d myself at a
sufficient distance from suspicion. The stair was hastily drawn up, and
the door closed. In a few minutes, however, my new retreat proved to be
worse than any for which it was possible to change it. The air was
musty, stagnant, and scorchingly hot. My breathing became difficult, and
I saw that to remain here ten minutes would unavoidably produce
suffocation.

My terror of intruders had rendered me blind to the consequences of
immuring myself in this cheerless recess. It was incumbent on me to
extricate myself as speedily as possible. I attempted to lift the door.
My first effort was successless. Every inspiration was quicker and more
difficult than the former. As my terror, so my strength and my exertions
increased. Finally my trembling hand lighted on a nail that was
imperfectly driven into the wood, and which, by affording me a firmer
hold, enabled me at length to raise it, and to inhale the air from
beneath.

Relieved from my new peril by this situation, I bent an attentive ear
through the opening, with a view to ascertain if the house had been
entered or if the outer door was still beset, but could hear nothing.
Hence I was authorized to conclude that the people had departed, and
that I might resume my former station without hazard.

Before I descended, however, I cast a curious eye over this recess. It
was large enough to accommodate a human being. The means by which it was
entered were easily concealed. Though narrow and low, it was long, and,
were it possible to contrive some inlet for the air, one studious of
concealment might rely on its protection with unbounded confidence.

My scrutiny was imperfect by reason of the faint light which found its
way through the opening; yet it was sufficient to set me afloat on a sea
of new wonders and subject my fortitude to a new test.--

Here Mervyn paused in his narrative. A minute passed in silence and
seeming indecision. His perplexities gradually disappeared, and he
continued:--

* * * * *

I have promised to relate the momentous incidents of my life, and have
hitherto been faithful in my enumeration. There is nothing which I more
detest than equivocation and mystery. Perhaps, however, I shall now
incur some imputation of that kind. I would willingly escape the
accusation, but confess that I am hopeless of escaping it.

I might, indeed, have precluded your guesses and surmises by omitting to
relate what befell me fro