Part 41 (2/2)

At last they approached the Acropolis. As they drew near they beheld around its base a ma.s.s of ruins of the most picturesque character.

”Whatever sort of buildings were those, professor?” inquired the Texan.

”They were theatres,” answered the old man. ”The theatre of Bacchus, of Odeon, and others stood at the base of the great rock. You behold the ruins of those theatres. Somewhere in this vicinity is the dungeon of Socrates, in which he drank the hemlock. We'll find it ere we leave Athens.”

They were compelled to make inquiry of a peasant before they found the only path by which the great rock could be ascended. The professor found it necessary to rest several times before the summit was reached, but still his enthusiasm buoyed him up in a wonderful manner.

As they reached the plateau the professor turned to look back on the city spread below them.

”Yes,” he said, nodding and speaking as if addressing himself, ”I had almost forgotten. Why, it was only a little more than half a century ago that Athens was demolished by the Turks. Hardly a house in the place was left in condition for human beings to inhabit it. That is why we see this modern city here.”

Although they did not betray it as much as did the professor, both lads were profoundly moved by their situation.

For a few moments d.i.c.k seemed to feel himself transported back to Fardale, and he saw himself in his little room poring over Homer's electrifying verse or deep buried in Xenophon's incomparable prose. He knew that from this hour, as he stood by the pillared gateway of the Acropolis, he would understand the old Greek poets and philosophers better and appreciate them more.

”Come, boys,” said Professor Gunn, in a hushed tone, ”we'll pa.s.s through this ruined gateway, which was called the Propylaea, and which cost two and a half million dollars. Think of that! Think of it, and then behold these ruins. Touch them reverently with your hands. You are treading on sacred ground.”

When they had pa.s.sed beyond the ruined gateway all halted in wonderment, for before them spread the entire plateau and they saw it was literally bestrewn with fallen columns and shattered statues. And directly before them, at the highest point of the plateau, rose the ruins of a snowy white temple, the Parthenon.

The spectacle was one to render them silent and speechless. They stood quite still and gazed in awe at the ruins.

At last Zenas spoke. He had his hat in his hand, and he mopped his forehead with a handkerchief, although the day was cool.

”Words fail me, boys,” he said. ”I wonder if you understand what it is to behold this spectacle. Look on this scene of desolation wrought by the hand of ruthless man. It is quite enough to make the G.o.ds weep!”

”However was she ruined, professor?” inquired Brad.

”It occurred something like two hundred years ago. At that time the Parthenon stood almost unchanged in its matchless magnificence. The Turks used it as a powder magazine. The city was besieged by an army of Venetians. They bombarded the town. One of their sh.e.l.ls exploded in the powder magazine. Behold the result!”

”Say, that was a whole lot bad!” exclaimed the Texan. ”It sure was a shame!”

”Let's get nearer,” urged d.i.c.k.

They threaded their way amid the ruined columns and statues, drawing nearer to the ruins of the Parthenon. The professor told them how the Parthenon had been despoiled of its treasures.

At that moment they seemed to be quite alone on the plateau of the Acropolis, but suddenly, from amid the pillars of the temple, dashed a Grecian girl, who did not seem to be more than sixteen years of age. She saw them and uttered a cry.

A moment later two men appeared in close pursuit of her. Both were Greeks. One was a man of forty-five or a little more, while the other could not have been much past twenty-one. They shouted for the girl to stop.

She ran toward the boys and the old professor, and the cry that came from her lips was one of terror and appeal. Her pursuers were close on her heels.

”By the great horn spoon!” shouted Buckhart, ”here is where we mingle in a red-hot old scrimmage, pard! There will be something doing on the top of the Acrop in a moment!”

”Boys, boys, boys!” exclaimed the professor, in great agitation and alarm. ”Do be careful! Those men look dangerous!”

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