it may, if I do not come across
Dollon's corpse below, I must find out to-morrow whether these hairs
resemble his."

Fandor went on descending, and first in one place, then in another, he
saw on the walls of this chimney whitish patches such as might have been
caused by the passage of a heavy mass or body, hanging at the end of a
rope, and striking against the walls on its way down. Whilst he still
believed himself to be some distance off the end of his downward
journey, he felt a point of resistance beneath his feet. At first he
mistook it for firm ground, much to his surprise. He was about to leave
go of his cord when a remnant of prudence restrained him:

"How do I know there is not an abyss depths upon depths below me--down
into the very bowels of the earth! I had better take care!"

What Fandor had taken for firm ground was nothing but an iron staple
projecting from the wall. Fandor seized it, stopped for a minute or
two's breathing space, ascertained, by drawing it up, that of his cord
there were only a few yards remaining; but he also perceived, and with
what relief, that from where he was resting, downwards the chimney was,
as far as he could see by his lantern's light, marked off into regular
spaces by these iron staples which are sometimes placed there for the
use of chimney cleaners and masons. Fandor found them a most convenient
kind of ladder. The descent now became easy, and in a short time our
adventurous journalist reached the bottom of the chimney. At first he
could not understand where he had got to. In the thick gloom around him
his lantern's gleam of light showed him a kind of vaulted wall of
massive masonry. He advanced a step or two with noiseless tread,
listening, on the alert. Not a sound could he hear: he decided to expose
the full light of his lantern.

The brighter light showed him that the chimney from which he was now
standing some yards away ended in a kind of sewer, evidently no longer
in use; and the plashing sound he had heard on the far up heights of the
Palais roofs proceeded from a thin and muddy stream of water flowing in
the middle of the sewer channel in the direction of the Seine. Kneeling
at the foot of the chimney Fandor could distinguish marks of steps made
by human feet; much deeper and very different indentations were visible
also:

"Not only have men passed this way but a short while ago," he murmured,
"but they were carrying a heavy burden: there are two kinds of
foot