something beneath.

But no;--the fearful descent still went on--for, when she again
stretched forth her hand to touch the walls, they appeared to be slowly
rising--rising!

She was now involved in almost total darkness; but far--far overhead the
dim luster of the lamp was seen; and the four walls of the gulf now
appeared to touch the ceiling of the room above, and to inclose that
faint but still distinct orb within the narrow space thus shut in.

The noise of the machinery also reached her still--but merely with a
humming sound that was only just audible.

For an instant she doubted whether she was still descending; but, alas!
when her arms were a third time convulsively stretched forth, her fair
hands felt the walls slipping away from her touch--gliding upward, as it
were, with steady emotion.

Then she knew that the descent had not ceased.

But whither was she going? to what awful depth was she progressing?

Already she conjectured, was she at least sixty yards beneath that dim
yellow orb which every instant appeared to shine as through a deeper,
deepening mist.

For what fate was she reserved? and where was she?

Suddenly it struck her that she was an inmate of the Carmelite Convent;
for the rumors alluded to in a preceding chapter had often met her ears;
and her imagination naturally associated them with the occurrences of
that dreadful night.

The piercing shrieks--the noise of machinery--the disappearance from
time to time of some member of that monastic institution, all the
incidents, in fine, to which those rumors had ever pointed, now seemed
to apply to her own case.

These reflections flashed, with lightning rapidity, through her brain,
and paralyzed her with horror.

Then she lost all further power of thought; and though not absolutely
fainting, she was stunned and stupefied with the tremendous weight of
overwhelming despair.

How long she remained in this condition she knew not; but she was
suddenly aroused by the opening of a low door in the wall in front of
her.

Starting as from a dreadful dream, she stretched forth her arms, and
became aware that the descent had stopped; and at the same moment she
beheld a nun, bearing a lamp, standing on the threshold of the door
which had just opened.

"Sister, welcome to the chamber of penitence!" said the recluse,
approaching the terrified Flora.

Then, placing the lamp in a niche near the door, the nun proceeded to
remove the cords which faste