"It is not far now," said Hiram.
The prince raised his eyes, and over the dense green of trees he saw a square tower of blue color; on it a more slender tower, which was white. This was the temple of Astaroth. Soon they entered the garden, whence they could take in at a glance the whole building.
It was composed of a number of stories. The top of the lowest was a square platform with sides four hundred yards long; its walls were a few meters high, and all of black color. At the eastern side was a projection to which came two wide stairways. Along the other three sides of this first story were small towers, ten on each side; between each pair of towers were five windows.
More or less in the centre of this lowest platform rose a quadrangular building with sides two hundred yards long. This had a single stairway, towers at the comers, and was purple. On the top of this building was another of golden color, and above it, one upon the other, two towers one blue, the other white.
The whole building looked as if some power had placed on the earth one enormous black dice, on it a smaller one of purple, on that a golden one, on that a blue, and, highest of all, a silver dice. To each of these elevations stairs led, either double flights along the sides or single front stairs, always on the eastern walls.
At the sides of the stairs and doors stood, alternately, great Egyptian sphinxes, or winged Assyrian human-headed bulls.
The viceroy looked with delight at this edifice, which in the moonlight and against the background of rich vegetation had an aspect of marvelous beauty. It was built in Chaldean style, and differed essentially from the temples of Egypt, first, by the system of stories, second, by the perpendicular walls.
Among the Egyptians every great building had sloping sides receding inward as they rose.
The garden was not empty. At various points small villas and houses were visible, lights were flashing, songs and music were heard. From time to time among trees appeared shadows of loving couples.
All at once an old priest approached them, exchanged a few words with
Hiram, and said to the prince with a low obeisance,