Then there became apparent, at the lower end of the apartment, a vast
yawning cavity in the wall, high enough to admit a man without stooping,
but running downwards almost perpendicularly to some lower region which
it was impossible to see, for no light shot upwards from this
precipitous artificial abyss, in the darkness of which the eye was lost
after it had penetrated to the distance of a few feet only from the
opening. At the base of the confined space thus visible appeared the
commencement of a flight of steps, evidently leading far downwards into
the cavity. On the abruptly sloping walls, which bounded it on all
sides, were painted, in the brilliant hues of ancient fresco,
representations of the deities of the mythology--all in the attitude of
descending into the vault, and all followed by figures of nymphs bearing
wreaths of flowers, beautiful birds, and other similar adjuncts of the
votive ceremonies of Paganism. The repulsive contrast between the
bright colours and graceful forms presented by the frescoes, and the
perilous and gloomy appearance of the cavity which they decorated,
increased remarkably the startling significance in the character of the
whole structure.
Pages:
719
720
721
722
723
724
725
726
727
728
729
730
731
732
733
734
735
736
737
738
739
740
741
742
743