From the
first, she was perfectly sure that he would succeed, but she had not
at all understood what the actual labour must be.
He had used his pickaxe for more than half an hour, and had made a
hollow about a foot and a half deep, when he rested on the shaft of
the tool, and listened attentively. If the wall were not enormously
thick, and if any one were working on the other side, he was sure that
he could hear the blows, even above the roar of the water. But he
could distinguish no sound.
The water came in steadily from the full well, a stream filling the
passage beyond the dark chasm into which it was falling, and at least
six inches deep. It sent back the light of the lantern in broken
reflections and shivered gleams. Sabina did not like to look that way.
She was cold, now, and she felt that her clothes were damp, and a
strange drowsiness came over her, brought on by the monotonous tone of
the water. Malipieri had taken up his crowbar.
"I wonder what time it is," Sabina said, before he struck the wall
again.
He looked at his watch.
"It is six o'clock," he answered, trying to speak cheerfully. "It is
not at all late yet. Are you hungry?"
"Oh, no! We never dine till eight."
"But you are cold?"
"A little. It is no matter."
"If you will get up I will put my waistcoat on the board for you to
sit upon, and then you can put my coat over your shoulders.
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