\"Andyouhavenothingmoreimmediatethanyourtopographytooffer，\"saidBrain，withasneer，\"tohelpmeavengemyfriend？\"
\"Well，\"saidFisher，\"IshouldfindoutthetruthabouttheHoleintheWall。\"
Thatnight，atthecloseofastormytwilightandunderastrongwestwindthatfollowedthebreakingofthefrost，LeonardCranewaswendinghiswayinawildrotatorywalkroundandroundthehigh，continuouswallthatinclosedthelittlewood。Hewasdrivenbyadesperateideaofsolvingforhimselftheriddlethathadcloudedhisreputationandalreadyeventhreatenedhisliberty。Thepoliceauthorities，nowinchargeoftheinquiry，hadnotarrestedhim，butheknewwellenoughthatifhetriedtomovefarafieldhewouldbeinstantlyarrested。HorneFisher’sfragmentaryhints，thoughhehadrefusedtoexpandthemasyet，hadstirredtheartistictemperamentofthearchitecttoasortofwildanalysis，andhewasresolvedtoreadthehieroglyphupsidedownandeverywayuntilitmadesense。Ifitwassomethingconnectedwithaholeinthewallhewouldfindtheholeinthewall;but，asamatteroffact，hewasunabletofindthefaintestcrackinthewall。Hisprofessionalknowledgetoldhimthatthemasonrywasallofoneworkmanshipandonedate，and，exceptfortheregularentrance，whichthrewnolightonthemystery，hefoundnothingsuggestinganysortofhidingplaceormeansofescape。
Walkinganarrowpathbetweenthewindingwallandthewildeastwardbendandsweepofthegrayandfeatherytrees，seeingshiftinggleamsofalostsunsetwinkingalmostlikelightningasthecloudsoftempestscuddedacrosstheskyandminglingwiththefirstfaintbluelightfromaslowlystrengthenedmoonbehindhim，hebegantofeelhisheadgoingroundashisheelsweregoingroundandroundtheblindrecurrentbarrier。Hehadthoughtsontheborderofthought;fanciesaboutafourthdimensionwhichwasitselfaholetohideanything，ofseeingeverythingfromanewangleoutofanewwindowinthesenses;orofsomemysticallightandtransparency，likethenewraysofchemistry，inwhichhecouldseeBulmer’sbody，horribleandglaring，floatinginaluridhalooverthewoodsandthewall。Hewashauntedalsowiththehint，whichsomehowseemedtobeequallyhorrifying，thatitallhadsomethingtodowithMr。Prior。ThereseemedeventobesomethingcreepyinthefactthathewasalwaysrespectfullyreferredtoasMr。Prior，andthatitwasinthedomesticlifeofthedeadfarmerthathehadbeenbiddentoseektheseedofthesedreadfulthings。Asamatteroffact，hehadfoundthatnolocalinquirieshadrevealedanythingatallaboutthePriorfamily。
Themoonlighthadbroadenedandbrightened，thewindhaddrivenoffthecloudsanditselfdiedfitfullyaway，whenhecameroundagaintotheartificiallakeinfrontofthehouse。Forsomereasonitlookedaveryartificiallake;indeed，thewholescenewaslikeaclassicallandscapewithatouchofWatteau;thePalladianfacadeofthehousepaleinthemoon，andthesamesilvertouchingtheverypaganandnakedmarblenymphinthemiddleofthepond。Rathertohissurprise，hefoundanotherfiguretherebesidethestatue，sittingalmostequallymotionless;andthesamesilverpenciltracedthewrinkledbrowandpatientfaceofHorneFisher，stilldressedasahermitandapparentlypracticingsomethingofthesolitudeofahermit。Nevertheless，helookedupatLeonardCraneandsmiled，almostasifhehadexpectedhim。