Then the earth had seemed to rumble and shudder a little； Volkonsky had clung to Gulharov for dear life； Quint and Krakovitch had thrown themselves flat and reached down from above to grab hold of the ganger under his armpits。 But he'd been quite safe； for already his feet had found purchase on unseen steps below。
And as they'd all four watched in astonishment； so the choking debris around Volkonsky's thighs had settled down； collapsing in upon itself； sinking like quicksand into the hollow depths of the stairwell。 Hollow； yes！ The stairs had not been pletely choked but merely plugged； and now the plug had been removed。
〃Now it's our turn；〃 Quint had said when the dust had settled and they could breathe freely。 〃You and me； Felix。 We can't let Mikhail go down there ahead of us； for he has no idea what he's up against。 If there is still an element of danger attached to it； we should be the first ones down there。〃
They'd climbed down beside Volkonsky； paused and looked at each other。 〃We're unarmed；〃 Krakovitch had pointed out。
Up above； Sergei Gulharov had produced an automatic pistol； passed it down to them。 Volkonsky saw it； laughed。 He spoke to Krakovitch who smiled。
Quint asked； 〃What did he say？〃
〃He said； why do we need a gun if we're seeking treasure？〃 Krakovitch answered。
〃Tell him we're scared of spiders！〃 said Quint； and taking the gun； he had started down the littered steps。 What good bullets would be if the vampires were still extant he couldn't have said； but at least the feel of the weapon in his hand was a fort。
Blackened chunks of rock； large and small； cluttered the stairs so badly that Quint was often obliged to climb over them； but after turning through another full spiral； at last the steps were clear of all but small pieces of rubble； pebbles and sand sifted down from above。 And at last he had been at the bottom； with Krakovitch and the others close on his heels。 Light filtered down from above； but not much。
〃It's no good；〃 Quint had plained； shaking his head。 〃We can't go in there； not without proper light。〃 His voice had echoed as in a tomb； which was what the place was。 The place he spoke of was a room； a dungeon…the dungeon； for it could be no other place than Thibor's prison…beyond a low； arched stone doorway。 Maybe Quint's reluctance had been his final attempt to back away from this thing； maybe not； whichever； the resourceful Gulharov had the answer。 He'd produced a small； flat pocket torch； passed it to Quint who shone its beam ahead of him。 There under the arch of the doorway； fossilised timber…age…blackened fragments of oak…lying in a pile； with red splashes of rust marking the passing of defunct nails and bands of iron： all that remained of a once stout door。 And beyond that； only darkness。
Then； stooping a little to avoid a keystone which had settled somewhat through the centuries； Quint had stepped warily under the archway； pausing just inside the dungeon。 And there he'd aimed his torch in a slow circle to illumine each wall and corner of the place。 The cell was quite large； larger than he'd expected； it had corners； niches； ledges and recesses where the beam of light couldn't follow； and it seemed cut from living rock。
Quint aimed the beam at the floor。 Dust； the filtered dust of ages； lay uniformly thick everywhere。 No footprint disturbed it。 In roughly the centre of the floor； a humped formation of stone； possibly bedrock； strained grotesquely upwards。 It seemed there was nothing here； and yet 〃Quint's psychic intuition told him otherwise。 His； and Krakovitch's too。
〃We were right；〃 Krakovitch's voice had echoed dolefully。 He'd moved to e up alongside Quint。 〃They are finished。 They were here and we sense them even now； but time has put paid to them。〃 He'd moved forward； leaned his weight on the anomalous hump of rock…which at once crumbled under his hand！
In the next moment he'd jumped back with a cry of sheer horror； colliding with Quint； grabbing him and hugging him close。 〃Oh God！ Carl…Carl！ It's not。。。 not stone！〃
Gulharov and Volkonsky； both of them suddenly electrified； had steadied Krakovitch while Quint shone his torch directly at the humped mass。 Then； mouth gaping and heart fluttering； the Englishman had breathed； 〃Did you sense。。。 anything？〃
The other shook his head； took a deep breath。 〃No； no。 My reaction； that was simply shock…not a warning。 Thank God for that at least！ My talent is working…believe me it is working…but it reveals nothing。 I was shocked； just shocked。 。
〃But just look at this。。。 this thing！〃 Quint had been awed。 He'd moved forward； carefully blown dust from the surface of the mass and used a handkerchief to dust it down。 Parts of it； anyway。 For even a perfunctory dusting had revealed…total horror！
The thing was slumped where in uncounted years past it had groped one last time upwards from the packed earth of the floor。 It was one mass now…the mummied remains of one creature…but clearly it was posed of more than one person。 Hunger and possibly madness had forced the issue： the hunger of the proto…flesh in the earth； the madness of Ehrig and the women。 There had been no way out and； weak with hunger； the vampires had been unable to resist the advances of the mindless； subterranean 〃creeper〃。 It had probably taken them one by one； adding them to its bulk。 And now that bulk lay here； fallen where it had finally； mercifully 〃died〃。 In the end； governed only by weak impulse and indeterminate instinct； perhaps it had attempted to reconstitute the others。 Certainly there was evidence to that effect。
It had the breasts of women； and a half…formed male head； and many pseudohands。 Eyes； bulging behind their closed lids； were everywhere。 And mouths； some human and others inhuman。 Yes； and there were other features much worse than these。
Emboldened； Gulharov and Volkonsky had e forward； the latter； before he could be cautioned； had reached out a hand and laid it upon a cold； shrivelled breast where it protruded alongside a flabby…lipped mouth。 All was the colour of leather and looked solid enough； but no sooner had the big ganger touched the teat than it crumbled into dust。 Volkonsky snatched back his hand with an oath； stepped back a pace。 But Sergei Gulharov was much less timid。 He knew something of these horrors； and the very thought of them infuriated him。
Cursing； he lashed out with his foot at the base of the thing where it sprouted from the floor； lashed out again and again。 The others had made no attempt to stop him； it was his way of working it out of his system。 He waded into the crumbling monstrosity； fists and feet pounding at it。 And in a very little while nothing remained but billowing dust and a few fretted bones。
〃Out！〃 Krakovitch had choked。 〃Let's get out of here before we suffocate。 Carl。〃 He'd clutched the other's arm； 〃thank God it was dead！〃 And with their hands to their mouths； finally they'd climbed back up the stairwell into clean； healthy daylight。
〃That。。。 whatever it was； should be buried；〃 Volkonsky had growled to Gulharov as they moved away from the ruins。
〃Exactly！〃 Krakovitch had taken the opportunity to agree with him。 〃So as to be absolutely certain； it has to be buried。 And that's where you e in。 。
The four had been back to the ruins a second time since then； when Volkonsky had drilled holes； laid charges； unrolled a hundred yards of detonating cable and made electrical connections。 And now they'd returned for the third and last time。 And as before； Theo Dolgikh had followed them； which was why this would be the last time。
Now； from the cover of bushes back along the overgrown track near the cliff and its precarious ledge； the KGB man watched Volkonsky put down his firing box at the end of the prepared cable； watched as the party moved on towards the ruins； presumably for one last look。
This was Dolgikh's best chance； the moment the Russian agent had been waiting for。 He checked his gun again； took off the safety and reholstered it； then quickly scrambled up the scree slope on his left and into a straggling stand of pines where the trees marched at the foot of the gaunt cliffs。 If he used his cover to its best advantage； he could stay out of sight until the last m