There had been absolutely no
cause to fear that after fifty or sixty years the course of the water
should be affected, and the chances against such an accident happening
during that single hour of Sabina's visit were as many millions to
one. His motive in bringing her had been quixotic, no doubt, but good
and just, and so far as Sabina's reputation was concerned, Sassi's
presence had constituted a sufficient social protection.
He hammered away at the bricks furiously, and the cavity grew deeper
and wider. Surely he had made a mistake at first in wishing to husband
his strength too carefully. If he had worked from the beginning as he
was working now, he would have made the breach by this time.
Unless that were impossible; unless, after all, he had struck the end
of a cross wall and was working through the length of it instead of
through its thickness. The fear of such a misfortune took possession
of him, and he laid down his crowbar to examine the wall carefully.
There was one way of finding out the truth, if he could only get light
enough; no mason that ever lived would lay his bricks in any way
except lengthwise along each course. If he had struck into a cross
wall, he must be demolishing the bricks from their ends instead of
across them, and he could find out which way they lay at the end of
the cavity, if he could make the light of the lantern shine in as far
as that.
Pages:
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244