8. The Valley of Voices

           Byjourneyingthroughtheglassmountaintheyhadreachedadelightfulvalleythatwasshapedlikethehollowofagreatcup,withanotherruggedmountainshowingontheothersideofit,andsoftandprettygreenhillsattheends.Itwasalllaidoutintolovelylawnsandgardens,withpebblepathsleadingthroughthemandgrovesofbeautifulandstatelytreesdottingthelandscapehereandthere.Therewereorchards,too,bearinglusciousfruitsthatareallunknowninourworld.Alluringbrooksofcrystalwaterflowedsparklingbetweentheirflower-strewnbanks,whilescatteredoverthevalleyweredozensofthequaintestandmostpicturesquecottagesourtravelershadeverbeheld.Noneofthemwereinclusters,suchasvillagesortowns,buteachhadamplegroundsofitsown,withorchardsandgardenssurroundingit.

           Asthenewarrivalsgazeduponthisexquisitescenetheywereenrapturedbyitsbeautiesandthefragrancethatpermeatedthesoftair,whichtheybreathedsogratefullyaftertheconfinedatmosphereofthetunnel.Severalminuteswereconsumedinsilentadmirationbeforetheynoticedtwoverysingularandunusualfactsaboutthisvalley.Onewasthatitwaslightedfromsomeunseensource;fornosunormoonwasinthearchedbluesky,althougheveryobjectwasfloodedwithaclearandperfectlight.Thesecondandevenmoresingularfactwastheabsenceofanyinhabitantofthissplendidplace.Fromtheirelevatedpositiontheycouldoverlooktheentirevalley,butnotasinglemovingobjectcouldtheysee.Allappearedmysteriouslydeserted.