CHAPTER XIX.
THE CLOISTERS. THE DOCTOR AND THE VOLCAN.
We went on in silence, through a tract of low level land, void of trees, but clothed with a sort of monstrous tall grasses; and, having gone about a mile and a half, we came to further woods which skirted the scarps of mountains.
These mountains, or rather high hills, rose not above two hundred feet; but, on either side, they ranged along almost to the cliff, making, as it were, a spine to the island with their pointed tops. Hard by the woods we had left, run a little swift river, having on its banks many shrubs with scarlet blossoms, the leaves whereof made sunning places for red and blue butterflies.
Thus, for about a mile, the river run to the westward; to pour itself, through a ferny grotto, into a little lake, a lake scarce larger than one of our English duck-ponds. ’Twas almost circular in shape; and, being perfectly free from water-plants and clear as crystal, it shone in the sun-glare like a mirror.
We went this way; and had nigh reached the margin of the lake, when Ambrose, on a sudden, stooped forward on his bended knee upon the ground where a patch of withered moss appeared like a scab in the tall grasses. Bidding me to stand clear, he reached forth and set his finger upon what I took for a little pebble there. Next moment a square slab opened in the ground, in manner of a trapdoor. ’Twas an iron hatch cunningly masked with moss.
“This,” said Ambrose, “is the entry to the Cloisters.”
And, stepping to the cavity, he began to descend into it. “Follow!” said he. “Have no fear!”
When he was gotten down sufficiently, I set my foot upon a ladder within the pit; but, when I had descended a good way in the darkness, I saw that the lid above me was slowly shutting down. I cried aloud, supposing that we were entombed; but Ambrose laughed, his shrill voice sounding eerily from below. Next moment, there shone a dazzling light. ’Twas the strange white light which I had known in the stone passage, and it revealed such another passage of stone.
I leaped the remaining steps of the ladder, and followed Ambrose; who, having gone a little way along, opened a door and passed within. He pressed a little knob on the wall, and immediately the place was filled with the white light, but not so bright withal as in the passage. I beheld a great circular chamber of stone; and the painted walls and roof, and the mat of plaited grasses upon the floor, made a harmony of green, very comfortable to the eyes. A cushioned seat, or divan, of green silk ran all round the wall; and above it, here and there, were shelves containing books bound in green calf. In the midst, stood three tall tables for standing and writing at.
Ambrose stepped to the divan; and, opening a drawer beneath, he took out clean parchments. From another drawer, he took parchments covered with writing. The writing was in Latin, roughly scrawled and scarce legible. He set them side by side upon one of the tables, saying: