Here must have been at one time a house or palace of some person of distinction, having a long and fine facade adorned with delicate pilasters, and much florid ornamentation of the Renaissance period.

The ground-floor was divided into a series of small shops, and its upper storeys were evidently peopled by sordid families of the lowest class.

Before one of these little shops, now closed and having its windows carefully blocked with boards, our carriage stopped.
Raffaelle alighted, and taking a key from his pocket unlocked the door, and assisted John to leave the carriage.

I followed, and directly we had crossed the threshold, the boy locked the door behind us, and I heard the carriage drive away.
We found ourselves in a narrow and dark passage, and as soon as my eyes grew accustomed to the gloom I perceived there was at the end of it a low staircase leading to some upper room, and on the right a door which opened into the closed shop.

My brother moved slowly along the passage, and began to ascend the stairs.