Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Terror of Blue John Gap
Alas!thebearingswhichhadimpressedthemselvesuponmymindwerehighonthewall,andnottobefoundbytouch.Still,Irememberedinageneralwayhowthesidesweresituated,andIhopedthatbygropingmywayalongthemIshouldatlastcometotheopeningoftheRomantunnel.Movingveryslowly,andcontinuallystrikingagainsttherocks,Isetoutonthisdesperatequest.
ButIverysoonrealizedhowimpossibleitwas.Inthatblack,velvetydarknessonelostallone’sbearingsinaninstant.BeforeIhadmadeadozenpaces,Iwasutterlybewilderedastomywhereabouts.Theripplingofthestream,whichwastheonesoundaudible,showedmewhereitlay,butthemomentthatIleftitsbankIwasutterlylost.Theideaoffindingmywaybackinabsolutedarknessthroughthatlimestonelabyrinthwasclearlyanimpossibleone.
Isatdownuponaboulderandreflecteduponmyunfortunateplight.IhadnottoldanyonethatIproposedtocometotheBlueJohnmine,anditwasunlikelythatasearchpartywouldcomeafterme.ThereforeImusttrusttomyownresourcestogetclearofthedanger.Therewasonlyonehope,andthatwasthatthematchesmightdry.WhenIfellintotheriver,onlyhalfofmehadgotthoroughlywet.Myleftshoulderhadremainedabovethewater.Itooktheboxofmatches,therefore,andputitintomyleftarmpit.Themoistairofthecavernmightpossiblybecounteractedbytheheatofmybody,butevenso,IknewthatIcouldnothopetogetalightformanyhours.Meanwhiletherewasnothingforitbuttowait.
