Chapter 4

           Inanothermomenthewashastilyfillingtheburned-outlampsfromanoilsupplyhehadpreviouslynoticed,andwhentheroomwasbrightagainhelookedabouttoseeifhemightfindalanternforfurtherexploration.Forrackedthoughhewaswithhorror,hissenseofgrimpurposewasstilluppermost;andhewasfirmlydeterminedtoleavenostoneunturnedinhissearchforthehideousfactsbehindCharlesWard’sbizarremadness.Failingtofindalantern,hechosethesmallestofthelampstocarry;alsofillinghispocketswithcandlesandmatches,andtakingwithhimagalloncanofoil,whichheproposedtokeepforreserveuseinwhateverhiddenlaboratoryhemightuncoverbeyondtheterribleopenspacewithitsuncleanaltarandnamelesscoveredwells.Totraversethatspaceagainwouldrequirehisutmostfortitude,butheknewitmustbedone.Fortunatelyneitherthefrightfulaltarnortheopenedshaftwasnearthevastcell-indentedwallwhichboundedthecavernarea,andwhoseblackmysteriousarchwayswouldformthenextgoalsofalogicalsearch.

           SoWillettwentbacktothatgreatpillaredhallofstenchandanguishedhowling;turningdownhislamptoavoidanydistantglimpseofthehellishaltar,oroftheuncoveredpitwiththepiercedstoneslabbesideit.Mostoftheblackdoorwaysledmerelytosmallchambers,somevacantandsomeevidentlyusedasstorerooms;andinseveralofthelatterhesawsomeverycuriousaccumulationsofvariousobjects.