Nevertheless, each time that he came to it, he felt a strong wish, that
constantly increased, to set foot therein. Now in the dream there fell
on him a certain heaviness, and the shadow of a cloud fell over the
court, and struck the sunshine out of it. And at last he made up his
mind that he would enter. He pushed the door open with much difficulty,
and found himself in a long blank passage, very damp and chilly, but
with a glimmering light; he walked a few paces down it. The flags
underfoot were slimy, and the walls streamed with damp. He then thought
that he would return; but the great door was closed behind him, and he
could not open it. This made him very fearful; and while he considered
what he should do, he saw a tall and angry-looking man approaching very
swiftly down the passage. As he turned to face him, the other came
straight to him, and asked him very sternly what he did there; to which
Anthony replied that he had found the door open. To which the other
replied that it was fast now, and that he must go forward. He seized
Anthony as he spoke by the arm, and urged him down the passage. Anthony
would 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 s