[Phantastes by George MacDonald]@TWC D-Link bookPhantastes CHAPTER XIV 8/14
Neither did they produce on my mind that impression--of motion just expired, which I had experienced from the others.
I found that behind every one of the crimson curtains was a similar hall, similarly lighted, and similarly occupied. The next night, I did not allow my thoughts to be absorbed as before with inward images, but crept stealthily along to the furthest curtain in the hall, from behind which, likewise, I had formerly seemed to hear the sound of dancing.
I drew aside its edge as suddenly as I could, and, looking in, saw that the utmost stillness pervaded the vast place.
I walked in, and passed through it to the other end. There I found that it communicated with a circular corridor, divided from it only by two rows of red columns.
This corridor, which was black, with red niches holding statues, ran entirely about the statue-halls, forming a communication between the further ends of them all; further, that is, as regards the central hall of white whence they all diverged like radii, finding their circumference in the corridor. Round this corridor I now went, entering all the halls, of which there were twelve, and finding them all similarly constructed, but filled with quite various statues, of what seemed both ancient and modern sculpture. After I had simply walked through them, I found myself sufficiently tired to long for rest, and went to my own room. In the night I dreamed that, walking close by one of the curtains, I was suddenly seized with the desire to enter, and darted in.
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