He thought he heard something, an unusual, mysterious sound, faint but distinct.
Having listened for some time, he concluded that his imagination had deceived him.

Summoning up all his resolution, he walked on towards the cellar, and through the open, door he saw the corpse of Geronimo lying as he had left it.
As he was approaching the cellar, full of anxiety and slackening his pace, suddenly a human voice fell upon his ear.

There was articulate sound, no spoken word, but only a hollow groan.
Julio, in an agony of terror, dropped the lamp.

The oil extinguished the flame, and thus left in total darkness he fled from the cellar as rapidly as he could by groping along the wall.

His heart beat violently, and his limbs tottered under him.
He recovered himself a little only after attaining a distant apartment and lighting a lamp.