on my back, with one leg doubled under the other, and Pepper was licking my ears. I felt horribly stiff, and my leg was numb1, from the knee, downwards2. For a few minutes, I lay thus, in a dazed condition; then, slowly, I struggled to a sitting position, and looked about me.
“It had stopped raining, but the trees still dripped, dismally3. From the Pit, came a continuous murmur4 of running water. I felt cold and shivery. My clothes were sodden5, and I ached all over. Very slowly, the life came back into my numbed6 leg, and, after a little, I essayed to stand up. This, I managed, at the second attempt; but I was very tottery8, and peculiarly weak. It seemed to me, that I was going to be ill, and I made shift to stumble my way towards the house. My steps were erratic9, and my head confused. At each step that I took, sharp pains shot through my limbs.
“I had gone, perhaps, some thirty paces, when a cry from Pepper, drew my attention, and I turned, stiffly, towards him. The old dog was trying to follow me; but could come no further, owing to the rope, with which I had hauled him up, being still tied round his body, the other end not having been unfastened from the tree. For a moment, I fumbled10 with the knots, weakly; but they were wet and hard, and I could do nothing. Then, I remembered my knife, and, in a minute, the rope was cut.
“How I reached the house, I scarcely know, and, of the days that followed, I remember still less. Of one thing, I am certain, that, had it not been for my sister’s untiring love and nursing, I had not been writing at this moment.
“When I recovered my senses, it was to find that I had been in bed for nearly two weeks. Yet another week passed, before I was strong enough to totter7 out into the gardens. Even then, I was not able to walk so far as the Pit. I would have liked to ask my sister, how high the water had risen; but felt it was wiser not to mention the subject to her. Indeed, since then, I have made a rule never to speak to her about the strange things, that happen in this great, old house.
“It was not until a couple of days later, that I managed to get across to the Pit. There, I found that, in my few weeks’ absence, there had been wrought11 a wondrous12 change. Instead of the three-parts filled ravine, I looked out upon a great lake, whose placid13 surface, reflected the light, coldly. The water had risen to within half a dozen feet of the Pit edge. Only in one part was the lake disturbed, and that was above the place where, far down under the silent waters, yawned the entrance to the vast, underground Pit. Here, there was a continuous bubbling; and, occasionally, a curious sort of sobbing14 gurgle would find its way up from the depth. Beyond these, there was nothing to tell of the things that were hidden beneath. As I stood there, it came to me how wonderfully things had worked out. The entrance to the place whence the Swine-creatures had come, was sealed up, by a power that made me feel there was nothing more to fear from them. And yet, with the feeling, there was a sensation that, now, I should never learn anything further, of the place from which those dreadful Things had come. It was completely shut off and concealed15 from human curiosity for ever.
“Strange — in the knowledge of that underground hell-hole — how apposite has been the naming of the Pit. One wonders how it originated, and when. Naturally, one concludes that the shape and depth of the ravine would suggest the name ‘Pit.’ Yet, is it not possible that it has, all along, held a deeper significance, a hint — could one but have guessed — of the greater, more stupendous Pit that lies far down in the earth, beneath this old house? Under this house! Even now, the idea is strange and terrible to me. For I have proved, beyond doubt, that the Pit yawns right below the house, which is evidently supported, somewhere above the centre of it, upon a tremendous, arched roof, of solid rock.
“It happened in this wise, that, having occasion to go down to the cellars, the thought occurred to me to pay a visit to the great vault16, where the trap is situated17; and see whether everything was as I had left it.
“Reaching the place, I walked slowly up the centre, until I came to the trap. There it was, with the stones piled upon it, just as I had seen it last. I had a lantern with me, and the idea came to me, that now would be a good time to investigate whatever lay under the great, oak slab18. Placing the lantern on the floor, I tumbled the stones off the trap, and, grasping the ring, pulled the door open. As I did so, the cellar became filled with the sound of a murmurous19 thunder, that rose from far below. At the same time, a damp wind blew up into my face, bringing with it a load of fine spray. Therewith, I dropped the trap, hurriedly, with a half frightened feeling of wonder.
“For a moment, I stood puzzled. I was not particularly afraid. The haunting fear of the Swine-things had left me, long ago; but I was certainly nervous and astonished. Then, a sudden thought possessed20 me, and I raised the ponderous21 door, with a feeling of excitement. Leaving it standing22 upon its end, I seized the lantern, and, kneeling down, thrust it into the opening. As I did so, the moist wind and spray drove in my eyes, making me unable to see, for a few moments. Even when my eyes were clear, I could distinguish nothing below me, save darkness, and whirling spray.
“Seeing that it was useless to expect to make out anything, with the light so high, I felt in my pockets for a piece of twine23, with which to lower it further into the opening. Even as I fumbled, the lantern slipped from my fingers, and hurtled down into the darkness. For a brief instant, I watched its fall, and saw the light shine on a tumult24 of white foam25, some eighty or a hundred feet below me. Then it was gone. My sudden surmise26 was correct, and now, I knew the cause of the wet and noise. The great cellar was connected with the Pit, by means of the trap, which opened right above it; and the moisture, was the spray, rising from the water, falling into the depths.
“In an instant, I had an explanation of certain things, that had hitherto puzzled me. Now, I could understand why the noises — on the first night of the invasion — had seemed to rise directly from under my feet. And the chuckle27 that had sounded when first I opened the trap! Evidently, some of the Swine-things must have been right beneath me.
“Another thought struck me. Were the creatures all drowned? Would they drown? I remembered how unable I had been to find any traces to show that my shooting had been really fatal. Had they life, as we understand life, or were they ghouls? These thoughts flashed through my brain, as I stood in the dark, searching my pockets for matches. I had the box in my hand now, and, striking a light, I stepped to the trap-door, and closed it. Then, I piled the stones back upon it; after which, I made my way out from the cellars.
“And so, I suppose the water goes on, thundering down into that bottomless hell-pit. Sometimes, I have an inexplicable28 desire to go down to the great cellar, open the trap, and gaze into the impenetrable, spray-damp darkness. At times, the desire becomes almost overpowering, in its intensity29. It is not mere30 curiosity, that prompts me; but more as though some unexplained influence were at work. Still, I never go; and intend to fight down the strange longing31, and crush it; even as I would the unholy thought of self-destruction.
“This idea of some intangible force being exerted, may seem reasonless. Yet, my instinct warns me, that it is not so. In these things, reason seems to me less to be trusted than instinct.
“One thought there is, in closing, that impresses itself upon me, with ever growing insistence32. It is, that I live in a very strange house; a very awful house. And I have begun to wonder whether I am doing wisely in staying here. Yet, if I left, where could I go, and still obtain the solitude33, and the sense of her presence, 1 that alone make my old life bearable?
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1
numb
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| adj.麻木的，失去感觉的；v.使麻木 | |
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downwards
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| adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地） | |
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dismally
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| adv.阴暗地，沉闷地 | |
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4
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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sodden
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| adj.浑身湿透的；v.使浸透；使呆头呆脑 | |
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numbed
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| v.使麻木，使麻痹( numb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
totter
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| v.蹒跚， 摇摇欲坠；n.蹒跚的步子 | |
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tottery
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| adj.蹒跚的，摇摇欲倒 | |
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erratic
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| adj.古怪的，反复无常的，不稳定的 | |
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fumbled
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| （笨拙地）摸索或处理（某事物）( fumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱摸，笨拙地弄； 使落下 | |
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wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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12
wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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13
placid
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| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
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14
sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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vault
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| n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室 | |
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17
situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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slab
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| n.平板，厚的切片；v.切成厚板，以平板盖上 | |
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murmurous
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| adj.低声的 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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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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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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twine
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| v.搓，织，编饰；（使）缠绕 | |
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tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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26
surmise
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| v./n.猜想，推测 | |
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27
chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
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28
inexplicable
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| adj.无法解释的，难理解的 | |
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29
intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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31
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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32
insistence
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| n.坚持；强调；坚决主张 | |
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33
solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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