‘I will get into the bucket,’ Elzevir said, turning to me, ’and this good man will lower me gently by the break until I reach the string-end down below.  Then I will shout, and so fix you the wheel and give me time to search.’

This was not what I looked for, having thought that it was I should go; and though I liked going down the well little enough, yet somehow now I felt I would rather do that than have Master Elzevir down the hole, and me left locked alone with this villainous fellow up above.

So I said, ’No, master, that cannot be; ’tis my place to go, being smaller and a lighter weight than thou; and thou shalt stop here and help this gentleman to lower me down.’

Elzevir spoke a few words to try to change my purpose, but soon gave in, knowing it was certainly the better plan, and having only thought to go himself because he doubted if I had the heart to do it.  But the turnkey showed much ill-humour at the change, and strove to let the plan stand as it was, and for Elzevir to go down the well.  Things that were settled, he said, should remain settled; he was not one for changes; it was a man’s task this and no child’s play; a boy would not have his senses about him, and might overlook the place.  I fixed my eyes on Elzevir to let him know what I thought, and Master Turnkey’s words fell lightly on his ears as water on a duck’s back.  Then this ill-eyed man tried to work upon my fears; saying that the well is deep and the bucket small, I shall get giddy and be overbalanced.  I do not say that these forebodings were without effect on me, but I had made up my mind that, bad as it might be to go down, it was yet worse to have Master Elzevir prisoned in the well, and I remain above.  Thus the turnkey perceived at last that he was speaking to deaf ears, and turned to the business.

Yet there was one fear that still held me, for thinking of what I had heard of the quarry shafts in Purbeck, how men had gone down to explore, and there been taken with a sudden giddiness, and never lived to tell what they had seen; and so I said to Master Elzevir, ’Art sure the well is clean, and that no deadly gases lurk below?’

’Thou mayst be sure I knew the well was sweet before I let thee talk of going down,’ he answered.  ’For yesterday we lowered a candle to the water, and the flame burned bright and steady; and where the candle lives, there man lives too.  But thou art right:  these gases change from day to day, and we will try the thing again.  So bring the candle, Master Jailer.’

The jailer brought a candle fixed on a wooden triangle, which he was wont to show strangers who came to see the well, and lowered it on a string.  It was not till then I knew what a task I had before me, for looking over the parapet, and taking care not to lose my balance, because the parapet was low, and the floor round it green and slippery with water-splashings, I watched the candle sink into that cavernous depth,