XII -
THE SUBTERRANEAN PIT
Another
week came and went, during which I spent a great deal of my time about the Pit
mouth. I had come to the conclusion a few days earlier, that the arched hole,
in the angle of the great rift, was the place through which the Swine-things
had made their exit, from some unholy place in the bowels of the world. How
near the probable truth this went, I was to learn later.
It
may be easily understood, that I was tremendously curious, though in a
frightened way, to know to what infernal place that hole led; though, so far,
the idea had not struck me, seriously, of making an investigation. I was far
too much imbued with a sense of horror of the Swine-creatures, to think of
venturing, willingly, where there was any chance of coming into contact with
them.
Gradually,
however, as time passed, this feeling grew insensibly less; so that when, a few
days later, the thought occurred to me that it might be possible to clamber
down and have a look into the hole, I was not so exceedingly averse to it, as
might have been imagined. Still, I do not think, even then, that I really
intended to try any such foolhardy adventure. For all that I could tell, it
might be certain death, to enter that doleful looking opening. And yet, such is
the pertinacity of human curiosity, that, at last, my chief desire was but to
discover what lay beyond that gloomy entrance.
Slowly,
as the days slid by, my fear of the Swine-things became an emotion of the past
- more an unpleasant, incredible memory, than aught else.
Thus,
a day came, when, throwing thoughts and fancies adrift, I procured a rope from
the house, and, having made it fast to a stout tree, at the top of the rift,
and some little distance back from the Pit edge, let the other end down into
the cleft, until it dangled right across the mouth of the dark hole.
Then,
cautiously, and with many misgivings as to whether it was not a mad act that I
was attempting, I climbed slowly down, using the rope as a support, until I
reached the hole. Here, still holding on to the rope, I stood, and peered in.
All was perfectly dark, and not a sound came to me. Yet, a moment later, it
seemed that I could hear something. I held my breath, and listened; but all was
silent as the grave, and I breathed freely once more. At the same instant, I
heard the sound again. It was like a noise of labored breathing - deep and
sharp-drawn. For a short second, I stood, petrified; not able to move. But now
the sounds had ceased again, and I could hear nothing.
As
I stood there, anxiously, my foot dislodged a pebble, which fell inward, into
the dark, with a hollow chink. At once, the noise was taken up and repeated a
score of times; each succeeding echo being fainter, and seeming to travel away
from me, as though into remote distance. Then, as the silence fell again, I
heard that stealthy breathing. For each respiration I made, I could hear an
answering breath. The sounds appeared to be coming nearer; and then, I heard
several others; but fainter and more distant. Why I did not grip the rope, and
spring up out of danger, I cannot say. It was as though I had been paralyzed. I
broke out into a profuse sweat, and tried to moisten my lips with my tongue. My
throat had gone suddenly dry, and I coughed, huskily. It came back to me, in a
dozen, horrible, throaty tones, mockingly. I peered, helplessly, into the
gloom; but still nothing showed. I had a strange, choky sensation, and again I
coughed, dryly. Again the echo took it up, rising and falling, grotesquely, and
dying slowly into a muffled silence.
Then,
suddenly, a thought came to me, and I held my breath. The other breathing
stopped. I breathed again, and, once more, it re-commenced. But now, I no
longer feared. I knew that the strange sounds were not made by any lurking
Swine-creature; but were simply the echo of my own respirations.
Yet,
I had received such a fright, that I was glad to scramble up the rift, and haul
up the rope. I was far too shaken and nervous to think of entering that dark
hole then, and so returned to the house. I felt more myself next morning; but
even then, I could not summon up sufficient courage to explore the place.
All
this time, the water in the Pit had been creeping slowly up, and now stood but
a little below the opening. At the rate at which it was rising, it would be
level with the floor in less than another week; and I realized that, unless I
carried out my investigations soon, I should probably never do so at all; as
the water would rise and rise, until the opening, itself, was submerged.
It
may have been that this thought stirred me to act; but, whatever it was, a
couple of days later, saw me standing at the top of the cleft, fully equipped
for the task.
This
time, I was resolved to conquer my shirking, and go right through with the
matter. With this intention, I had brought, in addition to the rope, a bundle
of candles, meaning to use them as a torch; also my double-barreled shotgun. In
my belt, I had a heavy horse-pistol, loaded with buckshot.
As
before, I fastened the rope to the tree. Then, having tied my gun across my
shoulders, with a piece of stout cord, I lowered myself over the edge of the
Pit. At this movement, Pepper, who had been eyeing my actions, watchfully, rose
to his feet, and ran to me, with a half bark, half wail, it seemed to me, of
warning. But I was resolved on my enterprise, and bade him lie down. I would
much have liked to take him with me; but this was next to impossible, in the
existing circumstances. As my face dropped level with the Pit edge, he licked
me, right across the mouth; and then, seizing my sleeve between his teeth,
began to pull back, strongly. It was very evident that he did not want me to
go. Yet, having made up my mind, I had no intention of giving up the attempt;
and, with a sharp word to Pepper, to release me, I continued my descent,
leaving the poor old fellow at the top, barking and crying like a forsaken pup.
Carefully,
I lowered myself from projection to projection. I knew that a slip might mean a
wetting.
Reaching
the entrance, I let go the rope, and untied the gun from my shoulders. Then,
with a last look at the sky - which I noticed was clouding over, rapidly - I
went forward a couple of paces, so as to be shielded from the wind, and lit one
of the candles. Holding it above my head, and grasping my gun, firmly, I began
to move on, slowly, throwing my glances in all directions.
For
the first minute, I could hear the melancholy sound of Pepper's howling, coming
down to me. Gradually, as I penetrated further into the darkness, it grew
fainter; until, in a little while, I could hear nothing. The path tended
downward somewhat, and to the left. Thence it kept on, still running to the
left, until I found that it was leading me right in the direction of the house.
Very
cautiously, I moved onward, stopping, every few steps, to listen. I had gone,
perhaps, a hundred yards, when, suddenly, it seemed to me that I caught a faint
sound, somewhere along the passage behind. With my heart thudding heavily, I
listened. The noise grew plainer, and appeared to be approaching, rapidly. I
could hear it distinctly, now. It was the soft padding of running feet. In the
first moments of fright, I stood, irresolute; not knowing whether to go forward
or backward. Then, with a sudden realization of the best thing to do, I backed
up to the rocky wall on my right, and, holding the candle above my head, waited
- gun in hand - cursing my foolhardy curiosity, for bringing me into such a
strait.
I
had not long to wait, but a few seconds, before two eyes reflected back from
the gloom, the rays of my candle. I raised my gun, using my right hand only,
and aimed quickly. Even as I did so, something leapt out of the darkness, with
a blustering bark of joy that woke the echoes, like thunder. It was Pepper. How
he had contrived to scramble down the cleft, I could not conceive. As I brushed
my hand, nervously, over his coat, I noticed that he was dripping; and
concluded that he must have tried to follow me, and fallen into the water; from
which he would not find it very difficult to climb.
Having
waited a minute, or so, to steady myself, I proceeded along the way, Pepper
following, quietly. I was curiously glad to have the old fellow with me. He was
company, and, somehow, with him at my heels, I was less afraid. Also, I knew
how quickly his keen ears would detect the presence of any unwelcome creature,
should there be such, amid the darkness that wrapped us.
For
some minutes we went slowly along; the path still leading straight toward the
house. Soon, I concluded, we should be standing right beneath it, did the path
but carry far enough. I led the way, cautiously, for another fifty yards, or
so. Then, I stopped, and held the light high; and reason enough I had to be
thankful that I did so; for there, not three paces forward, the path vanished,
and, in place, showed a hollow blackness, that sent sudden fear through me.
Very
cautiously, I crept forward, and peered down; but could see nothing. Then, I
crossed to the left of the passage, to see whether there might be any
continuation of the path. Here, right against the wall, I found that a narrow
track, some three feet wide, led onward. Carefully, I stepped on to it; but had
not gone far, before I regretted venturing thereon. For, after a few paces, the
already narrow way, resolved itself into a mere ledge, with, on the one side
the solid, unyielding rock, towering up, in a great wall, to the unseen roof,
and, on the other, that yawning chasm. I could not help reflecting how helpless
I was, should I be attacked there, with no room to turn, and where even the
recoil of my weapon might be sufficient to drive me headlong into the depths
below.
To
my great relief, a little further on, the track suddenly broadened out again to
its original breadth. Gradually, as I went onward, I noticed that the path
trended steadily to the right, and so, after some minutes, I discovered that I
was not going forward; but simply circling the huge abyss. I had, evidently,
come to the end of the great passage.
Five
minutes later, I stood on the spot from which I had started; having been
completely 'round, what I guessed now to be a vast pit, the mouth of which must
be at least a hundred yards across.
For
some little time, I stood there, lost in perplexing thought. 'What does it all
mean?' was the cry that had begun to reiterate through my brain.
A
sudden idea struck me, and I searched 'round for a piece of stone. Presently, I
found a bit of rock, about the size of a small loaf. Sticking the candle
upright in a crevice of the floor, I went back from the edge, somewhat, and,
taking a short run, launched the stone forward into the chasm - my idea being
to throw it far enough to keep it clear of the sides. Then, I stooped forward,
and listened; but, though I kept perfectly quiet, for at least a full minute,
no sound came back to me from out of the dark. I knew, then, that the depth of
the hole must be immense; for the stone, had it struck anything, was large
enough to have set the echoes of that weird place, whispering for an indefinite
period. Even as it was, the cavern had given back the sounds of my footfalls,
multitudinously. The place was awesome, and I would willingly have retraced my
steps, and left the mysteries of its solitudes unsolved; only, to do so, meant admitting
defeat.
Then,
a thought came, to try to get a view of the abyss. It occurred to me that, if I
placed my candles 'round the edge of the hole, I should be able to get, at
least, some dim sight of the place.
I
found, on counting, that I had brought fifteen candles, in the bundle - my
first intention having been, as I have already said, to make a torch of the
lot. These, I proceeded to place 'round the Pit mouth, with an interval of
about twenty yards between each.
Having
completed the circle, I stood in the passage, and endeavored to get an idea of
how the place looked. But I discovered, immediately, that they were totally
insufficient for my purpose. They did little more than make the gloom visible.
One thing they did, however, and that was, they confirmed my opinion of the
size of the opening; and, although they showed me nothing that I wanted to see;
yet the contrast they afforded to the heavy darkness, pleased me, curiously. It
was as though fifteen tiny stars shone through the subterranean night.
Then,
even as I stood, Pepper gave a sudden howl, that was taken up by the echoes,
and repeated with ghastly variations, dying away, slowly. With a quick
movement, I held aloft the one candle that I had kept, and glanced down at the
dog; at the same moment, I seemed to hear a noise, like a diabolical chuckle,
rise up from the hitherto, silent depths of the Pit. I started; then, I
recollected that it was, probably, the echo of Pepper's howl.
Pepper
had moved away from me, up the passage, a few steps; he was nosing along the
rocky floor; and I thought I heard him lapping. I went toward him, holding the
candle low. As I moved, I heard my boot go sop, sop; and the light was
reflected from something that glistened, and crept past my feet, swiftly toward
the Pit. I bent lower, and looked; then gave vent to an expression of surprise.
From somewhere, higher up the path, a stream of water was running quickly in
the direction of the great opening, and growing in size every second.
Again,
Pepper gave vent to that deep-drawn howl, and, running at me, seized my coat,
and attempted to drag me up the path toward the entrance. With a nervous
gesture, I shook him off, and crossed quickly over to the left-hand wall. If
anything were coming, I was going to have the wall at my back.
Then,
as I stared anxiously up the pathway, my candle caught a gleam, far up the
passage. At the same moment, I became conscious of a murmurous roar, that grew
louder, and filled the whole cavern with deafening sound. From the Pit, came a
deep, hollow echo, like the sob of a giant. Then, I had sprung to one side, on
to the narrow ledge that ran 'round the abyss, and, turning, saw a great wall
of foam sweep past me, and leap tumultuously into the waiting chasm. A cloud of
spray burst over me, extinguishing my candle, and wetting me to the skin. I
still held my gun. The three nearest candles went out; but the further ones
gave only a short flicker. After the first rush, the flow of water eased down
to a steady stream, maybe a foot in depth; though I could not see this, until I
had procured one of the lighted candles, and, with it, started to reconnoiter.
Pepper had, fortunately, followed me as I leapt for the ledge, and now, very
much subdued, kept close behind.
A
short examination showed me that the water reached right across the passage,
and was running at a tremendous rate. Already, even as I stood there, it had
deepened. I could make only a guess at what had happened. Evidently, the water
in the ravine had broken into the passage, by some means. If that were the
case, it would go on increasing in volume, until I should find it impossible to
leave the place. The thought was frightening. It was evident that I must make
my exit as hurriedly as possible.
Taking
my gun by the stock, I sounded the water. It was a little under knee-deep. The
noise it made, plunging down into the Pit, was deafening. Then, with a call to
Pepper, I stepped out into the flood, using the gun as a staff. Instantly, the
water boiled up over my knees, and nearly to the tops of my thighs, with the
speed at which it was racing. For one short moment, I nearly lost my footing;
but the thought of what lay behind, stimulated me to a fierce endeavor, and,
step-by-step, I made headway.
Of
Pepper, I knew nothing at first. I had all I could do to keep on my legs; and
was overjoyed, when he appeared beside me. He was wading manfully along. He is
a big dog, with longish thin legs, and I suppose the water had less grasp on
them, than upon mine. Anyway, he managed a great deal better than I did; going
ahead of me, like a guide, and wittingly - or otherwise - helping, somewhat, to
break the force of the water. On we went, step by step, struggling and gasping,
until somewhere about a hundred yards had been safely traversed. Then, whether
it was because I was taking less care, or that there was a slippery place on
the rocky floor, I cannot say; but, suddenly, I slipped, and fell on my face.
Instantly, the water leapt over me in a cataract, hurling me down, toward that
bottomless hole, at a frightful speed. Frantically I struggled; but it was
impossible to get a footing. I was helpless, gasping and drowning. All at once,
something gripped my coat, and brought me to a standstill. It was Pepper.
Missing me, he must have raced back, through the dark turmoil, to find me, and
then caught, and held me, until I was able to get to my feet.
I
have a dim recollection of having seen, momentarily, the gleams of several
lights; but, of this, I have never been quite sure. If my impressions are
correct, I must have been washed down to the very brink of that awful chasm,
before Pepper managed to bring me to a standstill. And the lights, of course,
could only have been the distant flames of the candles, I had left burning.
But, as I have said, I am not by any means sure. My eyes were full of water,
and I had been badly shaken.
And
there was I, without my helpful gun, without light, and sadly confused, with
the water deepening; depending solely upon my old friend Pepper, to help me out
of that hellish place.
I
was facing the torrent. Naturally, it was the only way in which I could have
sustained my position a moment; for even old Pepper could not have held me long
against that terrific strain, without assistance, however blind, from me.
Perhaps
a minute passed, during which it was touch and go with me; then, gradually I
re-commenced my tortuous way up the passage. And so began the grimmest fight
with death, from which ever I hope to emerge victorious. Slowly, furiously,
almost hopelessly, I strove; and that faithful Pepper led me, dragged me,
upward and onward, until, at last, ahead I saw a gleam of blessed light. It was
the entrance. Only a few yards further, and I reached the opening, with the
water surging and boiling hungrily around my loins.
And
now I understood the cause of the catastrophe. It was raining heavily,
literally in torrents. The surface of the lake was level with the bottom of the
opening - nay! more than level, it was above it. Evidently, the rain had
swollen the lake, and caused this premature rise; for, at the rate the ravine
had been filling, it would not have reached the entrance for a couple more
days.
Luckily,
the rope by which I had descended, was streaming into the opening, upon the
inrushing waters. Seizing the end, I knotted it securely 'round Pepper's body,
then, summoning up the last remnant of my strength, I commenced to swarm up the
side of the cliff. I reached the Pit edge, in the last stage of exhaustion.
Yet, I had to make one more effort, and haul Pepper into safety.
Slowly
and wearily, I hauled on the rope. Once or twice, it seemed that I should have
to give up; for Pepper is a weighty dog, and I was utterly done. Yet, to let
go, would have meant certain death to the old fellow, and the thought spurred
me to greater exertions. I have but a very hazy remembrance of the end. I
recall pulling, through moments that lagged strangely. I have also some
recollection of seeing Pepper's muzzle, appearing over the Pit edge, after what
seemed an indefinite period of time. Then, all grew suddenly dark.
XIII
- THE TRAP IN THE GREAT CELLAR
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 numb,
from the knee, downward. 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, dismally. From the Pit, came
a continuous murmur of running water. I felt cold and shivery. My clothes were
sodden, and I ached all over. Very slowly, the life came back into my numbed
leg, and, after a little, I essayed to stand up. This, I managed, at the second
attempt; but I was very tottery, and peculiarly weak. It seemed to me, that I
was going to be ill, and I made shift to stumble my way toward the house. My
steps were erratic, 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, toward 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 fumbled 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 totter 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 wrought a
wondrous change. Instead of the three-parts filled ravine, I looked out upon a
great lake, whose placid 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 sobbing 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 concealed
from human curiosity forever.
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 center 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 vault, where the trap is
situated; and see whether everything was as I had left it.
Reaching
the place, I walked slowly up the center, 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 slab. 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 murmurous 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 possessed me, and I raised the ponderous
door, with a feeling of excitement. Leaving it standing 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 twine, 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 tumult of white foam, some eighty or a hundred feet
below me. Then it was gone. My sudden surmise 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 chuckle 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 inexplicable 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 intensity. It is not mere 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 longing, 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
insistence. 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 solitude, and the sense of her
presence,(1) that alone make my old life bearable?
