of luminous
dusk he distinguished at first a semicircle of walls indented by winding
stairs; and opposite to him, at the top of five or six stone steps, a
sort of black portal, opening into an immense corridor, whose first
arches only were visible from below.

Stretching himself flat he crept to the threshold. Yes, it was really a
corridor, but endless in length. A wan light illumined it: lamps
suspended from the vaulted ceiling lightened at intervals the dull hue
of the atmosphere--the distance was veiled in shadow. Not a single door
appeared in the whole extent! Only on one side, the left, heavily grated
loopholes sunk in the walls, admitted a light which must be that of
evening, for crimson bars at intervals rested on the flags of the
pavement. What a terrible silence! Yet, yonder, at the far end of that
passage there might be a doorway of escape! The Jew's vacillating hope
was tenacious, for it was _the last_.

Without hesitating, he ventured on the flags, keeping close under the
loopholes, trying to make himself part of the blackness of the long
walls. He advanced slowly, dragging himself along on his breast, forcing
back the cry of pain when some raw wound sent a keen pang through his
whole body.

Suddenly the sound of a sandaled foot approaching reached his ears. He
trembled violently, fear stifled him, his sight grew dim. Well, it was
over, no doubt. He pressed himself into a niche and half lifeless with
terror, waited.

It was a familiar hurrying along. He passed swiftly by, holding in his
clenched hand an instrument of torture--a frightful figure--and
vanished. The suspense which the rabbi had endured seemed to have
suspended the functions of life, and he lay nearly an hour unable to
move. Fearing an increase of tortures if he were captured, he thought of
returning to his dungeon. But the old hope whispered in his soul that
divine _perhaps_, which comforts us in our sorest trials. A miracle had
happened. He could doubt no longer. He began to crawl toward the chance
of escape. Exhausted by suffering and hunger, trembling with pain, he
pressed onward. The sepulchral corridor seemed to lengthen mysteriously,
while he, still advancing, gazed into the gloom where there _must_ be
some avenue of escape.

Oh! oh! He again heard footsteps, but this time they were slower, more
heavy. The white and black forms of two inquisitors appeared, emerging
from the obscurity beyond. They were conversing in low tones, and se