Far away on the right, the moon gleamed on the dome of St.Peter's as well as on many lesser and nearer domes.
"What a beautiful view of the city!" exclaimed Hilda; "and I never saw Rome from this point before." "It ought to afford a good prospect," said the sculptor; "for it was from this point--at least we are at liberty to think so, if we choose--that many a famous Roman caught his last glimpse of his native city, and of all other earthly things.

This is one of the sides of the Tarpeian Rock.

Look over the parapet, and see what a sheer tumble there might still be for a traitor, in spite of the thirty feet of soil that have accumulated at the foot of the precipice." They all bent over, and saw that the cliff fell perpendicularly downward to about the depth, or rather more, at which the tall palace rose in height above their heads.

Not that it was still the natural, shaggy front of the original precipice; for it appeared to be cased in ancient stonework, through which the primeval rock showed its face here and there grimly and doubtfully.

Mosses grew on the slight projections, and little shrubs sprouted out of the crevices, but could not much soften the stern aspect of the cliff.