Do you understand ?' With that he let me go." Gesius stopped, and from the breast of his tunic drew three parchments, all much yellowed by time and use; selecting one of them, he spread it upon the table before the tribune, saying, simply, "This is the lower floor." The whole company looked at THE MAP __________________________________________ | | | Passage | | | |--][---+---][---+---][---+---][---+---][--| | | | | | | | V | IV | III | II | I | |_______|________|________|________|_______| "This is exactly, O tribune, as I had it from Gratus.

See, there is cell number V.," said Gesius.
"I see," the tribune replied.

"Go on now.

The cell was leprous, he said." "I would like to ask you a question," remarked the keeper, modestly.
The tribune assented.
"Had I not a right, under the circumstances, to believe the map a true one ?" "What else couldst thou ?" "Well, it is not a true one." The chief looked up surprised.
"It is not a true one," the keeper repeated.

"It shows but five cells upon that floor, while there are six." "Six, sayest thou ?" "I will show you the floor as it is--or as I believe it to be." Upon a page of his tablets, Gesius drew the following diagram, and gave it to the tribune: __________________________________________ | | |--][---+---][---+---][---+---][---+---][--| | | | | | | | V | IV | III | II | I | |--][---+--------+--------+--------+-------| | VI | |__________________________________________| "Thou hast done well," said the tribune, examining the drawing, and thinking the narrative at an end.