AURI MOLES PRÆGRANDIS
Pabo rose to his feet at once. He had seen, he had touched the gold. The
wax taper had dropped from his hand as he fell. He groped for it and
soon found it. Then he put his hand to his pouch for flint and steel.
They were not there. He searched the breast of his tunic. They were not
there either. Then he passed his hand over the floor, thinking that he
might have dropped them from his pouch when he fell. As yet he was not
alarmed, rather concerned, as he was impatient to see the treasure.
Kneeling, he groped on all sides of him, but could not find what he
sought. His hand touched ingots; that he knew by their shape, and that
they were of gold he was assured by the yellow glint when his wax light
fell.
Still bending on one knee, and with a hand on the ground, he began to
consider what could have become of flint and steel. Was it possible
that he had left them outside the "Ogof" when he lighted the taper? He
racked his brain. He distinctly recalled the kindling of the wick. He
could not remember having replaced the flint, steel, and tinder in his
pouch. It might have occurred that flint or steel had fallen out when he
stumbled, or even when he leaped the chasm, but not that tinder as well
should have gone. He knew that whilst engaged in kindling the taper he
had placed the now missing articles on a stone just within the entrance.
There they might be still. He must have forgotten to replace them in his
purse. Forgotten those things most necessary to him in the mine! Only
conceivable through the occupation of his thoughts over the treasure, in
quest of which he was venturing. He had found the treasure, but now was
without the means of mustering it, even of seeing it.
Again he groped about the floor, in desperation, hoping against
conviction that the flint, steel, and tinder might be lying there. His
hands passed over the cold damp rock; it was in vain; and weariness at
length compelled him to desist. Now only did the whole horror of his
situation lighten on him. The chasm lay between him and his way back. He
might, possibly enough, by feeling, find the passage by which he had
entered; but how could he traverse that awful abyss? He was buried
alive.
He sat in the darkness listening.
He heard no sound whatever, save at long intervals a drip of water.
He stared into the blackness of night that surrounded him, but could see
not the faintest trace of light. And yet--not at any great distance was
the hall into which a pearly ray fell from an orifice above; but between
him and the spot of light lay the well.
Were it not better to essay to return, and risk the headlong fall into
that gulf, than to sit there in darkness, in solitude, till death by
starvation came on him, and hear the slow ticking of the falling drops?
What chance of rescue had he?
True that he had sent word to his wife to meet him at the Ogofau--the
caves, in the plural, not to seek for him in the one Ogof, in the
singular, that was specially dreaded as the haunt of Gwen, and the place
where slept the Five Saints.
Would his wife think of seeking him therein? Could she possibly venture
so far from the light? It was not credible.
He tried to rise, but his limbs were stiff, and he shivered as with
cold.
Cautiously, with extended hands, he groped for the wall, and finally
reached it. Then, passing them along, he felt his way towards the
opening to the passage. But as to his direction, of that he knew
nothing, could form no conjecture. While searching for his kindling
tools, he had turned himself about and lost every inkling as to the
course by which he had entered.
After a while his right hand no longer encountered rock, and stepping
sideways, he held with his left hand to the wall and stretched forth the
right, but felt nothing. Letting go, but with reluctance, he moved
another step sideways and now touched rock again.
He had found the passage, and he took a few steps down it, drawing his
hand along the side. He put forth the right foot, feeling the floor lest
he should come unawares on the chasm. So he crept on, but whether he
were going forward in a straight line or was describing a curve, he did
not know. His brain was in a whirl. Then he struck his head against a
prong of rock that descended from above, and reeled back and fell.
For a while, without being completely stunned, he lay in half
consciousness. His desperate condition filled him with horror.
What if he did find his way to the ledge of the well? Could he leap it?
If he made the attempt, he did not know in which direction to spring; he
might bound, dash himself against the rock, and go reeling down into the
gulf. But even to make such a leap he must take a few strides to acquire
sufficient impetus. How measure his strides in the pitch darkness? How
be sure that he did not leap too precipitately and not land at all, but
go down whirling into the depths? And there was something inexpressibly
hideous in the thought of lying dead below, sopping in water at the
bottom of that abyss--sopping till his flesh parted from the bones, away
from the light, his fate unknown to his wife, his carcass there to lie
till Doomsday.
Partly due to the blow he had received, partly to desperation, his mind
became confused. Strange thoughts came over him. He seemed to acquire
vision, and to behold the Five Saints lying in a niche before him, with
their heads on a long stone. They were very old, and their faces covered
with mildew. Their silver beards had grown and covered them like
blankets. One had his hand laid on the ground, and the fingers were
like stag's-horn lichen.
Then the one saint raised this white hand, passed it over his face,
opened his eyes, and sat up.
"Brothers," said he, in a faint small voice, "let us turn our pillow."
Thereat the other four sat up, and the one who had roused his brethren
said: "See--we have worn holes in the stone with our heads. We will turn
our pillow."
And in verity there were five cup-like depressions in the stone. Then
the old Saint reversed the stone, and at once all four laid their heads
on it again and went again to sleep. The fifth also relaid his head on
the stone, and immediately his eyes closed.
Then it was to Pabo as though he saw a white face peeping round a corner
of rock; and this was followed by a form--thin, vaporous, clad in
flowing white robes.
"Gwen! Gwen!" he cried, starting up. "You--you know a way forth! You
leave in thunder and storm. Let me hold to your skirts, and draw me from
this pit of darkness!"
But with his cries the phantasm had vanished. His eyes were staring
into pitch darkness, in which not even a spectral form moved.
And still--he heard at long-drawn intervals the drip, drip of water.
Again he sank back into half-consciousness, and once more his troubled
brain conjured up fantastic visions.
He thought himself once again in the cave at Careg Cennen, and that the
beautiful Nest came to him. Somehow, he confused her with Gwen. She
seemed also to be vaporous--all but her face and her radiant golden
hair. What eyes she had, and how they flashed and glowed as she spoke of
the wrongs done to her country and to her people!
He thought she spoke to him, and said: "Oh, Pabo, Pabo, I have trusted
in thee! My brother, he is raising all Cymraig peoples. Take to him the
treasure of the old Romans. With that he will buy harness, and swords,
and spears, and will call over and enroll levies from Ireland. With gold
he will bribe, and get admission to castles he cannot break up. With
gold he will get fleets to sail up the Severn Sea and harass the enemy
as they venture along the levels of Morganwg. See, see, I have given
thee the bracelet of Maxen the Emperor! It is a solemn trust. Bear it
to him; let it not be lost here in the bowels of the earth!"
And again he started with a cry and said: "Help, help, Princess Nest! Me
thou didst draw out of the dungeon. Me thou didst bring up out of the
cave. Deliver me now!"
And again all was blackness, and there was no answer. Still continued
the monotonous drip. Then Pabo bit his tongue, and resolved by no means
to suffer himself to fall away into these trances again. With strong
resolution he fought with phantom figures as they rose before his eyes,
with drowsiness as it crept over his brain, with whispers and mutterings
that sounded in his ears.
How long the time was that passed he knew not. He might have counted the
drips of water, yet knew not the length of each interval between the
falling of the drops.
He forcibly turned his mind to Morwen, and wondered what would become of
her. Howel he trusted to do his uttermost, but Howel would have been
hung but for his opportune return.
Then his mind turned to the prospects of down-trampled Wales; to the
chances of Griffith--to the defection and treachery of the King of
North Wales; to the discouragement that had followed the abortive
attempt of Owen ap Cadogan. But Owen had been a man false of heart,
seeking only his selfish ends; without one spark of loyalty to his
nation. Far other was Griffith. His beauty, his open manner, his winning
address, were matched with a character true, brave, and sympathetic. In
him the people had a leader in whom they could trust. And yet what would
be his chances against the overwhelming power of England and Normandy?
Before Pabo's eyes, as they closed unconsciously, clouds seemed to
descend, overspread and darken his beautiful land. He saw again and
again devastation sweep it. He saw alien nobles and alien prelates
fasten on it and suck its resources like leeches. There passed before
him, as it were, wave on wave of darkness, fire, and blood. And
then--suddenly a spark, a flame, a blaze, and in it a Welsh prince
mounting the English throne, one of the blood of Cunedda--the ancestor
of the Saint of Caio, their loved Cynwyl. The lions! the black lions of
Cambria waving over the throne of England!
Pabo started with a thrill of triumph, but it was to hear a shriek,
piercing, harsh, horrible, ring through the vault, followed by crash,
crash, again a dull thud--and a splash.
Thereon all was silent.
Dazed in mind, unaware whether he were dreaming still, or whether what
he had heard were real, with every nerve quivering, with his blood
fluttering in his temples, at his heart, he shut his eyes, clutched the
ground, and held his breath.
And then--next moment a flash--and a cry--"Pabo!"
He opened his eyes--but saw nothing, only light. But he felt arms about
him, felt his head drawn to a soft and throbbing bosom, felt warm tears
dropping on his face.
"Pabo! oh, my Pabo! it was not you!"
By degrees his faculties returned.
Then he saw before him Howel bearing a horn lantern; but he felt he
could not see her who had folded him in her arms and was sobbing over
him.
"We have found you," said Howel. "But for her I would not have dared to
enter. Yet she would have gone alone. She saw thy flint and steel on a
stone at the entrance. She was full of fear, and left me no rest till I
agreed to accompany her. Tell me, what was that fearful cry?"
"I know not. The place is full of phantoms."
"Was there none with thee?"
"None. Were ye alone?"
"We were alone."
"Then it was the cry of Gwen, or of some evil spirit. And oh! Howel.
_Auri moles prægrandis._"
"I understand not."
"Come and see."
Pabo started to his feet now, disengaging himself gently from the arms
of his wife; but not relaxing the hold of her hand which he clasped.
A few steps were retraced to the hall, and there lay the fallen wax
taper, and there, piled up, were ingots of gold.
"See!" exclaimed Pabo. "For Griffith ap Rhys. With this--at last
something may be done."
Howel passed his lantern over it meditatively.
"Yes," he said, "it is just what has been the one thing that has failed
us hitherto."
"Not the only thing; the other--a true man."
"Right. We have here the means of success, and in Griffith--the true
leader."
"Come!" said Pabo. "I must to the light. I am weary of darkness."
He rekindled his wax taper at Howel's light, and all proceeded on their
way; and before many minutes had elapsed were in the domed chamber,
traversed from above by a tiny ray of moonlight.
Pabo stood still. His head spun.
"But the well! the well!"
His wife and Howel looked at him with surprise.
"How came you to me? How did you pass the chasm?"
"There was no chasm. We have returned as we went."
Pabo clasped his head.
"There is a well. I leaped it. I feared to fall into it."
Then all at once, clear before him stood the plan as drawn by the
hermit. From the chamber where light was there were two passages leading
to the treasure--one had it in the well--that was the turn to the right,
and the direction had been to go to the left. He who had seen the map
had gone wrong. They who had never seen it went right. But, we may ask,
what was that cry? From whom did it issue?
All that can be said is this: Goronwy, after having given the message,
watched curiously, and saw Morwen go to the house of Howel. Had he not
been inquisitive to know the meaning of the meeting in Ogofau, he would
have betrayed her at once to Rogier. As it was, he resolved to follow
and observe, unseen.
He had done so, and at a distance, after Howel and Morwen, he had
entered the mine.
More cannot be said.
Goronwy was never seen again.