eliefs, differing little from those which could
be found in many a European museum; but he had not for many months
lighted upon any unique object, such as would open a new page in the
history of archaeological research, and make Europe ring with his name.

His money was nearly all expended; his permit from the Ottoman
Government was on the point of expiring; he was sadly contemplating
the necessity of leaving this barren field and returning to France;
he had, indeed, already despatched a portion of his caravan to begin
its long journey to the coast, remaining with a few men to finish the
excavation of the _tell_--the mound covering the remains of a
Babylonish city--on which he was engaged, in the hope of discovering
something of value, even at the eleventh hour. He had almost completed
it, and he could easily hurry after the slow-moving caravan, and
overtake it in a day or two.

One Friday, to his great joy, he came across, in the wall of the
_tell_, a large inscribed mass of brickwork, weighing, perhaps,
half-a-ton, which, from the cursory inspection he was able to make of
it in the semi-darkness, he believed might prove sufficiently valuable
to compensate all the disappointments of the weary months. In his
enthusiasm he had no more thought of his caravan, and though a
terrific thunderstorm burst over the place just as his men were
getting into position the rude derrick by means of which they would
lower the masonry into the trench cut in the side of the _tell,_ his
ardour would suffer no intermission in the work. It is true that in
the trench they were in some measure protected from the storm. The
lashings had been fixed on the brickwork under his careful
superintendence; the men were on the point of hauling on the ropes,
when a thing of monstrous size and uncouth shape glided silently into
the opening of the trench, and came to rest there.

Instantly the men gave a howl of terror, released the ropes, and took
to their heels. Monsieur Alphonse Marie de Montause was left alone.

Remembering that he was an explorer, an enthusiast, and a Frenchman,
the reader will hardly need to be told that Monsieur de Montause was
beside himself with fury. The dropping of the ropes had caused the
masonry to fall against one of the feet of the derrick, and it came
down with a crash. But this was not the worst. In the semi-darkness,
the nature of the intruder could not have been clear to Monsieur de
Montause; but he heard a voice cal