semblance of castle battlements, but with extremely deep
indentations.

The sky immediately above the mountains was of a vivid, intense blue.
It contrasted in a most marvellous way with the blue of the rest of
the heavens. It seemed more luminous and radiant, and was in fact
like the afterglow of a gorgeous blue sunset.

Maskull kept on looking. The more he gazed, the more restless and
noble became his feelings.

"What is that light?"

Panawe was sterner than usual, while his wife clung to his arm. "It
is Alppain--our second sun," he replied. "Those hills are the
Ifdawn Marest.... Now let us get to our shelter."

"Is it imagination, or am I really being affected--tormented by that
light?"

"No, it's not imagination--it's real. How can it be otherwise when
two suns, of different natures, are drawing you at the same time?
Luckily you are not looking at Alppain itself. It's invisible here.
You would need to go at least as far as Ifdawn, to set eyes on it."

"Why do you say 'luckily'?"

"Because the agony caused by those opposing forces would perhaps be
more than you could bear.... But I don't know."