At least it was not below a moat, but below the river Euphrates, which was just as bad if not worse.

In a most unpleasant place it was.

Dark, very, very damp, and with an odd, musty smell rather like the shells of oysters.

There was a torch--that is to say, a copper basket on a high stick with oiled wood burning in it.

By its light the children saw that the walls were green, and that trickles of water ran down them and dripped from the roof.