they slid through the front door , and suddenly the hallway opened up , enormous , filled with the fragrance of the wet soaked plaster and the glue from the peeling wallpaper , and the wood itself , perhaps , oh , there were too many smells of rot and the swamp , and living things , and the rippling water which cast its eerie light all over the walls and the ceiling , ripples upon ripples of light , you could get drugged by it .