Independently Published Vril, the power of the coming race, paperback/edward bulwer lytton lytton

All the rest of that day the engineer seemed preoccupied by some absorbing thought.

He was unusually taciturn, and there was a scared, bewildered look in his eyes, as that of a man who has seen a ghost.

At night, as we two were sitting alone in the lodging we shared together near the mouth of the mine, I said to my friend, -Tell me frankly what you saw in that chasm: I am sure it was something strange and terrible.

Whatever it be, it has left your mind in a state of doubt.

In such a case two heads are better than one.

Confide in me.

The engineer long endeavoured to evade my inquiries; but as, while he spoke, he helped himself unconsciously out of the brandy-flask to a degree to which he was wholly unaccustomed, for he was a very temperate man, his reserve gradually melted away.

He who would keep himself to himself should imitate the dumb animals, and drink water.

At last he said, I will tell you all.

When the cage stopped, I found myself on a ridge of rock; and below me, the chasm, taking a slanting direction, shot down to a considerable depth, the darkness of which my lamp could not have penetrated.

But through it, to my infinite surprise, streamed upward a steady brilliant light.

Could it be any volcanic fire? In that case, surely I should have felt the heat.

Still, if on this there was doubt, it was of the utmost importance to our common safety to clear it up.

I examined the sides of the descent, and found that I could venture to trust myself to the irregular projection of ledges, at least for some way.

I left the cage and clambered down.

As I drew nearer and nearer to the light, the chasm became wider, and at last I saw, to my unspeakable amaze, a broad level road at the bottom of the abyss, illumined as far as the eye could reach by what seemed artificial gas-lamps placed at regular intervals, as in the thoroughfare of a great city; and I heard confusedly at a distance a hum as of human voices.

I know, of course, that no rival miners are at work in this distr.