designed bronze lamp that hung before the statue of a man 

 in armor sitting by a table and holding a truncheon in his 

 right hand. The proprietor had no sooner set his foot within 

 the vault than the statue arose from its seat, and on the 

 man's taking a single step forward, the statue stood bolt 

 upright and raised the truncheon. The man ventured to 

 take a third step when the armed figure, with a furious blow, 

 broke the lamp into numberless fragments and plunged the 

 vault in darkness. The proprietor secured torches and again 

 entered the vault ; he found the statue was made of brass and 

 its motions were directed by clockwork connected with levers 

 and springs concealed beneath the stone floor; on attempt- 

 ing to remove the statue the truncheon beat it to pieces. 



Of the many sepulchral and perpetual lamps discovered 

 this beautiful specimen, now placed by your faithful curator 

 in your Majesty's museum, is the only one that has survived 

 destruction." 



While listening to Miseroni Rudolph forgot his fatigue 

 and as soon as he ceased speaking the Emperor hastened to 

 the alchemical laboratory and gave orders to the chief chemist 

 to manufacture without delay a supply of inexhaustible and 

 unquenchable lamp-oil. 



194 



