“This is the place to unload,” the doctor then said.  “It’s necessary to block up the mouth of the cavern.”

And it was not without a feeling of terror that each undertook the duty of executing his orders.  The fagots fell from the top of the loads.  A few stakes driven down before the opening of the spring prevented the water from carrying them away.

Toward midnight the mouth of the cavern was completely closed.  The water running over spread to both sides on the moss.  The top fagots were perfectly dry; then Dr. Weber, supplying himself with a torch, himself lit the fire.  The flames ran from twig to twig with an angry crackling, and soon leaped toward the sky, chasing clouds of smoke before them.

It was a strange and savage spectacle, the great pile with trembling shadows lit up in this way.

This cavern poured forth black smoke, unceasingly renewed and disgorged.  All around stood the woodcutters, somber, motionless, expectant, their eyes fixed on the opening; and I, although trembling from head to foot in fear, could not tear away my gaze.

It was a good quarter of an hour that we waited, and Dr. Weber was beginning to grow impatient, when a black object, with long hooked claws, appeared suddenly in the shadow and precipitated itself toward the opening.

A cry resounded about the pyre.

The spider, driven back by the live coals, reentered its cave.  Then, smothered doubtless by the smoke, it returned to the charge and leaped out into the midst of the flames.  Its long legs curled up.  It was as large as my head, and of a violet red.

One of the woodcutters, fearing lest it leap clear of the fire, threw his hatchet at it, and with such good aim that on the instant the fire around it was covered with blood.  But soon the flames burst out more vigorously over it and consumed the horrible destroyer.

* * * * *

Such, Master Frantz, was the strange event which destroyed the fine reputation which the waters of Spinbronn formerly enjoyed.  I can certify the scrupulous precision of my account.  But as for giving you an explanation, that would be impossible for me to do.  At the same time, allow me to tell you that it does not seem to me absurd to admit that a spider, under the influence of a temperature raised by thermal waters, which affords the same conditions of life and development as the scorching climates of Africa and South America, should attain a fabulous size.  It was this same extreme heat which explains the prodigious exuberance of the antediluvian creation!

However that may be, my tutor, judging that it would be impossible after this event to reestablish the waters of Spinbronn, sold the house back to Haselnoss, in order to return to America with his negress and collections.  I was sent to board in Strasbourg, where I remained until 1809.

The great political events of the epoch then absorbing the attention of Germany and France explain why the affair I have just told you about passed completely unobserved.