t a breeze stirred,
and not a sound came through the air. Their voices had been lowered, as
though they were in a cathedral.

"Then do you want my society, or not?" asked Corpang.

"Yes, if you can fit in with my mood, which is--not to talk about
myself."

"But you must at least tell me where you want to go to."

"I want to see what is to be seen here, and then go on to Lichstorm."

"I can guide you through, if that's all you want. Come, let us start."

"First let's do our duty and bury the dead, if possible."

"Turn around," directed Corpang.

Maskull looked around quickly. Leehallfae's body had disappeared.

"What does this mean--what has happened?"

"The body has returned to whence it came. There was nowhere here for it
to be, so it has vanished. No burial will be required."

"Was the phaen an illusion, then?"

"In no sense."

"Well, explain quickly, then, what has taken place. I seem to be going
mad."

"There's nothing unintelligible in it, if you'll only listen calmly. The
phaen belonged, body and soul, to the outside, visible world--to
Faceny. This underworld is not Faceny's world, but Thire's, and Faceny's
creatures cannot breathe its atmosphere. As this applies not only to
whole bodies, but even to the last particles of bodies, the phaen has
dissolved into Nothingness."

"But don't you and I belong to the outside world too?"

"We belong to all three worlds."

"What three worlds--what do you mean?"

"There are three worlds," said Corpang composedly. "The first is
Faceny's, the second is Amfuse's, the third is Thire's. From him Threal
gets it name."

"But this is mere nomenclature. In what sense are there three worlds?"

Corpang passed his hand over his forehead. "All this we can discuss as
we go along. It's a torment to me to be standing still."

Maskull stared again at the spot where Leehallfae's body had lain, quite
bewildered at the extraordinary disappearance. He could scarcely tear
himself away from the place, so mysterious was it. Not until Corpang
called to him a second time did he make up his mind to follow him.

They set off from the rock wall straight across the airlit plain,
directing their course toward the nearest trees. The subdued light, the
absence of shadows, the massive shafts, springing grey-white out of the
jetlike ground, the fantastic trees, the absence of a sky, the deathly
silence, the knowledge that he was underground--the combination of all
these things predis