Slowlyhegropedhiswayalong，feelingwithhishandsuponthetunnel’swalls，andcautiouslywithhisfeetaheadofhimuponthefloorbeforehecouldtakeasingleforwardstep。Howlonghecreptonthushecouldnotguess；butatlast，feelingthatthetunnel’slengthwasinterminable，andexhaustedbyhisefforts，byterror，andlossofsleep，hedeterminedtoliedownandrestbeforeproceedingfarther。
Whenheawoketherewasnochangeinthesurroundingblackness。Hemighthavesleptasecondoraday——hecouldnotknow；butthathehadsleptforsometimewasattestedbythefactthathefeltrefreshedandhungry。
Againhecommencedhisgropingadvance；butthistimehehadgonebutashortdistancewhenheemergedintoaroom，whichwaslightedthroughanopeningintheceiling，fromwhichaflightofconcretestepsleddownwardtothefloorofthechamber。
Abovehim，throughtheaperture，Werpercouldseesunlightglancingfrommassivecolumns，whichweretwinedaboutbyclingingvines。Helistened；butheheardnosoundotherthanthesoughingofthewindthroughleafybranches，thehoarsecriesofbirds，andthechatteringofmonkeys。
Boldlyheascendedthestairway，tofindhimselfinacircularcourt。Justbeforehimstoodastonealtar，stainedwithrusty—browndiscolorations。AtthetimeWerpergavenothoughttoanexplanationofthesestains——latertheiroriginbecamealltoohideouslyapparenttohim。