"'No, no, I will not,' she shrieked. "'But I will,' returned the doctor, in a hard tone. "The negress shook from head to foot, as though seized by some invisible power. The doctor pointed to a seat, and she sat down as rigid as a corpse. "The woodcutters, good, simple people, full of pious sentiments, crossed themselves, and I, who had never yet heard of the hypnotic force, began to tremble, thinking Agatha was dead. "Dr. Weber approached the negress, and passed his hands over her forehead. "'Are you ready?' he said. "'Yes, sir.' "'Sir Thomas Hawerbrook.' "At these words she shivered again. "'Do you see him?' "'Yes, yes,' she answered, in a gasping voice, 'I see him.' "'Where is he?' "'Up there, in the depths of the cavern--dead!' "'Dead!' said the doctor; 'how?' "'The spider! oh, the spider!' "'Calm yourself,' said the doctor, who was very pale. 'Tell us clearly.' "'The spider holds him by the throat--in the depths of the cavern--under the rock--enveloped in its web--Ah!' "Dr. Weber glanced round on the people, who, bending forward, with eyes starting out of their heads, listened in horror. "Then he continued: 'You see him?' "'I see him.' "'And the spider. Is it a big one?' "'O Master, never, never, have I seen such a big one. Neither on the banks of the Mocaris, nor in the swamps of Konanama. It is as large as my body.' "There was a long silence. Everybody waited with livid face and hair on end. Only the doctor kept calm. Passing his hand two or three times over the woman's forehead, he recommenced his questions. Agatha described how Sir Thomas's death happened. "'He was bathing in the lake of the source. The spider saw his bare back from behind. It had been fasting for a long time, and was hungry. Then it saw Sir Thomas's arm on the water. All of a sudden it rushed out, put its claws round the commodore's neck. He cried out, "Mon Dieu, Mon Dieu." The spider stung him and went back, and Sir Thomas fell into the water and died. Then the spider returned, spun its web round him, and swam slowly, gently back to the extremity of the cavern; drawing Sir Thomas after it by the thread attached to its own body.' "I was still sitting in the chimney corner, overwhelmed with fright. The doctor turned to me. "'Is it true, Frantz, that the commodore was going to bathe?' "'Yes, cousin.' "'At what time?' "'At four o'clock.' "'At four o'clock? It was very hot then, was it not?' "'Yes; oh, yes.' "'That's it. The monster was not afraid to come out then.' "He spoke a few unintelligible words, and turned to the peasants. "'My friends,' he cried, 'that is where the mass of _débris_ and those skeletons come from. It is the spider which has frightened away your visitors, and ruined you all. It is there hidden in its web, entrapping its prey into the depths of the cavern. Who can say the number of its victims?' [Illustration: "IT RUSHED OUT AND PUT ITS CLAWS AROUND THE COMMODORE'S NECK."]