“Meaning myself?” rejoined Caliphronas tranquilly. “There you are wrong, and I think, my dear Crispin, you must have forgotten that, in or out, I can do nothing, as Justinian alone possesses the key of this door. We must send Alexandros for it. Oh la there, Alexandros!” One of the men, bearing a burning torch, came to the bars of the framework, and Caliphronas spoke to him in Greek, while Crispin, understanding the language thoroughly, listened attentively, as, after the Count’s conduct of last night, he was quite prepared for further treachery, and desired to guard against it. As soon as Caliphronas finished, the man went off up the staircase, and the Count turned round to his companions with a reassuring smile. “He has gone to get the key from Justinian,” he explained courteously. “This key, you must know, Mr. Maurice, is the emblem of sovereignty in Melnos—the sceptre of the island!” “But it must be rather a trouble going to Justinian for the key every time you want to go in or out!” “There is not much of that,” said Crispin quickly; “the people of Melnos stay at home in the heart of the mountain. ’Tis only wanderers like myself and the Count who are restless.” “The heart of the mountain!” echoed Maurice, in a puzzled tone; “is it a cavern?” “No; fresh air and blue skies.” “I cannot understand your Island of Fantasy. It is most perplexing, and well deserves its name.” “So Justinian thought, and that is why he called it so.” “Who made this ’ere, gents all?” asked Gurt, who had been surveying his nether world surroundings with much awe. “Justinian.” “Well, sir, arskin’ yer pardin, but I niver thought a lazy Greek ’ud have had it in him to do sich a thing.” Caliphronas laughed at the indolent character ascribed to his countrymen, which, however, he could not deny with any great show of reason. “Justinian is not a Greek, but an Englishman.” “I thought so, sir,” said Gurt triumphantly; “but ’eavins, sir! wot’s he a-doin’ of in this ’ere lay?” “Ah, that is a mystery!” replied the Count, smiling. “Blest if ’tain’t all queer,” muttered Gurt in bewilderment, and thereupon relapsed into silence.