And when they stood on the threshold and could look in， they saw it was not so dark inside as they had thought at first. It led into a vast， shadowy hall which appeared to be empty； but on the far side there was a row of pillars with arches between them and through those arches there streamed in some more of the same tired.looking light. They crossed the hall， walking very carefully for fear of holes in the floor or of anything lying about that they might trip over. It seemed a long walk. When they had reached the other side they came out through the arches and found themselves in another and larger courtyard.
“That doesn’t look very safe，” said Polly， pointing at a place where the wall bulged outward and looked as if it were ready to fall over into the courtyard. In one place a pillar was missing between two arches and the bit that came down to where the top of the pillar ought to have been hung there with nothing to support it. Clearly， the place had been deserted for hundreds， perhaps thousands， of years.
“If it‘s lasted till now， I suppose it’ll last a bit longer，” said Digory. “But we must be very quiet. You know a noise sometimes brings things down.like an avalanche in the Alps.”
