The gallery terminated in a large old stair-case, which led to a hall
below; on the left appeared several doors which seemed to lead to
separate apartments. While they hesitated which course to pursue, a
light flashed faintly up the stair-case, and in a moment after passed
away; at the same time was heard the sound of a distant footstep.
Ferdinand drew his sword and sprang forward; his companions, screaming
with terror, ran back to madame's apartment.
Ferdinand descended a large vaulted hall; he crossed it towards a low
arched door, which was left half open, and through which streamed a
ray of light. The door opened upon a narrow winding passage; he
entered, and the light retiring, was quickly lost in the windings of
the place. Still he went on. The passage grew narrower, and the
frequent fragments of loose stone made it now difficult to proceed. A
low door closed the avenue, resembling that by which he had entered.
He opened it, and discovered a square room, from whence rose a winding
stair-case, which led up the south tower of the castle. Ferdinand
paused to listen; the sound of steps was ceased, and all was
profoundly silent.
A door on the right attracted his notice; he tried
to open it, but it was fastened. He concluded, therefore, that the
person, if indeed a human being it was that bore the light he had
seen, had passed up the tower. After a momentary hesitation, he
determined to ascend the stair-case, but its ruinous condition made
this an adventure of some difficulty. The steps were decayed and
broken, and the looseness of the stones rendered a footing very
insecure. Impelled by an irresistible curiosity, he was undismayed,
and began the ascent. He had not proceeded very far, when the stones
of a step which his foot had just quitted, loosened by his weight,
gave way; and dragging with them those adjoining, formed a chasm in
the stair-case that terrified even Ferdinand, who was left tottering
on the suspended half of the steps, in momentary expectation of
falling to the bottom with the stone on which he rested. In the terror
which this occasioned, he attempted to save himself by catching at a
kind of beam which projected over the stairs, when the lamp dropped
from his hand, and he was left in total darkness. Terror now usurped
the place of every other interest, and he was utterly perplexed how to
proceed. He feared to go on, lest the steps above, as infirm as those
below, should yield to his weight;--to return was impracticable, for
the darkness precluded the possibility of discovering a means. He
determined, therefore, to remain in this situation till light should
dawn through the narrow grates in the walls, and enable him to
contrive some method of letting himself down to the ground.