At one time, the doorway before which Vanamee now stood had been hermetically closed.

But he, himself, had long since changed that.
He stood before it for a moment, steeping himself in the mystery and romance of the place, then raising he latch, pushed open the gate, entered, and closed it softly behind him.

He was in the cloister garden.
The stars were out, strewn thick and close in the deep blue of the sky, the milky way glowing like a silver veil.

Ursa Major wheeled gigantic in the north.

The great nebula in Orion was a whorl of shimmering star dust.