Far away across the fertile plain appeared the town that we had left, and behind it the sun sank.

It would seem as though some storm had broken there, although the firmament above us was clear and blue.
At least in front of the town two huge pillars of cloud stretched from earth to heaven like the columns of some mighty gateway.

One of these pillars was as though it were made of black marble, and the other like to molten gold.

Between them ran a road of light ending in a glory, and in the midst of the glory the round ball of Ra, the Sun, burned like the eye of God.

The spectacle was as awesome as it was splendid.
"Have you ever seen such a sky in Egypt, Prince ?" I asked.
"Never," he answered, and although he spoke low, in that great stillness his voice sounded loud to me.
For a while longer we watched, till suddenly the sun sank, and only the glory about it and above remained, which took shapes like to the palaces and temples of a city in the heavens, a far city that no mortal could reach except in dreams.
"I know not why, Ana," said Seti, "but for the first time since I was a man I feel afraid.