They glided together beneath the low and narrow vault, formed of enormous red stones, over which the lantern threw a sickly glare. At the end of about thirty steps a vast circular cave, formed from the living rock, appeared, on the floor of which were perhaps fifty piles of little kegs, and on the sides a great number of bars of lead and bags of tobacco. The air of the cavern was strongly impregnated with the strong odor of the last. Marc placed his lantern at the entrance and gazed around with a well-satisfied smile. "Here is what I found," said he, "only the cave was empty, save that in the middle of the floor yonder lay the skeleton of an animal--of a fox, which had probably died there of old age. The rogue had discovered the way before I did, and he could sleep in safety here. At that time, Jean-Claude, I was twelve years of age. I thought then that the place might some day be useful to me, I knew not how; but afterward, when I made my first essays at my trade with Jacob Zimmer, and when for two winters the revenue officers were on our track, the remembrance of my cave returned. I had made the acquaintance of Hexe-Baizel, who was a servant at the farm of Bois-de-Chênes, then owned by Catherine's father. She brought me twenty-five louis by way of dowry, and we set up our establishment in this cavern of the Arbousiers." Dives was silent, and Hullin asked: "You like this den, then?" "Like it! I would not change it for the finest house in Strasbourg. For twenty-three years have I kept my goods here--sugar, coffee, powder, tobacco, brandy--and no one the wiser. I have eight horses always on the road." "But you enjoy nothing of your wealth." "Enjoy nothing! Think you there is no pleasure in mocking and outwitting the police--in defying the shrewd officials of the custom-house? And, besides, the people all love you; you sell at half-price; you are the benefactor of the poor." {170} "But the danger!" "Bah! What revenue officer would dare come here?" "I believe you," muttered Hullin, as he thought that he must again brave the precipice. "But I am used to it," continued the smuggler, "although, when I first made my way hither with a cask on my shoulder, my heart fluttered as it had not for many a day before." He took up the lantern and held it so that the light might fall upon the heaps of kegs. "It is fine English powder," said he; "it rolls like grains of silver in your hand, and is strong as fate. A little goes a long way; a thimbleful is enough for a charge. And there is lead that Europe cannot beat. This evening, Hexe-Baizel shall run some into balls. She knows how, as you shall see." They turned to leave the cavern, when suddenly a confused noise of voices was borne upon the air. Marc instantly blew out the lantern, and the two men were in a moment plunged in darkness. "There is some one above," whispered the smuggler. "Who in the fiend's name could have climbed Falkenstein in the snow?"