Soitwas。Thewholeplacewasfilledwithasoftradiance，equaltothatofthesunatnoon，butgentlerandwithoutheat。
\"Wheredoesitcomefrom？\"IwhisperedtoYva。
\"Oh！\"shereplied，asIthoughtevasively。\"ItisthelightoftheUnder—worldwhichweknowhowtouse。Theearthisfulloflight，whichisnotwonderful，isit，seeingthatitsheartisfire？Nowlookaboutyou。\"
Ilookedandleantonherharderthanever，sinceamazementmademeweak。Wewereinsomevastplacewhereoftheroofseemedalmostasfaroffastheskyatnight。AtleastallthatIcouldmakeoutwasadimanddistantarchwhichmighthavebeenoneofcloud。Fortherest，ineverydirectionstretchedvastness，illuminatedfarastheeyecouldreachbythesoftlightofwhichIhavespoken，thatis，probablyforseveralmiles。Butthisvastnesswasnotempty。Onthecontraryitwasoccupiedbyagreatcity。TherewerestreetsmuchwiderthanPiccadilly，allborderedbyhouses，thoughthese，Iobserved，wereroofless，veryfinehouses，someofthem，builtofwhitestoneormarble。Therewereroadwaysandpavementswornbythepassageoffeet。There，fartheron，weremarket—placesorpublicsquares，andthere，lastly，wasahugecentralenclosureoneortwohundredacresinextent，whichwasfilledwithmajesticbuildingsthatlookedlikepalaces，ortown—halls；and，inthemidstofthemall，avasttemplewithcourtsandacentraldome。Forhere，notwithstandingthelackofnecessity，itsbuildersseemedtohaveadheredtotheOver—worldtradition，andhadroofedtheirfane。
Andnowcametheterror。Allofthisenormouscitywasdead。