o be allowed
to speak with the prisoner; and, from her talkings with Mr. Biddell, had
understood how little that was. Indeed, he had hinted to her plainly
enough that even in this it might be that they were no more than pawns
in the enemy's hand; and that, under a show of mercy, it was often
allowed for a prisoner's friends to have free access to him in order to
shake his resolution. If there was any cause for congratulation then, it
lay solely in the thought that other means had so far failed. One thing
at least they knew, for their comfort, that there had been no talk of
torture....

It was a full couple of minutes before the door opened to show them a
thin, brown-faced man, with his sleeves rolled up, dressed over his
shirt and hose in a kind of leathern apron. He nodded as he saw the
ladies, with an air of respect, however, and stood aside to let them
come in. Then, with the same civility, he asked for the order, and read
it, holding it up to the light that came through the little barred
window over the door.

It was an unspeakably dreary little entrance passage in which they
stood, wainscoted solidly from floor to ceiling with wood that looked
damp and black from age; the ceiling itself was indistinguishable in the
twilight; the floor seemed composed of packed earth, three or four doors
showed in the woodwork; that opposite to the one by which they had
entered stood slightly ajar, and a smoky light shone from beyond it.
The air was heavy and hot and damp, and smelled of mildew.

The man gave the order back when he had read it, made a little gesture
that resembled a bow, and led the way straight forward.

They found themselves, when they had passed through the half-open door,
in another passage running at right-angles to the entrance, with
windows, heavily barred, so as to exclude all but the faintest twilight,
even though the sun was not yet set; there appeared to be foliage of
some kind, too, pressing against them from outside, as if a little
central yard lay there; and the light, by which alone they could see
their way along the uneven earth floor, came from a flambeau which hung
by the door, evidently put there just now by the man who had opened to
them; he led them down this passage to the left, down a couple of steps;
unlocked another door of enormous weight and thickness and closed this
behind them. They found themselves in complete darkness.

"I'll be with you in a moment, mistress," said his voice; and