on the stone was too strong to be resisted. Having no pocket in my dress except one very small one, I quietly removed the head from the wrapper while the count stood silently regarding the flame, and putting the pieces into it, I fastened it round my body, so as to be ready for the reception of any other article of interest I might meet with. I then rejoined the count, and together we stood looking at the flame, which must have been burning thus for thousands of years. There was no lamp visible: the flame appeared to spring direct from a hole cut in the marble, and I suppose it must have been gas derived from a natural reservoir in the interior of the earth. But whatever it might be that fed it, there was something impressive in the sight of this living fire, which had shed its light through so many ages on the inanimate forms of those demigods in appearance who sat silent and motionless on their marble thrones. The count must have known, I think, who these were, and I would have asked him, but when I looked at his face the expression was so changed; it had become so dignified, and yet so sad and mournful, that I did not dare to address him then; besides I thought there would be abundant opportunity of doing this at some future time. Had I known then that the future accorded to him was bounded by those walls, my curiosity would have been stronger than my respect. As I looked round again at the grave majestic faces, the idea occurred to me that these subterranean apartments had formed part of one of the magnificent temples which formerly stood on the ground above, and that the dead occupants of the seats may have formed part of the priestly hierarchy who, having officiated there in their lifetime, had retired here to die, and that those whose remains lay mouldering here were their successors, who, on some invasion of the city had preferred to retire here and to die with their predecessors, rather than incur the risk of death elsewhere, though combined with chances of escape; those in the outer apartment being members of the same priesthood, though of less exalted degree.
