Part 7 (2/2)

Rollo looked somewhat abashed at receiving this answer, which turned his attempt to show off his learning to Charles into a ridiculous failure.

”I thought it was called the column of Trajan,” said he.

The gentleman, who, as it happened, was an Englishman, made no reply to this observation, but quietly took out an opera gla.s.s from a case, which was strapped over his shoulder, and began studying the sculptures on the column.

So Rollo and Charles walked away.

”I believe the name of it is the column of Trajan,” said Rollo, ”for I saw the name of it on the model at the hotel. That man has just come, and he don't know.”

”Are you sure it is the same column?” suggested Charles.

”Yes,” said Rollo, ”for it was exactly of that shape, and it had the same spiral line of images going round and round it, and a statue on the top. See, how old and venerable it looks! It was built almost two thousand years ago.”

”What did they build it for?” asked Charles.

”Why, I don't know exactly,” said Rollo, looking a little puzzled; ”for ornament, I suppose.”

”But I don't see much ornament,” said Charles, ”in a big column standing all by itself, and with nothing for it to keep up.”

”But it _has_ something to keep up,” rejoined Rollo. ”Don't you see, there is a statue on the top of it.”

”If that's what it is to keep up,” said Charles, ”I don't see any sense in making the column so tall as to hold up the statue so high that we can't see it.”

”Nor I,” said Rollo, ”but they often made tall columns, like these, in ancient times.”

After rambling about a short time longer, the boys came to another open s.p.a.ce, where there was a second column very similar in appearance to the first.

”Ah!” said Rollo, ”perhaps this is the column of Trajan.”

Rollo was right this time. There are several large columns standing among the ruins of Rome, and among them are two with spiral lines of sculpture around them, which are extremely similar to each other, and it is not at all surprising that Rollo was at first deceived by the resemblance between them.

These columns were built in honor of the victories of great generals, and the spiral lines of sculptures were representations of their different exploits. The statue upon the top of the column was, originally, that of the man in whose honor the column was erected. But in the case of the Roman columns, these original statues have been taken down, and replaced by bronze images of saints, or of the Virgin Mary.

Near the column of Trajan was a large sunken s.p.a.ce, in the middle of the square, with a railing around it. In the bottom of this sunken s.p.a.ce was a pavement, which looked very old, and rising from it were rows of columns with the tops broken off. The old pavement was eight or ten feet below the level of the street.

”This must be some old ruin or other,” said Rollo; ”a temple perhaps.”

”Only I do not see,” said Charles, ”why they built their temples down so low.”

”Nor do I,” said Rollo.

”But, Rollo,” said Charles, ”I think it is time for us to begin to try to find our way home. I don't see how you are going to find the way at all.”

”If I only knew the name of the hotel, or even the name of the street,”

said Rollo, ”I should know at once what to do.”

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