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"What a waste of time and labor," he mused. "Who
would undertake such a thing nowadays? Fancy the patience and delicacy
of finger required to fit all these shells in their places! and they are
embedded in strong mortar too, as if the work were meant to be
indestructible."
Pull of pleased interest, he pursued his way, winding in and out through
different arches, all more or less richly ornamented, till he came to a
tall, round column, which seemingly supported the whole gallery, for all
the arches converged towards it. It was garlanded from top to bottom
with their roses and their leaves, all worked in pink and lilac shells,
interspersed with small pieces of shining amber and polished malachite.
The flicker of the lamp he carried, made it glisten like a mass of
jewel-work, and, absorbed in his close examination of this unique
specimen of ancient art, Sir Philip did not at once perceive that
another light beside his own glimmered from out the furthest archway a
little beyond him,--an opening that led into some recess he had not as
yet explored.


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