“This is the way to the door that is the only one used,” said Stephen, “and we shall find it unlocked for certain, seeing that the servants have run away, and the young master will not go nigh his father, not though he were ten times dying.  My lantern will guide us surely enough through the dark passages, and maybe young Roger will know where the old man is like to be found.”

“Below stairs, I doubt not, amongst his bottles and books of magic,” answered Roger, with a light shiver, as he passed through the doorway and found himself once again within the evil house.  “He would think that in yon place no contagion could touch him.  He spent his days and nights alike there.  He scarce left it save to go abroad, or perchance to have a few hours’ sleep in his bed.  But the treasure is buried somewhere nigh at hand down in those cellars, though the spot I know not.  And he fears to leave it night or day, lest some stealthy hand filch away the ill-gotten gain.  Men thought he had the secret whereby all might be changed to gold, and indeed he would ofttimes bring pure gold out from the crucibles over his fire; but he had cast in first, unknown to those who so greedily watched him, the precious baubles he had stolen from travellers upon the road.  He was a very juggler with his hands.  I have watched him a thousand times at tricks which would have made the fortune of a travelling mountebank.  But soft! here is the door at the head of the stairs.  Take heed how that is opened, lest the hound fly at thy throat.  Give me the lantern, and have thou thy huntsman’s knife to plunge into his throat, else he may not let us pass down alive.”

But when the door was opened, the hound, instead of growling or springing, welcomed them with whines of eager welcome.  The poor beast was almost starved, and had been tamed by hunger to unwonted gentleness.

Raymond, who had food in his wallet, fed him with small pieces as they cautiously descended the stairs, for Basildene would furnish them with more if need be; the larder and cellar there were famous in their way, though few cared to accept of their owner’s hospitality.

Roger almost expected to find the great door of that subterranean room bolted and locked, so jealous was its owner of entrance being made there; but it yielded readily to the touch, and the three, with the hound, passed in together.

In a moment Raymond knew by the peculiar atmosphere, which even in so large a place was sickly and fetid, that they were in the presence of one afflicted with the true distemper.  The place was in total darkness save for the light of the lantern the ranger carried; but there were lamps in sconces all along the wall, and these Roger quickly lighted, being familiar enough with this underground place, which it had been part of his duty to see to.  The light from these lamps was pure and white and very bright, and lit up the weird vaulted chamber from end to end.  It shone upon a stiffened figure lying prone upon the floor not far from the vaulted fireplace, upon whose hearth the embers lay black and cold; and Raymond, springing suddenly forward as his glance rested upon this figure, feared that he had come too late, and that the foe of his house had passed beyond the power of human aid.