"Darrow misliked the stone archway. There were carved figures on either side that conveyed unnatural malice. There was a watchfulness about the place that made the men uneasy, and several exclaimed their disquiet at being unable to look upon the faces of the graven figures. `An ancient evil is at work here,' Darrow told me, going up to one of the figures and placing a hand upon it, and it did seem to me that the stone figures were alive in some manner. I looked hard upon them,
returning stare for stare, daring what the men could not bring themselves to do. Yet I felt no challenge of will; only that some false and subtle trickery had been used.
"Yet Darrow remained bent upon them for some time, leaning upon them as though listening to rumours from deep within, and his attentions disturbed me, for he seemed not entirely himself at that moment.
"Raldo the dwarf, meanwhile, had become impatient, and complained bitterly about the delay and our exposed position. I did agree with his sentiment, but there was clearly no other way, and I was loath to proceed without exhausting all caution.
"Then did disaster strike a bitter blow, giving credence to my reticence. Without asking for leave to do so, Raldo rashly walked through the archway. There was a sudden acuteness within the arch, a sound that was not a sound, or sudden flicker of shadow that lay just beyond the eye's ability to discern. At the same instant there came a surprised grunt from the dwarf, who turned to face us, his eyes wide, his mouth making no sound. He fell face downwards without speaking another word.