human
H'm! And smells like it, too, put in Cleek, with a sniff--
gpt
What's behind that door is worth a fortune, I'll be bound. Hello! here's a candle-end stuck in a bottle! Now, who the dickens uses that, I wonder?
human
The servants, I suppose. They come down through their own stairs, Mr. Deland--over there on the left--you can see them if you look hard enough. They're wooden ones, and were put in by my father's grandsire, for the convenience of the house. The servants don't like this way at all. They prefer to come through the butler's pantry.
gpt
And those stairs lead up there? I see. Hello! Here's a chain attached to this iron post. What's that?
human
The prisoner's chain. This room here --she pointed to the grilled door opening next to the cellar
gpt
And are there any others?
human
Yes--through that first door on the right--but you won't get _me_ to go into them, she responded with a laugh.
gpt
It's horrible in there. There's a rack and one or two thumbscrews and other articles which belong to the Spanish Inquisition period; as well as rats innumerable. My bravery vanishes at this point. I'll not go a step farther!
human
But you don't mind if I do?
gpt
Not a bit. I'll wait here. But there's nothing to see--really. And it's getting perilously near lunch-time.
human
I won't be a minute--really. But that thumbscrew has got me guessing, as our American cousins say. I suppose there's no lock on the door? Gad! but it opens easily enough. Been fairly recently oiled, I take it?
gpt
Not that I know of. In fact, I don't believe any one's been in the place since Ross came down here, three months ago, to show a friend round. Perhaps he oiled it then.
human
Perhaps. I won't be a minute, really. And I've another torch, if you'd like it. Here.