Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Terror of Blue John Gap
—InthelastthreedaysIhavemadeseveralexpeditionstotheBlueJohnGap,andhaveevenpenetratedsomeshortdistance,butmybicyclelanternissosmallandweakthatIdarenottrustmyselfveryfar.Ishalldothethingmoresystematically.Ihaveheardnosoundatall,andcouldalmostbelievethatIhadbeenthevictimofsomehallucinationsuggested,perhaps,byArmitage’sconversation.Ofcourse,thewholeideaisabsurd,andyetImustconfessthatthosebushesattheentranceofthecavedopresentanappearanceasifsomeheavycreaturehadforceditswaythroughthem.Ibegintobekeenlyinterested.IhavesaidnothingtotheMissAllertons,fortheyarequitesuperstitiousenoughalready,butIhaveboughtsomecandles,andmeantoinvestigateformyself.
Iobservedthismorningthatamongthenumeroustuftsofsheep’swoolwhichlayamongthebushesnearthecaverntherewasonewhichwassmearedwithblood.Ofcourse,myreasontellsmethatifsheepwanderintosuchrockyplacestheyarelikelytoinjurethemselves,andyetsomehowthatsplashofcrimsongavemeasuddenshock,andforamomentIfoundmyselfshrinkingbackinhorrorfromtheoldRomanarch.AfetidbreathseemedtooozefromtheblackdepthsintowhichIpeered.Coulditindeedbepossiblethatsomenamelessthing,somedreadfulpresence,waslurkingdownyonder?Ishouldhavebeenincapableofsuchfeelingsinthedaysofmystrength,butonegrowsmorenervousandfancifulwhenone’shealthisshaken.
