“Shall you remain?” whispered Philippa.
“Yes.”
“Oh, why?”
“Because I said I would, and I should be ashamed to retract. I will not be ejected, even by that appalling—— Oh! let us not speak of it, even to each other. And never, never to any one else. Your aunt would never come near the house, even by day, if she knew of that dire presence below, and I wish her to remain with us, Philippa. I say ‘us,’ because I feel sure that you will stay with me.”
“Yes, I will stay and I will keep the secret,” whispered the girl.
“The cellar and the horrible cave below it, with the black river, have long been disused, if ever, indeed, they were used at all. I will have the two doors at the head of the two flights of stairs leading down to the abyss nailed up to-day. The foul air from below will be excuse enough for that.”
“There be some that cannot be kept out by locks, or bolts, or bars, or nailed-up doors—no, nor even by tons of stone and earth! And of such was what we saw!”
“Oh, hush, hush, hush! Why do you dwell upon that? Oh, that we both could drink of the waters of Lethe and forget it!” whispered Gloria, as she covered her face with her hands and shuddered.
At this moment a lucky interruption ended their dismal conversation.
Mrs. Brent came walking briskly from one of the side rooms, saying: