In the first half, Mr. Vane enters a parallel world through the mirror in his library and is guided by the mysterious Mr. Raven into a realm where dream, death, and waking life intermingle. He encounters sleepers who must rest before true awakening, children who never grow, and landscapes that challenge ordinary human understanding. The figure of Lilith gradually emerges as a dark and alluring presence, embodying willful freedom, pride, and spiritual resistance. Part One establishes the symbolic universe of the novel, inviting readers to question conventional ideas of life, growth, and reality.
