IS reference to a reference illegal in C++？

Question

int main(){
int ival=1024;
int &refVal=ival;
int &refVal2=refVal;
return 0;
}

C++ Primer(5th edition) says "Because references are not objects, we may not define a reference to a reference."(Chinese 5th version says "不能定义引用的引用".meaning can't define a reference to a reference. )

But I got the code above pass compilation.

What's going on?

Feel free to correct any errors(including my English skills)

Answer 1

After refVal is initialized, whenever you mention its name, it behaves like the variable ival it refers to---its "referenceness" can no longer be detected (except by decltype). Therefore refVal2 is simply initialized to refer to ival also.

There is no type "reference to reference to int", int&(&).

Answer 2

"Because references are not objects, we may not define a reference to a reference."

Perhaps they meant to say:

int i = 10;
int& ref1 = i;
int&& ref2 = ref1; // Not allowed.

Of course, in C++11, the symbol && is used to define rvalue references.

I think it's more illustrative to compare references and pointers to understand why references to references does not make sense.