'God's judgment!' solemnly and majestically answered Swedenborg. 'Wo to the sinner who wickedly and presumptuously draws it down upon his head before the appointed time.'
'Let us go and see if it be possible to render any assistance,' proposed Arwed; and proceeded with Swedenborg toward the place whence the smoke issued. Christine followed them with a misgiving heart. They were met by the old clerk, who ran up to them with a black and disfigured face.
'You appear to have been near the scene of the accident,' said Arwed to him. 'Are there many people injured?'
'Thank God only two; who, moreover, are no great loss!' answered the clerk, turning again to show them the way. 'An officer, wishing to instruct us how to blow out the ore, so managed that instead of the ore he blew himself into the air, and a piece of the roof of the mine with him.'
'The explosion was too violent for a mere removal of ore,' remarked Swedenborg.
'Very true, most honored sir,' answered the clerk. 'There also went with it a small cask of powder which was standing near.'
By this time they had arrived at the place. The thick smoke almost suffocated them. The torches of the miners, hurrying to and fro, like nebulous stars, faintly lighted the scene of destruction. A monstrous mountain mass, consisting mostly of rocks and stones, had become loosened by the force of the shock, and covered the bottom to a great height with fragments, through the fissures of which little flames were seen playing.
'They will lie quietly in this coffin until the last day!' observed the clerk.
'In God's name!' shrieked Christine, 'who is the other sufferer?'
'The brigand leader, who was sentenced here for life,' answered the clerk, with indifference.