We came into an enormous crypt that evidently underlay a temple.

Great pillars of natural rock, practically square and twenty feet thick, supported the roof, which was partly of natural rock and partly of jointed masonry.

There was nothing in the crypt itself, except one old gray-beard, who sat on a mat by a candle, reading a roll of manuscript; and he did not trouble to look up--did not take the slightest notice of us.
But around the crypt there were more cells than I could count off-hand.
Some were dark.

There were lights burning in the others.

Each had an iron door with a few holes in it, and a small square window, unglazed and unbarred, cut in the natural rock.