CHAPTER II.
FROM THE STONE DOOR TO THE IRON DOOR.
A whole army in despair over an impossible rescue; four thousand men unable to help three children; such was the situation.
They had no ladder; the ladder sent from Javené had not arrived; the conflagration increased like the opening of a crater; to try to put it out with water from the brook in the ravine, which was almost dry, was ridiculous; it would be like throwing a glass of water on a volcano.
Cimourdain, Guéchamp, and Radoub had gone down into the ravine; Gauvain had gone back into the hall in the second story of la Tourgue, where were the turning stone, the secret way of escape, and the iron door of the library. It was there that l'Imânus had lighted the sulphur match; it was there that the fire had started.
Gauvain had taken twenty sappers with him. The only resource was to break open the iron door. It was fatally closed.
They began by using axes. The axes broke. A sapper said,—
"Steel is like glass against this iron."
The door was made of double sheets of wrought iron, bolted together, each three fingers in thickness.
They took iron bars and tried to pry open the door. The iron bars broke.
"Like matches," said the sapper.
Gauvain, dubious, murmured,—
"Nothing but a cannon-ball could open this door. We should have to bring a cannon up here."
"But how?" said the sapper.
There was a moment of despair. All these powerless arms hung motionless. Dumb, conquered, dismayed, these men were considering the horrible immovable door.
