317 

He lighted candles, took out a bunch of 
keys, and opened a little side-door ; our foot- 
steps re-echoed through the lofty, silent vault. 
He remained behind, and I went slowly through 
the long empty passage ; a lamp burned feebly 
and dimly upon the altar before the image of 
the Madonna. The white marble statues around 
the tomb of Canova stood like the dead in their 
shrouds, silently and with uncertain outlines. 
Before the principal altar three lights were 
burning. I felt no , no   it was as 
if I myself belonged also to the dead, and that 
I was now entering into ray own peculiar home. 
I approached the altar ; the fragrance of violets 
was diffused around ; the rays of light fell 
from tL'^ lamp into the open coffin down upon 
the dead. It was Maria ; she seemed to sleep ; 
she lay like a marble image of beauty scattered 
over with violets. The dark hair was bound 
upon the forehead, and was adorned with a 
bouquet of violets; the closed eyes, the image 
of perfect  and beauty, seized upon my 
. It was Lara whom I saw, as she sat in 
the ruins of the temple, when 1 impressed a 
kiss u[K)n her brow ; but she was a dead mar- 
ble statue,