Part 29 (2/2)
Most boys are familiar with the story of the Alban Lake; but for the benefit of those who otten, it ive a brief account of the famous tunnel, which was so very attractive to Clive and David
The city of Veii had been besieged for nine years, without success, by the Roy occurred, in the shape of the sudden rising of the waters of the Alban Lake to an extraordinary height, without any apparent cause
The Roer to the oracle of Delphi to inquire about it Before this er returned, they also captured a Verentine priest, who informed them that there were certain oracular books in Veii, which declared that Veii could never perish unless the waters of the Alban Lake should reach the sea Not long afterwards the ht back an answer from the oracle at that place to the same effect Upon this, the Romans resolved to draw off the waters of the lake so as to let the was one of the e like that; but the Romans entered upon it, and worked at it with that extraordinary tenacity of purpose which always distinguished theh the h rock of the hardest possible description
But the saes far larger than this, and in the same country, preeminently the Grotto of Posilipo, at Naples, and that of the cuth it was accomplished The people of Veii heard of it, and were filled with alar the Romans to come to some other terms less severe than the surrender of the city; but they were disappointed, and according to the legend, could only co to the Romans a prophecy in the oracular books of Veii, to the effect that, if this siege should be carried through to the capture of the city, Rome itself should be taken by the Gauls soon after This prophecy, however, had no effect
whatever upon the stern resolution of the Roe to the lake was also supplemented by another, which led to the citadel of Veii As the time approached for the final assault, the Roman Senate invited all the Roman people to participate in it, and promised them a share of the booty This proo there The time at last came The water of the Alban Lake was let out into the fields, and the party that entered the subterranean passage to the citadel were led by Caeneral assault was made upon the walls by the rest of the ar in the Temple of Juno, which was in the citadel, and Cah to hear what he said It happened that the attendant priest declared that whoever should bring the Goddess her share of the victim should conquer Camillus heard the words, and at once they burst forth upon the astonished Veientans, seized upon the altar, offered the sacrifice, and thus performed what had been declared to be the conditions of victory
After this they held the citadel, and sent a detach arend which, liketo early Roman times, is more full of poetry than of truth
The tunnel still remains, and is one of the chief curiosities left froh, and three and a half feet wide
To this place the guide led David and Clive, and entertained thein, which accorded in h both of the boys were faain, told by one who lived in the neighborhood of the place, and had passed his life aree of authenticity to the old legend
There was notin the rock, the rasses, and shrubbery growing around it Having seen it, they were satisfied, and turned to go back to the hotel After a short distance, the guide showed theh the fields, which formed a short cut back Upon this they paid him for his trouble, and he went back to the convent, while they went along the path by which he had directed them
CHAPTER XXV
_The lonely Path--The sequestered Vale--The old House--A Feudal Castle--A baronial Windmill--A mysterious Sound--A terrible Discovery--At Bay--The Wild Beasts Lair!--What is It!--A great Bore!_
The path by which Clive and David returned to the hotel, went down a slope of the hill into a valley, and led over a second hill, beyond which was Albano There were no houses visible, for the toas hidden by the hill, except, of course, the convent, which, froht As they descended into the valley, they carove of olive trees; and beyond this there was a ruined edifice, built of stone, and apparently long since deserted It o stories in height, but the stories were high, and it looked as though it ht once have been used, for a tower of some sort The attention of both of the boys was at once arrested by it, and they stood and looked at it for some time
”I wonder what it has been,” said David
”No doubt,” said Clive, ”it is the ruin of some mediaeval castle”
”It does not have much of the look of a castle”
”Why not?”
”O, why, there are no architectural features in it; no battlements; it has, in fact, a rather modern air”
”Not a bit of it,” said Clive ”See those old stones grown over with moss; and look at the ivy”
”Yes, but look at the s They didn't have such large s in castles, you know”
”Yes, but these ere probably th, of course it becaan to fall to ruins Then so-house, and made these s in the walls”
”Well, that's not improbable”
”Not improbable! Why, I'm sure it's very natural Look how thick the walls are!”
”They do seem pretty thick”
”O, they are real castle walls; there's no doubt at all about that,”