{"id":"01KG8AKJYV9BVMF93283X4EECM","cid":"bafkreif5l3mhganpw3uvxnac4qixkyuax2w47vcjht2k7anen2kai7c22i","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":3120,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:05.590Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 6","source_file":"01KG89J1DKC9HHJRKY25JZBEXW","start_line":3069,"text":"raved in the darkness. The delirious sense of the absence of light was\r\nsoon added to his other delirium as to the contraction of space. The\r\nlids of his eyes burst with impotent distension. Then he thought the\r\nair itself was getting unbearable. He stood up at the griffin slits,\r\npressing his lips far into them till he moulded his lips there, to suck\r\nthe utmost of the open air possible.\r\n\r\nAnd continually, to heighten his frenzy, there recurred to him again\r\nand again what the Squire had told him as to the origin of the cell. It\r\nseemed that this part of the old house, or rather this wall of it, was\r\nextremely ancient, dating far beyond the era of Elizabeth, having once\r\nformed portion of a religious retreat belonging to the Templars. The\r\ndomestic discipline of this order was rigid and merciless in the\r\nextreme. In a side wall of their second storey chapel, horizontal and\r\non a level with the floor, they had an internal vacancy left, exactly\r\nof the shape and average size of a coffin. In this place, from time to\r\ntime, inmates convicted of contumacy were confined; but, strange to\r\nsay, not till they were penitent. A small hole, of the girth of one’s\r\nwrist, sunk like a telescope three feet through the masonry into the\r\ncell, served at once for ventilation, and to push through food to the\r\nprisoner. This hole opening into the chapel also enabled the poor\r\nsolitaire, as intended, to overhear the religious services at the\r\naltar; and, without being present, take part in the same. It was deemed\r\na good sign of the state of the sufferer’s soul, if from the gloomy\r\nrecesses of the wall was heard the agonized groan of his dismal\r\nresponse. This was regarded in the light of a penitent wail from the\r\ndead, because the customs of the order ordained that when any inmate\r\nshould be first incarcerated in the wall, he should be committed to it\r\nin the presence of all the brethren, the chief reading the burial\r\nservice as the live body was sepulchred. Sometimes several weeks\r\nelapsed ere the disentombment, the penitent being then usually found\r\nnumb and congealed in all his extremities, like one newly stricken with\r\nparalysis.\r\n\r\nThis coffin-cell of the Templars had been suffered to remain in the\r\ndemolition of the general edifice, to make way for the erection of the\r\nnew, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. It was enlarged somewhat, and\r\naltered, and additionally ventilated, to adapt it for a place of\r\nconcealment in times of civil dissension.\r\n\r\nWith this history ringing in his solitary brain, it may readily be\r\nconceived what Israel’s feelings must have been. Here, in this very\r\ndarkness, centuries ago, hearts, human as his, had mildewed in despair;\r\nlimbs, robust as his own, had stiffened in immovable torpor.\r\n\r\nAt length, after what seemed all the prophetic days and years of\r\nDaniel, morning broke. The benevolent light entered the cell, soothing\r\nhis frenzy, as if it had been some smiling human face—nay, the Squire\r\nhimself, come at last to redeem him from thrall. Soon his dumb ravings\r\nentirely left him, and gradually, with a sane, calm mind, he revolved\r\nall the circumstances of his condition.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 6"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJJ20F155CN1VA4X6YHX3","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1DKC9HHJRKY25JZBEXW","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKJYT2EY9GJWEQHEBRABR","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AKJYYEHFCZV0779TYJNMG","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:09.179Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:15.633Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}