Then a singular thing occurred.

As he struck the wall, pieces of stucco similar to that used in the ground work of arabesques broke off, and fell to the ground in flakes, exposing a large white stone.

The aperture of the rock had been closed with stones, then this stucco had been applied, and painted to imitate granite.

Dantes struck with the sharp end of his pickaxe, which entered someway between the interstices.

It was there he must dig.