Two lateral staircases led to its flattened summit; the stones of it could not be seen; it was like a mountain of heaped cinders, and something indistinct was slowly smoking at the top of it.

Then further back, higher than the candelabrum, and much higher than the altar, rose the Moloch, all of iron, and with gaping apertures in his human breast.
His outspread wings were stretched upon the wall, his tapering hands reached down to the ground; three black stones bordered by yellow circles represented three eyeballs on his brow, and his bull's head was raised with a terrible effort as if in order to bellow.
Ebony stools were ranged round the apartment.

Behind each of them was a bronze shaft resting on three claws and supporting a torch.

All these lights were reflected in the mother-of-pearl lozenges which formed the pavement of the hall.

So lofty was the latter that the red colour of the walls grew black as it rose towards the vaulted roof, and the three eyes of the idol appeared far above like stars half lost in the night.
The Ancients sat down on the ebony stools after putting the trains of their robes over their heads.