making an
investigation. I was far too much imbued with a sense of horror of the
Swine-creatures, to think of venturing, willingly, where there was any
chance of coming into contact with them.

Gradually, however, as time passed, this feeling grew insensibly less;
so that when, a few days later, the thought occurred to me that it might
be possible to clamber down and have a look into the hole, I was not so
exceedingly averse to it, as might have been imagined. Still, I do not
think, even then, that I really intended to try any such foolhardy
adventure. For all that I could tell, it might be certain death, to
enter that doleful looking opening. And yet, such is the pertinacity of
human curiosity, that, at last, my chief desire was but to discover what
lay beyond that gloomy entrance.

Slowly, as the days slid by, my fear of the Swine-things became an
emotion of the past--more an unpleasant, incredible memory, than
aught else.

Thus, a day came, when, throwing thoughts and fancies adrift, I
procured a rope from the house, and, having made it fast to a stout
tree, at the top of the rift, and some little distance back from the Pit
edge, let the other end down into the cleft, until it dangled right
across the mouth of the dark hole.

Then, cautiously, and with many misgivings as to whether it was not a
mad act that I was attempting, I climbed slowly down, using the rope as
a support, until I reached the hole. Here, still holding on to the rope,
I stood, and peered in. All was perfectly dark, and not a sound came to
me. Yet, a moment later, it seemed that I could hear something. I held
my breath, and listened; but all was silent as the grave, and I breathed
freely once more. At the same instant, I heard the sound again. It was
like a noise of labored breathing--deep and sharp-drawn. For a short
second, I stood, petrified; not able to move. But now the sounds had
ceased again, and I could hear nothing.

As I stood there, anxiously, my foot dislodged a pebble, which fell
inward, into the dark, with a hollow chink. At once, the noise was taken
up and repeated a score of times; each succeeding echo being fainter,
and seeming to travel away from me, as though into remote distance.
Then, as the silence fell again, I heard that stealthy breathing. For
each respiration I made, I could hear an answering breath. The sounds
appeared to be coming nearer; and then, I heard several others; but
fainter and more distant. Why I did not