第82章

ThenIswungmeonhightotheswingofthesledge，asathresherbendsbacktotheriseofhisflail，andwithallmypowerdescendingdeliveredtheponderousonset。Crashingandcrushedthegreatstonefellover，andthreadsofsparklinggoldappearedinthejaggedsidesofthebreakage。

’Hownow，SimonCarfax？’criedUncleBentriumphantly；

’wiltthoufindamaninCornwallcandothelikeofthat？’

’Ay，andmore，’heanswered；’however，itbeprettyfairforaladoftheseoutlandishparts。Getyourrollers，mylads，andleadittothecrushingengine。’

Iwasgladtohavebeenofsomeservicetothem；foritseemsthatthisgreatboulderhadbeentoolargetobedrawnalongthegalleryandtoohardtocrack。Butnowtheymoveditveryeasily，takingpiecebypiece，andcarefullypickingupthefragments。

’Thouhastdoneusagoodturn，mylad，’saidUncleReuben，astheotherspassedoutofsightatthecorner；’andnowIwillshowtheethebottomofaverywondrousmystery。Butwemustnotdoitmorethanonce，forthetimeofdayisthewrongone。’

Thewholeaffairbeingamysterytome，andfarbeyondmyunderstanding，Ifollowedhimsoftly，withoutaword，yetthinkingveryheavily，andlongingtobeabovegroundagain。Heledmethroughsmallpassages，toahollowplacenearthedescendingshaft，whereI

sawamostextraordinarymonsterfittedup。Informitwaslikeagreatcoffee-mill，suchasIhadseeninLondon，onlyathousandtimeslarger，andwithheavywindlasstoworkit。

’Putinabarrow-loadofthesmoulder，’saidUncleBentoCarfax，’andletthemworkthecrank，forJohntounderstandathingortwo。’

’Atthistimeofday!’criedSimonCarfax；’andthewatchingashasbeeno’late!’

However，hediditwithoutmoreremonstrance；pouringintothescuttleatthetopofthemachineaboutabaskefulofbrokenrock；andthenadozenmenwenttothewheel，andforceditround，assailorsdo。Uponthatsuchahideousnoisearose，asInevershouldhavebelievedanycreaturecapableofmaking，andIrantothewellofthemineforair，andtoeasemyears，ifpossible。

’Enough，enough!’shoutedUncleBenbythetimeIwasnearlydeafened；’wewilldigestourgoodlyboulderafterthedeviliscomeabroadforhiseveningwork。

Now，John，notawordaboutwhatyouhavelearned；buthenceforthyouwillnotbefrightenedbythenoisewemakeatdusk。’

Icouldnotdenybutwhatthiswasveryclevermanagement。Iftheycouldnotkeeptheechoesoftheupperairfrommoving，thewisestplanwastoopentheirvalvesduringthediscouragementofthefallingevening；whenfolkwouldratherbedrivenaway，thandrawnintothewildsandquagmires，byasoundsodeepandawful，comingthroughthedarkness。

AlthoughthereareveryancienttalesofgoldbeingfounduponExmoor，inlumpsandsolidhummocks，andofmenwhoslewoneanotherforit，thisdeepdiggingandgreatlabourseemedtomeadangerousandunholyenterprise。AndMasterHuckabackconfessedthatuptothepresenttimehistwopartnersandhimself(fortheyprovedtobethreeadventurers)hadputintotheearthmoregoldthantheyhadtakenoutofit。Neverthelesshefeltquitesurethatitmustinaveryshorttimesucceed，andpaythembackanhundredfold；andhepressedmewithgreatearnestnesstojointhem，andworkthereasmuchasIcould，withoutmovingmymother’ssuspicions。Iaskedhimhowtheyhadmanagedsolongtocarryonwithoutdiscovery；andhesaidthatthiswaspartlythroughthewildnessoftheneighbourhood，andthelegendsthatfrightenedpeopleofasuperstitiousturn；partlythroughtheirowngreatcaution，andthemanneroffetchingbothsuppliesandimplementsbynight；butmostofall，theyhadtothankthetroublesoftheperiod，thesuspicionsofrebellion，andtheterroroftheDoones，which(likethewizardIwasspeakingof)keptfolkfrombeingtooinquisitivewheretheyhadnobusiness。Theslough，moreover，hadhelpedthemwell，bothbymakingtheiraccessdark，andyetmorebyswallowingupandconcealingallthatwascastfromthemouthofthepit。

Once，beforetheattackonGlenDoone，theyhadanarrowe