to be of Stone, but proved on further inspection to be formed
of no more solid materials than coloured Wood. He shook it, and
attempted to move it; But it appeared to be of a piece with the Base
which it stood upon. He examined it over and over: Still no clue
guided him to the solution of this mystery, for which the Nuns were
become equally solicitous, when they saw that He touched the Statue
with impunity. He paused, and listened: The groans were repeated at
intervals, and He was convinced of being in the spot nearest to them.
He mused upon this singular event, and ran over the Statue with
enquiring eyes. Suddenly they rested upon the shrivelled hand. It
struck him, that so particular an injunction was not given without
cause, not to touch the arm of the Image. He again ascended the
Pedestal; He examined the object of his attention, and discovered a
small knob of iron concealed between the Saint's shoulder and what was
supposed to have been the hand of the Robber. This observation
delighted him. He applied his fingers to the knob, and pressed it down
forcibly. Immediately a rumbling noise was heard within the Statue, as
if a chain tightly stretched was flying back. Startled at the sound the
timid Nuns started away, prepared to hasten from the Vault at the first
appearance of danger. All remaining quiet and still, they again
gathered round Lorenzo, and beheld his proceedings with anxious
curiosity.

Finding that nothing followed this discovery, He descended. As He took
his hand from the Saint, She trembled beneath his touch. This created
new terrors in the Spectators, who believed the Statue to be animated.
Lorenzo's ideas upon the subject were widely different. He easily
comprehended that the noise which He had heard, was occasioned by his
having loosened a chain which attached the Image to its Pedestal. He
once more attempted to move it, and succeeded without much exertion.
He placed it upon the ground, and then perceived the Pedestal to be
hollow, and covered at the opening with an heavy iron grate.

This excited such general curiosity that the Sisters forgot both their
real and imaginary dangers. Lorenzo proceeded to raise the Grate, in
which the Nuns assisted him to the utmost of their strength. The
attempt was accomplished with little difficulty. A deep abyss now
presented itself before them, whose thick obscurity the eye strove in
vain to pierce. The rays of the Lamp were too feeble to be of muc