fuel was too tempting to be passed by .... He would go down, gather
a few sticks, and then return, to tell the abbot of the treasure
which he had found, and consult him as to the propriety of
revisiting it.

So down he went, hardly daring to raise his eyes to the alluring
iniquities of the painted imagery which, gaudy in crimson and blue,
still blazed out upon the desolate solitude, uninjured by that
rainless air. But he was young, and youth is curious; and the
devil, at least in the fifth century, busy with young brains. Now
Philammon believed most utterly in the devil, and night and day
devoutly prayed to be delivered from him; so he crossed himself, and
ejaculated, honestly enough, 'Lord, turn away mine eyes, lest they
behold vanity!' .... and looked nevertheless....

And who could have helped looking at those four colossal kings, who
sat there grim and motionless, their huge hands laid upon their
knees in everlasting self-assured repose, seeming to bear up the
mountain on their stately heads? A sense of awe, weakness, all but
fear, came over him. He dare not stoop to take up the wood at his
feet, their great stern eyes watched him so steadily.

Round their knees and round their thrones were mystic characters
engraved, symbol after symbol, line below line--the ancient wisdom
of the Egyptians, wherein Moses the man of God was learned of old--
why should not he know it too? What awful secrets might not be
hidden there about the great world, past, present, and future, of
which he knew only so small a speck? Those kings who sat there,
they had known it all; their sharp lips seem parting, ready to speak
to him .... Oh that they would speak for once! .... and yet that