He then took up the torch, and led her along the passage, at the
extremity of which he unlocked another door, whence they descended,
a few steps, into a chapel, which, as Barnardine held up the torch
to light her, Emily observed to be in ruins, and she immediately
recollected a former conversation of Annette, concerning it, with very
unpleasant emotions. She looked fearfully on the almost roofless walls,
green with damps, and on the gothic points of the windows, where the ivy
and the briony had long supplied the place of glass, and ran mantling
among the broken capitals of some columns, that had once supported the
roof. Barnardine stumbled over the broken pavement, and his voice, as he
uttered a sudden oath, was returned in hollow echoes, that made it more
terrific. Emily's heart sunk; but she still followed him, and he turned
out of what had been the principal aisle of the chapel. 'Down these
steps, lady,' said Barnardine, as he descended a flight, which appeared
to lead into the vaults; but Emily paused on the top, and demanded, in a
tremulous tone, whither he was conducting her.
'To the portal,' said Barnardine. 'Cannot we go through the chapel to the portal?' said Emily. 'No, Signora, that leads to the inner court, which I don't choose to
unlock. This way, and we shall reach the outer court presently.'
Emily still hesitated; fearing not only to go on, but, since she had
gone thus far, to irritate Barnardine by refusing to go further. 'Come, lady,' said the man, who had nearly reached the bottom of the
flight, 'make a little haste; I cannot wait here all night.'
'Whither do these steps lead?' said Emily, yet pausing. 'To the portal,' repeated Barnardine, in an angry tone, 'I will wait no
longer.' As he said this, he moved on with the light, and Emily, fearing
to provoke him by further delay, reluctantly followed. From the steps,
they proceeded through a passage, adjoining the vaults, the walls of
which were dropping with unwholesome dews, and the vapours, that crept
along the ground, made the torch burn so dimly, that Emily expected
every moment to see it extinguished, and Barnardine could scarcely find
his way.
As they advanced, these vapours thickened, and Barnardine,
believing the torch was expiring, stopped for a moment to trim it. As he
then rested against a pair of iron gates, that opened from the passage,
Emily saw, by uncertain flashes of light, the vaults beyond, and, near
her, heaps of earth, that seemed to surround an open grave. Such an
object, in such a scene, would, at any time, have disturbed her; but
now she was shocked by an instantaneous presentiment, that this was the
grave of her unfortunate aunt, and that the treacherous Barnardine was
leading herself to destruction. The obscure and terrible place, to which
he had conducted her, seemed to justify the thought; it was a place
suited for murder, a receptacle for the dead, where a deed of horror
might be committed, and no vestige appear to proclaim it. Emily was so
overwhelmed with terror, that, for a moment, she was unable to determine
what conduct to pursue.