"Follow me into the cellar," cried the Doctor. A candle was lighted; the Doctor led the way to the place where the wine lay. "What gives you such victorious confidence?" inquired the Professor, on the way, in a low voice. "I suspect that you have your secrets," replied the Doctor; "permit me to have mine." He quickly removed the bottles from the corner, threw the light on the stone, and knocked on the wall with a large key. "The place is hollow and the stone has a peculiar mark." "It is true," said the Proprietor; "there is an empty space behind it; it is certainly not small. But the stone is one of the foundation stones of the house, and has not the appearance of ever having been removed from its place." "After so long a time, it would be difficult to determine that," rejoined the Doctor. The Proprietor examined the wall himself. "A large slab lies over it. It would, perhaps, be possible to raise the marked stone from its place." He considered for a moment, and then continued: "I see I must let you have your own way. I will thus make compensation for the first hour of our acquaintance, which has always lain heavy on my conscience. As we three are here in the cellar like conspirators, we will enter into an agreement. I will at once do what I consider to be very useless. In return, whenever you speak or write upon the subject, you must not refuse to bear testimony that I have given in to every reasonable wish." "We shall see what can be done," replied the Doctor. "Very well. In the stone quarry at the extremity of my property I have some extra hands at work; they shall remove the stone and then restore it to its place. Thus, I hope, the affair will be forever settled. Ilse, early in the morning let the shelving be removed from the wine-cellar." The following day the stone-masons came, and the three gentlemen and Ilse descended into the cellar, and looked on curiously while the men exerted their power with pickaxe and crowbar on the square stone. It was placed upon the rock, and great exertions were necessary to loosen it. But the people themselves declared that there was a great cavity behind, and worked with a zeal that was increased by the repute of the haunted house. At last the stone was moved and a dark opening became visible. The spectators approached--both the scholars in anxious suspense; their host and his daughter also full of expectation. One of the stone-masons hastily seized the light and held it before the opening. A slight vapor came out; the man drew back alarmed. "There is something white in there," he cried, full of fear and hope.