The door of the cathedral stood
invitingly open. My destiny prevailed. I entered the ominous
archway. Where then was my guardian angel?- if indeed such angels
there be. If! Distressing monosyllable! what world of mystery, and
meaning, and doubt, and uncertainty is there involved in thy two
letters! I entered the ominous archway! I entered; and, without injury
to my orange-colored auriculas, I passed beneath the portal, and
emerged within the vestibule. Thus it is said the immense river Alfred
passed, unscathed, and unwetted, beneath the sea.
I thought the staircase would never have an end. Round! Yes, they
went round and up, and round and up and round and up, until I could
not help surmising, with the sagacious Pompey, upon whose supporting
arm I leaned in all the confidence of early affection- I could not
help surmising that the upper end of the continuous spiral ladder
had been accidentally, or perhaps designedly, removed. I paused for
breath; and, in the meantime, an accident occurred of too momentous
a nature in a moral, and also in a metaphysical point of view, to be
passed over without notice. It appeared to me- indeed I was quite
confident of the fact- I could not be mistaken- no! I had, for some
moments, carefully and anxiously observed the motions of my Diana- I
say that I could not be mistaken- Diana smelt a rat! At once I
called Pompey's attention to the subject, and he- he agreed with me.
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