\"Stoop，\"saidGraham’sguide，andtheyavoidedanendlessbandrunningroaringuptotheshaftofthevane。\"Thisway！\"andtheywereankledeepinagutterfullofdriftedthawingsnow，betweentwolowwallsofmetalthatpresentlyrosewaisthigh。\"Iwillgofirst，\"saidtheguide。Grahamdrewhiscloakabouthimandfollowed。Thensuddenlycameanarrowabyssacrosswhichthegutterleapttothesnowydarknessofthefurtherside。Grahampeepedoverthesideonceandthegulfwasblack。Foramomentheregrettedhisflight。Hedarednotlookagain，andhisbrainspunashewadedthroughthehalfliquidsnow。
Thenoutoftheguttertheyclamberedandhurriedacrossawideflatspacedampwiththawingsnow，andforhalfitsextentdimlytranslucenttolightsthatwenttoandfrounderneath。Hehesitatedatthisunstablelookingsubstance，buthisguideranonunheeding，andsotheycametoandclamberedupslipperystepstotherimofagreatdomeofglass。
Roundthistheywent。Farbelowanumberofpeopleseemedtobedancing，andmusicfilteredthroughthedome……Grahamfanciedheheardashoutingthroughthesnowstorm，andhisguidehurriedhimonwithanewspurtofhaste。Theyclamberedpantingtoaspaceofhugewindmills，onesovastthatonlytheloweredgeofitsvanscamerushingintosightandrushedupagainandwaslostinthenightandthesnow。Theyhurriedforatimethroughthecolossalmetallictraceryofitssupports，andcameatlastaboveaplaceofmovingplatformsliketheplaceintowhichGrahamhadlookedfromthebalcony。Theycrawledacrosstheslopingtransparencythatcoveredthisstreetofplatforms，crawlingonhandsandkneesbecauseoftheslipperinessofthesnowfall。
Forthemostparttheglasswasbedewed，andGrahamsawonlyhazysuggestionsoftheformsbelow，butnearthepitchofthetransparentrooftheglasswasclear，andhefoundhimselflookingsheerlydownuponitall。Forawhile，inspiteoftheurgencyofhisguide，hegavewaytovertigoandlayspread—eagledontheglass，sickandparalysed。Farbelow，merestirringspecksanddots，wentthepeopleoftheunsleepingcityintheirperpetualdaylight，andthemovingplatformsranontheirincessantjourney。Messengersandmenonunknownbusinessesshotalongthedroopingcablesandthefrailbridgeswerecrowdedwithmen。Itwaslikepeeringintoagiganticglasshive，anditlayverticallybelowhimwithonlyatoughglassofunknownthicknesstosavehimfromafall。
Thestreetshowedwarmandlit，andGrahamwaswetnowtotheskinwiththawingsnow，andhisfeetwerenumbedwithcold。Foraspacehecouldnotmove。