What kind of person keeps a man underground for seven years? And who would agree to be part of such an experiment? Herbert Powyss longs to make his mark in the field of science and he hits on an experiment in isolation: for seven years a subject will live in isolation in his cellar. Only one man applies for the job, and the experiment will have unforeseen consequences for all included. An utterly transporting historical novel which is both elegant and unforgettably sinister.