It was a singularly dark night, with not a breath of wind. Away to their left lay the principal part of the village; but not a light was visible; and, save for the uneasy barking of a dog at a distance, there was not a sound. "Not like this i' the morning, doctor," whispered Moredock. "Place was like a fair." "Don't talk," said the doctor sternly; and after emitting a grunt, the old sexton trudged steadily on to the lych-gate, which he opened, the key clicking a little, and the lock giving a sharp snap. "Shall I lock it, or leave it?" "Leave it. No one will come here." "Nay, I'll make sure," said the old man; and passing his hand through the open woodwork, he locked the gate and withdrew the key. The two men ascended the steep pathway to the front of the church porch, and continued their journey round by the end of the chancel to the north, where the great mausoleum and the vestry stood side by side. As they reached the end of the path where it stopped by the vestry door, Moredock paused to listen intently for a few moments. "All right," he said; "not so much as a cat about;" and stooping down, he unlocked the iron gates at the head of the steps and they swung softly back. "Iled 'em well," whispered the sexton, "and the door below, too." "Now look here, my man," whispered North, "you can let me into the tomb, and then keep watch for me; or I will open the place myself, and bring you back the keys." "Nay, doctor, I'm not skeared. I don't like the job, but now you've got me to start on it, I'll go on right to the end." "That's right, Moredock; and you shall not regret it, man. As I've told you, it is for a special scientific reason." "I don't know nothing 'bout scientific reason, doctor," whispered the old man; "but you said it was some'at to do wi' making men live longer." "Yes, and it is." "And that you'd stick to me, doctor, and make me live as long as Mephooslum if you could." "Yes, Moredock, I did." "And you'll stick to that bargain?" "I will, on my honour as a man." "Shak' han's on it once again, doctor. That's enough for me. I like a bit o' money, and I want it bad; but no money shouldn't ha' made me do this. I'm doing of it because it's to make men live longer." "Yes, my man, it is." "Then in we goes. Stop!" "What now?" "You won't bring him--Squire Luke--back to life again, will you? Because that won't answer my book." "Silence, man, and keep to your bargain, as I will keep to mine." Moredock drew a long breath, inserted the key, opened the heavy door of the great vault, and it, too, swung easily upon its well-oiled hinges, carefully prepared by the sexton for the funeral. "You won't mind the dark for a minute, doctor?" whispered the old man. "No," said the doctor, stepping in, followed by the sexton, who carefully closed the grim portal, and they stood together in the utter darkness in presence of generations of the dead. Volume 2, Chapter IV. MARY'S BELL.