42 HARMONIES. 



feet calmness. Black clouds are collecting over the 

 mountain range that forms the distant horizon. The 

 moon is obscured, and the whole heaven becomes black 

 with tempest. A hurricane suddenly sweeps through the 

 ruined palaces, and fills the whole air with a dense fog of 

 blinding sand. Then a flash of forked lightning shoots 

 between the columns, illuminating them for an instant, 

 and is instantaneously followed by a bursting crash of 

 thunder, which makes the tottering fanes tremble, and 

 huge drops of warm rain, like blood- drops, are spattering 

 the stones. The rain now comes down in one universal 

 deluge, flooding the floors, and pouring off from the old 

 marble platforms in cataracts. Flash follows flash in 

 one continuous blaze of blinding light, bringing out the 

 grim marble towers and pillars against the black clouds 

 of midnight with an awfully sublime distinctness ; and 

 crash after crash, and peal after peal of thunder are 

 blending into one uninterrupted roll. 



But amidst the deep roar rises from the gaunt heaps 

 of stone an unearthly sound, like the laugh of a 

 demon. Again, the cackling mirth echoes along the 

 ruined halls, as if exulting in the wild war of the ele- 

 ments, and in the desolation around. Lo ! from out of 

 yon low arch, in the Placu of Tombs, gleam two fiery eyes, 

 and forth stalks into the lightning the fell hyena. With 

 bristling mane and grinning teeth, the obscene monster 

 glares at you, and warns you to secure a timely retreat. 

 Another appears, bearing in its jaws a loathsome human 

 skull, which it has found in the caravan track. You 



