"Not a word! While you are here speak not a word, nor utter any
exclamation. Prepare yourselves for amazing surprises, but control
yourselves so as to remain silent on witnessing them."
Suddenly she halted, passed her hands quietly over some panelling in the
long, narrow passage which seemed to run the whole length of the house,
and searched in the darkness for something she could not at first
discover. At length she found what she sought, a small door, apparently
concealed in the panelling, and through this we passed, down some
winding stone steps where the air was foul and damp, and the walls
seemed overgrown with fungi.
We were descending into a cellar. Was Muriel about to reveal to us the
hidden evidence of some terrible crime? I shuddered, for the darkness
was appalling. We could only feel our way lightly with our hands,
taking care not to stumble nor to create any noise.
Of a sudden, I saw straight before me five circular rays of light which
together formed themselves into a star, and as we approached we found
that before us was a partition of wood, and that these round rays were
of the light from a chamber beyond shining through what were apparently
air-holes.
"Now!" whispered Muriel, hoarsely. "Utter not a sound, but look
within!"
I placed my eye at one of the holes and gazed through. What I witnessed
there held me dumb with terror. I stood rigid, open-mouthed, not daring
to breathe. The scene was, as Muriel had predicted, stranger than any
in my wildest dreams.