46 The Ancient Gods Pursuing an invisible hand, for it reeled and fell, shat- tered to fragments; and the lights were ex- tinguished, and the air of the summer night blew upon their faces, and in the east, whence cometh our hope, there was a glimmer of dawn. Praying fervently, and bewailing the brief joy they had taken in the beauty of that dreadful goddess, they waited for light to guide them from that evil place. When the day broadened they perceived that they were in the midst of the ruins of an ancient Roman city, overgrown with bush and tree. Around them lay, amid beds of nettles and great dock leaves, and darnel and tangles of briars, and tall foxgloves and deadly nightshade, the broken pillars of a marble temple. This had been the fair house, lit with lamps, wherein they had sat at feast. Close beside them were scattered the white fragments of the image of the beautiful Temptress. As they turned to depart three grey wolves snarled at them from the ruins, but an un- seen hand held these in leash, and Hilary and his companions went on their way unharmed.