登陆注册
5271600000037

第37章 CHAPTER XVI--A VISIT OF SYMPATHY(2)

When the two men had lighted their pipes, Sir Nathaniel began.

"I have remembered an interesting fact about Diana's Grove--there is, I have long understood, some strange mystery about that house.

It may be of some interest, or it may be trivial, in such a tangled skein as we are trying to unravel.""Please tell me all you know' or suspect. To begin, then, of what sort is the mystery--physical, mental, moral, historical, scientific, occult? Any kind of hint will help me.""Quite right. I shall try to tell you what I think; but I have not put my thoughts on the subject in sequence, so you must forgive me if due order is not observed in my narration. I suppose you have seen the house at Diana's Grove?""The outside of it; but I have that in my mind's eye, and I can fit into my memory whatever you may mention.""The house is very old--probably the first house of some sort that stood there was in the time of the Romans. This was probably renewed--perhaps several times at later periods. The house stands, or, rather, used to stand here when Mercia was a kingdom--I do not suppose that the basement can be later than the Norman Conquest.

Some years ago, when I was President of the Mercian Archaeological Society, I went all over it very carefully. This was when it was purchased by Captain March. The house had then been done up, so as to be suitable for the bride. The basement is very strong,--almost as strong and as heavy as if it had been intended as a fortress.

There are a whole series of rooms deep underground. One of them in particular struck me. The room itself is of considerable size, but the masonry is more than massive. In the middle of the room is a sunk well, built up to floor level and evidently going deep underground. There is no windlass nor any trace of there ever having been any--no rope--nothing. Now, we know that the Romans had wells of immense depth, from which the water was lifted by the 'old rag rope'; that at Woodhull used to be nearly a thousand feet.

Here, then, we have simply an enormously deep well-hole. The door of the room was massive, and was fastened with a lock nearly a foot square. It was evidently intended for some kind of protection to someone or something; but no one in those days had ever heard of anyone having been allowed even to see the room. All this is EPROPOS of a suggestion on my part that the well-hole was a way by which the White Worm (whatever it was) went and came. At that time I would have had a search made--even excavation if necessary--at my own expense, but all suggestions were met with a prompt and explicit negative. So, of course, I took no further step in the matter.

Then it died out of recollection--even of mine.""Do you remember, sir," asked Adam, "what was the appearance of the room where the well-hole was? Was there furniture--in fact, any sort of thing in the room?""The only thing I remember was a sort of green light--very clouded, very dim--which came up from the well. Not a fixed light, but intermittent and irregular--quite unlike anything I had ever seen.""Do you remember how you got into the well-room? Was there a separate door from outside, or was there any interior room or passage which opened into it?""I think there must have been some room with a way into it. Iremember going up some steep steps; they must have been worn smooth by long use or something of the kind, for I could hardly keep my feet as I went up. Once I stumbled and nearly fell into the well-hole."

"Was there anything strange about the place--any queer smell, for instance?""Queer smell--yes! Like bilge or a rank swamp. It was distinctly nauseating; when I came out I felt as if I had just been going to be sick. I shall try back on my visit and see if I can recall any more of what I saw or felt.""Then perhaps, sir, later in the day you will tell me anything you may chance to recollect.""I shall be delighted, Adam. If your uncle has not returned by then, I'll join you in the study after dinner, and we can resume this interesting chat."

同类推荐
  • 词坛丛话

    词坛丛话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 摄大乘讲疏

    摄大乘讲疏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说灌洗佛经

    佛说灌洗佛经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Lectures on the Industrial Revolution in England

    Lectures on the Industrial Revolution in England

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 丁晋公谈录

    丁晋公谈录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 盛武大唐

    盛武大唐

    朝代更迭,江湖亦随之而变大唐乃是盛世,江湖自也是如此是以武乱禁,冲杀于大世之争中;还是侠肝义胆,逍遥于山野闹市里少年自深山走出,手握一杆黑铁长枪,就此闯进了这从未平静过的江湖
  • 冲上芸霄:异界修真女

    冲上芸霄:异界修真女

    一场谁也没有想到的末世,突如其来的降临在她的面前,她措手不及,命丧黄泉之际,随身携带的玉佩将她带到了地球的千年之后。雾非雾,花非花,一朝醒来,是她,又不是她。魂穿?为何与她一模一样?地球呢?那载人的庞然大物,冲出了大气层?人类?一百岁还是青年?‘她’是被人活活气死?‘她’还是除了家世没有拿得出手的悲催女?体术差?生育等级零?好不容易谈了个男朋友,结果那渣男为了傍上更好的千金小姐,跟她说拜拜?哼,既然她老天让她重活一回,那么以后,她便是她,带着逆天的空间,学着逆天的修真功法,以后再无人瞧不起她,她要站在云顶之巅,傲视天下!修真?只有她可以!可是等等...她怎么又回来了?!
  • 宝藏新探百科(科学探索百科)

    宝藏新探百科(科学探索百科)

    人类社会和自然世界是那么丰富多彩,使我们对于那许许多多的难解之谜,不得不密切关注和发出疑问。人们总是不断地去认识它,勇敢地去探索它。虽然今天科学技术日新月异,达到了很高程度,但对于许多谜团还是难以圆满解答。人们都希望发现天机,破解无限的谜团。古今中外许许多多的科学先驱不断奋斗,一个个谜团不断解开,推进了科学技术的大发展,但又发现了许多新的奇怪事物和难解之谜,又不得不向新的问题发起挑战。科学技术不断发展,人类探索永无止境,解决旧问题,探索新领域,这就是人类一步一步发展的足迹。
  • 趣味哲学

    趣味哲学

    本书旨在通过对大量精彩有趣的经济学事件的分析来达到实用为本的目的,让你在精彩有趣的经济学事件中轻松掌握经济学知识,参透理财技巧,明晰赚钱和成功法则。
  • 恶魔逐爱:恋上杀手女王

    恶魔逐爱:恋上杀手女王

    那一日,湖畔初遇,一眼万年。那一日,雪山定情,托付终身。然,情深似海,却落入武林的腥风血雨之中。“阿好,为什么要杀了我的母亲?”“阿好,为什么你对我的信任这么薄弱?”“阿好,我该拿你怎么办?”“阿好,你回来好不好?”一次又一次,他捂着疼痛的心口问她。她只是面容冷淡的笑着看他,仿佛什么也不在意,转过身却泪流满面......遇见你,是我一生中最大的幸运,却为什么......相爱容易,相守难。 【十大世家系列之虐恋情深(一)】
  • 左拥右不抱

    左拥右不抱

    宋咏荷,如此富有诗意的名字竟然落在一个胖胖笨笨的丫头身上,她爸希望她做淑女,她妈希望她成大明星,她还是别人期待的未来儿媳妇。青梅竹马两小无猜是多么美好的故事,她是女猪脚,男猪脚竟然有俩,一文一武都英俊不凡,哈哈哈!既然不好选择,那就左拥右抱好了!--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 等待是一个圈

    等待是一个圈

    两岸文学PK大赛 等待是一个圈,起点即终点,终点即起点,当你以为一切都结束了的时候,其实故事才刚刚开始。
  • 山海大传

    山海大传

    要救这女娃,就来森罗殿,找我罗森,我可等你万年。看到那个持剑站在天地间的男子了吗?他叫苍源,苍茫的苍,始源的源。天地何人敢为苍,何人敢称源?一本破烂经书,一个残损罗盘,一颗莲子内蹦出的石头,这些便是支配你命运的关键。不,我的命运只有我自己支配,不假于外物,不囿于他人,山海苍茫,唯我独尊。山不在高,有仙则名海不在深,有龙则灵大道无形,契连天地万物传于众生,是为造化真法无捷径,铸修炼一途好似怒海行舟,风险磨难,登临彼岸看尽世间造化,你却知何为造化?
  • 剑神至尊

    剑神至尊

    天下武学各种各样,剑法至尊,天下无敌,恩怨情仇,一剑杀尽天下之人。资质平庸又如何,一觉睡醒天下武学全部收入囊中。剑法只学七招,七招剑法便可笑尽天下英雄。英雄不问出处,但求天下第一,无人能及。一剑破尽天下刀法,一剑刺中天下拳法,一剑扫尽天下腿法,剑神一出谁有争锋!本书绝对不坑,希望各位仔细观看。
  • 雨落古城

    雨落古城

    相传在唐初年间,白鸟神妖隐藏在人间的一个没落的村庄里。他们的眼泪是无味的,可以抹清一切,他们的血液可以使凋零的花重新盛开,甚至可以做药引,他们行医救人只求相安无事天下太平。而他们有一个目的,就是要得到上古神物蚕玉,震慑天下的瑰宝。突然在某一天,白鸟一族被不知名的神力蛊惑,不仅伤害普通百姓而且有的自相残杀,仅一夜之间这个族落消失了,仅留下一位年幼的小女孩,她的名字叫笙歌……