If there is any risk of Von Reuss penetrating our disguises, it is as well to gulp and get it over at once, rather than suck gingerly at it till the fear of death chills our marrow." "Go on, then," he said, somewhat crossly; "there is indeed naught to be gained by standing here as a butt for the eyes of evil-doers." So I opened the door carefully, and with a trembling heart.

The hum of a great assembly breathed turbidly upon us in a hushed chaos of sound.

The warm, stifling atmosphere, heavy with a thousand respirations, the sound of a voice speaking loud and clear, the thunder of continuous heels on the paved floor, the voices of the ushers crying, "Silentium!" at intervals--these all came suddenly upon us as we shut out the air and sunshine and went into the Hall of Judgment.
We could not see the full assembly at first.

We stood, as I had supposed, directly behind the judges' rostrum.

Only the corners of the vast crowd which covered the floor and filled the galleries could be seen--a blur of white faces all bent towards one point.