This they crossed towards a door, after opening which, they
were to find their way, through various passages, to a remote part of
the castle, where a private door opened upon the walls. Ferdinand
carried the several keys. They fastened the hall door after them, and
proceeded through a narrow passage terminating in a stair-case.
They descended, and had hardly reached the bottom, when they heard a
loud noise at the door above, and presently the voices of several
people. Julia scarcely felt the ground she trod on, and Ferdinand flew
to unlock a door that obstructed their way. He applied the different
keys, and at length found the proper one; but the lock was rusted, and
refused to yield. Their distress was not now to be conceived. The
noise above increased; and it seemed as if the people were forcing the
door. Hippolitus and Ferdinand vainly tried to turn the key. A sudden
crash from above convinced them that the door had yielded, when making
another desperate effort, the key broke in the lock. Trembling and
exhausted, Julia gave herself up for lost. As she hung upon Ferdinand,
Hippolitus vainly endeavoured to sooth her--the noise suddenly ceased.
They listened, dreading to hear the sounds renewed; but, to their
utter astonishment, the silence of the place remained undisturbed.
They had now time to breathe, and to consider the possibility of
effecting their escape; for from the marquis they had no mercy to
hope. Hippolitus, in order to ascertain whether the people had quitted
the door above, began to ascend the passage, in which he had not gone
many steps when the noise was renewed with increased violence. He
instantly retreated; and making a desperate push at the door below,
which obstructed their passage, it seemed to yield, and by another
effort of Ferdinand, burst open. They had not an instant to lose; for
they now heard the steps of persons descending the stairs. The avenue
they were in opened into a kind of chamber, whence three passages
branched, of which they immediately chose the first. Another door now
obstructed their passage; and they were compelled to wait while
Ferdinand applied the keys. 'Be quick,' said Julia, 'or we are lost.
O! if this lock too is rusted!'--'Hark!' said Ferdinand. They now
discovered what apprehension had before prevented them from
perceiving, that the sounds of pursuit were ceased, and all again was
silent. As this could happen only by the mistake of their pursuers, in
taking the wrong route, they resolved to preserve their advantage,
by concealing the light, which Ferdinand now covered with his cloak.
The door was opened, and they passed on; but they were perplexed in
the intricacies of the place, and wandered about in vain endeavour to
find their way. Often did they pause to listen, and often did fancy
give them sounds of fearful import. At length they entered on the
passage which Ferdinand knew led directly to a door that opened on the
woods. Rejoiced at this certainty, they soon reached the spot which
was to give them liberty.