My guide held me tightly by the hand.

This gave me a feeling of security in the touch which helped to retain within my breast some semblance of calm.
The strain of the creaking windlass and the clanking chain continued for so long that the suspense became almost unendurable.

At last there came into sight an iron ring, from which as a centre depended four lesser chains spreading wide.

In a few seconds more I could see that these were fixed to the corners of the great stone tomb with the covering of glass, which was being dragged upward.

As it arose it filled closely the whole aperture.