Everything was, therefore, curious and unknown to him in this new domicile, where he now expected to take his first sleep, and which seemed likely to be, for some days at least, Morgan's headquarters.
As is always the case in abandoned quarries--which, at the first glance, partake somewhat of the character of subterranean cities--the different galleries excavated by the removal of the stone end in a cul de sac; that is to say, at a point in the mine where the work stops.

One of these streets seemed to prolong itself indefinitely.

Nevertheless, there came a point where the mine would naturally have ended, but there, in the angle of the tunnelled way, was cut (For what purpose?
The thing remains a mystery to this day among the people of the neigbborhood) an opening two-thirds the width of the gallery, wide enough, or nearly so, to give passage to two men abreast.
The two friends passed through this opening.

The air there became so rarefied that their torch threatened to go out at every step.
Vallensolle felt drops of ice-cold water falling on his hands and face.
"Bless me," said he, "does it rain down here ?" "No," replied Morgan, laughing; "only we are passing under the Reissouse." "Then we are going to Bourg ?" "That's about it." "All right; you are leading me; you have promised me supper and a bed, so I have nothing to worry about--unless that light goes out," added the young man, looking at the paling flame of the torch.
"That wouldn't matter; we can always find ourselves here." "In the end!" said Valensolle.

"And when one reflects that we are wandering through a grotto under rivers at three o'clock in the morning, sleeping the Lord knows where, with the prospect of being taken, tried, and guillotined some fine morning, and all for princes who don't even know our names, and who if they did know them one day would forget them the next--I tell you, Morgan, it's stupid!" "My dear fellow," said Morgan, "what we call stupid, what ordinary minds never do understand in such a case, has many a chance to become sublime." "Well, well," said Valensolle, "I see that you will lose more than I do in this business; I put devotion into it, but you put enthusiasm." Morgan sighed.
"Here we are," said he, letting the conversation drop, like a burden too heavy to be carried longer.