through　a　still　narrower　opening。　　Side　by　side　Larry　and　I
  passed　out　of　it。
  We　had　emerged　upon　an　enormous　platform　of　what
  seemed　to　be　glistening　ivory。　　It　stretched　before　us　for　a
  hundred　yards　or　more　and　then　shelved　gently　into　the
  white　waters。　　Oppositenot　a　mile　awaywas　that　prodi…
  gious　web　of　woven　rainbows　Rador　had　called　the　Veil　of
  the　Shining　One。　　There　it　shone　in　all　its　unearthly　grandeur；
  on　each　side　of　the　Cyclopean　pillars；　as　though　a　mountain
  should　stretch　up　arms　raising　between　them　a　fairy　banner
  of　auroral　glories。　　Beneath　it　was　the　curved；　scimitar　sweep
  of　the　pier　with　its　clustered；　gleaming　temples。
  Before　that　brief；　fascinated　glance　was　done；　there
  dropped　upon　my　soul　a　sensation　as　of　brooding　weight　in…
  tolerable；　a　spiritual　oppression　as　though　some　vastness　was
  falling；　pressing；　stifling　me；　I　turnedand　Larry　caught　me
  as　I　reeled。
  〃Steady！　　Steady；　old　man！〃　he　whispered。
  At　first　all　that　my　staggering　consciousness　could　realize
  was　an　immensity；　an　immeasurable　uprearing　that　brought
  with　it　the　same　throat…gripping　vertigo　as　comes　from　gaz…
  ing　downward　from　some　great　heightthen　a　blur　of　white
  facesintolerable　shinings　of　hundreds　upon　thousands　of
  eyes。　　Huge；　incredibly　huge；　a　colossal　amphitheatre　of　jet；
  a　stupendous　semi…circle；　held　within　its　mighty　arc　the　ivory
  platform　on　which　I　stood。
  It　reared　itself　almost　perpendicularly　hundreds　of　feet　up
  into　the　sparkling　heavens；　and　thrust　down　on　each　side　its
  ebon　bulwarkslike　monstrous　paws。　　Now；　the　giddiness
  from　its　sheer　greatness　passing；　I　saw　that　it　was　indeed　an
  amphitheatre　sloping　slightly　backward　tier　after　tier；　and
  that　the　white　blur　of　faces　against　its　blackness；　the　gleam…
  ing　of　countless　eyes　were　those　of　myriads　of　the　people　who
  sat　silent；　flower…garlanded；　their　gaze　focused　upon　the　rain…
  bow　curtain　and　sweeping　over　me　like　a　torrenttangible；
  appalling！
  Five　hundred　feet　beyond；　the　smooth；　high　retaining　wall
  of　the　amphitheatre　raised　itselfabove　it　the　first　terrace
  of　the　seats；　and　above　this；　dividing　the　tiers　for　another　half
  a　thousand　feet　upward；　set　within　them　like　a　panel；　was　a
  dead…black　surface　in　which　shone　faintly　with　a　bluish　radi…
  ance　a　gigantic　disk；　above　it　and　around　it　a　cluster　of　in…
  numerable　smaller　ones。
  On　each　side　of　me；　bordering　the　platform；　were　scores
  of　small　pillared　alcoves；　a　low　wall　stretching　across　their
  fronts；　delicate；　fretted　grills　shielding　them；　save　where　in
  each　lattice　an　opening　staredit　came　to　me　that　they　were
  like　those　stalls　in　ancient　Gothic　cathedrals　wherein　for
  centuries　had　kneeled　paladins　and　people　of　my　own　race
  on　earth's　fair　face。　　And　within　these　alcoves　were　gathered；
  score　upon　score；　the　elfin　beauties；　the　dwarfish　men　of　the
  fair…haired　folk。　　At　my　right；　a　few　feet　from　the　opening
  through　which　we　had　come；　a　passageway　led　back　between
  the　fretted　stalls。　　Half…way　between　us　and　the　massive　base
  of　the　amphitheatre　a　dais　rose。　　Up　the　platform　to　it　a　wide
  ramp　ascended；　and　on　ramp　and　dais　and　along　the　centre
  of　the　gleaming　platform　down　to　where　it　kissed　the　white
  waters；　a　broad　ribbon　of　the　radiant　flowers　lay　like　a　fairy
  carpet。
  On　one　side　of　this　dais；　meshed　in　a　silken　web　that　hid
  no　line　or　curve　of　her　sweet　body；　white　flesh　gleaming
  through　its　folds；　stood　Yolara；　and　opposite　her；　crowned
  with　a　circlet　of　flashing　blue　stones；　his　mighty　body　stark
  bare；　was　Lugur！
  O'Keefe　drew　a　long　breath；　Rador　touched　my　arm　and；
  still　dazed；　I　let　myself　be　drawn　into　the　aisle　and　through
  a　corridor　that　ran　behind　the　alcoves。　　At　the　back　of　one　of
  these　the　green　dwarf　paused；　opened　a　door；　and　motioned
  us　within。
  Entering；　I　found　that　we　were　exactly　opposite　where　the
  ramp　ran　up　to　the　daisand　that　Yolara　was　not　more　than
  fifty　feet　away。　　She　glanced　at　O'Keefe　and　smiled。　　Her　eyes
  were　ablaze　with　little　dancing　points　of　light；　her　body
  seemed　to　palpitate；　the　rounded　delicate　muscles　beneath
  the　translucent　skin　to　run　with　joyful　little　eager　waves！
  Larry　whistled　softly。
  〃There's　Marakinoff！〃　he　said。
  I　looked　where　he　pointed。　　Opposite　us　sat　the　Russian；
  clothed　as　we　were；　leaning　forward；　his　eyes　eager　behind
  his　glasses；　but　if　he　saw　us　he　gave　no　sign。
  〃And　there's　Olaf！〃　said　O'Keefe。
  Beneath　the　carved　stall　in　which　sat　the　Russian　was　an
  aperture　and　within　it　was　Huldricksson。　　Unprotected　by
  pillars　or　by　grills；　opening　clear　upon　the　platform；　near　him
  stretched　the　trail　of　flowers　up　to　the　great　dais　which　Lugur
  and　Yolara　the　priestess　guarded。　　He　sat　alone；　and　my　heart
  went　out　to　him。
  O'Keefe's　face　softened。
  〃Bring　him　here；〃　he　said　to　Rador。
  The　green　dwarf　was　looking　at　the　Norseman；　too；　a
  shade　of　pity　upon　his　mocking　face。　　He　shook　his　head。
  〃Wait！〃　he　said。　　〃You　can　do　nothing　nowand　it　may
  be　there　will　be　no　need　to　do　anything；〃　he　added；　but　I
  could　feel　that　there　was　little　of　conviction　in　his　words。
  CHAPTER　XIX
  The　Madness　of　Olaf
  YOLARA　threw　her　white　arms　high。　　From　the　mountainous
  tiers　came　a　mighty　sigh；　a　rippling　ran　through　them。　　And
  upon　the　moment；　before　Yolara's　arms　fell；　there　issued；
  apparently　from　the　air　around　us；　a　peal　of　sound　that
  might　have　been　the　shouting　of　some　playful　god　hurling
  great　suns　through　the　net　of　stars。　　It　was　like　the　deepest
  notes　of　all　the　organs　in　the　world　combined　in　one；　sum…
  moning；　majestic；　cosmic！
  It　held　within　it　the　thunder　of　the　spheres　rolling　through
  the　infinite；　the　birth…song　of　suns　made　manifest　in　the
  womb　of　space；　echoes　of　creation's　supernal　chord！　　It　shook
  the　body　like　a　pulse　from　the　heart　of　the　universepulsed
  and　died　away。
  On　its　death　came　a　blaring　as　of　all　the　trumpets　of　con…
  quering　hosts　since　the　first　Pharaoh　led　his　swarms
  triumphal；　compelling！　　Alexander's　clamouring　hosts；
  brazen…throated　wolf…horns　of　Caesar's　legions；　blare　of
  trumpets　of　Genghis　Khan　and　his　golden　horde；　clangor　of
  the　locust　levies　of　Tamerlane；　bugles　of　Napoleon's　armies
  war…shout　of　all　earth's　conquerors！　　And　it　died！
  Fast　upon　it；　a　throbbing；　muffled　tumult　of　harp　sounds；
  mellownesses　of　myriads　of　wood　horns；　the　subdued　sweet
  shrilling　of　multitudes　of　flutes；　Pandean　pipingsinviting；
  carrying　with　them　the　calling　of　waterfalls　in　the　hidden
  places；　rushing　brooks　and　murmuring　forest　windscall…
  ing；　calling；　languorous；　lulling；　dripping　into　the　brain　like
  the　very　honeyed　essence　of　sound。
  And　after　them　a　silence　in　which　the　memory　of　the
  music　seemed　to　beat；　to　beat　ever　more　faintly；　through
  every　quivering　nerve。
  From　me　all　fear；　all　apprehension；　had　fled。　　In　their
  place　was　nothing　but　joyous　anticipation；　a　supernal　free…
  dom　from　even　the　shadow　of　the　shadow　of　care　or　sorrow；
  not　now　did　anything　matterOlaf　or　his　haunted；　hate…
  filled　eyes；　Throckmartin　or　his　fatenothing　of　pain；　noth…
  ing　of　agony；　nothing　of　striving　nor　endeavour　nor　despair
  in　that　wide　outer　world　that　had　turned　suddenly　to　a
  troubled　dream。
  Once　more　the　first　great　note　pealed　out！　　Once　more　it
  died　and　from　the　clustered　spheres　a　kaleidoscopic　blaze
  shot　as　though　drawn　from　the　majestic　sound　itself。　　The
  many…coloured　rays　darted　across　the　white　waters　and
  sought　the　face　of　the　irised　Veil。　　As　they　touched；　it　spar…
  kled；　flamed；　wavered；　and　shook　with　fountains　of　prismatic
  colour。
  The　light　increasedand　in　its　intensity　the　silver　air
  darkened。　　Faded　into　shadow　that　white　mosaic　of　flower…
  crowned　faces　set　in　the　amphitheatre　of　jet；　and　vast　shad…
  ows　dropped　upon　the　high…flung　tiers　and　shrouded　them。
  But　on　the　skirts　of　the　rays　the　fretted　stalls　in　which　we
  sat　with　the　fair…haired　ones　blazed　out；　iridescent；　like
  jewels。
  I　was　sensible　of　an　acceleration　of　every　pulse；　a　wild
  stimulation　of　every　nerve。　　I　felt　myself　being　lifted　above
  the　worldclose　to　the　threshold　of　the　high　godssoon
  their　essence　and　their　power　would　stream　out　into　me！　　I
  glanced　at　Larry。　　His　eyes　werewildwith　life！
  I　looked　at　Olafand　in　his　face　was　none　of　thisonly
  hate；　and　hate；　and　hate。
  The　peacock　waves　streamed　out　over　the　waters；　cleaving
  the　seeming　darkness；　a　rainbow　path　of　glory。　　And　the　Veil
  flashed　as　though　all　the　rainbows　that　had　ever　shone　were
  burning　within　it。　　Again　the　mighty　sound　pealed。
  Into　the　centre　of　the　Veil　the　light　drew　itself；　grew　into
  an　intolerable　brightnessand　with　a　storm　of　tinklings；　a
  tempest　of　crystalline　notes；　a　tumult　of　tiny　chimings；
  through　it　spedthe　Shining　One！
  Straight　down　that　radiant　path；　its　high…flung　plumes　of
  feathery　flame　shimmering；　its　coruscating　s