In the floor of this chamber was a trapdoor, composed of many thicknesses of steel, and so heavy that it could be raised only by a stout3 iron windlass, the chain of which was welded to a ring in the door’s face.
Dom Miguel handed me the candle and began turning the windlass. Gradually but without noise the heavy door of metal rose, and disclosed a still more massive surface underneath4.
This second plate, of highly burnished5 steel, was covered with many small indentations, of irregular formation. It was about three feet square and the curious indentations, each one of which had evidently 78been formed with great care, were scattered6 over every inch of the surface.
“Put out the light,” said de Pintra.
I obeyed, leaving us in total darkness.
Next moment, as I listened intently, I heard a slight grating noise, followed by a soft shooting of many bolts. Then a match flickered7, and Dom Miguel held it to the wick and relighted the candle.
The second door had swung upward upon hinges, showing three iron steps that led into a vault9 below.
The chief descended10 and I followed; not, however, without a shuddering11 glance at the great door that stood suspended as if ready to crash down upon our heads and entomb us.
Just within the entrance an electric light, doubtless fed by a storage battery, was turned on, plainly illuminating12 the place.
I found the vault lined with thick plates of steel, riveted13 firmly together. In the center was a small table and two wooden stools. Shelves were ranged around the walls and upon them were books, papers, 79and vast sums of money, both in bank-notes and gold.
“Here,” said my companion, glancing proudly around him, “are our sinews of war; our records and funds and plans of operation. Should Dom Pedro’s agents gain access to this room they would hold in their hands the lives and fortunes of many of the noblest families in Brazil—and our conspiracy14 would be nipped in the bud. You may know how greatly I trust you when I say that even my daughter does not guess the existence of this vault. Only a few of the Secret Council have ever gained admittance here, and the secret of opening the inner door is known only to myself and one other—Francisco Paola.”
“Paola!” I exclaimed.
“Yes; it was he who conceived the idea of this vault; it was his genius that planned a door which defies any living man to open without a clear knowledge of its secret. Even he, its inventor, could not pass the door without my assistance; for although he understands the method, the means are in my possession. For this reason I alone 80am responsible for the safe-keeping of our records and treasure.”
“The air is close and musty,” said I, feeling oppressed in breathing.
He looked upward.
“A small pipe leads to the upper air, permitting foul15 vapors16 to escape,” said he; “but only through the open door is fresh air admitted. Perhaps there should be better ventilation, yet that is an unimportant matter, for I seldom remain long in this place. It is a store-house—a secret crypt—not a work-room. My custom has been to carry all our records and papers here each morning, after they have been in use, that they may be safe from seizure17 or prying18 eyes. But such trips are arduous19, and I am not very strong. Therefore I will ask you to accompany me, hereafter.”
“That I shall do willingly,” I replied.
When we had passed through the door on our return the chief again extinguished the light while he manipulated the trap. Afterward20 the windlass allowed the outer plate of metal to settle firmly into place, and 81we proceeded along the passage and returned to the study.
Many trips did I make to the secret vault thereafter, but never could I understand in what manner the great door of shining steel was secured, as Dom Miguel always opened and closed it while we were in total darkness.
As the weeks rolled by I not only became deeply interested in my work, but conceived a still greater admiration21 for the one man whose powerful intelligence directed what I knew to be a gigantic conspiracy.
Spies were everywhere about Dom Miguel. One day we discovered his steward—an old and trusted retainer of the family—to be in the Emperor’s pay. But de Pintra merely shrugged22 his shoulders and said nothing. Such a person could do little to imperil the cause, for its important secrets could not be surprised. The grim vault guarded them well.
My duties occupying me only at night, my days were wholly my own, and they passed very pleasantly indeed, for my acquaintance with Lesba Paola had ripened23 82into a close friendship between us—a friendship I was eager to resolve into a closer relation.
But Lesba, although frank and ingenuous24 in all our intercourse25, had an effectual way of preventing the declarations of love which were ever on my tongue, and I found it extremely difficult to lead our conversation into channels that would give me an opportunity to open my heart to her.
She was an expert horsewoman, and we took many long rides together, during which she pointed26 out to me the estates of all the grandees27 in the neighborhood. Dom Miguel, whose love for the beautiful girl was very evident, seemed to encourage our companionship, and often spoke28 of her with great tenderness.
He would dwell with especial pride upon the aristocratic breeding of his ward8, which, to do him justice, he valued more for its effect upon other noble families than for any especial advantage it lent to Lesba herself; for while Dom Miguel was thoroughly29 republican in every sense of the word, he realized the advantages to be gained by 83interesting the best families of Brazil in the fortunes of his beloved Cause, and one by one he was cleverly succeeding in winning them. My familiarity with the records taught me that the Revolution was being backed by the flower of Brazilian nobility—the most positive assurance in my eyes of the justice and timeliness of the great movement for liberty. The idea that monarchs30 derive31 their authority from divine sources—so prevalent amongst the higher classes—had dissolved before the leader’s powerful arguments and the object lessons Dom Pedro’s corrupt32 ministry33 constantly afforded. All thoughtful people had come to a realization34 that liberty was but a step from darkness into light, a bursting of the shackles35 that had oppressed them since the day that Portugal had declared the province of Brazil an Empire, and set a scion36 of her royal family to rule its people with autocratic sway.
And Lesba, sprung from the bluest blood in all the land, had great influence in awakening37, in those families she visited, an earnest desire for a republic. Her passionate38 appeals 84were constantly inspiring her fellows with an enthusiastic devotion to the cause of liberty, and this talent was duly appreciated by Dom Miguel, whose admiration for the girl’s simple but direct methods of making converts was unbounded.
“Lesba is a rebel to her very finger-tips,” said he, “and her longing39 to see her country a republic is exceeded by that of no man among us. But we are chary40 of admitting women to our councils, so my little girl must be content to watch for the great day when the cause of freedom shall prevail.”
However, she constantly surprised me by her intimate knowledge of our progress. As we were riding one day she asked:
“Were you not impressed by your visit to the secret vault?”
“The secret vault!” I exclaimed. “Do you know of it?”
“I can explain every inch of its construction,” she returned, with a laugh; “everything, indeed, save the secret by means of which one may gain admission. Was it not Francisco’s idea? And is it not exceedingly clever?”
85“It certainly is,” I admitted.
“It was built by foreign workmen, brought to Brazil secretly, and for that very purpose. Afterward the artisans were sent home again; and not one of them, I believe, could again find his way to my uncle’s house, for every precaution was taken to prevent their discovering its location.”
“That was well done,” said I.
“All that Francisco undertakes is well done,” she answered simply.
This faith in her perplexing brother was so perfect that I never ventured to oppose it. We could not have remained friends had I questioned either his truth or ability.
Madam Izabel I saw but seldom, as she avoided the society of the family and preferred the seclusion41 of her own apartments. On the rare occasions of our meeting she treated me with frigid42 courtesy, resenting any attempt upon my part to draw her into conversation.
For a time it grieved me that Dom Miguel’s daughter should regard me with so much obvious dislike and suspicion. Her 86sad story had impressed me greatly, and I could understand how her proud nature had resented the slanders43 of Francisco Paola, and writhed44 under them. But one evening an incident occurred that served to content me with Madame Izabel’s aversion, and led me to suspect that the Minister of Police had not been so guilty as I had deemed him.
It was late, and Dom Miguel had preceded me to the domed chamber while I carried the records and papers to be deposited within the vault.
After raising the first trap my employer, as usual, extinguished the candle. I heard the customary low, grating noise, but before the shooting of the bolts reached my ears there was a sharp report, followed by a vivid flash, and turning instantly I beheld45 Madam Isabel standing46 beside us, holding in her hand a lighted match and peering eagerly at the surface of the trap.
My eyes followed hers, and while Dom Miguel stood as if petrified47 with amazement48 I saw the glitter of a gold ring protruding49 from one of the many curious indentations upon the plate. The next instant the match 87was dashed from her grasp and she gave a low cry of pain.
“Light the candle!” commanded de Pintra’s voice, fiercely.
I obeyed. He was holding the woman fast by her wrist. The ring had disappeared, and the mystery of the trap seemed as inscrutable as ever.
Dom Miguel, greatly excited and muttering imprecations all the way, dragged his daughter through the passage and up the stairs. I followed them silently to the chief’s study. Then, casting the woman from him, de Pintra confronted her with blazing eyes, and demanded:
“How dare you spy upon me?”
Madam Izabel had become cool as her father grew excited. She actually smiled—a hard, bitter smile—as she defiantly50 looked into his face and answered:
“Spy! You forget, sir, that I am your daughter. I came to your room to seek you. You were not here; but the door to this stairway was displaced, and a cold air came through it. Fearing that some danger menaced you I passed down the stairs until, 88hearing a noise, I paused to strike a match. You can best explain the contretemps.”
Long and silently Dom Miguel gazed upon his daughter. Then he said, abruptly51, “Leave the room!”
She bowed coldly, with a mocking expression in her dark eyes, and withdrew.
As she passed me I noted52 upon her cheeks an unwonted flush that rendered her strikingly beautiful.
Deep in thought de Pintra paced the floor with nervous strides. Finally he turned toward me.
“What did you see?” he asked, sharply.
“A ring,” I answered. “It lay upon the trap, and the stone was fitted into one of the numerous indentations.”
He passed his hand over his brow with a gesture of despair.
“Then she saw it also,” he murmured, “and my secret is a secret no longer.”
I remained silent, looking upon him curiously53, but in deep sympathy.
Suddenly he held out his hand. Upon the little finger was an emerald ring, the stone appearing to be of no exceptional 89value. Indeed, the trinket was calculated to attract so little attention that I had barely noticed it before, although I remembered that my employer always wore it.
“This,” said he, abruptly, “is the key to the vault.”
I nodded. The truth had flashed upon me the moment Madam Izabel had struck the match. And now, looking at it closely, I saw that the stone was oddly cut, although the fact was not likely to impress one who was ignorant of the purpose for which it was made.
The chief resumed his pacing, but presently paused to say:
“If anything happens to me, my friend, be sure to secure this ring above all else. Get it to Paola, or to Fonseca, or Piexoto as soon as possible—you know where they may be found. Should it fall into the hands of the royalists the result would be fatal.”
“But would either of your associates be able to use the ring, even if it passed into their possession?” I asked.
“There are two hundred indentations in the door of the trap,” answered de Pintra, 90“and the stone of the ring is so cut that it fits but one of these. Still, if our friends have time to test each cavity, they are sure to find the right one, and then the stone of my ring acts as a key. My real safety, as you will observe, lay in the hope that no one would discover that my ring unlocked the vault. Now that Izabel has learned the truth I must guard the ring as I would my life—more, the lives of all our patriotic54 band.”
“Since you suspect her loyalty55, why do you not send your daughter away?” I suggested.
“I prefer to keep her under my own eye. And, strange as her actions of to-night seem, I still hesitate to believe that my own child would conspire56 to ruin me.”
“The secret is not your own, sir,” I ventured to say.
“True,” he acknowledged, flushing deeply, “the secret is not my own. It belongs to the Cause. And its discovery would jeopardize57 the revolution itself. For this reason I shall keep Izabel with me, where, admitting she has the inclination58 to betray us, she will not have the power.”
91After this night he did not extinguish the light when we entered the vault, evidently having decided59 to trust me fully60; but he took pains to secure the trap in the study floor so that no one could follow us. After watching him apply the key several times I became confident that I could find the right indentation without trouble should the occasion ever arise for me to unlock the vault unaided.
Days passed by, and Madam Izabel remained as quiet and reserved as if she had indeed abandoned any further curiosity concerning the secret vault. As for my fellow-rebel, the Senhorita Lesba, I rode and chatted with her in the firm conviction that here, at least, was one secret connected with the revolution of which she was ignorant.
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1
domed
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| adj. 圆屋顶的, 半球形的, 拱曲的 动词dome的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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5
burnished
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| adj.抛光的，光亮的v.擦亮（金属等），磨光( burnish的过去式和过去分词 )；被擦亮，磨光 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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7
flickered
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| （通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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8
ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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vault
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| n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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11
shuddering
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| v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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12
illuminating
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| a.富于启发性的，有助阐明的 | |
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13
riveted
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| 铆接( rivet的过去式和过去分词 )； 把…固定住； 吸引； 引起某人的注意 | |
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14
conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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15
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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16
vapors
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| n.水汽，水蒸气，无实质之物( vapor的名词复数 )；自夸者；幻想 [药]吸入剂 [古]忧郁（症）v.自夸，（使）蒸发( vapor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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17
seizure
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| n.没收；占有；抵押 | |
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18
prying
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| adj.爱打听的v.打听，刺探（他人的私事）( pry的现在分词 )；撬开 | |
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19
arduous
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| adj.艰苦的，费力的，陡峭的 | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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22
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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23
ripened
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| v.成熟，使熟( ripen的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24
ingenuous
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| adj.纯朴的，单纯的；天真的；坦率的 | |
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25
intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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26
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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grandees
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| n.贵族，大公，显贵者( grandee的名词复数 ) | |
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28
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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29
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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30
monarchs
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| 君主，帝王( monarch的名词复数 ) | |
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31
derive
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| v.取得；导出；引申；来自；源自；出自 | |
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32
corrupt
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| v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的 | |
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33
ministry
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| n.(政府的)部；牧师 | |
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34
realization
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| n.实现；认识到，深刻了解 | |
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35
shackles
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| 手铐( shackle的名词复数 )； 脚镣； 束缚； 羁绊 | |
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36
scion
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| n.嫩芽，子孙 | |
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37
awakening
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| n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的 | |
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38
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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39
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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40
chary
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| adj.谨慎的，细心的 | |
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41
seclusion
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| n.隐遁，隔离 | |
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42
frigid
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| adj.寒冷的，凛冽的；冷淡的；拘禁的 | |
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43
slanders
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| 诽谤，诋毁( slander的名词复数 ) | |
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44
writhed
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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46
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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47
petrified
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| adj.惊呆的；目瞪口呆的v.使吓呆，使惊呆；变僵硬；使石化(petrify的过去式和过去分词) | |
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48
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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49
protruding
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| v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的现在分词 )；凸 | |
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50
defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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51
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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52
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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53
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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54
patriotic
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| adj.爱国的，有爱国心的 | |
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55
loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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56
conspire
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| v.密谋，（事件等）巧合，共同导致 | |
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57
jeopardize
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| vt.危及，损害 | |
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58
inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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59
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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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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