The House on the Borderland | Page 8

great ocean of sombre red. I could see little,
save that it appeared to spread out interminably in all directions.
"In a further space, I found that I was descending upon it; and, soon, I
sank into a great sea of sullen, red-hued clouds. Slowly, I emerged from
these, and there, below me, I saw the stupendous plain, that I had seen
from my room in this house that stands upon the borders of the
Silences.
"Presently, I landed, and stood, surrounded by a great waste of
loneliness. The place was lit with a gloomy twilight that gave an
impression of indescribable desolation.
"Afar to my right, within the sky, there burnt a gigantic ring of dull-red

fire, from the outer edge of which were projected huge, writhing flames,
darted and jagged. The interior of this ring was black, black as the
gloom of the outer night. I comprehended, at once, that it was from this
extraordinary sun that the place derived its doleful light.
"From that strange source of light, I glanced down again to my
surroundings. Everywhere I looked, I saw nothing but the same flat
weariness of interminable plain. Nowhere could I descry any signs of
life; not even the ruins of some ancient habitation.
"Gradually, I found that I was being borne forward, floating across the
flat waste. For what seemed an eternity, I moved onwards. I was
unaware of any great sense of impatience; though some curiosity and a
vast wonder were with me continually. Always, I saw around me the
breadth of that enormous plain; and, always, I searched for some new
thing to break its monotony; but there was no change--only loneliness,
silence and desert.
"Presently, in a half-conscious manner, I noticed that there was a faint
mistiness, ruddy in hue, lying over its surface. Still, when I looked
more intently, I was unable to say that it was really mist; for it appeared
to blend with the plain, giving it a peculiar unrealness, and conveying
to the senses the idea of unsubstantiality.
"Gradually, I began to weary with the sameness of the thing. Yet, it was
a great time before I perceived any signs of the place, towards which I
was being conveyed.
"At first, I saw it, far ahead, like a long hillock on the surface of the
Plain. Then, as I drew nearer, I perceived that I had been mistaken; for,
instead of a low hill, I made out, now, a chain of great mountains,
whose distant peaks towered up into the red gloom, until they were
almost lost to sight. III THE HOUSE IN THE ARENA
"AND SO, after a time, I came to the mountains. Then, the course of
my journey was altered, and I began to move along their bases, until,
all at once, I saw that I had come opposite to a vast rift, opening into
the mountains. Through this, I was borne, moving at no great speed. On

either side of me, huge, scarped walls of rock-like substance rose sheer.
Far overhead, I discerned a thin ribbon of red, where the mouth of the
chasm opened, among inaccessible peaks. Within, was gloom, deep and
sombre, and chilly silence. For awhile, I went onward steadily, and
then, at last, I saw, ahead, a deep, red glow, that told me I was near
upon the further opening of the gorge.
"A minute came and went, and I was at the exit of the chasm, staring
out upon an enormous amphitheatre of mountains. Yet, of the
mountains, and the terrible grandeur of the place, I recked nothing; for I
was confounded with amazement, to behold, at a distance of several
miles, and occupying the centre of the arena, a stupendous structure,
built apparently of green jade. Yet, in itself, it was not the discovery of
the building that had so astonished me; but the fact, which became
every moment more apparent, that in no particular, save in colour and
its enormous size, did the lonely structure vary from this house in
which I live.
"For awhile, I continued to stare, fixedly. Even then, I could scarcely
believe that I saw aright. In my mind, a question formed, reiterating
incessantly: 'What does it mean?' 'What does it mean?' and I was unable
to make answer, even out of the depths of my imagination. I seemed
capable only of wonder and fear. For a time longer, I gazed, noting,
continually, some fresh point of resemblance that attracted me. At last,
wearied and sorely puzzled, I turned from it, to view the rest of the
strange place on to which I had intruded.
"Hitherto, I had been so engrossed in my scrutiny of the House, that I
had given only a cursory glance round. Now, as I looked, I began to
realise upon