sic into the bargain, this ringing and piping, and
laughter athwart it, and funeral hymns enough to make one cry! Look
master! look! the walls, the rooms are stretching themselves, and
spreading out into vast halls; the ceilings are running away out of
sight; and the creatures are still shooting forth, and thicken as fast
as the space grows. Have you no counsel? have you no help?"

In complete exhaustion Pietro now raised himself; his whole form was
changed, and he seemed to be dying. "Look out once more," he said
faintly: "turn thine eyes toward the dome, and bring me tidings of
what thou seest."

"I am treading the rabble here on the head," roared Beresynth, totally
bewildered; "they are disporting themselves in twining about me like
serpents, and are laughing me to scorn. Are they ghosts? are they
demons, or empty phantoms? Get away! Well, if you won't move out of my
path, I'll stamp downright upon your green and blue snouts. Everybody
must take care of number one, even if a devil is to be the sufferer."
He stumbled out muttering.

Things now grew tranquil, and Pietro stood up. He waved his arm, and
all those strange forms which had been crawling about the floor and
twisting around each other in the air, vanisht. He wiped off the sweat
and tears, and drew his breath more freely.

His servant came back and said: "Master, all is quiet and well; but
sundry light forms flitted by me and lost themselves in the dark sky.
Thereupon, while I kept staring immovably toward the dome, a mighty
crash sounded, as if all the strings of a harp were breaking at once,
and a clap came that made the streets and the houses all tremble. The
great door of the church burst open; flutes warbled sweetly and
lovelily; and a soft light brightness streamed forth from the heart of
the church. Immediately after the form of a woman stept into the
radiance, pale, but glancing, bedeckt with crowns of flowers; she
glided through the door, and gleams of light strewed a path for her to
tread along. Her head upright, her hands folded, she is floating
hither toward our dwelling. Is this she for whom you have been
waiting?"

"Take the golden key," answered Pietro, "and unlock the innermost
richest chamber of my house. See that the purple tapestries are spread
out, that the perfumes are scattering their sweetness. Then away, and
get thee to bed. Make no further inquiry into what happens. Be
obedient and silent, as thou valuest thy life."

"I know yo