d aside, disclosing a circular opening in the
midst of which was a square flagstone bearing in its centre an iron
ring. Into this ring Ali inserted his crowbar and with a mighty effort
raised the flagstone from its place. A stairway descending apparently to
the bowels of the earth was disclosed, and from the sombre depths
escaped a flow of damp, mephitic air.

Zuleika drew back in affright. All that had passed since they came to
the bowlder was strange, bewildering and terrifying to her. Had the days
of enchantment returned? Was Ali some potent wizard like Aladdin's
pretended uncle in the old Arabian tale or was she simply under the
dominion of some disordered dream? Her knees trembled beneath her and
she moved as if to flee, but her father caught her by the arm and his
smiling countenance reassured her.

"Fear nothing, Zuleika," he said, soothingly. "We are about to visit my
subterranean palace. That is all."

By this time the atmosphere of the stairway had become purified and
Monte-Cristo said to Ali:

"Descend and light up the grottoes. When all is ready give the usual
signal."

The faithful servant entered the opening and vanished down the stairway.
Soon a delicious oriental perfume ascended. This was followed by a vivid
illumination of the gaping chasm and then came a long, reverberating
whistle.

"Ali notifies us that all is prepared for our reception," said
Monte-Cristo to Zuleika. "Come, my daughter!"

He descended the stairway first, Zuleika following him in a state of
mind difficult to describe. She was not afraid now, but her sensations
were of an exceedingly peculiar nature. The novelty and singularity of
the adventure rather attracted her, though, at the same time, she felt a
sort of reluctance to attempt it. However the opening was now as light
as day, and as they descended the intoxicating perfume increased in
intensity until it was almost as if acres of tube-roses had suddenly
bloomed and filled the caverns with their heavy fragrance.

At the bottom of the stairway Ali received them, conducting them into a
vast chamber that had evidently once possessed great splendor, but was
at present dingy and dust-covered as if it had been long deserted. It
was the apartment in which Monte-Cristo as Sinbad the Sailor had
welcomed the Baron Franz d' Epinay years before, but the crimson
brocade, worked with flowers of gold, though it still lined the chamber
as it did then, was now faded and moth-eaten, while