collect the younger knights who had already pledged themselves to the
enterprise. A gallant troop, they made their way down the steep steps
which led from the palace to the cave. The news had spread; the ladies had
gathered on the balconies, and the bright face of one laughing girl looked
from a bower window, while she tossed a rose to the happy Luis. Alas, it
fell short of its mark and hit the robes of Archbishop Oppas, who stood
with frowning face as the youngster swept by. The archbishop crushed it
unwittingly in the hand that held the crosier.

The rusty padlocks were broken, and each fell clanking on the floor, and
was brushed away by mailed heels. They passed from room to room with
torches, for the cavern extended far beneath the earth; yet they found no
treasure save the jewelled table of Solomon. But for their great
expectations, this table alone might have proved sufficient to reward
their act of daring. Some believed that it had been brought by the Romans
from Solomon's temple, and from Rome by the Goths and Vandals who sacked
that city and afterwards conquered Spain; but all believed it to be
sacred, and now saw it to be gorgeous. Some describe it as being of gold,
set with precious stones; others, as of gold and silver, making it yellow
and white in hue, ornamented with a row of pearls, a row of rubies, and
another row of emeralds. It is generally agreed that it stood on three
hundred and sixty feet, each made of a single emerald. Being what it was,
the king did not venture to remove it, but left it where it was.
Traversing chamber after chamber and finding all empty, they at last found
all passages leading to the inmost apartment, which had a marble urn in
the centre. Yet all eyes presently turned from this urn to a large
painting on the wall which displayed a troop of horsemen in full motion.
Their horses were of Arab breed, their arms were scimitars and lances,
with fluttering pennons; they wore turbans, and their coarse black hair
fell over their shoulders; they were dressed in skins. Never had there