While I stooped over, intent on the sight, some one who had come up by my side to gaze too was caught by the fumes (as I suppose), for suddenly I was aware of a dark object falling prone into the glowing interior with a cry and crash which brought back my first wild panic.  He fell in a heap, from which his arms shot forth wildly as he reached the bottom, and his cry was half anguish yet half desire.  I saw him seized by half a dozen eager watchers, and pitched upon a ledge just under the roof, and tools thrust into his hands.  I held on by an old shaft, trembling, unable to move.  Perhaps I cried too in my horror,—­for one of the overseers who stood in the centre of the glare looked up.  He had the air of ordering all that was going on, and stood unaffected by the blaze, commanding the other wretched officials, who obeyed him like dogs.  He seemed to me, in my terror, like a figure of gold, the image perhaps of wealth or Pluto, or I know not what, for I suppose my brain began to grow confused, and my hold on the shaft to relax.  I had strength enough, however (for I cared not for the gold), to fling myself back the other way upon the ground, where I rolled backwards, downwards, I knew not how, turning over and over upon sharp ashes and metallic edges, which tore my hair and beard.—­and for a moment I knew no more.

This fall saved me.  I came to myself after a time, and heard the press-gang searching about.  I had sense to lie still among the ashes thrown up out of the pit, while I heard their voices.  Once I gave myself up for lost.  The glitter of a lantern flashed in my eyes, a foot passed, crashing among the ashes so close to my cheek that the shoe grazed it.  I found the mark after, burned upon my flesh; but I escaped notice by a miracle.  And presently I was able to drag myself up and crawl away; but how I reached the end of the valley I cannot tell.  I pushed my way along mechanically on the dark side.  I had no further desire to see what was going on in the openings of the mines.  I went on, stumbling and stupid, scarcely capable even of fear, conscious only of wretchedness and weariness, till at last I felt myself drop across the road within the gateway of the other town, and lay there with no thought of anything but the relief of being at rest.

When I came to myself, it seemed to me that there was a change in the atmosphere and the light.  It was less lurid, paler, gray, more like twilight than the stormy afternoon of the other city.  A certain dead serenity was in the sky,—­black paleness, whiteness, everything faint in it.  This town was walled, but the gates stood open, and I saw no defences of troops or other guardians.  I found myself lying across the threshold, but pushed to one side, so that the carriages which went and came should not be stopped or I injured by their passage.  It seemed to me that there was some thoughtfulness and kindness in this action, and my heart sprang up in a reaction of hope.  I looked back as if upon