I had forgotten that."
Sabina had not thought of it either, and she waited while he went down
again and brought the lamp up. He extinguished it at once and set it
down.
"Only three ways are possible," he said, "and two are out of the
question. We cannot get up the old shaft above the well. It is of no
use to think of that. We cannot get down the overflow and out by the
drains because the water is pouring down there, and besides, the Tiber
must have risen with the rain."
"Which is the third way?"
"To break an opening through the wall in the highest part of the
passage. It may take a long time, for I have no idea how thick the
wall may be, and the passage is narrow. But we must try it, and
perhaps Masin will go to work nearly at the same spot, for he knows as
much about this place as I do, and we have often talked about it. I
have some tools down here. Will you come? We must not waste time."
"I can hold the lantern," said Sabina. "That may be of some use."
Malipieri gave her the lantern and took up the crowbar and pickaxe
which lay near the hole in the vault.
"You will wet your feet, I am afraid," he said, as they went up the
passage, and he was obliged to speak in a louder tone to be heard
above the steady roar of the water.
He had marked the spot where he had expected that a breach would have
to be made to admit visitors conveniently, and he had no trouble in
finding it.
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