Legend runs, however, that while they were desecrating the tomb of Tzar
Stephan who founded the church, the tomb of the queen, which lay
alongside, exploded with a violent report and terror struck the Turks,
who fled.
They showed us the queen's tomb, split from top to bottom. The priests
naturally claim a miracle; but Pavlovitch said, "I tink dey verry
clever, dey done dat wi' gunpowder."
The Tzar Stephan had wished to build the church of gold and precious
stones, but a soothsayer said--
"No, my lord, build it of plain stone, for your empire will be robbed
from you, and if it be of gold greedy men will tear it to pieces, but if
it be of plain stone it will remain a monument for ever."
So he built it of fine marble. The central pillars were forty feet high,
and each cut from a single piece, with grotesque carved capitals. The
great screen was wonderfully carved and gilded. Wherever one looked was
decoration, almost in excess.
Ringlets invited us to tea with the Russian bishop who was in charge.
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