Argosy and Railroad Man's Magazine — page 171: what you’re looking at

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

THE HAMMER. to see Sonia. When he returned she set out. Up to the very walls of Sant’ Angelo she urged on her escort to’greater and greater speed. But when she passed through the gate her eagerness waned, and cold uncer- tainty took its place. The officer of the castle to whom her per- mit was presented allowed her to enter at once. He suggested with some confusion that it would be better to have the girl brought up to her ladyship, because the way was long and down many stairs. But Beatrice insisted that they must speak ab- solutely alone. When he asked her if she wished no pro- tection, she showed him a tiny, silver-hilted poniard with a blade four inches long, a thin bit ef keen steel which a child could press to the heart with the force of one finger. - With that they started down the steeply winding stairs, the officer first. Being a man of some family and culture, and now in the presence of Rome’s social queen, he hummed or whistled a tune as he walked, and kept the rhythm by jangling a bunch of the heavy prison keys which he carried. One of her servants preceded Beatrice, and another followed her, both carrying lan- terns, for the stairway was dark as mid- night after they passed the first turn. So they came into the lowest passage, _ apparently hewn through the solid rock. The lantern-light glittered along the low ceiling, where innumerable beads of water had gathered like sweat on the brow of a man. Under foot the same moisture made the stones slippery, and at every breath of the sick air the lantern-bearers shuddered dismally. Their mistress paid no heed to the dis- mal passage, but when the jailer stopped at a low door so cunningly set into the solid rock that not a crack was visible, she grew pale. “So please you,” he suggested, “ it may be well if I accompanied you when you. speak with the woman within. These low- est cells ’’—he smiled somewhat apologet- ically—‘‘ sometimes make the prisoners a trifle desperate, and it might be that this low creature would forget—” 11 Arcosy 513 “Open the door at once,” said Beatrice. ‘“‘T have no fear.” The door opened silently upon an utter void of dark —rats squeaked within and scurried to their holes—a breath of stale air came coldly out to Beatrice. She strained her eyes into the cell, but could see nothing. ‘“ Does—does a human being live in—in that hole?” she asked. “Only for a short time,” said the jailer suavely; “ and it is only used for the most desperate cases — murder, witchcraft, and other crimes too foul to be named!” “Give me the lantern,” said Beatrice firmly, after another moment of pale-faced waiting. ‘I shall enter alone, and do you close the door after me.” She held the lantern high:and advanced through the opening. At once the door shut behind ‘her. With the light in her eyes, she could not see a yard straight be- fore her, and lowered her eyes. The floor was far wetter than the stones of the corridor, and a short distance from her, lying on the green mold, lay a loaf of © bread beside a small pitcher of water. The loaf had been tunneled and eaten away to a crust by the rats. ‘““Tf you have come for me, I am pre- pared,” said a low voice. Beatrice lowered the lantern and shaded her eyes with her hand. -In a corner she made out a shadowy figure. She moved the lantern until the light fell full upon Sonia, who stood leaning against the angle of the damp wall. : She had started from the wall at the en- trance of Beatrice; but, seeing that it was a woman who stood before her, she re- sumed her former posture, her hands locked loosely before her, and her head slightly bowed. At sight of that forlorn attitude, the pity which rose in Beatrice turned cold. “You are. the woman Sonia?” she asked. The great eyes raised, considered her a silent moment, and then sank again toward the floor. : “ Are you the woman Sonia,” repeated Beatrice— held here for foul witchcraft?” A singular half smile stirred the lips of the prisoner. comiclooolkkS Gon