fain have resisted, but he felt
like a child in the grip of a giant, and went forward in great terror
and perplexity. Presently they came to a door in the side of the wall,
and as they passed it, there stepped out an ugly shadowy thing, the
nature of which he could not clearly discern, and marched softly
behind them. Soon they came to a turn in the passage, and in a moment
the way stopped on the brink of a dark well, that seemed to go down a
long way into the earth, and out of which came a cold fetid air, with
a hollow sound like a complaining voice. Anthony drew back as far as
he could from the pit, and set his back to the wall, his companion
letting go of him. But he could not go backward, for the thing behind
him was in the passage, and barred the way, creeping slowly nearer.
Then Anthony was in a great agony of mind, and waited for the end.

But while he waited, there came some one very softly down the passage
and drew near; and the other, who had led him to the place, waited, as
though ill-pleased to be interrupted; it was too murky for Anthony to
see the new-comer, but he knew in some way that he was a friend. The
stranger came up to them, and spoke in a low voice to the man who had
drawn Anthony thither, as though pleading for something; and the man
answered angrily, but yet with a certain dark respect, and seemed to
argue that he was acting in his right, and might not be interfered
with. Anthony could not hear what they said, they spoke so low, but he
guessed the sense, and knew that it was himself of whom they
discoursed, and listened with a fearful wonder to see which would
prevail. The end soon came, for the tall man, who had brought him
there, broke out into a great storm of passion; and Anthony heard him
say, "He hath yielded himself to his own will; and he is mine here; so
let us make an end." Then the stranger seemed to consider; and then
with a quiet courage, and in a soft and silvery voice like that of a
child, said, "I would that you would have yielded to my prayer; but as
you will not, I have no choice." And he took his hand from under the
cloak that wrapped him, and held something out; then there came a
great roaring out of the pit, and a zigzag flame flickered in the
dark. Then in a moment the tall man and the shadow were gone; Anthony
could not see whither they went, and he would have thanked the
stranger; but the other put his finger to his lip as though to order
silence, and pointed to the way he