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Rh the massive bolts were forced, the hinges torn away, and an entrance effected. Just as the band of depredators rushed madly through the opening, the shaven head of the last of the three priests disappeared below the entrance of the vault; the trap-door was hastily closed, and the spring-was made secure.

But this movement had not escaped the searching eye of a lépero in the crowd.

The cathedral was thoroughly ransacked; many valuable articles were broken to pieces, and the fragments were passed from hand to hand; but a murmur of disappointment arose, erelong, that so few available treasures were to be discovered. The idea of a subterranean concealment at once flashed upon the minds of the robbers, and the supposition was confirmed by the lépero who had seen the closing trap-door. They immediately tried every crevice and broken stone, and beat violently on the floor with hammers and axes; but so well had the opening been concealed, that they were compelled to abandon the attempt in despair. Venting their disappointment upon the building, they demolished several of the painted windows, and carried off the choicest of the ornaments; and it was a miracle that the edifice escaped conflagration at their hands.