Part 12 (2/2)

”But it's very hard,” said Rollo, ”if the popes, after plundering the Coliseum themselves for hundreds of years, and carrying off all the beautiful marbles, and columns, and statues, to build their palaces with, can't let an American boy like me take away a little bit of a brick to put into my museum for a specimen.”

Mr. George laughed and walked on. Rollo, who never persisted in desiring to do any thing which his uncle disapproved of, quietly followed him.

”Uncle George,” said Rollo, ”how do you suppose we can get up into the upper part, among the tiers of seats?”

”I think there must be a staircase somewhere,” said Mr. George. ”We will ramble about, and see if we do not find one.”

So they walked on. They went sometimes along the margin of the arena, and then at other times they turned in under immense openings in masonry, and walked along the vaulted corridors, which were built in the thickness of the walls. There were several of these corridors side by side, each going entirely round the arena. They were surmounted by stupendous arches, which were built to sustain the upper portions of the building, which contained the seats for the spectators, and the pa.s.sages on the upper floors leading to them.

[Ill.u.s.tration: VIEW OF THE LOWER CORRIDOR.]

After rambling on through and among the corridors for some time, Mr.

George and Rollo, on emerging again into the arena, came to a wooden gate at the foot of a broad flight of stone steps, which seemed to lead up into the higher stories of the ruin.

”Ah!” exclaimed Rollo, as soon as he saw this gateway and the flight of steps beyond it, ”this is the gate that leads up to the upper tiers.”

”Yes,” replied Mr. George, ”only it is shut and locked.”

Rollo went to the gate and took hold of it, but found, as Mr. George had said, that it was locked.

”But here comes the custodian,” said Mr. George.

Rollo looked, and saw a man coming along the side of the arena with a key in his hand. When the man came near, he looked at Mr. George and Rollo, and also at the door, and then asked a question in Italian.

”_Si, signore_,” said Mr. George.

So the man advanced and unlocked the door. As soon as he had unlocked it, and Mr. George and Rollo had pa.s.sed through, he looked towards them again, and asked another question.

”_No, signore_,” said Mr. George.

Mr. George and Rollo then began to go up the stairs, while the man, having locked the door after them, went away.

CHAPTER VII.

THE GLADIATOR.

”How did you know what it was that that man asked you?” asked Rollo.

”I knew from the circ.u.mstances of the case,” replied Mr. George. ”The first question I knew must be whether we wished to go up; and the second, whether we wished him to go with us.”

”What do you suppose they keep the gate locked for?” asked Rollo.

”So as to _make_ us pay when we come down,” said Mr. George.

”Do you suppose they mean to make us pay?” asked Rollo.

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