Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 274: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Rann nnn nn nner nnn cnn nc nncnrcrccnccccnccccncnnnn cnc cer A cee vOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. ing in my mind that it originally had some other purpose to serve and that it was not altogether what it seemed. “ Here is the tomb,” I said to Durazzo, with the view of ascertaining what opinion he himself would express. “Yes,” he replied, “it is doubtless the last home of some long defunct authority of St. Bar- tholomew’s; and you, my dear Wilmot, have had all your trouble and incurred all this risk to be rewarded with nothing better than the discovery of a marble monument in an underground sepul- chre.” “TI told you from the very first,’ I replied, laughing, “that I addressed myself not as a treasure-seeker to this exploring enterprise. But tou speak seriously,” I added,—aud I did at the same time grow serious,—“I do not think this is a mere sepulchre for the dead.” “ How?” ejaculated Durazzo, with a sudden start as if some wild hope had thrilled through him. “ You believe then r. “I have scarcely ventured to form an hypo- thesis,” I interrupted him, “as to what the real use and purpose of this place might have been: but I have no hesitation in declaring that I do not think it was intended as a sepulchre. Doubt- less there was a crypt—or at all events there _must have been several vaults belonging to the cathedral-church, and in which defunct dignitaries of the monastery were placed with all befitting obseguies. Why, therefore, this cavern in the midst of the church-yard? and why the mystery of its entrance? It is evident that many, many long years must have elapsed since this place was last visited, and that accident alone has unsealed it to our knowledge to-day. The tomb of some sainted deceased one, or of some venerated monastic official, would not be thus concealed.” “You are right, Wilmot—you are right!” ex- claimed Durazzo. “ What if that legend which we ‘heard last night, and to which I confess that I paid but indifferent attention at the time,—what if it were every word true——” “T never for an instant suspected its truth,” I said: “but I certainly thought it far more pro- bable that the monks had escaped with their trea- sures to Italy or elsewhere, than that they should have left them behind, no matter how well con- trived the place of concealment. JBut after all, it is quite probable that the Lord Abbot alone knew where those treasures were deposited; and that his sudden death therefore interred the secret in his own blood-stained grave.” “In a word, Wilmot,” ejaculated Durazzo, his voice thrilling with a wild anxious suspenseful joy, “ you believe it to be possible fe “Do not excite yourself, my dear friend,” I said; “and do not ask me to express any opinion, which, if refuted by facts, would only stultify me egregiously. We will examine this marble structure, if you will, and if we can find the means But come !” As if anticipating my purpose, Durazzo placed himself at one end of the large slab which covered the tomb-like marble masonry; and I took my position at the other. But all attempts to lift, or even to move it, were utterly vain. “T wish we hac a light,’ exclaimed Durazzo. “Could we not on some pretence——” ® 261 “Return to the farm for the means of procuring alight? No!” I said: “ we must manage with- out at least for the present. Ah!” I ejacu- lated at the instant: “what is this? An iron knob !—perhaps a secret spring ?” The object which had elicited this ejaculation from my lips, was, as I had said, an iron knob— not exactly projecting beyond the surface of the marble, but let into a hollow at that extremity of the tomb-like structure against which I stood. My hand, on quitting the edge of the slab, had accidentally encountered it. I now pushed it— then I endeavoured to draw it out—next I strove to turn it: I exerted all my power to move it in one way or another—but to no effect. And yet the conviction was strong within me that it was made to move: indeed I believed that we were standing upon the threshold of discoveries more important than I had chosen to admit to be within the range of my belief. Durazzo now took his turn at examining the knob—or rather of feeling it with his hands; and while he was thus engaged, I strained my eyes to examine the appearance and all the details of the marble structure as well as I was able. I found another knob similarly let into a recess at the other angle of the same extremity. I proceeded to examine the opposite extremity or end of the structure ; and there I found corresponding knobs. Having imparted the discovery to Durazzo, I said, “ These contrivances are to give an uniform appearance to the tomb, or whatever it be; but you may rest assured that in one of these four knobs lies whatsoever secret or mystery there may be. And here it is!” For scarcely had I given expression to the idea, when one of the iron knobs at the extremity where Durazzo had previously attempted to lift the marble slad, yielded to my hand. I had been pushing and pulling, and then turning—when lo! this particular knob did turn—but with the utmost difficulty, as if it were much rusted. It kept on turning: the movement soon grew quicker; and I became aware that it worked on a screw—for it was gradually coming farther and farther out from the little hollow or recess in which it had been fixed. At length it came off in my hand, leaving a thick iron screw projecting about an inch from the marble. I pushed the screw, and endeavoured to move it in several directions—but all to no effect. It was utterly motionless. “There is no secret nor mystery of any kind attached to that,’ said Durazzo, when I had ex- plained to him what was done. ‘“ These knobs are mere ornaments—and they have been fixed on with screws.” “Tt may be so,’ I answered: “but I havea strong conviction to the contrary.” I now passed back again to the other extremity of the tomb-like structure; and I endeavoured to move the iron knob which corresponded in position with the one which I had succeeded in unscrewing. For several minutes all my efforts were vain; and I was on the point of abandoning them, when sud- denly the knob gave way, and I fell backward. There was a clang as of a bar of iron striking against the marble ;—and such indeed proved to be the fact: for I had drawn out a long rod the end of which came in contact with the projecting base of the marble structure. me eee ELOOQO) S (CO) LAL