Tales of Terror and Mystery

           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.