"It is possible, madam, that we may want two of them, if we are to make things pleasant at your introduction to Jack Straw." We ascended some stairs, shut off from the lower floor by a massive locked door, and passed along some dreary stone passages, protected by more doors.

Cries of rage and pain, at one time distant and at another close by, varied by yelling laughter, more terrible even than the cries, sounded on either side of us.

We passed through a last door, the most solid of all, which shut out these dreadful noises, and found ourselves in a little circular hall.

Here the superintendent stopped, and listened for a moment.

There was dead silence.