glowed like live coals, and emitted from
the monstrous expanse of its jaws a
terrifying growl.

This beast seemed on the point of seizing
him, and Tom recoiled in panic and fell
into the open grave behind him. The edge
which he caught as he tumbled gave way,
and down he went, expecting almost at the
same instant to reach the bottom. But
never was such a fall!  Bottomless seemed
the abyss! Down, down, down, with
immeasurable and still increasing speed,
through utter darkness, with hair streaming
straight upward, breathless, he shot
with a rush of air against him, the force
of which whirled up his very arms, second
after second, minute after minute, through
the chasm downward he flew, the icy
perspiration of horror covering his body, and
suddenly, as he expected to be dashed into
annihilation, his descent was in an instant
arrested with a tremendous shock, which,
however, did not deprive him of consciousness
even for a moment.

He looked about him. The place
resembled a smoke-stained cavern or
catacomb, the roof of which, except for a
ribbed arch here and there faintly visible,
was lost in darkness. From several rude
passages, like the galleries of a gigantic
mine, which opened from this centre
chamber, was very dimly emitted a dull
glow as of charcoal, which was the only
light by which he could imperfectly
discern the objects immediately about him.

What seemed like a projecting piece of
the rock, at the corner of one of these
murky entrances, moved on a sudden, and
proved to be a human figure, that beckoned
to him. He approached, and saw his
father. He could barely recognise him, he
was so monstrously altered.

"I've been looking for you, Tom.
Welcome home, lad; come along to your
place."

Tom's heart sank as he heard these
words, which were spoken in a hollow and,
he thought, derisive voice that made him
tremble. But he could not help
accompanying the wicked spirit, who led him
into a place, in passing which he heard, as
it were from within the rock, dreadful
cries and appeals for mercy.

"What is this?" said he.

"Never mind."

"Who are they?"

"New-comers, like yourself, lad,"
answered his father, apathetically. "They
give over that work in time, finding it is
no use."

"What shall I do?" said Tom, in an
agony.

"It's all one."

"But what shall I do?" reiterated Tom,
quivering in every joint and nerve.

"Grin and bear it, I suppose."

"For God's sake, if ever you cared for
me, as I am your own child, let me out of
this!"

"There's no way out."

"If there's a way in there's a way out,
and for Heaven's sake let me out of this."

But the dreadful figure made no further
answer, and glided backwards by his
shoulder to the rear; and others appeared
in view, each with a faint red halo round
it, staring on him with frightful eyes,
images, all in hideous variety, of eternal
fury or derision. He was growing mad, it
seemed, under the stare of so many eyes,
increasing in number and drawing closer
every moment, and at the same time
myriads and myriads of voices were calling
him by his name, some far away, some near,
some from one point, some from another,
some from behind, close to his ears. These
cries were increased in rapidity and multitude,
and mingled with laughter, with
flitting blasphemies, with broken insults
and mockeries, succeeded and obliterated
by others, before he could half catch their
meaning.

All this time, in proportion to the
rapidity and urgency of these dreadful
sights and sounds, the epilepsy of terror
was creeping up to his brain, and with a
long and dreadful scream he lost
consciousness:

When he recovered his senses, he found
himself in a small stone chamber, vaulted
above, and with a ponderous door. A
single point of light in the wall, with a
strange brilliancy illuminated this cell.

Seated opposite to him was a venerable
man with a snowy beard of immense
length; an image of awful purity and
severity. He was dressed in a coarse robe,
with three large keys suspended from his
girdle. He might have filled one's idea of
an ancient porter of a city gate; such
spiritual cities, I should say, as John
Bunyan loved to describe.

This old man's eyes were brilliant and
awful, and fixed on him as they were, Tom
Chuff felt himself helplessly in his power.
At length he spoke:

"The command is given to let you forth
for one trial more. But if you are found
again drinking with the drunken, and
beating your fellow-servants, you shall