CHAPTER X.
BURIED ALIVE IN HIS ROOM.
For some reason then unknown to Roland, there was no candle in his
room when the robbers shut the bolts outside; so he was obliged to
make the best of the darkness and the solitude through the long
autumn evening. As may be supposed, no air came to the sleeping rooms
save through the mouth of the cavern; and as the aperture above our
hero's door had been likewise closed, the air was oppressive almost
to suffocation.
He shook the door, smote it with his heel, and called aloud many
times for Nancy. After a while he heard her voice in the tunnel and
knew that she was coming.
'Well,' he heard her say, 'it can't do any harm to ask him what he
wants.' He knew then that the old woman was protesting against the
girl's response to his call. Again he shook the door and cried out.
'I am suffocating for air.'
'Ah,' screamed the hag, 'I knew he wanted to get out. Now stay in
your pit, my gamey young'un, and thank heaven if you ever come out of
it alive.'
'I am speaking to you, Nancy; I do not want to come out, nor do I
ask you to open the door. All I need is the removal of the hatch
above my door, so that some air may come in.
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