I followed his example, and in a minute or two we made our
way down a winding path into a deep chalk quarry.
'There is no sign of him!' cried Gerard. 'He has escaped us.'
But suddenly I had understood it all. His furious rage which the miller
had described to us was caused no doubt by his learning how he came to
be betrayed upon the night of his arrival. This sweetheart of his had
in some way discovered it, and had let him know. His promise to deliver
himself up to-morrow was in order to give him time to have his revenge
upon my uncle. And now with one idea in his head he had ridden to this
chalk quarry. Of course, it must be the same chalk quarry into which
the underground passage of Grosbois opened, and no doubt during his
treasonable meetings with my uncle he had learned the secret. Twice I
hit upon the wrong spot, but at the third trial I gained the face of the
cliff, made my way between it and the bushes, and found the narrow
opening, which was hardly visible in the gathering darkness. During our
search Savary had overtaken us on foot, so now, leaving our horses in
the chalk-pit, my two companions followed me through the narrow entrance
tunnel, and on into the larger and older passage beyond.
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