English
Itwasdarkenoughwhenwestartedtomakeitnoeasymattertofindourwayacrossthemoors,butasweadvanceditgrewlighterandlighter,untilbythetimewereachedFullarton’scabinitwasbroaddaylight.
Earlyasitwas,hewasupandabout,fortheWigtownpeasantsareanearlyrisingrace.
Weexplainedourmissiontohiminasfewwordsaspossible,andhavingmadehisbargain—whatScoteverneglectedthatpreliminary?
—heagreednotonlytoletushavetheuseofhisdogbuttocomewithushimself.
Mordaunt,inhisdesireforprivacy,wouldhavedemurredatthisarrangement,butIpointedouttohimthatwehadnoideawhatwasinstoreforus,andtheadditionofastrong,able-bodiedmantoourpartymightprovetobeoftheutmostconsequence.
Again,thedogwaslesslikelytogiveustroubleifwehaditsmastertocontrolit.Myargumentscarriedtheday,andthebipedaccompaniedusaswellashisfour-footedcompanion.
Therewassomelittlesimilaritybetweenthetwo,forthemanwasatowsy-headedfellowwithagreatmopofyellowhairandastragglingbeard,whilethedogwasofthelong-haired,unkemptbreedlookinglikeananimatedbundleofoakum.
AllourwaytotheHallitsownerkeptretailinginstancesofthecreature’ssagacityandpowersofscent,which,accordingtohisaccount,werelittlelessthanmiraculous.
Hisanecdoteshadapooraudience,Ifear,formymindwasfilledwiththestrangestorywhichIhadbeenreading,whileMordauntstrodeonwithwildeyesandfeverishcheeks,withoutathoughtforanythingbuttheproblemwhichwehadtosolve.
AgainandagainaswetoppedaneminenceIsawhimlookeagerlyroundhiminthefainthopeofseeingsometraceoftheabsentee,butoverthewholeexpanseofmoorlandtherewasnosignofmovementoroflife.Allwasdeadandsilentanddeserted.
OurvisittotheHallwasaverybriefone,foreveryminutenowwasofimportance.
Mordauntrushedinandemergedwithanoldcoatofhisfather’s,whichhehandedtoFullarton,whohelditouttothedog.
Theintelligentbrutesniffedatitallover,thenranwhiningalittlewaydowntheavenue,camebacktosniffthecoatagain,andfinallyelevatingitsstumpofatailintriumph,utteredasuccessionofsharpyelpstoshowthatitwassatisfiedthatithadstruckthetrail.
Itsownertiedalongcordtoitscollartopreventitfromgoingtoofastforus,andweallsetoffuponoursearch,thedogtuggingandtrainingatitsleashinitsexcitementasitfollowedinthegeneral’sfootsteps.
Ourwaylayforacoupleofhundredyardsalongthehighroad,andthenpassedthroughagapInthehedgeandontothemoor,acrosswhichwewereledinabee-linetothenorthward.
Thesunhadbythistimerisenabovethehorizon,andthewholecountrysidelookedsofreshandsweet,fromtheblue,sparklingseatothepurplemountains,thatitwasdifficulttorealizehowweirdanduncannywastheenterpriseuponwhichwewereengaged.
Thescentmusthavelainstronglyupontheground,forthedogneverhesitatednorstopped,draggingitsmasteralongatapacewhichrenderedconversationimpossible.
Atoneplace,incrossingasmallstream,weseemedtogetoffthetrailforafewminutes,butourkeen-nosedallysoonpickeditupontheothersideandfolloweditoverthetracklessmoor,whiningandyelpingallthetimeinitseagerness.
Hadwenotallthreebeenfleetoffootandlongofwind,wecouldnothavepersistedinthecontinuous,rapidjourneyovertheroughestofground,withtheheatheroftenwell-nighuptoourwaists.
Formyownpart,Ihavenoideanow,lookingback,whatgoalitwaswhichIexpectedtoreachattheendofourpursuit.
Icanrememberthatmymindwasfullofthevaguestandmostvaryingspeculations.
CoulditbethatthethreeBuddhistshadhadacraftinreadinessoffthecoast,andhadembarkedwiththeirprisonersfortheEast?
Thedirectionoftheirtrackseemedatfirsttofavourthissupposition,foritlayinthelineoftheupperendofthebay,butitendedbybranchingoffandstrikingdirectlyinland.
Clearlytheoceanwasnottobeourterminus.
Byteno’clockwehadwalkedcloseupontwelvemiles,andwerecompelledtocallahaltforafewminutestorecoverourbreath,forthelastmileortwowehadbeenbreastingthelong,wearyingslopeoftheWigtownhills.
Fromthesummitofthisrange,whichisnowheremorethanathousandfeetinheight,wecouldsee,lookingnorthward,suchasceneofbleaknessanddesolationascanhardlybematchedinanycountry.
Rightawaytothehorizonstretchedthebroadexpanseofmudandofwater,mingledandmixedtogetherinthewildestchaos,likeaportionofsomeworldintheprocessofformation.
Hereandthereonthedun-colouredsurfaceofthisgreatmarshtherehadburstoutpatchesofsicklyyellowreedsandoflivid,greenishscum,whichonlyservedtoheightenandintensifythegloomyeffectofthedull,melancholyexpanse.
Onthesidenearesttoussomeabandonedpeat-cuttingsshowedthatubiquitousmanhadbeenatworkthere,butbeyondthesefewpettyscarstherewasnosignanywhereofhumanlife.
Notevenacrownoraseagullflappeditswayoverthathideousdesert.
ThisisthegreatBogofCree.Itisasalt-watermarshformedbyaninroadofthesea,andsointersectedisitwithdangerousswampsandtreacherouspitfallsofliquidmud,thatnomanwouldventurethroughitunlesshehadtheguidanceofoneofthefewpeasantswhoretainthesecretofitspaths.
Asweapproachedthefringeofrusheswhichmarkeditsborder,afoul,danksmellroseupfromthestagnantwilderness,asfromimpurewateranddecayingvegetation—anearthy,noisomesmellwhichpoisonedthefreshuplandair.
Soforbiddingandgloomywastheaspectoftheplacethatourstoutcrofterhesitated,anditwasallthatwecoulddotopersuadehimtoproceed.
Ourlurcher,however,notbeingsubjecttothedelicateimpressionsofourhigherorganization,stillranyelpingalongwithitsnoseonthegroundandeveryfibreofitsbodyquiveringwithexcitementandeagerness.
Therewasnodifficultyaboutpickingourwaythroughthemorass,forwhereverthefivecouldgowethreecouldfollow.
Ifwecouldhavehadanydoubtsastoourdog’sguidancetheywouldallhavebeenremovednow,forinthesoft,black,oozingsoilwecoulddistinctlytracethetracksofthewholeparty.
Fromthesewecouldseethattheyhadwalkedabreast,and,furthermore,thateachwasaboutequidistantfromtheother.
Clearly,then,nophysicalforcehadbeenusedintakingthegeneralandhiscompanionalong.
Thecompulsionhadbeenpsychicalandnotmaterial.
Oncewithintheswamp,wehadtobecarefulnottodeviatefromthenarrowtrack,whichofferedafirmfoothold.
Oneachsidelayshallowsheetsofstagnantwateroverlyingatreacherousbottomofsemi-fluidmud,whichroseabovethesurfacehereandthereinmoist,swelteringbanks,mottledoverwithoccasionalpatchesofunhealthyvegetation.
Greatpurpleandyellowfungihadbrokenoutinadenseeruption,asthoughNaturewereafflictedwithafouldisease,whichmanifesteditselfbythiscropofplaguespots.
Hereandtheredark,crab-likecreaturesscuttledacrossourpath,andhideous,flesh-colouredwormswriggledandwrithedamidthesicklyreeds.
Swarmsofbuzzing,pipinginsectsroseupateverystepandformedadensecloudaroundourheads,settlingonourhandsandfacesandinoculatinguswiththeirfilthyvenom.
NeverhadIventuredintosopestilentandforbiddingaplace.
MordauntHeatherstonestrodeon,however,withasetpurposeuponhisswarthybrow,andwecouldbutfollowhim,determinedtostandbyhimtotheendoftheadventure.
Asweadvanced,thepathgrewnarrowerandnarroweruntil,aswesawbythetracks,ourpredecessorshadbeencompelledtowalkinsinglefile.
Fullartonwasleadinguswiththedog,Mordauntbehindhim,whileIbroughtuptherear.
Thepeasanthadbeensulkyandsurlyforalittletimeback,hardlyansweringwhenspokento,buthenowstoppedshortandpositivelyrefusedtogoastepfarther.
portraitofSirArthurConanDoyle
“It’sno’canny,”hesaid,“besidesIkenwhereitwillleadustae’”
“Where,then?”Iasked.
“TaetheHoleo’Cree,”heanswered.“It’snofarfraehere,I’mthinking.”
“TheHoleofCree!Whatisthat,then?”
“It’sagreat,muckleholeinthegroundthatgangsawa’doonsodeepthatnaebodycouldeverreachthebottom.
Indeedtherearefolkwhasaysthatit’sjustadoorleadin’intaethebottomlesspititsel’”
“Youhavebeenthere,then?”Iasked.
“Beenthere!”hecried.“WhatwouldIbedoin’attheHoleo’Cree?No,I’veneverbeenthere,noranyothermaninhissenses.”
“Howdoyouknowaboutit,then?”
“Mygreat-grandfeytherhadbeenthere,andthat’showIken,”Fullartonanswered.
“Hewasfou’oneSaturdaynichtandhewentforabet.
Hedidnaliketaetalkabootitafterwards,andhewouldnatella’whatbefellhim,buthewasayefearedo’theveryname.
He’sthefirstFullartonthat’sbeenattheHoleo’Cree,andhe’llbethelastforme.
Ifye’lltak’myadviceye’lljustgiethematterupandgangnameagain,forthere’snaguidtaebegotooto’thisplace.”
“Weshallgoonwithyouorwithoutyou,”Mordauntanswered.“Letushaveyourdogandwecanpickyouuponourwayback.”
“Na,na,”hecried,“I’llno’haemydogscaretwi’bogles,andrunningdownAuldNickasifhewereahare.Thedogshallbidewi’me.”
“Thedogshallgowithus,”saidmycompanion,withhiseyesblazing.“Wehavenotimetoarguewithyou.Here’safive-poundnote.
Letushavethedog,or,byHeaven,Ishalltakeitbyforceandthrowyouinthebogifyouhinderus.”
IcouldrealizetheHeatherstoneoffortyyearsagowhenIsawthefierceandsuddenwrathwhichlitupthefeaturesofhisson.
Eitherthebribeorthethreathadthedesiredeffect,forthefellowgrabbedatthemoneywithonehandwhilewiththeotherhesurrenderedtheleashwhichheldthelurcher.
Leavinghimtoretracehissteps,wecontinuedtomakeourwayintotheutmostrecessesofthegreatswamp.
Thetortuouspathgrewlessandlessdefinedasweproceeded,andwasevencoveredinplaceswithwater,buttheincreasingexcitementofthehoundandthesightofthedeepfootmarksinthemudstimulatedustopushon.
Atlast,afterstrugglingthroughagroveofhighbulrushes,wecameonaspotthegloomyhorrorofwhichmighthavefurnishedDantewithafreshterrorforhis“Inferno.”
Thewholeboginthispartappearedtohavesunkin,formingagreat,funnel-shapeddepression,whichterminatedinthecentreinacircularriftoropeningaboutfortyfeetindiameter.
Itwasawhirlpool—aperfectmaelstromofmud,slopingdownoneverysidetothissilentandawfulchasm.
Clearlythiswasthespotwhich,underthenameoftheHoleofCree,boresuchasinisterreputationamongtherustics.
Icouldnotwonderatitsimpressingtheirimagination,foramoreweirdorgloomyscene,oronemoreworthyoftheavenuewhichledtoit,couldnotbeconceived.
Thestepspasseddownthedeclivitywhichsurroundedtheabyss,andwefollowedthemwithasinkingfeelinginourhearts,aswerealizedthatthiswastheendofoursearch.
Alittlewayfromthedownwardpathwasthereturntrailmadebythefeetofthosewhohadcomebackfromthechasm’sedge.
Oureyesfelluponthesetracksatthesamemoment,andweeachgaveacryofhorror,andstoodgazingspeechlesslyatthem.
Forthere,inthoseblurredfootmarks,thewholedramawasrevealed.
Fivehadgonedown,butonlythreehadreturned.
Noneshalleverknowthedetailsofthatstrangetragedy.
Therewasnomarkofstrugglenorsignofattemptatescape.
WekneltattheedgeoftheHoleandendeavouredtopiercetheunfathomablegloomwhichshroudedit.
Afaint,sicklyexhalationseemedtorisefromitsdepths,andtherewasadistanthurrying,clatteringsoundasofwatersinthebowelsoftheearth.
Agreatstonelayembeddedinthemud,andthisIhurledover,butweneverheardthudorsplashtoshowthatithadreachedthebottom.
Aswehungoverthenoisomechasmasounddidatlastrisetoourearsoutofitsmurkydepths.
High,clear,andthrobbing,ittinkledforaninstantoutoftheabyss,tobesucceededbythesamedeadlystillnesswhichhadprecededit.
Ididnotwishtoappearsuperstitious,ortoputdowntoextraordinarycausesthatwhichmayhaveanaturalexplanation.
Thatonekeennotemayhavebeensomestrangewatersoundproducedfardowninthebowelsoftheearth.
ItmayhavebeenthatoritmayhavebeenthatsinisterbellofwhichIhadheardsomuch.
Bethisasitmay,itwastheonlysignthatrosetousfromthelastterribleresting-placeofthetwowhohadpaidthedebtwhichhadsolongbeenowing.
Wejoinedourvoicesinacallwiththeunreasoningobstinacywithwhichmenwillclingtohope,butnoanswercamebacktoussaveahollowmoaningfromthedepthsbeneath.
Footsoreandheart-sick,weretracedourstepsandclimbedtheslimyslopeoncemore.
“Whatshallwedo,Mordaunt?”Iasked,inasubduedvoice.“Wecanbutpraythattheirsoulsmayrestinpeace.”
YoungHeatherstonelookedatmewithflashingeyes.
“Thismaybeallaccordingtooccultlaws,”hecried,“butweshallseewhatthelawsofEnglandhavetosayuponit.
Isupposeachelamaybehangedaswellasanyotherman.
Itmaynotbetoolateyettorunthemdown.Here,gooddog,gooddog-here!”
Hepulledthehoundoverandsetitonthetrackofthethreemen.
Thecreaturesniffedatitonceortwice,andthen,fallinguponitsstomach,withbristlinghairandprotrudingtongue,itlayshiveringandtrembling,averyembodimentofcanineterror.
“Yousee,”Isaid,“itisnousecontendingagainstthosewhohavepowersattheircommandtowhichwecannotevengiveaname.
Thereisnothingforitbuttoaccepttheinevitable,andtohopethatthesepoormenmaymeetwithsomecompensationinanotherworldforallthattheyhavesufferedinthis.”
“Andbefreefromalldevilishreligionsandtheirmurderousworshippers!”Mordauntcriedfuriously.
JusticecompelledmetoacknowledgeinmyownheartthatthemurderousspirithadbeensetonfootbytheChristianbeforeitwastakenupbytheBuddhists,butIforboretoremarkuponit,forfearofirritatingmycompanion.
ForalongtimeIcouldnotdrawhimawayfromthesceneofhisfather’sdeath,butatlast,byrepeatedargumentsandreasonings,Isucceededinmakinghimrealizehowuselessandunprofitableanyfurthereffortsonourpartmustnecessarilyprove,andininducinghimtoreturnwithmetoCloomber.
Oh,thewearisome,tediousjourney!Ithadseemedlongenoughwhenwehadsomeslightflickerofhope,oratleastofexpectation,beforeus,butnowthatourworstfearswerefulfilleditappearedinterminable.
Wepickedupourpeasantguideattheoutskirtsofthemarsh,andhavingrestoredhisdogwelethimfindhisownwayhome,withouttellinghimanythingoftheresultsofourexpedition.
Weourselvesploddedalldayoverthemoorswithheavyfeetandheavierheartsuntilwesawtheill-omenedtowerofCloomber,andatlast,asthesunwassetting,foundourselvesoncemorebeneathitsroof.
Thereisnoneedformetoenterintofurtherdetails,nortodescribethegriefwhichourtidingsconveyedtomotherandtodaughter.
Theirlongexpectationofsomecalamitywasnotsufficienttopreparethemfortheterriblereality.
ForweeksmypoorGabrielhoveredbetweenlifeanddeath,andthoughshecameroundallast,thankstothenursingofmysisterandtheprofessionalskillofDr.JohnEasterling,shehasnevertothisdayentirelyrecoveredherformervigour.
Mordaunt,too,sufferedmuchforsometime,anditwasonlyafterourremovaltoEdinburghthatheralliedfromtheshockwhichhehadundergone.
AstopoorMrs.Heatherstone,neithermedicalattentionnorchangeofaircaneverhaveapermanenteffectuponher.
Slowlyandsurely,butveryplacidly,shehasdeclinedinhealthandstrength,untilitisevidentthatinaveryfewweeksatthemostshewillhaverejoinedherhusbandandrestoredtohimtheonethingwhichhemusthavegrudgedtoleavebehind.
TheLairdofBranksomecamehomefromItalyrestoredinhealth,withtheresultthatwewerecompelledtoreturnoncemoretoEdinburgh.
Thechangewasagreeabletous,forrecenteventshadcastacloudoverourcountrylifeandhadsurroundeduswithunpleasantassociations.
Besides,ahighlyhonourableandremunerativeappointmentinconnectionwiththeUniversitylibraryhadbecomevacant,andhad,throughthekindnessofthelateSirAlexanderGrant,beenofferedtomyfather,who,asmaybeimagined,lostnotimeinacceptingsocongenialapost.
InthiswaywecamebacktoEdinburghverymuchmoreimportantpeoplethanweleftit,andwithnofurtherreasontobeuneasyaboutthedetailsofhousekeeping.
But,intruth,thewholehouseholdhasbeendissolved,forIhavebeenmarriedforsomemonthstomydearGabriel,andEstheristobecomeMrs.Heatherstoneuponthe23rdofthemonth.
Ifshemakeshimasgoodawifeashissisterhasmademe,wemaybothsetourselvesdownasfortunatemen.
Thesemeredomesticepisodesare,asIhavealreadyexplained,introducedonlybecauseIcannotavoidalludingtothem.
Myobjectindrawingupthisstatementandpublishingtheevidencewhichcorroboratesit,wascertainlynottoparademyprivateaffairsbeforethepublic,buttoleaveonrecordanauthenticnarrativeofamostremarkableseriesofevents.
ThisIhaveendeavouredtodoinasmethodicalamanneraspossible,exaggeratingnothingandsuppressingnothing.
Thereaderhasnowtheevidencebeforehim,andcanformhisownopinionsunaidedbymeastothecausesofthedisappearanceanddeathofRufusSmithandofJohnBerthierHeatherstone,V.C.,C.B.
Thereisonlyonepointwhichisstilldarktome.
WhythechelasofGhoolabShahshouldhaveremovedtheirvictimstothedesolateHoleofCreeinsteadoftakingtheirlivesatCloomber,is,Iconfess,amysterytome.
Indealingwithoccultlaws,however,wemustallowforourowncompleteignoranceofthesubject.
Didweknowmorewemightseethattherewassomeanalogybetweenthatfoulbogandthesacrilegewhichhadbeencommitted,andthattheirritualandcustomsdemandedthatjustsuchadeathwastheoneappropriatetothecrime.
OnthispointIshouldbesorrytobedogmatic,butatleastwemustallowthattheBuddhistpriestsmusthavehadsomeverygoodcauseforthecourseofactionwhichtheysodeliberatelycarriedout.
MonthsafterwardsIsawashortparagraphintheStarofIndiaannouncingthatthreeeminentBuddhists—LalHoomi,MowdarKhan,andRamSingh—hadjustreturnedinthesteamshipDeccanfromashorttriptoEurope.
TheverynextitemwasdevotedtoanaccountofthelifeandservicesofMajor-GeneralHeatherstone,“whohaslatelydisappearedfromhiscountryhouseinWigtownshire,andwho,thereistoomuchreasontofear,hasbeendrowned.”
Iwonderifbychancetherewasanyotherhumaneyebutminewhichtracedaconnectionbetweentheseparagraphs.
InevershowedthemtomywifeortoMordaunt,andtheywillonlyknowoftheirexistencewhentheyreadthesepages.
Idon’tknowthatthereisanyotherpointwhichneedsclearingup.
Theintelligentreaderwillhavealreadyseenthereasonsforthegeneral’sfearofdarkfaces,ofwanderingmen(notknowinghowhispursuersmightcomeafterhim),andofvisitors(fromthesamecauseandbecausehishatefulbellwasliabletosoundatalltimes).
Hisbrokensleepledhimtowanderaboutthehouseatnight,andthelampswhichheburntineveryroomwerenodoubttopreventhisimaginationfrompeoplingthedarknesswithterrors.
Lastly,hiselaborateprecautionswere,ashehashimselfexplained,rathertheresultofafeverishdesiretodosomethingthanintheexpectationthathecouldreallywardoffhisfate.
SciencewilltellyouthattherearenosuchpowersasthoseclaimedbytheEasternmystics.I,JohnFothergillWest,canconfidentlyanswerthatscienceiswrong.
Forwhatisscience?Scienceistheconsensusofopinionofscientificmen,andhistoryhasshownthatitisslowtoacceptatruth.
SciencesneeredatNewtonfortwentyyears.
Scienceprovedmathematicallythatanironshipcouldnotswim,andsciencedeclaredthatasteamshipcouldnotcrosstheAtlantic.
LikeGoethe’sMephistopheles,ourwiseprofessor’sforteis“stetsverneinen.”
ThomasDidymusis,tousehisownjargon,hisprototype.
Lethimlearnthatifhewillbutceasetobelieveintheinfallibilityofhisownmethods,andwilllooktotheEast,fromwhichallgreatmovementscome,hewillfindthereaschoolofphilosophersandofsavantswho,workingondifferentlinesfromhisown,aremanythousandyearsaheadofhiminalltheessentialsofknowledge.
THEEND
Share this article to
FINISH