It
was like an odd puzzle, and there was not a word written on any of the
plans to explain what they meant. On most of the thin ones there were
blue lines, indicating water, or at least its possible course.
The imaginary architect, if he could have watched the real one, would
have understood before long that the latter was theorizing about the
probable construction of what was hitherto inaccessible, and about the
probable position of certain channels through which water flowed, or
might be expected to flow. He would also have gathered that Malipieri
could reach no definite conclusion unless he could break through one
of two walls in the cellar, or descend through an opening in the floor
above, which would be by far the easiest way. He might even have
wondered why Malipieri did not at once adopt the latter expedient. It
is not a serious matter to make an aperture through a vault, large
enough to allow the passage of a man's body, and it could not be
attended with any danger to the building. It would be much less safe
and far more difficult to cut a hole through one of the main
foundation walls, which might be many feet thick and yet not wholly
secure. Nevertheless the movements made by the point of Malipieri's
pencil showed that he was contemplating that method of gaining an
entrance.
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