“Let us go to them,” whispered Rachel to Seti; “let us go to them alone. The men would only alarm and confound them more.”
For answer he drew her arm still further within his; and went cautiously forward through the shadows straight toward the door of the vaults. Sure enough, there were the custodes on the last step, cowering, trembling, moaning faintly, almost stupid with terror. Rachel knelt by the woman, took hold of her hand with one hand and stroked her with the other, bade her be of good courage, if only for a little.
“You see,” said she, “that I have come to help you. Seti also is here; and many other helpers are behind. Have you taken the cordial? Ah, I see that you have forgotten it. Never mind, take it now. There, now I hope you will soon feel better. What do you say? You have no strength? You cannot go alone? Look, Deborah, let us go together as far as the prison door and see what progress has been made. Perhaps it will not be necessary to go for the key. Come, lean on me.”
So the woman was persuaded to her feet. The potion that Rachel had given her seemed beginning to take effect. Seti pushed open the iron door, found a lighted lantern just within, cautiously descended the steps with it, closely followed by the two women. Now the blows were falling strong and fast; as if the prisoner knew that no time was to be lost. They came to the grated opening into the cell. Seti set the lantern by it. At once the strokes ceased.
“Is it Aleph the Chaldean?” inquired the priest in a voice scarcely above a whisper.
“Thank Heaven! it is the voice of Seti, my friend and father,” answered a voice within.
“Will the door give way?” asked Seti.
“I fear not,” replied Aleph. “I cannot see where to apply the bar, and so much of my labor is thrown away. If a light could be introduced through the grating, I could soon tell whether freedom is possible in this way.”
“Can you get a narrow sconce that will pass through the grate?” asked Seti of the custode.
The woman, without speaking, pointed in a vague way toward the room above.