Tales of Terror and Mystery
The New Catacomb
Sheabsolutelyrefused,underanycircumstances,tocomebacktofacethepeopleshehadknowninRome.Now,ofcourse,Romeisnecessarytome,andIwasalreadypiningtobebackatmywork—sotherewasoneobviouscauseofseparation.Then,again,heroldfatherturnedupatthehotelinLondon,andtherewasascene,andthewholethingbecamesounpleasantthatreally—thoughImissedherdreadfullyatfirst—Iwasverygladtoslipoutofit.Now,IrelyuponyounottorepeatanythingofwhatIhavesaid."
"MydearKennedy,Ishouldnotdreamofrepeatingit.Butallthatyousayinterestsmeverymuch,foritgivesmeaninsightintoyourwayoflookingatthings,whichisentirelydifferentfrommine,forIhaveseensolittleoflife.Andnowyouwanttoknowaboutmynewcatacomb.There’snousemytryingtodescribeit,foryouwouldneverfinditbythat.Thereisonlyonething,andthatisformetotakeyouthere."
"Thatwouldbesplendid."
"Whenwouldyouliketocome?"
"Thesoonerthebetter.Iamallimpatiencetoseeit."
"Well,itisabeautifulnight—thoughatriflecold.Supposewestartinanhour.Wemustbeverycarefultokeepthemattertoourselves.Ifanyonesawushuntingincouplestheywouldsuspectthattherewassomethinggoingon."
"Wecan’tbetoocautious,"saidKennedy."Isitfar?"
"Somemiles."
"Nottoofartowalk?"
"Oh,no,wecouldwalkthereeasily."
"Wehadbetterdoso,then.Acabman’ssuspicionswouldbearousedifhedroppedusbothatsomelonelyspotinthedeadofthenight."
"Quiteso.
