The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1886-08-01
THE TuRRET DOOR.

II was a beautiful and still evening 10.
course Of my wauderings about the ancient
city entered the quiet and solitary close OF
the grey cathedral. The rocks were gath
ering In the old elms which stood around.
A rudy light wrapped the great grey tow
era which rose far mp into the evening air.
The sounds Of the city from without came
family and at intervals to the ear as
walked slowly across the close toward the
low wide steps which assembled and were lost
In the shadow Of the noble porch.
On reaching the door Of the great cathe-
dral found II closed. But in the centre OF
this there was another smaller door which
still stood open-aud here party Of visi-
tors, to whom l was u stranger, were en-
dsavoring to persuade the ancient verger
that the hour was not yet too late to permit
them to inspect the interior. II 30 hap
psnrd that just as came mp they succeeded
In overcoming his hesitation, and he turned
10 lead the way into the building.
The party followed him, and ! among
them.
Inside, the stiffness was profound; the
liehtest football awoke echoes. The evening
light fell, laden with the rich and colored
gloom of PAINTED windows, on the dark carv
ing of the stalls, on the great tubes Of the
silent organ, on the scrolls Of the epitaphs,
ON the marble images Of warriors, priests,
and kings The silence Of the antique nave,
the coored gloom Of the painted pane, the
sense of antiquity In all the air, i'm
pressed their influence upon the mind with
even more than customary power. ! had
had no other motive in entering the cathe-
dral than to indulge the ordinary curiosity Of
a stranger-very certainly anticipated no
mora than the ordinary incidents Of such a
visit. No mortal could have been less pre-.
pared for an adventure. How could dream
that strange, a wildly strange experience
was IA bpfall me before should stand az ain
with,n tn ,se grey and ancient walls
And yet, SO IL was.
The truth of this extraordinary story Is
known TO many persons, aud my veracity
NAV be- easily verified. The facts of the case
ara these:
The party of visitors to which had j"ined
myself had completed, under the guidance Of
the verger, the customary tOur Of inspection
round the ancient fabric, and were now
preparing TO leave the building. l had
fallen for moment behind the rest, in order
10 examine a fine and deeply interesting
specimen of antique carving which covered
the whole Of the wall near which stood.
The great door Of the cathedral, where the
rest Of the party we're now standing, was not
visible from this spot, bnt could hear
their voices plainly, ronnd the anglia OF E,s
wall Aware that I had not much time "a,
lingpr unless I wished to be locked mp all
night, I cast n last glance at the
rich tracery Of tha woodwork and pre-.
pared reluctantly to turn away.
Suddenly my "ys was caught hy portion
Of the carving which seemed to stand ont
slightly from the rest. put my hand upon
the carved head of tho Apostle Peter and
pulled 1t outward. To my Amusement door
opened in the carving, showing beyond 1t a
dark passage. I stopped forward and looked
in. As / did so the door, which was thick
and massive, and which was hung slant
ingly upon its hinges in snch a manner as
to close with its own weight, swung heavily
back from tho position into which l had
pushed it, aud, coming unexpectedly upon
me as stopped forward. projected me into
the opening and shut behind me.
The suddanness Of the incident and the
total darkness in which ! found myself en-
tombsd startled and confused me. Bnt at
first felt no positive alarm. attempted at
once to push open the door, hut TO my sur.
prise IL did not yield pushed harder
harder yeti exsrtpd all my strength, but
the door remained immovable.
AT last, finding all my efforts useless,
outside. raised my voice and called loudly
for assistance, at the same time beating a
vigorous tattoo with my stick against the
door. then paused and listaned, in the
expectation of being speedily released. Bnt
to nv surprise and alarm the minutes passed
and there was no response.
With vague terror at heart ! renewed
my endsavors. l raised clamor that awoke
the echoes of the builiing. But still no
voice replied from outsids my prison,
no hand released the fastening OF the
door. Gradually the conviction forced itself
upon nv mind that had DELAYED too long.
While had bern trying to force open the
door by my own Efforts the party Of visitors
had left the cathedral. either without oh.
serving my absence, or perhaps supporting
that had left before them. The vsrg4r had
locked mp the huildnp and departed. There
was no one within heaSing TO assist me.
My condemnation at this discovery may
be concsived. The idea that was fatsd ia
pass the night In this dark and narrow
prison was one which refused to entertain
Again, again, and yet again hurled myssl
against the wooden barrier, with rage. with
fury, with despair. Not until had ak
hausted every effort in my power, not unit
every CLEAN of hope had vanished from my
mind, did give mp the attempt to force the
door az hopsleas. and turned away from II 4
examine more narrowly the place Of my i'm
prisonment. Nothing now seemed left 10 mi
but to ascertain how might pass the honr
with the least discomfort, until l might ex
poet assistance from without.
In my assaults upon tho door had alread,
discovered that the place in which was In
closed was OF very small dimensions. i
was, in fact, little more than q recess O.
deep niche In the masonry, not exceeding
three feet square, II would neither enabl
me to lie at full length nor TO obtain AM
other relief for my tired limbs than by tn
change OF one crampad and uneasy postum
for another. The floor was Of solid pave
ment. The roof, as ! stood erect, jus
touched INV head. The walls, like the floor
were OF solid stone. Standing close to ono Q
these, aud casting my syes upward, l mad
q discovery which filed me At first with sur
prise, and afterward with extreme psrpiex
ity.
Between the roof and the wall there was
space of at least four inches. Through thi
space became aware of faint CLEAN q
light very far above my head. With III
object OF ascertaining the length Of thi
aperture moved along the wall, ksepin
my eye upon the crevics. The light did no
vanish; turned the angle of the wall an
still the light remained visible. | traverse
in succession the four walls of the cell; n
obstacle obscured the feeble CLEAN. TIL
roof did not touch the wall at single poin
OF the crcnit.
At this unaccountabls discovery | was 8
astounded that for soms time | refused
credit the evidence Of my own senses. TIL
roof was, to all appearance, like Mahomst
conn, su appended in mid air. struck
with my stick; II sounded heavy, massive
substantial as the walls themselves. Br
yet neither to the tonch nor by the pecnlia
ringing sound which II emitted when strncl
did II seem of stone. II gave rather the In
preston OF block of solid iron. Bnt no
could this bsf
Totally unable to account for this diaco'
cry, | now placed myself on the floor of IL
cell, my back supported against one of IL
walls, and my feet against the opposite, an
was relieved TO find that the posture WI
more tolsrabls than l expected. began
be not without hope that might in time
able 10 fall asleep, and 40 pass q portion
the weary nonrs before me In unconsciOu
ness. Little did know what WAS To rou'
me. Sleepi IL was not sleep that was
store for me-.
Presently a loud and startling SCUM