and so they got their wish , and rather than quickly and painlessly dissolving into the sacred river they were exiled from lurien , stripped off their robes , nude and filthy and shaking like hunted beasts , and driven through the mists and up mirror mountain and thence finally cast into a world of touch , where , thinking they could outsmart their punishers , they embraced the barks of two massive trees that stood side by side , hoping they would remain together till the end of time , their roots and branches touching in undying , nameless bliss .