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144 depths of surrounding darkness. There was a sound, as if of falling water. Minora first turned to a pile of wood, and, with Beatrice's aid, a very brilliant fire soon illuminated the cavern. It looked more comfortable than picturesque: the walls and roof were blackened with smoke—the floor was of a light dry sand—at one end was a huge arch, down which water kept constantly trickling, and beneath was a deep well, by the side of which was a ledge of rock, where any person might walk—beyond it was quite dark. "There is a passage, but it terminates in a piece of water, and the rock soon comes so low that there is no getting beyond it; and though the smugglers do come here still, this is not now their time—and you are as safe here as in the Escurial." Minora heaped fresh fuel on the fire, and shewed where some heath and dried goat-skins formed a very respectable bed; while her companion sighed to remember that she herself had once resorted to a similar expedient. Next she lighted some half-a-dozen fir-wood splinters—excellent torches, for whose support some rude wooden stands had been inserted in the walls—and pointed out in a recess a most ample supply.