They set off from the rock wall straight across the airlit plain, directing their course toward the nearest trees. The subdued light, the absence of shadows, the massive shafts, springing grey-white out of the jetlike ground, the fantastic trees, the absence of a sky, the deathly silence, the knowledge that he was underground—the combination of all these things predisposed Maskull’s mind to mysticism, and he prepared himself with some anxiety to hear Corpang’s explanation of the land and its wonders. He already began to grasp that the reality of the outside world and the reality of this world were two quite different things. “In what sense are there three worlds?” he demanded, repeating his former question. Corpang smote the end of his staff on the ground. “First of all, Maskull, what is your motive for asking? If it’s mere intellectual curiosity, tell me, for we mustn’t play with awful matters.” “No, it isn’t that,” said Maskull slowly. “I’m not a student. My journey is no holiday tour.” “Isn’t there blood on your soul?” asked Corpang, eying him intently. The blood rose steadily to Maskull’s face, but in that light it caused it to appear black. “Unfortunately there is, and not a little.” The other’s face was all wrinkles, but he made no comment. “And so you see,” went on Maskull, with a short laugh, “I’m in the very best condition for receiving your instruction.” Corpang still paused. “Underneath your crimes I see a man,” he said, after a few minutes. “On that account, and because we are commanded to help one another, I won’t leave you at present, though I little thought to be walking with a murderer.... Now to your question.... Whatever a man sees with his eyes, Maskull, he sees in three ways—length, breadth, depth. Length is existence, breadth is relation, depth is feeling.” “Something of the sort was told me by Earthrid, the musician, who came from Threal.” “I don’t know him. What else did he tell you?” “He went on to apply it to music. Continue, and pardon the interruption.” “These three states of perception are the three worlds. Existence is Faceny’s world, relation is Amfuse’s world, feeling is Thire’s world.” “Can’t we come down to hard facts?” said Maskull, frowning. “I understand no more than I did before what you mean by three worlds.” “There are no harder facts than the ones I am giving you. The first world is visible, tangible Nature. It was created by Faceny out of nothingness, and therefore we call it Existence.” “That I understand.” “The second world is Love—by which I don’t mean lust. Without love, every individual would be entirely self-centred and unable deliberately to act on others. Without love, there would be no sympathy—not even hatred, anger, or revenge would be possible. These are all imperfect and distorted forms of pure love. Interpenetrating Faceny’s world of Nature, therefore, we have Amfuse’s world of Love, or Relation.”