brain, pulsed like molten
fire through my blood, until, as the desperation of my situation became
more clearly defined, I tottered upon the very verge of insanity,
feeling I should soon become a helpless, gibbering imbecile.

Yet, as I succeeded in staggering weakly to my feet, the movement and
exertion served to quiet my apprehensions, while hope came faintly
back, bringing with it, as though newly born, a determination never to
yield without one manly struggle. I possessed a knife; perchance there
might be discovered some opportunity for using it. With outspread
hands, and groping feet, I attempted to advance, but found I had fallen
so close to the centre of the well that I had to make several steps
before my extended fingers touched the cold wall. This I followed
slowly, passing exploring hands with utmost care over each inch, from
the floor to as high as I could reach on tiptoe, until confident I had
made the complete circuit. It was all the same, vast slabs of flat
stone, welded together by some rude yet effective masonry, the mortar
between impervious to the sharp probing of the knife. Again and again
I made that circuit, testing each crack, sounding every separate stone
in the hope of discovering some slight fault in construction by which I
might profit. Everywhere I was confronted by the same dull, dead wall
of cold, hard rock, against which I exerted strength and skill
uselessly. Finally I dropped upon my knees, creeping inch by inch
across the floor, but with no better result. It likewise was composed
of great slabs of stone, one having an irregular crack running through
it from corner to corner, but all alike solid and immovable.

Then the last faint flicker of hope deserted me. Yet the exercise of
that fruitless search had restored some measure of manhood; my brain no
longer throbbed with dull agony, nor did my veins burn as with liquid
fire. I felt convinced this black vault was destined to become my
grave; here in after years, perhaps, some straying hunter might uncover
my mouldering bones, wondering idly at my unknown story, for here I was
surely doomed to face all that was mysterious and terrible in death.
Well, that end must come to me some time, as to all men; I had seen
many die, and, although fate faced me in far more horrid guise than any
of these others, yet after all it was merely death, and I had no more
cause to fear it here in the dark than yonder in the sunshine.
Besides, I retaine