Never before had I been touched by so dreadful a hand, but I thought again of the ten thousand, and that lent warmth to my heart and calmness to my nerves. “To what great depth are we falling?” I soon ventured to ask, as I perceived that we were dashing downward at terrific speed. “We fall to no great depth; we go only a thousand furlongs to reach the first grand level, not stopping at these lesser places of which you get a glimpse in passing.” “A thousand furlongs,” I repeated, “down into the earth! Who ever heard of such a descent before?” But I still thought of my ten thousand, even though I could not conceive how they could follow me in such places. “At what rate do we now travel?” I nervously asked, for I felt the hand of Blackana still pressing me down lest the great elevator would fall faster than my body. “According to earthly reckoning we are falling twenty furlongs a second and our speed is still increasing with the descent,” was the startling answer. I spoke no more, but found myself clutching the raised bars of the floor. I saw the glimmering light of many a region as we darted by at our lightning speed. In an incredibly short time we reached the first grand level. Blackana led me forth from the elevator into an immense cavern whose dimensions were apparently as limitless as the space between the earth and sky. It was illuminated by infernal lights and all astir with moving thousands in fabled dress and shape. Never before had I imagined or beheld such a scene. Pure gold was as plentiful as the water of the earth, and was abundantly used in the construction of vast halls whose overarching vaults were encrusted with priceless gems that dazzled like jets of crystallized light. “What weird world is this?” I asked in an awed tone. “This is one of my master’s legislative centers, devoted to each separate government on earth. The many legislators of this whole region are ever busily engaged in determining upon their policy and methods of operation, and in endeavoring to influence the law-making body of each government to create and modify laws in harmony with the underground legislation here enacted.” “Ah!” said I, “but this place is far from the surface where man dwells. How can there be such close connection?” Blackana smiled as he made a wonderful revelation to me. “This strange empire is in close touch with the whole human family, for there are thousands of wires leading from this dark realm to each government centre of earth. Satan thus communicates his wishes to each lawmaker, of every land, who will lend a listening ear to his schemes.” Blackana then conducted me to an immense building divided into many sections. “Here is the electric centre of this level,” he said. As I gazed I learned the secret of Satan’s power in law. Thousands were here engaged in conversing with legislators on earth.