ThenIswungmeonhightotheswingofthesledge，asathresherbendsbacktotheriseofhisflail，andwithallmypowerdescendingdeliveredtheponderousonset。Crashingandcrushedthegreatstonefellover，andthreadsofsparklinggoldappearedinthejaggedsidesofthebreakage。
’Hownow，SimonCarfax？’criedUncleBentriumphantly；
’wiltthoufindamaninCornwallcandothelikeofthat？’
’Ay，andmore，’heanswered；’however，itbeprettyfairforaladoftheseoutlandishparts。Getyourrollers，mylads，andleadittothecrushingengine。’
Iwasgladtohavebeenofsomeservicetothem；foritseemsthatthisgreatboulderhadbeentoolargetobedrawnalongthegalleryandtoohardtocrack。Butnowtheymoveditveryeasily，takingpiecebypiece，andcarefullypickingupthefragments。
’Thouhastdoneusagoodturn，mylad，’saidUncleReuben，astheotherspassedoutofsightatthecorner；’andnowIwillshowtheethebottomofaverywondrousmystery。Butwemustnotdoitmorethanonce，forthetimeofdayisthewrongone。’
Thewholeaffairbeingamysterytome，andfarbeyondmyunderstanding，Ifollowedhimsoftly，withoutaword，yetthinkingveryheavily，andlongingtobeabovegroundagain。Heledmethroughsmallpassages，toahollowplacenearthedescendingshaft，whereI
sawamostextraordinarymonsterfittedup。Informitwaslikeagreatcoffee-mill，suchasIhadseeninLondon，onlyathousandtimeslarger，andwithheavywindlasstoworkit。
’Putinabarrow-loadofthesmoulder，’saidUncleBentoCarfax，’andletthemworkthecrank，forJohntounderstandathingortwo。’
’Atthistimeofday!’criedSimonCarfax；’andthewatchingashasbeeno’late!’
However，hediditwithoutmoreremonstrance；pouringintothescuttleatthetopofthemachineaboutabaskefulofbrokenrock；andthenadozenmenwenttothewheel，andforceditround，assailorsdo。Uponthatsuchahideousnoisearose，asInevershouldhavebelievedanycreaturecapableofmaking，andIrantothewellofthemineforair，andtoeasemyears，ifpossible。
’Enough，enough!’shoutedUncleBenbythetimeIwasnearlydeafened；’wewilldigestourgoodlyboulderafterthedeviliscomeabroadforhiseveningwork。
Now，John，notawordaboutwhatyouhavelearned；buthenceforthyouwillnotbefrightenedbythenoisewemakeatdusk。’
Icouldnotdenybutwhatthiswasveryclevermanagement。Iftheycouldnotkeeptheechoesoftheupperairfrommoving，thewisestplanwastoopentheirvalvesduringthediscouragementofthefallingevening；whenfolkwouldratherbedrivenaway，thandrawnintothewildsandquagmires，byasoundsodeepandawful，comingthroughthedarkness。
AlthoughthereareveryancienttalesofgoldbeingfounduponExmoor，inlumpsandsolidhummocks，andofmenwhoslewoneanotherforit，thisdeepdiggingandgreatlabourseemedtomeadangerousandunholyenterprise。AndMasterHuckabackconfessedthatuptothepresenttimehistwopartnersandhimselffortheyprovedtobethreeadventurershadputintotheearthmoregoldthantheyhadtakenoutofit。Neverthelesshefeltquitesurethatitmustinaveryshorttimesucceed，andpaythembackanhundredfold；andhepressedmewithgreatearnestnesstojointhem，andworkthereasmuchasIcould，withoutmovingmymother’ssuspicions。Iaskedhimhowtheyhadmanagedsolongtocarryonwithoutdiscovery；andhesaidthatthiswaspartlythroughthewildnessoftheneighbourhood，andthelegendsthatfrightenedpeopleofasuperstitiousturn；partlythroughtheirowngreatcaution，andthemanneroffetchingbothsuppliesandimplementsbynight；butmostofall，theyhadtothankthetroublesoftheperiod，thesuspicionsofrebellion，andtheterroroftheDoones，whichlikethewizardIwasspeakingofkeptfolkfrombeingtooinquisitivewheretheyhadnobusiness。Theslough，moreover，hadhelpedthemwell，bothbymakingtheiraccessdark，andyetmorebyswallowingupandconcealingallthatwascastfromthemouthofthepit。
Once，beforetheattackonGlenDoone，theyhadanarrowescapefromtheKing’sCommissioner；forCaptainStickleshavingheardnodoubtthestoryofJohnFry，wentwithhalfadozentroopers，onpurposetosearchtheneighbourhood。Nowifhehadriddenalone，mostlikelyhewouldhavediscoveredeverything；buthefearedtoventureso，havingsuspicionofatrap。
Comingastheydidinacompany，allmountedandconspicuous，thewatchmanwhowaspostednowonthetopofthehill，almosteverydaysinceJohnFry’sappearancecouldnothelpespyingthem，milesdistant，overthemoorland。Hewatchedthemundertheshadeofhishand，andpresentlyrandownthehill，andraisedagreatcommotion。ThenSimonCarfaxandallhismencameup，andmadethingsnatural，removingeverysignofwork；andfinally，sinkingunderground，drewacrossthemouthofthepitahurdlethatchedwithsedgeandheather。OnlySimonhimselfwasleftbehind，ensconcedinaholeofthecrags，toobservethedoingsoftheenemy。
CaptainSticklesrodeverybravely，withallhismenclatteringafterhim，downtherockypass，andeventothemarginoftheslough。Andtheretheystopped，andheldcouncil；foritwasaperilousthingtoriskthepassageuponhorseback，betweenthetreacherousbrinkandthecliff，unlessoneknewitthoroughly。
Stickles，however，andonefollower，carefullyfeltthewayalong，havingtheirhorseswellinhand，andbearingaropetodrawthemout，incaseofbeingfoundered。Thentheyspurredacrosstheroughboggyland，fartherawaythantheshaftwas。Herethegroundlayjaggedandshaggy，wroughtupwithhightuftsofreed，orscraggedwithstuntedbrushwood。Andbetweentheupsanddownswhichmetanybodyanyhow
green-coveredplacestemptedthefoot，andblackbog-holesdiscouragedit。Itisnottobemarvelledatthatamidsuchplaceasthis，forthefirsttimevisited，thehorseswerealittleskeary；andtheirriderspartookofthefeeling，asallgoodridersdo。
Inandoutofthetuftstheywent，withtheireyesdilating，wishingtobeoutofharm，ifconsciencewerebutsatisfied。Andofthistuftyflaggyground，pockedwithbogsandboglets，oneespecialnatureisthatitwillnotholdimpressions。
Seeingthusnotrackofmen，noranythingbutmarsh-work，andstormwork，andoftheseasons，thesetwohonestmenrodeback，andweregladtodoso。Forabovethemhungthemountains，cowledwithfog，andseamedwithstorm；andaroundthemdesolation；andbelowtheirfeetthegrave。Hencetheywent，withallgoodwill；andvowedforeverafterwardsthatfearofasimpleplacelikethatwasonlytooridiculous。Sotheyallrodehomewithmutualpraises，andtheircouragewell-approved；andtheonlyresultoftheexpeditionwastoconfirmJohnFry’sreputeasabiggerliarthanever。
NowIhadenoughofthatundergroundwork，asbeforerelated，tolastmeforayeartocome；neitherwouldI，forsakeofgold，haveeversteppedintothatbucket，ofmyowngoodwillagain。ButwhenItoldLorna——whomIcouldtrustinanymatterofsecrecy，asifshehadneverbeenawoman——allaboutmygreatdescent，andthehoneycombingoftheearth，andthemournfulnoiseateventide，whenthegoldwasunderthecrusherandbewailingthemischiefitmustdo，thenLorna’schiefdesirewastoknowmoreaboutSimonCarfax。
’ItmustbeourGwenny’sfather，’shecried；’themanwhodisappearedunderground，andwhomshehaseverbeenseeking。Howgrievedthepoorlittlethingwillbe，ifitshouldturnout，afterall，thathelefthischildonpurpose!Icanhardlybelieveit；canyou，John？’
’Well，’Ireplied；’allmenarewicked，moreorless，tosomeextent；andnomanmaysayotherwise。’
ForIdidnotwishtocommitmyselftoanopinionaboutSimon，lestImightbewrong，andLornathinklessofmyjudgment。
Butbeingresolvedtoseethisout，anddoagoodturn，ifIcould，toGwenny，whohaddonememanyagoodone，IbeggedmyLornatosaynotawordofthismattertothehandmaiden，untilIhadfurthersearcheditout。
Andtocarryoutthisresolve，Iwentagaintotheplaceofbusinesswheretheyweregrindinggoldasfreelyasanapothecaryathispills。
Havingnowtruerightofentrance，andbeingknowntothewatchman，andregardedsinceIcrackedtheboulderasonewhocouldpayhisfooting，andperhapswouldbethemaster，whenUncleBenshouldhechokedwithmoney，IfoundthecorbsentupformerathersoonerthanIwishedit。Forthesmelloftheplacesunderground，andthewaymen’seyescameoutofthem，withlinks，andbrands，andflambeaux，insteadofGod’slighttolookat，weretomeapointofcaution，ratherthanofpleasure。
Nodoubtbutwhatsomemenenjoyit，beingborn，likeworms，todig，andtoliveintheirownscoopings。Yeteventhewormscomeupsometimes，afteragoodsoftshowerofrain，andholddiscoursewithoneanother；
whereasthesemen，andthehorsesletdown，comeabovegroundnever。
Andthechangingoftheskyishalfthechangeournaturecallsfor。Earthwehave，andallitsproducemovingfromthefirstappearance，andthehopewithinfants’eyes，throughthebloomofbeauty’spromise，totherichandripefulfilment，andthefallingbacktorest；seawehavewithallitswondershedoneyes，andears，andheart；andthethoughtofsomethingmore——butwithouttheskytolookat，whatwouldearth，andsea，andevenourownselves，betous？
Dowelookatearthwithhope？Yes，forvictualsonly。
Dowelookatseawithhope？Yes，thatwemayescapeit。Attheskyalonethoughquestionedwiththedoubtsofsunshine，orscatteredwithuncertainstars，attheskyalonewelookwithpurehopeandwithmemory。
HenceitalwayshurtmyfeelingswhenIgotintothatbucket，withmysmall-clothesturnedupover，andakerchiefroundmyhat。Butknowingthatmypurposewassound，andmymotivespure，Ilettheskygrowtoalittlebluehole，andthentonothingoverme。AtthebottomMasterCarfaxmetme，beingcaptainofthemine，anddesiroustoknowmybusiness。Heworealoosesackroundhisshoulders，andhisbeardwastwofeetlong。
’Mybusinessistospeakwithyou，’Iansweredrathersternly；forthisman，whowasnothingmorethanUncleReuben’sservant，hadcarriedthingstoofarwithme，showingnorespectwhatever；andthoughIdidnotcareformuch，Ilikedtoreceivealittle，eveninmyearlydays。
’Coomintothemuck-hole，then，’washisgraciousanswer；andheledmeintoafilthycell，wheretheminerschangedtheirjackets。
’SimonCarfax，Ibegan，withamannertodiscouragehim；’Ifearyouareashallowfellow，andnotworthmytrouble。’
’Thendon’ttakeit，’hereplied；’Iwantnoman’strouble。’
’ForyoursakeIwouldnot，’Ianswered；’butforyourdaughter’ssakeIwill；thedaughterwhomyoulefttostarvesopitifullyinthewilderness。’
Themanstaredatmewithhispalegrayeyes，whosecolourwaslostfromcandlelight；andhisvoiceaswellashisbodyshook，whilehecried，——
’Itisalie，man。Nodaughter，andnosonhaveI。
Norwaseverchildofminelefttostarveinthewilderness。Youaretoobigformetotackle，andthatmakesyouacowardforsayingit。’Hishandswereplayingwithapickaxehelve，asifhelongedtohavemeunderit。
’PerhapsIhavewrongedyou，Simon，’Iansweredverysoftly；forthesweatuponhisforeheadshoneinthesmokytorchlight；’ifIhave，Icraveyourpardon。ButdidyounotbringupfromCornwallalittlemaidnamed“Gwenny，“andsupposedtobeyourdaughter？’
’Ay，andshewasmydaughter，mylastandonlychildoffive；andforherIwouldgivethismine，andallthegoldwillevercomefromit。’
’Youshallhaveher，withouteithermineorgold；ifyouonlyprovetomethatyoudidnotabandonher。’
’Abandonher!IabandonGwenny!’Hecriedwithsucharageofscorn，thatIatoncebelievedhim。’Theytoldmeshewasdead，andcrushed，andburiedinthedrifthere；andhalfmyheartdiedwithher。TheAlmightyblasttheirmining-work，ifthescoundrelsliedtome!’
’Thescoundrelsmusthaveliedtoyou，’Ianswered，withaspiritfiredbyhisheatoffury：’themaidislivingandwithus。Comeup；andyoushallseeher。’
’Rigthebucket，’heshoutedoutalongtheechoinggallery；andthenhefellagainstthewall，andthroughthegrimysackIsawtheheavingofhisbreast，asI