He had then lowered
a string he had with him, and had drawn up a lantern first, then the
end of a coil of rope, then the tools for carrying on the exploration.
The rest had been easy. Masin had climbed up by the rope, after making
knots in it and when Malipieri had called out, from the inner place to
which he had retired with the end, that it was made fast. But the
light showed the architect that in turning round, he had narrowly
escaped falling into an open shaft, of which he could not see the
bottom, but which was evidently meant for the final escape of the
overflowing water.
There was room to pass this danger, however, and they had since laid a
couple of stout boards over it, weighted with stones to keep them in
place. Beyond, the passage rose till it was high enough for a man to
walk upright. Judging from the elevation now reached this passage was
hollowed in the thickness of one of the main walls of the palace, and
it was clear that the water could not reach it. A few yards from the
chasm, it inclined quickly downwards, and at the end there were half a
dozen steps, which evidently descended to a greater depth than the
floor of the first outer chamber.
So far as it had hitherto been possible to judge, there was no way of
getting to these last steps, except that opened by the two men, and
leading through the dry well.
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