"GL5" - читать интересную книгу автора (vol04)

and there the Moon often wanders and is not seen from
Middle-earth. But the Sun does not tarry there. She passes
under the earth in haste, lest night be prolonged and evil
strengthened; and she is drawn through the nether Vaiya by
the servants of Ulmo, and it is warmed and filled with life.
Thus days are measured by the courses of the Sun, which
sails from East to West through the lower Ilmen, blotting
out the stars; and she passes over the midst of Middle-earth
and halts not, and she bends her course northward or south-
ward, not waywardly but in due procession and season.
And when she rises above the Walls of the Sun it is Dawn,
and when she sinks behind the Mountains of Valinor it is
evening.
But days are otherwise in Valinor than in Middle-earth.
For there the time of greatest light is Evening. Then the



Sun comes down and rests for a while in the Blessed Land,
lying upon the bosom of Vaiya. And when she sinks into
Vaiya it is made hot and glows with rosecoloured fire, and
this for a long while illumines that land. But as she passes
toward the East the glow fades, and Valinor is robbed of
light, and is lit only with stars; and the Gods mourn then
most for the death of Laurelin. At dawn the dark is deep in
Valinor, and the shadows of their mountains lie heavy on
the mansions of the Gods. But the Moon does not tarry in
Valinor, and passeth swiftly o'er it to plunge in the chasm
of Ilmen,(5) for he pursues ever after the Sun, and overtakes
her seldom, and then is consumed and darkened in her
flame. But it happens at times that he comes above Valinor
ere the Sun has left it, and then he descends and meets his
beloved, and Valinor is filled with mingled light as of silver
and gold; and the Gods smile remembering the mingling of
Laurelin and Silpion long ago.

The Land of Valinor slopes downward from the feet of
the Mountains, and its western shore is at the level of the
bottoms of the inner seas. And not far thence, as has been
said, are the Walls of the World; and over against the west-
ermmost shore in the midst of Valinor is Ando Lomen (6) the
Door of Timeless Night that pierceth the Walls and opens
upon the Void. For the World is set amid Kuma, the Void,
the Night without form or time. But none can pass the
chasm and the belt of Vaiya and come to that Door, save
the great Valar only. And they made that Door when Melko
was overcome and put forth into the Outer Dark; and it is
guarded by Earendel.

The Middle-earth lies amidst the World, and is made of