“But how in the world did you find this out?”
“Just by accident, like, sir. I was wandering about here in the dark one day, in and out among the figures, wondering where the Rajah’s treasures that we were set to guard could be stored. But I didn’t find anything out, for I couldn’t bring a lantern and look. So I came again and again, playing at hide-and-seek, like, for it seemed so stupid to be taking care of something and not to know where it was. And so I went on for days, not making any show, like, till one day, after a bit of a hunt, I sat down in the lap of one of the small idols, to think that I must be quite on the wrong scent. And it being very quiet, and me being a bit tired, and the idol’s lap making a nice, cool, comf’table arm-chair, I goes off to sleep in the darkness; and I don’t know how long I was asleep, of course, but I was woke up by something, and sat listening and wondering where I was, till it came again—a queer sort of sneeze—and then I knew. ‘Why, it’s the old Brahmin,’ I said to myself. ‘What’s he doing here?’ Then I felt that I knew, and that he must be looking after me. But he wasn’t, for he went by me and on for a few yards, me hearing big loose petticoats rustling quite loudly for a bit and then leaving off, like, all at once. The next moment he sneezed again, but it sounded smothered and stilled like, as if he was behind a door; and I just rubbed my hands together softly, for I felt sure that there must be a doorway. So, ‘Success to snuff!’ I says.”
“What for?” said Dick, laughing, and his mirth sounded weird and strange as it seemed to go whispering away.
“Because the old chap had opened his snuff-box and let out the cat, sir.”
“Then you felt that he had gone into the place you wanted to find?”
“That’s it, sir; and I sat there and waited a good two hours before I heard the roosh, roosh of his clothes again, just like a woman’s, and he passed me and went away. Of course I did nothing then; but a few days afterwards I came with a tinder-box and a bit of candle in case they were wanted, and, my word! what a while I did have to hunt for the way in here! It was all so simple that it humbugged me, sir. I got trying to lift idols and turn ’em round or lay ’em down, and to find trap-doors, till at last I stood leaning against that flat pillar wondering how it could be, and then I smelt it.”
“Smelt it?”
“That’s it, sir; I smelt it—a curious, stuffy, damp smell that seemed to come out of a cellar; and next minute I had squeezed myself through that crack, and crept cautiously a little way into the darkness before striking a light. Then I saw I had got it, and crept along, holding up my candle, which I needn’t have brought, for there was the lamp on the ledge, and just before me these steps.—Come on down, sir. I’ll go first.”
Dick followed down a steep flight of stone stairs, whose edges were as sharp as if newly cut, and the next minute, as the sergeant held up the lamp, Dick could see that they were in a huge, far-stretching vault, all dwarf pillars and arches.
“Rum place, sir, isn’t it?” said the sergeant, holding up the light.