square, stone-curbed, capped with a sheet of riveted iron the colour of dried blood and rust. nobody is sure who sealed it or under whose order. the parish records for that quarter were burnt later the same year.
before it was closed it had served the estate for two centuries — three deep, slow strokes of the handle to bring the bucket up. the water was said to be excellent. an inspector came twice; on the second visit, the well was sealed within the week.
what is said: that a child fell. that two children fell. that nothing fell, and only a sound came out. the present housekeeper will not walk past it after dusk. the basement hears it sometimes in the way old stones answer old stones.
field-note · the bolts have been counted eight times by eight different people. four people counted seven. four counted eight. nobody has counted nine.
the dry well · the eel · basement · memory · forget