VII
THE NIGHT LAND
Now, as I went towards the North and West, I steered me warily for agreat while, that I come safe of that Great Watcher of the North-West.And as I made forward, I put thought to all matters which must concernme; so far as I had imagining to see. And first I did consider the speedthat I should keep; and found presently that I did well to be moderate;for that I had before me a great and mighty journey; and indeed, whomight speak knowingly of the end thereof?
And another matter, I did arrange; for I would make the times of mygoings forward, and the times of mine eatings and sleepings all to awise and regular fashion; that, thereby, I might go a great way, withthe less harm to my body; so that I should be strong when the need didcome for my strength. And I made in the end that I should eat and drink,at every sixth hour, and at the eighteenth hour sleep me until thetwenty-fourth.
And by this means did I eat thrice in that time, and have six hours ofsleep. And this seemed very good to me, and I did strive always tomanage thus in all my great journeying in the Night Land. Yet, as may besupposed, there were times oft and many when I must watch withoutceasing, and leave my slumber unto the future; for the Land was full ofgrim and dreadful Perils.
And, as doth be human, I brake my rule straightway in the beginning; forI ceased not to walk for one-and-twenty hours, hiding and creeping, asthe need did be in those places that were like to show me unto theWatcher; and when I did think upon food, it did sicken me; so that Iwould eat by and by, as I made it within my thoughts.
But when one-and-twenty hours had gone, I grew very weary and somethingfaint; and was forced that I look about for some place where I mighthave rest. And, in a little while, I did see, away off, a smallfire-hole, the like of which I had passed odd times even so early. And Imade to come nigh to that part; for there would be warmth from thechill of the Night Land, and mayhaps a place dry and convenient to myslumber.
And when I came anigh, I saw that it was a cheerful place, as it mightbe said, amid so much gloom; for the hole was but a few paces wide, andfull of a dull, glowing fire, that did bubble somewhat, and throw off asmall sulphur-smoke. And I sat me down, at no great way, and did placethe Diskos on the rock to my hand.
And I moved not, awhile; but was aweary, so that I had not the courageto eat, neither to drink; but must turn me and look back to the MightyPyramid; and, in truth, though I had come a very good space, yet was Iso anigh to it, that I was both cheered and put out of heart; for it didseem close upon me, by reason of its greatness, so that I, who hadjourneyed a hard and weariful way, was shaken with the greatness of thetask that was upon me.
Yet was this but one side of my heart; for it was good to feel thenearness of my Mighty Home; and I knew that there did countless millionsmake watch upon me, as I sat; yet did I make no sign; for it is not meetto make a constant farewell; but to GO. Yet was it very strange to bethus near, and to show such behaviour as were proper to one afar fromall humanity. But so it was that I ordered my ways; for it did seemproper to me; yet was I happy to know that the dear Master Monstruwacanmust, time and oft, have spied upon me through the Great Spy-Glass; andmayhaps did watch me in that moment.
And it grew in me that I did act weakly to hold off from mine Vittles,and showed foolishness before my kind friend afar; and I did ope myscrip, and take therefrom three tablets, the which I chewed and did eat;for this was a strong food, treated that it had but small bulk. Yet werethey not filling to the belly; and I made that I would drink well, thatI might feel that something was therein.
And to this end, I shook from a strong and especial tube, a dust; and Icaught the dust within a little cup; and the air did make an action uponthat dust, as it were of chemistry; and the dust did boil and make afizzing in the cup, and rose up and filled it with a liquid that was ofsimple water; yet very strange to see come that way; but ordinary aftera time.
And in this way, as might be seen, had I such food and drink in but alittle scrip, that might keep life within me for a great time. Yet wasit a way of discomfort, and lacking to the mouth and to the belly; but asufficient thing unto the need of the body, and good matter for athankful heart, in that dark and hungry Land.
Now, when I had eaten, I did go over in their order, those things whichI did carry; for there was, beside the Diskos and that scrip of food, apouch that did contain matters various. And these, I did look into; andafterward did take out a small compass that I had been give by theMaster Monstruwacan, so that I might find of its workings without theGreat Redoubt; and, he had said unto me, that it might be that I shouldpass far off into the Night Land, and lose the Mighty Pyramid amid sogreat a Country and so plentiful a Darkness. Then, perchance, if thatancient principle did still lurk within the machine, though turned nomore to the North, but unto the Pyramid, then should it guide my feetHomeward out of the Everlasting Night, and thus have once more thatancient use which, as I do know, is common unto this age.
And this was a very cunning thing to have with me, if but it heldservice to the Earth-Current, and a rare thing, which the MasterMonstruwacan did make with his own hands and much skill and pains, froman olden one that had place within the Great Museum, and concerningwhich I have told somewhat, before this place.
And I set the thing upon the ground; but it had no certain way with it;but did spin and waver constantly, and this I made to consider, andremembered that I was yet above that part where, afar in the earth didspread the greatness of the Underground Fields; and I was, haply, but alittle way off from the "Crack"; though a mighty way above.
And it pleasured me to wonder whether the dear Master Monstruwacan didbehold how that I made test with the compass; for the light was goodfrom the fire-hole; and the Great Spy-Glass had a great strength. Yet,had I no certainty; for, as I did know, from much watchings, there wasno surety in the searching of the Land, by the Glass; for there was oftplainness where you did think surely none should see, and anon adullness where might be thought that the sight went gaily. And this maybe plain to all; for the wavering of the lights from the strange fireswas not to be accounted to rule; but made a light here, and a darknessthere, and then did change about, oddly. Moreover, there were smokes andmists that did come upwards from the earth, in this place and in that;and had somewhiles a greatness; but oft were small, and did lurk low,and had no power but to confuse the sight.
And, presently, I did put by the compass in my pouch, and made tocompose myself unto sleep. But here would I now set down how that, inthe end, after I had gone many days' journeyings outward from the MightyPyramid, I did indeed find it to draw the Northward part of the needleunto it; and this was a comfort and a pleasure to my spirit; moreover,if ever I did get back, as I did think, it would be a matter for greatinterest unto the Master Monstruwacan; yet, in verity, were there othermatters that should hold him more; for he was right human, as all shouldknow.
And, moreover, concerning this same compass, I did find a fresh thing;for, after a yet greater time, as I shall set out in a due place, if Ido but remember, which doubt is ever my fear to fret me, I came amighty way from the Redoubt, and, lo! fearing that I might indeed losethat, My Great Home, in the Darkness of the World, I did pull out thatstrange wonder of the needle, that I might have comfort by its homewardpointing. And I did discover a new power in the night; for the machinedid point no more directwards unto the Great Redoubt; but was a pointunto the Westwards; so that I had knowledge that some Great Power afarin the Darkness of the World did sway upon it; and I had a childlikewonder that this might be, in truth, that same Power of the North, ofwhich the books, and my Memory-Dreams did tell. And, indeed, no doubtshould there be upon this matter; yet who might not have doubt in thattime, that they should perceive after an eternity, that ancientNorthward Force swaying that small servant unto an olden obedience. Andit was, as it were, a revealing unto me, how that to know within thebrain is one matter; but to have knowledge within the heart is another;for I had always known concerning this Northward Force; but yet had notknown with the true mea
ning of Knowledge.
And yet one other matter there was to cause doubt, at that moment ofthis new knowing; for it came to me that maybe the power of that LesserRedoubt did begin to act upon the machine, even as the Earth-Current ofthe Great Pyramid did hold yet a strong drawing upon the needle; andwere this so, then did I not surely begin to stand anigh unto myJourney's end; for that less power of the Lesser Redoubt could have noimpudence to pull, save that I had come to a closeness with it.
Yet, in truth, as I do now have knowledge, it was the North that drew;and I do seem to make a great telling about this little matter; but howelse shall I show to you mine inward mind, and the lack of knowledge andlikewise the peculiar knowings that did go to the making of that time,and the Peoples thereof, which is but to say the same thing twice over.
And now, as I did say, I made to compose myself for sleep; and to thisend, I took a cloak-matter which did cross my shoulder and hip, andwrapt it about me, and lay down there in the darkness of the Night, bythat strange fire-hole.
And I lay the Diskos beside me, within the cloak; for it was, indeed, mycompanion and friend in bitter need; so that I had pleasure to feel thestrange thing anigh to me. And as I did lie there, in those moments thatdo drowse the Soul, as it were that they do proceed as breath out of themouth of Sleep, I had a half-knowing that the aether did surge about me;and I doubt not but that there had watched my every doing, many of theMillions, and had been humanly stirred, at my commending of my spiritunto sleep; and thus did shake the aether of the world about me, withtheir unity of sympathy.
And, mayhaps, I had some little knowing of this thing, as I did pass,drowsy, into slumber; and it is surely like that I slept the better forit. Moreover, I was wondrous tired and worn, and thus did sleep verystrong and heavy; yet I mind me that my last dim thinkings were uponthat sweet maid I did go to find. And in slumber did I have speech withher in dreams, and a strange happiness about me, and all seeming to betouched by fairy-light, and freed from the sorrow of life.
And it was from a sweet and lovely sleeping, such as this, that I waswaked suddenly by a great and mighty sound; and I came instant to apossessing of my senses; and I knew that the mighty Voice of theHome-Call did go howling across the Night. And, swift and silent, I slidthe cloak from about me, and took the haft of that wondrous Diskos intomine hand.
And I did look towards the Pyramid, quickly, for a message; for I had asure knowledge that there had a great Need arisen, and that some Terrorcame towards me out of the Dark; else they had never waked all the NightLand to a knowing that an human was abroad out of the Mighty Refuge.
And even as I did peer towards the Great Redoubt, I could not abide tokeep my gaze entire that way; but did take a large and fearful look allabout me; yet could make to see nothing; and so did stare, eager andanxious, afar into the upper blackness of the Night, where did shinethat Final Light of the Tower of Observation; and the same whilecrouched, and holding the Diskos, and making to glance across myshoulders, and to watch for the message, and all in the same moment.
And then, afar upwards in the prodigious height, I did see the great,and bright and quick darting flashes of a strange green fire, and didknow that they spelled to me in the Set-Speech a swift warning that agrey monster, that was a Great Grey Man, had made scent of me in thedark, and was even in that moment of time, crawling towards me throughthe low moss-bushes that lay off beyond the fire-hole to my back. Andthe message was sharp; and bade me to leap into the bushes unto my left;and to hide there; so that I might chance to take the thing to anadvantage.
And, as may be thought, they had scarce flashed the tale unto me; but Iwas gone in among the shadows of a clump of the moss-bush that did growanigh; and I sweat with a strange terror, and a cold and excited shakingof the heart; yet was my spirit set strong to conquer.
And lo! as I did crouch there, hidden, I saw something come very quietout of the bushes that did grow beyond the fire-hole; and it was great,and crept, and was noways coloured but by greyness in all its parts. Andthe glare from the fire-hole did seem to trouble it; so that it looked,laying its head to the ground, and spying along the earth, in a strangeand Brutish fashion; that it might oversee the glare of the fire-hole.Yet, I doubt that it saw beyond the fire with plainness; for, in amoment, it crept swift in among the bushes again, and came out towardsthe edge of the fire-hole in another place; and this it did thrice untomy left, and thrice unto my right; and every time did lay its head tothe earth, and spy along; and did hunch its shoulders, and thrustforward the jaw horridly and turn the neck, as a very nasty beast mightgo, wanton.
Now, as you may think, this manner of the Beast-Man did shake my couragemightily; for I did think each time that it did go inward among themoss-bushes, that it had made discovery of me, and would make to take mein the back, from out of the dark of the bushes; and this was anuncomfortable thing to consider, as others might think also, had anybeen there in the bush with me. And then, in truth, did that same swiftsense of mine Hearing, prove helpful to my saving; for, behold, thething did go back into the moss-bushes, after that last coming out; anddid seem to make as it had made a failing to discover me, and had nofurther intent, save to return unto the Night; and I had this thoughttruly in mine heart, and for maybe a minute; and then, lo! within mysoul a voice did speak plain, and did warn me that the thing did make agreat compass among the moss-bushes about the fire-hole, having madediscovery of me; and it did go warily to take me in the back, from theother side.
Now, when I heard this voice speak within my spirit, I had knowledgethat the dear Master Monstruwacan made watch from the Tower ofObservation, and did send the speech with his brain-elements, having inmind that I had the Night-Hearing. And I trusted the speech; for in thesame moment of time there did beat all about me in the Night the solemnthrob of the Master-Word, as that it had been added with speed, to giveinstant assurance. And I leapt quick from that clump of the moss-bush,unto another, and crouched, and made a watch all about me; and kept theears of my spirit open, knowing that the Master Monstruwacan did alsowatch all, for me.
And, suddenly, I saw a little moving of a bush that grew to the back ofthose bushes in which I had been hid; and there came out of the bushthat moved, a great grey hand, and moved the moss of the clump where Ihad been, as it were that something peered out of the moving bush. Andthere followed the great grey head of the Grey Man, and the head wentinto the clump of the moss-bush where I had been.
And I knew that I must strike now; and I leapt, and smote with theDiskos; and the thing fell upon its side, and the great grey legs cameout of the hither bushes, and twitched and drew upwards; but the headremained in the bush where I had been hid. And I stood away from thething whilst it died; and in mine hand the Diskos did spin and sendforth fire; as it were that it did live, and did know that it had slaina great and horrid monster.
And presently the Grey Man was dead; and I went away from those bushes,unto the far side of the fire-hole. And I stood with the Diskos heldhigh and spinning and sending out fire, that they within the MightyPyramid might know that I had slain the Beast-Man; for it might be thatit lay too much in the shadow for them to look upon.
But the Master Monstruwacan spoke not again to me; for, indeed, it wasnot meet to do so, except it might save me from a sure danger; for, asyou may know from my past tellings, there were Powers of the Night Landthat did hearken unto such matters; and it was like enough that therehad been overmuch done, even thus, for my further safety. Yet the thingcould not be helped.
And now that I was a little calmed, and eased from my fear, I could knowthat all that the aether of the night was disturbed by the gladness ofthe millions within the Great Redoubt; so that it was plain how great amultitude had given note unto the fight; and their hearts to beat insweet sympathy and natural fear; so that I did feel companied andbefriended; though, as it may be thought, something shaken yet about theheart.
Now, in a little time, I did gather unto me my wits and had myself toorder; and I looked to see how the hours did
go, and I found that I hadsurely slumbered through ten hours. And I reproached myself; for,indeed, I had slept oversound by reason of my having lacked a regularway and time, as I had with a proper wisdom made to be my rule. And Iresolved that I would obey the wit of my Reason in all the future time,and make to eat and rest in due season, as you will wot that I didbefore intend.
Then, with a self-reproachful heart, I went around the small fire-hole,and caught up my cloak and other matters. And I turned me towards theMighty Pyramid, and did look once upwards along all the great slope,where it did go measureless into the far blackness of the EverlastingNight; and I made no salutation; for I had so resolved, as you willknow; moreover, I desired not to call forth any unneedful disturbance ofthe aether of the world, which indeed must be, did I make to stir theemotions of the Millions.
And I turned me then away, and went off into the night, going swift andcautious, and bearing the Diskos cunningly and almost, as it were, witha love for that strange and wondrous weapon that had so befriended me,and slain the foul Grey Man with one stroke. And I had feeling that itdid know me, and had a comradeship for me; and I doubt none willunderstand this; save, it might be, they of the olden days that didcarry one strong sword always. Yet was the Diskos more than the sword;for it did in truth seem to live with the fire and the flame of theEarth-Current that did beat within it.
And it was well acknowledged within the Great Redoubt, that none mighttouch the Diskos of another; for that the thing went crustily, as itmight be said, in the hands of a stranger; and if any made foolishnessof this knowledge, and did persist much to such an handling, or makingto use, the same would presently act clumsy with the weapon, and come toan hurt; and this was a sure thing, and had been known maybe an hundredthousand years; or perchance a greater time.
And by this it doth seem wise to believe that there did grow always anaffinity between the nature of the man--which doth, as ever, include thewoman--and the Diskos that he did use in his Practice; and because ofthis known thing, and that the place would elsewise be lumbered witholden weapons of those that did die, it was a Law and Usage that therewas placed with the Dead, the Diskos of the Dead, there upon The LastRoad in the Country Of Silence, and was thus made to give back unto theEarth-Current, the power that did lie in it. And this doth seem to acareless thinker, as it were that I told once again those olden customsof the Ancient Folk; but this is otherwise, and had a sound reason toit; yet, if you do so believe, I doubt not but that a right humansentiment was something at the bottom, which is proper; for it is meetthat Love should mate with Wisdom to mother Comfort in our sorrows; andit is a warm thing to do aught for our dead; and none may say nay tothis.
Now, as I did go onwards into the Night Land, looking ever to thisshadow and to that, it may be conceived how my heart would stir withswift fear, at this and that; and that my body would oft quiver to leapaside; and as swift discover that naught assailed.
And so did I go forward, and always with imaginings and wondersconcerning what manner of uncouth Being or Brute might come out of thedarknesses all about. Yet, in all that time, there was a certainproudness of the heart, that I did come safe out of the power of theGrey Man, and did surely slay him. But, truly, it were well that thepraise be considered, and not overmuch given unto me; for I had died asI slept, but that they of the Great Redoubt, had made a watch over me,and waked me unto my saving.
Now, presently, as I walked, I grew something faint, and had knowledgethat I did foolishly; for, indeed, I should have eat after my fight; yetmay I be forgiven for this forgetting, in that I had been much shakedand put about.
And I sat me down in a little clear place among the bushes, and did eatthree of the tablets, and did once more shake forth the dust that didturn in the air to a natural water by a proper and natural chemistry ofthese matters. And after I had eat, I sat a little while, and did think,and did look upwards at the great slope of the Pyramid in the night; andall the time did I listen with mine ears and with my spirit; and keptthe Diskos across my knees, and looked this way and that, very frequent;but nothing came anigh.
And so I rose presently, and went onwards, and walked for six hourstowards the North and the West. And I made much to the West, for alittle, that I might come clear of the North-West Watcher. Yet, after aspace, I made to do foolishly; for I changed my mind about, and keptsomething more towards the North, so that I should have a surer sight ofthat Monster.
And this was, in truth, a rash and naughty thing to consider; for if Iwere but seen, then should that grim Brute make a signal unto the EvilPowers, and I be met swiftly with destruction. But surely the heart is astrange and wayward thing, and given to quick fears, and immediatelyunto great and uncountable rashnesses. And so I did go forward unwiselyto the Northward of a safe and proper going; and it may be that aninfluence was upon me, and drew me thatwards; but who shall say.
Now, a great time I walked, and made a halt upon every sixth hour, anddid eat and drink, and look a little unto the monstrous towering of theGreat Redoubt; and afterwards make strong mine heart, and go forwardagain. And always I did go warily, and chiefly among the low moss-bush;but sometimes out upon stony ground, and oft across places where sulphurdid puff somewhat from the ground in a low smoke, very strong in thenostrils and not liked inwardly.
And as I made onwards, I looked always to my right and to my left, andanon to the rear; yet made a constant observation of the Mighty Watcher,that I did begin to draw nigh unto. And oft did I stoop to crawl, and myhands did bleed somewhat; but after I was troubled so, I put on thegreat gloves that made complete the grey armour, and so was shod properto such journeying.
And, presently, when eighteen hours did have passed since that my suddenawakening to the peril of the Grey Man, I did search about for a placeto slumber; for I would keep wisely unto my ruling, and go not over longlacking of sleep; and by this planning I should be the less like tosleep oversound, and so should set my spirit to listen whilst I didsleep; and by so much as my spirit should serve me with faith, should Ihave safety. And this thing is plain, and wants not more to the sayingthereof.
And I came presently unto a sudden place where the land did go downwardsbrokenly, as that it had been burst a great while gone by the inwardfires; and I looked downwards over the edge of that place, and wentround about it, and did see presently a ledge upon the far side, thatwas difficult to come upon; yet a place of some little safety to anythat might go down to it; for it was awkward to see, and did any monsterseek to come at me, I should have chance of warning; and might godownwards a greater way in time to my salvation.
And by this determination, I abode; and came down to that place withlabour; but was cheerful of heart that I had found so sure a shelter.And I eat my three tablets, and drank the water that I did get from thepowder. And so made to compose my body to sleep. Yet, at this time, athought did come to me, and I made calculation afresh; and laughedsomewhat at that my poor counting; for, indeed, I had thought to eat butthrice in the twenty and four hours; yet by my arranging, I was made,indeed, to eat four times, as you shall see immediately by a littlethought. And this thing came more strong upon my spirit than any mightthink; for I did eat overmuch for the lasting of the food; though, inverity, it was but little to my belly; as you must all think, and havesympathy for my discomfort.
And I considered a little, and had determined that I should afterwardsin my journeying, eat but two of the tablets to my meal; and this was awise thought, and like much wisdom, a discomposing thing. But so it was,and I set it down that you may know the arranging of my ways at thattime.
Now, in all this while of meditation, I had been setting my cloak aboutme, and was fast set to my sleeping; for I had walked a weary way. And Ilay me down upon my left side, with my back to the rock, which didoverhang me something above; so that I was contented to feel hid fromthings that might pass by in the Night. And I had the cloak about me,and the Diskos close against my breast, within the cloak, and my headupon my pouch and upon my scrip.
And as I lay
thus a moment easeful, I could see that so mighty was theuprising of the Great Pyramid that it was not hid from me even thus, butdid stand upward into the night, and did shine, and was plain to be seenabove the further edge of that deep place where I did lie.
And I fell upon sleep, looking upward at that Final Light, where, asmight be, the Master Monstruwacan did bend the Great Spy-Glass upon mylonesomeness, as I lay there upon the ledge.
And this was a thought of sweet comfort upon which to slumber; the whichI did; but my spirit lay wakeful within my breast, and did listenthrough the night; and harked for all evil matters and things that didmake to come anigh. But also my spirit did whisper unto Naani as I wentinto sleep; and so passed I into dreams.
Now, it may be thought that I did act with a strange valiance, in that Icomposed my body so properly to slumber, and with but a little troubleof the heart concerning the coming of monsters. And in truth this hathseemed somewhat so to me, thinking since that time; but I do but set thething that is truth; and make not to labour to an illusion of truth; andso must tell much that doth seem improper to the Reality. Yet must allbear with me, and have understanding of the hardness of setting forthwith true seeming the honesty of Truth, which, in verity, is betterserved oft times by timely and cunning lies. And so shall you understandthis matter so well as I.
And presently my spirit waked me there in the half dark of the NightLand; and I looked swift about me, and upwards, and saw nothing tofear. Then did I peer at my dial; and made to discover that I had sleptfull over six quiet hours; and by this I knew the reason of mineawaking; for it was so great impressed upon me by mine inward sense andbeing. And this you shall understand, someways, who have thought, eresleep, to wake to a certain time of the morning; and by understandingshall you believe and give me all your kind harking and human sympathy.
And I made to have a smartness of going, which is ever hard to the newlywaked; and I eat two tablets, the while my belly did cry out for anwholesome and proper filling; but I drank some of the water, and so didease somewhat of my hunger.
Then did I wind my cloak to its shape, and put upon me my gear, whichwas the scrip and the pouch, and the Diskos to my hip; and I clomb outfrom that place of rest. Yet, before I did come rightly up into theopen, I peered about, and made some surety that no evil Brute was anigh.And then I gat me out, and stood upon my feet, and looked for a littleupwards at the mighty slope of the Great Redoubt, which did seem yetvery nigh unto me, by reason of it being so monstrous in bigness.
And I wondered whether in that moment the Master Monstruwacan did lookdown upon me, with the Great Spy-Glass. And afterwards I turned awayswiftly, and went on into the Night Land; for it did always make meshaken with lonesomeness to look upon my Great Home. And so I did goforward with a strong and uncaring stride; but grew presently toquietness, and to have back the proper caution of my going. Yet had Inot gone all foolishly, for I had taken the Diskos from my hip, erethis; so that I possessed it handily.
Now there is one matter which shall seem but a small and naturaloccurring unto you; yet was strong upon me in that time; and this thingwas that I did begin now to see the Night Land from the new outlookingof my distance from the Mighty Pyramid. And it was as that a man of thisday did go from the earth to travel among the stars, and lo! should henot find them to shift upon his vision; so that the Great Bear and thisand that shaping of the star clusterings, should make a new order, as hedid wander onwards; and so should he find that there was naught that wastruly fixed, as he did before then think; but all to alter accordingunto the place whence the looking! And this thing shall be plain untoyou, though no thought be put to the matter; for it is of an evidentverity that doth need not argument to expound. And so shall you havememory of me, there a-wander among those strange shapings and wonders ofthat grim Land, the which I had never but supposed to seem but as mymemory did retain them, from the lookings of all my life within theGreat Redoubt. And so it was; and ever there did this thing and thatopen out to a new view, and the Night Land take to itself a constant newaspect to mine eyes which had never until that time had but the onefixed vision of the same.
And you shall understand with me how that when, about the fourteenthhour of that day's travel, I did draw very nigh unto the monstrousWatcher of the North-West, it did seem so utter strange from this freshaspect that I had been like to think that I did see a new Monster. For,in truth, when I did come at last to creep to within a mile of it, amongthe low moss-bushes, I was confounded that the mighty chin did comeforward towards the Great Redoubt, even as the upward part of a vastcliff, which the sea doth make hollow about the bottom; for it did hangout into the air above the glare of the fire from the Red Pit, as it hadbeen a thing of Rock, all scored and be-weathered, and dull red andseeming burned and blasted by reason of the bloody shine that beatupward from the deep of the Red Pit.
And by the way in which I do tell upon it, you shall know that I didsurely view it something from the side at this immediate time; for, intruth, it was then that I did draw the nearer; and, moreover, I was themore astonished at this viewing, than I had been to the front; for itwas so utter strange, and shapen so different from the Brute that didhang in my memory.
And a great time I did lie there upon my belly; and shaken by a fear ofthe Beast; yet emboldened, as you may conceive, by having come to theside; and being hopeful in my heart that I was very secure within sogreat a shadow and the thick sheltering of the moss-bushes.
And surely it was that I did creep more nigh, the while that I did look;for presently I had a very plain seeing of the Great Monster; and didknow where I had gotten to, and thereby did acknowledge unto myself thatthis was an utter foolishness; and like, for all that any might say, tolead unto destruction. Yet, as all must know, there was the first fear,and the ceasing of this fear, as I did wot that I was so little a thingto heed out there in the shadows. And presently a gaining of courage,and the prick of my Being that did crave to see clear this exceedingWonder. And so was I come close, more or less, having gone far upon myhands and knees; yet sometimes to pause; but afterwards on again.
Now by this nearness, I was the more truly able to perceive how that theBulk of the Watcher did rise up into the Night, like a Hill; and thecolour was mostly black, save and indeed where it did face to the redshine of the Pit; and concerning this I have done telling.
And so did I lie there, and stare a great while, parting a small hole inthe moss-bushes that I might spy through the same. And the thing wassquat there, and might have root within the earth, so it did seem tomine imaginings, as I did stare with a dumb wonder. And there weremonstrous warts upon the thing, and indents and a mighty ruggedness andlumpings; as it were that it did be pimpled with great boulders thatwere inbred within that monstrous hide. And where the shine from thePit of Red Fire did strike upon these, they did stand out into thedarkness away from the skin, as you of this Age shall see mountains ofthe moon catch a bright fire from the Sun, and show plain upon the nightof the moon.
Now, as I have set down, I did lie there and look a great while; and itcame presently to me that there was unease within the Mighty Pyramid,among the Millions; for I did feel the aether of the world to bedisturbed by their distress; and so had a knowing that they had acunning wareness concerning the place where I did hide among themoss-bushes.
And the thrilling in the night did bring a wisdom into my head; for, inverity, as I have said, this was a foolish matter that I was upon. And Igat a thought that the Watcher might have an awaredness of the troubleof the Multitudes; and, indeed, for all that I did know, it had a fullknowledge of all my wandering; though concerning this, I did thinkotherwise truly in my heart; as is a most human and proper way to makecomfortable the spirit, where Doubt can have no ease from Reason.
And I made that I would go backwards to a good distance from theWatcher, and go forward again upon my journeying, if but that I comesafe from so unwise an adventuring. And as I did begin to return, it wasto me as that all my senses were newly awake; for I had a sudden
knowingthat I was within the atmosphere, should I not call it, of the Monster.
And I gat an abrupt and horrid shaking of the spirit; for I did feel inverity that my soul had come too anigh; and that the Beast had a sureknowledge concerning me; yet did make to my destruction with no haste;but after that way and fashion that did seem proper unto it.
And this feeling you shall understand the better, maybe, when I do tellthat it was to me as that the air all about me was full of a quiet andsteadfast life and keen intelligence that I did believe to come forthfrom the Watcher on every side; so that I did feel as one already withinthe gaze of some Great and Evil Power.
Yet, though I had a great terror upon me, I made no foolish haste; butcommanded my soul to courage, and put a guard upon my way of going, andso made a very quiet journey for maybe two full miles; and afterwardsdid allow myself something more of haste; for I was now grown easier inmy spirit; and felt apart from the spirit of the Great Watcher.
And after a longer while, I did leave that hill of watchfulness to myrear; and was gone onward into the night; yet, as may be known, with avague unease and trouble to my heart, and a swift and frequent turningto learn surely that no Evil Thing came after me. For, as you may know,I could nowise have forgetting, concerning that great quiet Life whichdid seem to be living in all the air around that Mighty Bulk. For it hadbeen all about me in the night, as I have told, and I to feel that I hadbeen surely discovered! And thus shall you know how shaken was myspirit, in verity.
Now, presently, at the eighteenth hour of that day's travel, I ceasedfrom my journeying, that I might eat and drink; and I did sit a littlewhile, and looked back upon the strange and monstrous thing which I hadcome beyond. And the great humped back and vast shoulders of theWatching-Thing rose up into the night, black and cumbrous against thered shine of the Pit. And thus, as you shall think, had that Brutelooked always unto the Mighty Pyramid, through Eternity, and did ceasenot from watching, and was steadfast and silent and alone; and none didunderstand.
And after I had eat, and drunk some of the water, I went onward for afull matter of six hours more; being minded to have no sleep until I hadput a great way between me and the Watcher. And in this part of myjourney did I come to The Place Where The Silent Ones Kill, as it wasnamed in the Maps. And I observed a very wondrous caution, and went awayfrom it a little, unto the North, where I did see at a distance theshinings of fire-holes; the which did promise me warmth through myslumber.
And here you must know that the Place Where The Silent Ones Kill was anutter bare place, where all did seem of rock, and no bush did seem togrow thereon; so that a man might not come to any hiding; though, intruth, there might be some hole here or there; yet was none shown in anymap within the Pyramid; neither did there seem to be any such to me, asI did creep there among the moss-bushes to the Northward of the Place,and look constant and fearful towards it; so that I should see quicklywhether any Silent One did move across all the grey quiet of that rockyplain.
And concerning this same Place Where The Silent Ones Kill, it were wellto make an explanation how that there was always a little andfar-spreaded light over all that lonesomeness; and the light wassomething grey-seeming; as it were that a lichen might grow upon therocks, and send out a little uncomfortable glowing, even as certainmatters do in these times, if you do but know the place and the time toseek them. Yet was the light exceeding weak, and very cold and dismal,and did seem truly to show naught with a sureness; so that it did appearto the eye, if one did look fixedly, that there were shadows that didmove here or there, as it were of silent beings; and none might know, intruth, whether this shaping of the greyness was to the clouding of theReason, or that the eye did see of Reality. Yet, if one did look withthe Great Spy-Glass, then might there be some surety and plainness; andlikewise was it so, if one did have come sufficient anigh to thatuncomfortable Place, even as I then did be. And so you shall conceivehow that I did slide very quiet from bush unto bush; for I had alway inall my life had a very dread fear of this place; and oft did I peer outinto the dim grey light of the lonesome plain unto my left; and wouldthink sometimes to perceive the shapes of the Silent Ones stood vagueand watchful; yet, on the instant, to see nothing.
And thus I did go onward, and came presently to a part where the greyplain did stretch out a bareness into the Night Land to my front; sothat my way ended, unless I did make a long passing round about.
And I sat there among the moss-bushes, and did consider, and lookt outcunningly through a spy-hole of the bush in which I did sit. And Iperceived that the part of the plain which did jut bareness into theLand before me had no greatness of size; but might be passed swiftly inbut a little running. And this thing should save me a wearisome goinground; so that I made to consider it with a serious mind; and all thetime did I search the bare greyness before me, and saw presently that itwas surely empty.
And I made to adventure myself across, running very swift until I hadcome to the far side. And lo! as I did go to rise up out of the bush,mine eyes were opened, as it were, and I saw that there was somethingamid the constant greyness; and I fell quickly into the bush; and didsweat very chill; but yet did haste to look.
And I saw now that there were, in truth, matters that did show vagueupon that part of the plain that was before me. And I did peer veryconstant and anxious, and, behold, I saw that there was facing me, agreat line of quiet and lofty figures, shrouded unto their feet; andthey moved not, neither made they any sound; but stood there amid thegreyness, and did seem to make an unending watch upon me; so that myheart went unto weakness, and I did feel that there was no power of themoss-bushes to hide me; for, in verity, they that stood so silent werecertain of the Silent Ones; and I was very nigh to the Place ofDestruction.
Now, I moved not for a time; but was made stiff by the greatness of myfear. Yet I was presently aware that the Silent Ones came not towardsme; but stood quiet; as that they did mind not to slay me, if but I didkeep from that Place.
And there grew therefrom a little courage into mine heart, and I obeyedmy spirit, and took an hold of my strength and went slowly backward inthe bushes. And presently I was come a long way off. Yet troubled anddisturbed, and very strict to my going.
And I made a great circling about that place where the plain of theSilent Ones did come outward; and so did gain to the North-West; and wasthence something the happier in my heart; and went easily, and oft uponmy feet; yet making a strong watching to every side.
And so I came at the last to a time when I had walked throughfour-and-twenty weariful hours; and was eager that I should come to asafe place for my sleep; yet did lack a happy belief of safety, in thatI had come twice anigh to so grim trouble; and unsure I was that I didnot be secretly pursued in the night. And this you shall believe to be avery desperate feeling; and a plight to make the heart sick, and to longwith a great longing for the safety of that mine Home. Yet had I putmyself to the task; and truly I did never cease to the sorrowfulremembering of that utter despair that had sounded to me plain in thelast calling of mine own love, out of all the mystery of the night. Andbut to think upon this was to grow strong in the spirit; yet to have afresh anxiousness that I did the more surely keep my life within me, andso come to that maid's salvation.
Now, as you shall mind, I had spied the shine of certain fire-holessomewhat to the Northward, and had thought to make thereabouts a placefor my sleep; for, in truth, there was a bitterness of cold in all theair of night that did surround me; and I was warmed nigh to a slowhappiness, by thinking upon a fire to lie beside; and small wonder, asyou shall say.
And I made presently a strong walking unto that place where did glow inthe night the shine of the fire-holes, as I did well judge them to be;and so was like to have come over-swiftly upon my death, as you shallpresently see; for, as I came anigh to the first, I perceived that thelight came upward out of a great hollow among the moss-bushes, and thatthe fire-hole burned somewhere in the deep of the hollow; so that I didbut look upon the shine thereof.
> Yet very eager was I to come to that warmth; and I made more of hastethan care, as I did hint; and so came very swift to the top of thehollow; yet was still hidden by the kindness of the moss-bushes.
And as I made to thrust forward out of the bushes, that I might look andgo downward into the hollow, there rose up to me the sound of a verylarge voice, and deep and husky. And the voice was a dreadful voice thatdid speak as that it said ordinary things, and in a fashion so monstrousas that it were that a house did speak, and, in verity, this is astrange thing to say; yet shall it have the truth of my feelings andterror in that moment.
And I drew back swiftly from discovering myself; and was then all fearedto move, or to make to go more backward, lest that I should giveknowledge that I was come anigh. And likewise did I shiver lest that Iwas even then perceived. And so shall you have something of the utterfear that did shake me. And I abode there, very quiet, and moved not fora very great space; but did sweat and shake; for there was a monstroushorridness in the voice that did speak.
And as I crouched there within the moss-bushes, there came again thelarge voice, and it was answered by a second voice; and thereupon therearose, as it did seem, the speech of Men that must have the bigness ofelephants, and that did have no kindness in all their thoughts; but wereutter monstrous. And the speech was slow, and it rose up out of thehollow, brutish and hoarse and mighty. And I would that I could make youto hear it, and that you could but borrow mine ears for a little moment,and forthwith be shaken with that utter horror and an afraidness, evenas was I.
Now, presently, there was a very long quiet, and I ceased at last alittle from mine over-fear; and later I did calm somewhat; so that Imade to shift my position, which was grown very uneasy.
And there was still no sound from the hollow. Wherefore, having a littleboldness and much curiousness, and these despite my great fearfulness, Iput forth mine hand, very cautious, and did move the mossbush a littlefrom my face. And I went forward upon the earth, and did lie upon mybelly; and was by this so close upon the edge of that place, that I wasabled to look downwards.
And you shall know that I peered down into that great hollow, and didsee a very strange and horrid sight; for, in truth, there was a largefire-hole in the centre of that place, and all about the sides therewere great holes into the slopes of the hollow, and there were great menlaid in the holes, so that I might see a great head that did show out tomy sight here, from one of those holes, and would seem to be that of amonstrous man heavy with sleep. And there I would see but the buttocksof another, as that he did curl himself inward to his brutishslumbering. And so was it all about; and to my memory there were maybe ascore of these holes; yet had I not time to the counting, as you shallsee. For, after that I had made but a glance, as it were, at thesesleeping and utter monstrous men, I perceived that there sat beyond thefire-hole, three great men, and they were each greater than elephants,and covered a large part with a stiff and horrid hair, that did be of areddish seeming. And there were upon them great segs and warts, as thattheir skin had been hides that had never known covering. And there wasbetween them the body of a mighty hound, so big as an horse, that theydid skin; and I judged that this beast was one of those fearsome bruteswhich we did call the Night Hounds.
Yet, as I should set down, they did nothing in that time in which Ilookt at them; but did sit each with a sharp and monstrous bloody stonein his fist, and did look to the ground, as that they heeded not theearth or the food that they did prepare; but did listen to some outwardsound. And you shall know that this brought to me a very swift andsudden terror; for I perceived now the why of their long silence; for,in verity, they had an unease upon them, being subtly aware that one wasanigh, even as are the brute beasts in this manner and kind, as all doknow.
And I made to draw back, and win unto safety, if indeed this thing wereto be done. And as I moved me, it may be that I shook a little earthinto the hollow; for there was, indeed, a little sifting of dry dustbelow me, as I did wot, being very keen to hear, by reason of my fright.And immediately did those three monstrous men look upward, and did seemto me to stare into mine eyes, as I did lie there hid amid themoss-bushes. And I was so put in fear that I did clumsily, and sentanother siftering of dust downward, as I did strive to go backward swiftand quiet from the edge. And all the time I did look through the bushesvery fixedly into the eyes of the giants; and lo, their eyes did shinered and green, like to the eyes of animals. And there rose up a roarfrom them that did nigh slay my soul with the horridness of the noise.And at that roaring, all the giants that did lie in the holes did awake,and began to come outward into the hollow.
Now, I was surely lost, and given over to destruction; for they hadpossessed me immediately, but that in that moment, as I went backward,the earth gave behind me, and I fell into a hole among the moss-bushesto my back, and I made first to come out very hurried, and all chokedwith a dust of sand and ash; but in a moment I was sane to know that Ihad come to a sudden hiding-place; and I lay very still and stroveneither to cough nor to breathe. And well for me, I came to so close ahiding; for there were all about me the sounds of monstrous footsteps,running, that seemed to shake the ground; though maybe this to be animagining bred of my fear.
And shoutings of great voices there were; and the thudding of huge feetall about; and the noises of the bushes rustling; but presently thesearch drew away to the Southward. And I perceived that there had surelyfought for me some power of good fortune. And I came up out of the hole,very cautious, and shaken and a moment weak with the beating of myheart; yet with a lovely thankfulness for my salvation. And I gat meabout, and went swift through the moss-bushes to the North and West forthree hours, and ceased not to run upon my hands and knees. And by thattime was I come a great way, and did have a surety in my heart ofpresent safety.
And I ceased to run, and lay quiet; for, in truth, I did near swoon awaywith the hardness of my travel. And indeed as you shall know, I hadslept not for seven-and-twenty hours, and had scarce ceased to labour inall that time. Moreover, I had eat not, neither drunk, for nine hours;and so shall you conceive that I was truly a-weary.
And, presently I did slumber there as I lay, and all abroad to anymonstrous thing that should come along. Yet did I wake unharmed, andfound by my dial there had gone by a full ten hours, the while that Idid lie there and sleep unwotting. And I was sore perished with the coldof the Night; for I had not the warmth of my cloak about me, and mybelly was very empty.
And I stood me up, and did peer about for any dread matter, but allseemed proper, and I began to stamp my feet against the earth, as thatI would drive it from me, and this I do say as a whimsy, and I swungmine arms, as often you shall do in the cold days; and so I waspresently something warmed. And I dismantled my cloak, and wrapped itabout me, and did feel that the Diskos was safe to my hip.
Then did I sit me down, and did glow a little with relish, in that Ishould now eat four of the tablets; for, indeed, these were my properdue, by reason of my shiftless fasting ere I came so wotless to myslumbering. And the memory of that eating doth live with me now, so thatI could near to smile; for the eagerness of mine inwards was proper andhuman; yet were even four tablets but a little matter to so great anemptyness; and I drank a double portion of the water, that I might makeless the void. And this thing was seemly; for, indeed, there were twoportions due unto me.
And when I had eat and drunk, I did fold the cloak once more to shapeacross my shoulder, as I did carry it; and afterwards I took the Diskosinto my hand, and went forward again to the North and West.
Yet, as you shall know, I did pause a little in the beginning, and peerto every side for any close danger; and then did look more abroad ofthat place; but could nowhere see any matter to have me to immediatefear. And afterwards, I looked a little while at the monstrous humpedback of the Watcher of the North-West; and it did grow to me howsteadfast that thing did look toward the Mighty Pyramid; and this set meto new hatred and horror of the Monster, as you shall conceive andbelieve.
And presently, I looked beyond the Watcher, unto the vast Mountain ofthe Great Redoubt; and I was still seeming close upon it; yet, in truth,gone a long and weariful distance. But this you shall understand was bythe greatness and utter height and bulk of that shining Mountain ofLife.
And strange and wonderful it was to me to think that even in that onemoment, it might be that the dear Master Monstruwacan did look upon myface, through the Great Spy-Glass. And I should not seem utter far tohim, by reason of the power of the big Glass. But to me, as I did lookupward through the Night, unto that far and utmost light in the upperblackness of the everlasting gloom, it did seem doubly to me that I wasafar off and lost forever from mine Home. And this thinking did breed inme such a great and lonesome feeling, and a weakness of the heart andspirit, that forthwith I took my courage close unto me, and did turnaway quickly; and went onward to the North and West, as I have told.
Now I walked for twelve hours, and in that time, did eat and drinktwice; and made onward again very steadfast, and happy that all did goso quiet with me; so that it was as if I had at last come to a part ofthe Land that was given over to quietness, and lacking of monsters.Yet, in truth was I come to a worse place than any, maybe; for as I wentforward, striding very strong, and making a good speed, I did hearpresently a little noise upward in the night, and someways unto my left,that had seeming as that it were a strange low sound that did come downto me out of an hidden doorway above; for, indeed, though the sound didcome from very nigh, as it did seem no more than a score feet above myhead, yet was it a noise that did come out of a great and mightydistance, and out of a Foreign Place. And I did know the Sound; thoughnever, as you may suppose, could I have heard it in all my life. Yet hadI read in one of the Records, and again in a second and a third, howthat certain of all they that had adventured from the Pyramid into theNight Land to seek for knowledge, had chanced to hear a queer andimproper noise above them in the Night; and the noise had been strange,and did come from but a little way upward in the darkness; yet was alsofrom a great and monstrous distance; and did seem to moan and humquietly, and to have a different sounding from all noises of earth. Andin the Records it was set forth that these were those same Doorways InThe Night, which were told of in an ancient and half-doubted Tale of theWorld, that was much in favour of the children of the Pyramid, and notdisdained by certain of our wiser men, and had been thus through all thelatter ages.
And I did seem to know the sound upon the moment; for my heart grewswift to understand. And it was a very dread uncomfortable sound; andyou shall know how it did seem, if you will conceive of a strange noisethat doth happen far away in the Country, and the same noise to seem tocome to you through an opened door near by. And this is but a poor wayto put it; yet how shall I make the thing more known to you? So that Imust even trust unto your wit and true sympathy that you shall conceiveof the fullness of my meaning.
Now, in all the Histories of those that had adventured into the NightLand, there were but three sure Records that did concern this Sound; andeach did tell of a Great Horror; and of them that did hear the Soundthere had died the most part, out in the Night Land. And the Records didmake always that they had come upon Destruction, and not simply untoDeath; but were destroyed by a strange and Invisible Evil Power from theNight.
And of those that came alive unto the Pyramid, they had all one strangetale to tell, how that there were secret and horrid Doorways In TheNight. Yet how this thing could be plain to them, who may know truly;save it be that the eyes of their spirits did behold that which was hidto the eyes of the flesh.
And there was afterwards writ a proper and careful treatise, and did setout that there did be ruptures of the Aether, the which did constitutedoorways, as those more fanciful ones did name them; and through theseshatterings, which might be likened unto openings--there being no betterword to their naming--there did come into this Particular Condition OfLife, those Monstrous Forces Of Evil, that did dominate the Night, andwhich many did hold surely to have been given this improper entrancethrough the foolish and unwise wisdom of those olden men of learning,that did meddle overfar with matters that did reach in the end beyondtheir understanding. And this thing have I told before, and it doth seemproper unto my belief; for it is always thus, and I have that same taintwithin me, as must all that have the zest of life.
Now, by this that I have set down swiftly, to make a little clear thesure horridness of this Sound, you shall know, even with me, the greathorror that did come immediately upon my Spirit; and I did know that mySearch was surely like to have an end in that moment; and I bared minearm, for my teeth, where the Capsule did lie below the skin; and so wasready to an instant Death, if that Destruction did come upon me. And inthe same moment, I did fall silent, inward among the moss-bushes, anddid begin to creep very quiet toward the right; for, as you will mind, Ihad heard the Sound over beyond my left. And all that time, as I didcreep, there was a great sickness upon me, and it did seem that my mouthhad weakened unto water; so that I could scarce hold my teeth tightlyfrom unseemly clitterings.
And I crept always very silent, and did often stare quick and painfulover my shoulder, upwards, and this way and that; but did never seeanything; neither could I hear now the Sound.
And I went thiswise for a great hour, and was like to faint through theeffort of my care and the soreness of my going. But upon the end of thatlong while, I grew something easier in the Spirit, and did perceive thatI was saved from the Destruction that I had come so dreadful anigh. Andthis thing, it may be, was because that I did chance to hear it, whilstyet it was beyond, and before I did come right unto it, to pass below.Yet may I be wrong in this thought, and do but make a guessing. But, asI shall here explain; after that time, I kept mine ears newly keen untohearing; and did chide my Spirit, for that it had not taken account ofthat Sound a great while earlier. Yet, as I did presently conceive, thespirit had no power to hear that thing; which was very strange; buttruly so.
Now, because that I went with a very wary hearing, I heard the Soundonce a far way off before me, and I hid upon the moment, and wentbackward, and after a while, did judge myself to have come unto safety;and so it was, in verity, for I heard no more that time. And so did Icome presently unto the eighteenth hour, and did eat and drink, and mademe a place of slumber in a little hollow of a rock that stood upward outof the moss-bushes. And I slept for six hours, and afterwards waked,and was come to no harm.
And after I had eat and drunk again, I did look outward over the NightLand, and with particularness to that part that I did travel in, as itmight be called, the yesterday. And I did observe it to be a very bleakand desolate Country, and not given over to fire, or other warmth, norto sulphur-vapours; but to be very quiet, and with but a little light inall its breadth. And I could conceive that it was no place for anythingof life to desire; but rather to avoid; and that Country did seem to beyet all about me; for I was by no means come clear from it at that time;though, Northward, there was a glimmer, as of fire-holes; and beyondthose, the strange shining of the Plain of Blue Fire. And, after that Ihad thought awhile, I did believe that I should meet no Monster ofNatural Life in all that Country of Desolation, until I did draw nigh,once more unto fire. And I conceived that this Sound from out of theinvisible Doorways might yet trouble me; but whether the quietness ofthat part was because all of natural life did fear the Sound, or becausethat there was neither fire nor warmth, I do not say, having no knowingin this matter; but may yet believe that it was to be laid to bothcauses; and this doth seem of common reason, as you shall agree.
And when I had looked a while unto the Mighty Pyramid, which was nowtruly a great way off; for I had walked so many weary hours; I turned meonce more to my journeying. And here let me observe that I had gone veryfar; yet not so distant, as might be thought; for, oft, I did go lessthan one mile in an hour or maybe two hours, having to be of greatcaution, and oft to hide, and to go upon my belly, or to crawl, all asmight be. And, further, as you may have perceived, I made not a straightforwardn
ess; but did strike this way and that way, being very intent toescape the Monsters and Evil Forces that were all about.
Now, because that I believed that I travelled in a Place where wassurely to be discovered those strange Doorways within the Night, I madean especial care of my going; and did stop oft that I might listen, andwatch, and keep a very strict ward in all the Night about me. Yet, asyou shall see, this served not to prevent me from going forward into thefearfulness of that which did haunt all the void; for, sudden, as I wentcarefully, I heard a faint humming noise come downward from the night alittle unto my rear; and the humming noise did grow more plain, as thata door were opened slowly above, and did let out that Sound ever moreloud. And surely, after I did hear that, I could not doubt that a doorwere opened upward there; for the noise did grow in such wise as youshall hear a distant sound come through, when a door truly is oped; for,if the noise had been made just in that place, it had seemed to comefrom there; but this Sound, though it did come _through_ there, was asthat it did come outward from some far lost and foreign Eternity. Andthis I do struggle always to make plain; and you shall not blame me thatI think overmuch upon it; for, in truth there was an horror so wondrousand drear about it, that I can forget not; but do strive always thatothers should know with me that peculiar woe and terror that did hauntthe night.
Now, as you will see, I had in truth gone past the place where theDoorway in the Night did open; yet had come to no harm; but rather itdid seem that it opened by chance, unwotting that I was anigh; or it maybe that my quiet passing did disturb an Evil Power, so that it did evencome to listen, or to make search. And all this doth pass through mybrain, as I do write, and it doth seem to me that my thoughts are butthe thoughts of a little child, before so great a mystery; and that Itouch not even the edge and fringe of the truth with my thinkings, andso do cease upon them; and will but go forward so plain as I may with mytelling. Now, as you may truly believe, when I heard that Sound, and didunderstand that I had, in verity, come past beneath that Place, I didsurely sicken to an utter weakness of body and heart, though it was butfor a moment; and then was I swift hid within the close shelter of thelow and thick moss-bushes.
And I shook in all my being, and crept, shaking, upon my hands andknees, and did near totter to my face thrice, so weak gone was I in thatmoment of terror; and I did have a wickedness of forgetting in thattime; for I bared not mine arm, to have the Capsule to a readiness formy death, if that did need to be; and this was an abominablefoolishness, and I do shake now when I think upon it; for Death is but alittle matter by the side of Destruction; though, in truth, dreadfulenough for all. Yet, as it did chance, no harm came to me, and I gataway, as that some wondrous power did cast a viewless cloak about me,that I might be utter hid; and oft have I wondered whether this wastruly so; but have no knowing.
And, presently, I ceased from fleeing, and had some calmness, and dideat and drink; and so came to the comfort of a firm spirit, the whichhad been sore troubled, above all understanded causes, by that horridsounding upward in the Night. And after that I had eat and drunk, I didrest a little; but afterward, went onward to the Northward, goingtowards that place where the fire-holes did glimmer, the same being bythis time no great way off.
Then, as I did come anigh, I thought to hear once again the Sound in thenight, and I stopt very swift, and hid into the moss-bushes, and didlisten; but did hear naught; and so was hopeful that fancy did play uponme. Yet, because of this matter, I went upon my hands and knees for agood way; and so came at last nigh unto the shine of one of thosefire-holes, the which I did see for so long.
Now, as you shall suppose, I went very cautious through the bushes, untothat red-shining fire; being careful, both that I did attract not anyEvil Force that might listen in the Night, and because that there mightbe some Monster nigh to the fire-hole. But, presently, when I was comeso that I could peer through the bushes, I did see a little fire-holeset in a small hollow, and there did no thing seem to lurk anigh; andthe sight of that warmth did cheer me; for it was long since I did havethe comfort of such a matter.
And when I had lain hid awhile, that I might watch all about, I saw theplace to be safe and quiet; and I went out from the moss-bushes, and satdown a space from the fire, which did fill the pit in which it did liftand bubble. And the noise that it sent out was strange and slow, and itdid seem to gruntle gently unto itself in that lonesome hollow, as thatit had made a long and quiet grumbling there, through Eternity. And oftwas it still, and made no sound; and again would give an odd bubbling inthe quietness, and send off, as it did seem, a little smoke of sulphur,and afterward fall once more upon a quiet.
And so I did sit there very hushed and restful, and the loneliness didlie all about me, and the red shine of the fire-hole did glow soft inthe hollow; and I was glad to be quiet, for my heart was weary.
And there was to my back a little rock that did jut upward so high as aman; and the rock was warm and pleasant to lean upon, and moreover didseem to guard me from behind. And there I ate and drunk, and kept verystill; and so was presently rested. And this I did need, as you haveperceived; for I was gone sudden weary of the heart, as I did say; andthis might be because that I did never cease to have Destruction over meto companion my way, though as you will mind, I had been no more thantwelve hours afoot, since my last sleeping. Yet I doubt not you dounderstand.
And presently my heart grew strong again within me, and I had a warmthin my Spirit; and I got up from the earth, and stretched out mine arms;and I saw that my gear was safe upon me, and afterward did grip theDiskos, as it were newly.
Then I went away from the fire-hole, and climbed the far slope of thehollow, and went Northward. And there were before me many of thefire-holes; for I did perceive them to shine in the Night for a greatway; as it did seem that they were a path of red shinings that led meonward to the North-West of the light of the Plain of Blue Fire.
Now, I had a believing that I had come out of the Country where did lurkthose horrid Doorways in the Night; and I went not with so utter aweight upon my heart; and did feel that naught should come now upon theback of my neck, which had been an odd and troublesome fancy whilst thatI did creep through that Country of Gloom. Yet, as you shall know, Iwent with no foolish confidence; but with a great caution, and minehearing keen to hark, and a care to my steps, and did ever watch aroundme as I journeyed.
And because that I went forward in this proper and sedate manner, I hadgreat cause for a thankful heart, as you may perceive; for I had comeafter a long way to another of those hollows where did burn one of thefire-holes; and I made a pause upon the edge of the hollow in which itdid lie, and looked downward, keeping guarded within the moss-bushes,where they grew anigh to the top thereof. But there was no living thingthere to be seen, and I went downward, so that I should warm my body atthe fire. And lo! as I stood upon this side of the fire-hole, and turnedmyself about, I looked presently more keenly to the other side; for theyellowness of the earth did seem a little strange in one place. But Icould see with no plainness, because that there arose a glare from thefire against mine eyes; and I went round, that I should look the better;yet with no fear or thought of Evil in my heart. And, truly! when I wascome upon that far side of the fire-hole, lo! there was spread out inthe yellow sand of that place, a Curious Thing; and I went more nigh,and stooped to look upon it; and behold it moved, and the sand all aboutdid move for a great space; so that I gave back very swift, and swungupward with the Diskos.
And, strangely, I heard the sand to stir at my back, and I looked roundvery quick, and the sand rose upward in parts, and sifted back, andthere came to my sight odd things that did move and curl about.
And immediately, before I knew which way to go, I knew that the sand didshift under my feet, and did work and heave, so that I was tottered, andwas shaken also in the heart; for I knew not what to think in thatinstant. Then did I perceive that I was all surrounded, and I ran swiftupon the heaving sand, unto the edge of the fire-hole, and I turnedthere, and looked quickly;
for I did not know what this new Terrorshould be.
And I saw that a Yellow Thing did hump upward from out of the sand, asit had been a low hillock that did live, and the sand shed downward fromit, and it did gather to itself strange and horrid arms from the sandall about it. And it stretched two of the arms unto me; but I smote withthe Diskos, and I smote thrice; and afterward they did wriggle upon thesand. But this was not the end, as I did hope; for the Yellow Thingarose, and ran at me, as it might be that you should see a spider run.And I did leap backward, this way and that; but the monster had a greatswiftness; so that I did seem surely lost.
Then made I a strong and instant resolve; for I perceived that I had nohope to slay this thing; save that I should come at it in the body. AndI put everything to the chance, and made not to escape any more; but ranstraight in among the legs; and there were great hairs like to spinesupon the legs, and these had pricked me to the death, but that thearmour saved me.
Now, I had done this thing with a wondrous quickness; so that I wasunder the mighty arching of the legs before the Yellow Thing did wot ofmy intent. And the body was bristled with the great hairs, and poisondid seem to come from them, and to ooze from them strangely in great andshining drops. And the Monster heaved itself up to one side, that itmight bring certain of the legs inward to grasp me; yet in that momentdid I smite utter fierce with the Diskos--thrusting. And the Diskos didspin, and hum, and roar, and sent out a wondrous blaze of flame, as thatit had been a devouring Death; and it sundered the body of the YellowThing, and did seem as that it screamed to rage amid the entrailsthereof; so wondrous was the fury and energy of that trusted Weapon.
And I was covered with the muck of the thing; and the claws upon thelegs seized me, so that the grey armour did bend and crack to the mightthereof, and I grew sick unto death with the pain within; but smote withthe shining Diskos, using my left hand weakly; for my right was griptdreadful fast to my body. And lo! I was sudden free, and a great blowdid knock me far across the hollow, so that I was like to have falleninto the fire-hole; but fell instead upon the edge, and came backwardunto safety.
And I turned me about, and the Yellow Thing did throw the sand all ways,as it did die; but had lost power to come upon me. And for my part, Ilay weak upon the earth, and was no more able to fight; nor could I domore than breathe for a great while; but yet came presently to health,and made to examine my hurts.
Then I saw there was no great wound anywhere upon me; but only an utterbruising; and I found upon my right leg that there was a sharp and hairyclaw clipt about it; but the armour had saved me from harm of the horridthing; so that I did but kick it free with my left foot, and thence intothe fire-hole.
Now, by this time, that Monstrous Creature was dead; but I held off fromit, and went upon the other side of the fire; for I was yet surely inhorror of it. And I sat for a time, and did think upon all matters thatdid concern me; and I saw that I should have not comfort of heart, untilI was washed clean from the taint of the Monster.
And I gat me up wearily to go forth into the Night again, that I shouldmake a search for a hot spring, of which I had come past many. And I hadoft found them to be nigh unto the fire-holes; so that I was trustfulthat I should see one ere long. And lo! there was a little hollow justbeyond, and scarce a hundred paces off; and in the hollow, there didshine three small fire-holes, and there was a steaming puddle, as didseem, beyond the third of the holes.
Now, before I adventured downward into this place, I went all about thetopmost edge, and made a search of the moss-bushes about; but foundnaught that should scare me. And afterward, I went all across thehollow; but did find no monstrous thing hid anywheres. Yet, there wasthat in the place that discouraged me, and did keep me from strippingmine armour, so that I should bathe in the hot puddle; for I stept upona small serpent, and the same did lap about my leg; but could do me nohurt, for the armour, which was a very blessed protection. And I freedmyself from it with the handle of the Diskos.
And because that I could not go naked to my cleansing, I tried first thehotness of the water, which was not over great, and afterward did takeoff the scrip and the pouch, and the cloak, and laid them with theDiskos upon the edge of the warm puddle.
Then I stept into the water, and was immediately gone downward a greatway; for, truly it was no puddle as I had supposed; but a deep well, asyou might call it, of hot and sulphury water. And this doth show how aman may act foolishly, even when he doth believe that he hath a greatcaution; and surely it is borne in upon me afresh that none should trustover freely unto unproven matters, the which shall you heartily agreewith; but yet do as foolishly, according to your lights and characters.And so shall you laugh not over hardly upon me.
Now I had gone over the head, and, surely I do not know what deepnesswas there. Yet, as you shall think, I stayed not to consider upon thismatter; but made to climb out, and much shaken with my splutterings andthe smartings of mine eyes; for, truly, the water was strong withsulphur matters. Yet, very cleansing was it, as I did presently see; forthere was no more any taint or horridness upon mine armour, or the fleshof my face or hands. And I took the Diskos, and washed it clean, also;and then the cloak, and afterward the scrip and the pouch, and the bandsof the same.
And after I had done this, I was minded to dry myself by the littlefire-holes; but when I was come there, lo! maybe a score small serpentswere about those places; and I was strongly pleased that I should keepaway. Yet that I must warm and dry me in that desolate and bitter NightLand, you shall agree. And to this end, I put the scrip and the pouchupon me, and afterwards took the Diskos readily into my hand, and ranquietly unto the hollow where I did fight with the Yellow Thing. And thecloak I bore in my left hand.
Now, when I was gat there, I was truly glad to think that there were noserpents in that place; and because that I had slain the Monster of thePlace, how should it be that any harm might come unto me; for truly, wasit not like that a Creature of such Might should keep all that Hollowunto itself, and slay any that did come therein, and thereby preservethat place from all other horror; though, surely, until it did die andcease to Be, there had been no call for any greater abomination.
Now, all this did go through my brain, as I did sit to dry mine armourand my body and my gear, upon that side of the fire-hole which was awayfrom the slain Monster. And I made presently to think that this wouldbe a sure and proper refuge wherein to sleep; for, truly, it must havegotten a place where none other Creature should be like to come to workme harm. And it must be that you do all see with me in this matter, andcommend me that I thought with properness.
And so did I resolve that I put my disgust within my pocket, as we dosay, and stay safe and quiet within that Hollow. And this thing I didsurely, and did eat and drink; and presently I went over to the deadMonster, and made very sure that it was truly slain; which indeed itwas. And after that I had seen to this matter, I returned unto thefire-hole, and made a comfortable place in the sand, for my rest; for Iwas well dry by this.
And I wrapped the cloak about me, and took the Diskos to my breast, fora sure Companion, as it had truly proved in my need. And I could thinkalmost that it did nestle unto me, as that it knew and loved me; butthis thing can be no more than a fancy; and I do but set it down assuch, and that it doth show my feeling and mind at that time.
Then, ere I did compose myself to slumber, I looked about me, upward tothe edges of the Hollow, and I perceived that I was lost to the sight ofthe Mighty Pyramid; for I was come so far off that it looked not downfrom so wondrous a height, as you shall perceive; and moreover, theHollow was something deep.
And afterward, as I lay my head back upon the scrip and the pouch, whichwere to me my pillow, I went to think a little upon Naani, as alway Idid in my constant journeying; yet, presently, I strove sometimes that Iput her from my mind, that I should sleep; for a bitter sorrow andanxiousness was oft upon me when that I did think upon her; and this youmay know; for truly I knew not what terror was come to her, afar in thesilence of the Night.
And did I think overmuch, I should feel that Icould have no calmness needful to sleep; but to need to walk for everuntil I died, which could not be long; and so should I make afoolishness of mine anxious journeying to do her true service and tosave her from Destruction, if such did truly threaten.
And I was soon gone over to sleep, and waked not for seven hours, beingmuch wearied by the fight and the soreness of my body, the which did putme into a great pain as I did rise upward from my slumber. But this waspresently something less, and I eat two of the tablets and drank some ofthe water, and afterward did put my gear upon me, and went forward intothe Night, having the Diskos in my hand. And my heart was glad that Ihad come safe through the time of my sleep.
Now I walked six hours, and did stop a little to eat and drink, and wenton again. And it was in this second Third of the day that I saw afar tomy right, two strange and wondrous men, and they did shine, as they hadbeen made of a pale mist. And they came anigh, going very swift, and didseem as that they were maybe forty feet high, yet having no thickness;and I hid downward into the moss-bushes. And they past me, so quiet as acloud of this day might go, and did appear to be, if I did guess, but anhundred fathoms off; yet was this no sure thing; for their position hadno more surety than shall a rainbow have in this age. And so they weregone onward into the Night, and did seem to come out of the North. Andthey did appear not to wot of me; and whether they were harmful, I knownot, for they harmed not me.
And I lay there in the moss-bushes, until they were well gone away; andI had belief that they must be those same mist-men that were told of incertain of the olden Records; but were never seen anigh to the Pyramid;though I had thought, odd times, to see men, as of mist, through theGreat Spy-Glass, when I was within the Tower of Observation. But theywere always a mighty way off; and some would say it was but a brightvapour that did move; yet would others be in doubt, and so is it ever insuch matters.
And here let me take chance to say how that it is a hard thing to speakof such happenings to men of this age, and to make the truth proper untothem; and because of this, oft am I tempted to say no word upon manythings that I did see; yet must I tell my tale, or suffer from theweight of it within me. And so shall you hark to me and give me yoursympathy and human understanding. And concerning these mist-men, I havewondered oft whether they were the visible shape of some of those manyForces that were abroad in the Night Land; for they did truly seem to meas that a thing of Strange Life were half shown to my human eyes; yet Ido not know, and am but telling of my natural thoughts and ponderings.
Now, as I did say, those mist-men were never seen nigh unto the Pyramid,and were, as I did hint, always so far off that they were half givenover to the fables of the olden days, in the beliefs of the Peoples ofthe Mighty Redoubt; and set about with an halo of unrealness, for nonewithin the Great Pyramid had ever beheld them with surety.
And because that now I saw them anigh to me, it was borne in afresh uponmy spirit how greatly I had wandered away, and how that I stood afar inthe lonesomeness of that Land of Night; as it had been that a man ofthis Age did wander amid the stars, and perceive a great comet to go byhim very close; for then he should know in his heart how that he was faroff in the Void. And this I do say to you, that you may know somewhat ofthe emotions of my heart in that moment.
Yet, presently I shook free of my melancholy and lonesomeness and roseup out of the moss-bushes, and went onward. And, as ever, I thought muchupon the Maid that I did search for; yet strove to think quietlyconcerning her state; else should I have turned to running, and wreckedmy body before that I had gone any great way.
And that day, I passed seven large fire-holes, and two that were small;and always I came softly unto them; for there were oft living thingsabout the warmth. And at the sixth fire-hole, I did see that which I didthink to be a great man, that did sit to the fire, with monstrous kneesdrawn upward unto his chin. And the nose was great and bent downward;and the eyes very large, and did shine with the light from thefire-hole, and moved, watching, always this way and that, so that thewhite parts did show, now this side and now that. But it was notproperly a man.
And I went away very quiet from that place, and looked oft backward,until that I was sure of safety; for it was a very horrid Monster, andhad that place to be for a Lair, as I did judge from the smell thereof.
And when the eighteenth hour was come, I looked about for a safe placeto my sleep; and I kept away now from the fire-holes; for I did alwaysfind the more life there. Yet, when I came to my rest, I was lacking ofwarmth, by reason of this care; and could scarce sleep at all, becausethat I was so cold. Yet managed something of slumber after a while; butwoke very stiff, and was glad to beat my hands and bestir myself that Ishould come to some warmth of life.
And after that I had eat and drunk, I put my gear upon me, and took theDiskos in my hand, and went forward again upon my journey. And here Ishould tell that I was come soon unto the North-West border of the Plainof Blue Fire. And presently, I was but a little way off from it, and didgo direct to the North; so that the Plain was always upon my right.
Now this Plain was a strange and fearsome place, as you shall see; forit was as that a blue void did rise upward from the earth in all thecountry of that Plain. For, surely, the Plain did not lumber with flame;but was hid with a strange and inburning light, as of a shiningatmosphere of a cold blue colour. And it did throw no sure light uponthe Night Land, as had seemed proper; but was a very dreadful, coldshining, as of a luminous and blue void. And the moss-bushes grew nighto the edge of the plain, and did show to me black and strange againstthat horrid gloom of light.
And you shall know that I could not see into the plain; for it was asthat the cold blue light was a void that swallowed all within it; andgave no power to the eye that aught should be perceived. And it stoodbetween me and the Mighty Pyramid, and I could nowise see across. And Iknow not whether I do make all this matter clear unto you; for surely itis no easy task.
And presently I had gone very quiet upon my hands and knees through themoss-bushes; and I came near upon the edge of the Plain, and hid therein a clump of the moss-bush, and peered forth and harked. And I heardconstant voices that did call to one another across the Plain; as itwere that strange peoples of Spirits did wander within that blueShining, and did make a calling one to the other, and were all hid andheld apart. And surely I could see naught, and did judge, as I havewrit, that they likewise went blindly. And truly is this a strangematter to set out; and easy to think on with doubt. Yet as I did see, sohave I told; for, in verity, there were surely hidden Peoples of Spiritsscattered and lost afar upon that improper Plain.
And you shall judge that I kept safe hid; for whether this might haveany natural explaining, or whether it was a matter that did go utterbeyond knowledge of man, I did not know; for surely in that strangeLand, it did like to be an Horrid Danger in any case; and whether ofsome Monstrous Creatures, or of the Evil Forces of the Land, I didwisely to be away.
And for two days I did make a safe coasting of the Plain of Blue Fire;and did keep well off, maybe two great miles, among the moss-bushes. AndI made a very good speed through the darkness. And at the eighteenthhour of each journey, I made a place for my slumber; and the first I didmanage under a thick bush; but the second was high upon the ledge of arock that grew upward in the night amid the bushes. And, save that I wasbitter cold there did no harm come to me. And in all that time ofjourneying, I had no sight of the Mighty Pyramid; for the blind shiningof the Plain of Blue Fire was ever between.
Now there had been certain little matters in my journey beside the Plainof Blue Fire, which I have not set down; for they were of no account,and do but repeat much that I have told before. And, indeed, there wasnaught in that part of my journey, save that I did pass nineteen greatfire-holes, and four small; and did observe no life beside any, saveabout one of the great holes that there was no hollow around, and here Idid happen to see some strange and ugly creatures so big as my head,that did have a look of the scorpion of this Ag
e; but proportioned moresquat and thick. Yet, though they were naught to remark upon in thatLand, they had been but woeful bedmates to any man; as you may think.
And you shall know how it gave a rest to my spirit, that I did go solong with no trouble of the Monsters of the Night, or the Evil Forcesthereof. And I grew bolder to my journeying, and made ever a greaterspeed of going; and it was like that I took presently a less heed for mysafety, which was a wrong and foolish state. Yet there came no harm untome, in all that part of my travel.
Then, it was in the sixteenth hour of the third day of my journey besidethe Plain, that I did come out beyond the end of it, and had fresh sightof the Mighty Pyramid, afar in the night upon my Right. And I stoptthere in a bare place among the moss-bushes, and did in a weak momenthold up the Diskos, so that I make a salute unto the Pyramid, Mine Home;for truly was I so utter glad to behold it once more.
And in a little while was I aware that there was a disturbance of theaether of the world all about me; so that it did seem that there hadbeen one at the Great Spy-Glass to watch for my coming into their sightfrom behind the shining of the Plain of Blue Fire.
And it was like that news had gone downward through the Cities of theGreat Redoubt; so that they did print the word of it in the Hour-Slips;and by this there would be many great Millions thinking upon me, and arushing unto the Embrasures, that they might spy out at me. Yet I doubtthat any glass might perceive me surely at so great a space, save thepower of the Great Spy-Glass in the Tower of Observation. But theEmotion of the Millions to reach to me.
And you shall know that it did seem homely and sweet unto me to hear allabout me the shaking of the aether of the world, and to be ware that somany did think humanly upon me, and had prayers unto my safety.
And it was a strange thing to stand so utter far off in the Night, andto look back to that Everlasting Hill of Light, that was grown somethingsmall by the distance, and to have surety that I was lookt upon throughthe Great Spy-Glass, maybe by the kindly eye of my dear friend theMaster Monstruwacan, and so keenly that he could, it might be, makealmost to guess the look within mine eyes, as I did gaze backward untothat Mine Home.
Yet, though this dear and homely sympathy was a sweet and companionablething to my heart, it came swift to my thought that I was in a soredanger, if that they ceased not quickly to think so onely upon me; forsurely was I not come over-near unto that _dreadful_ House of Silence;and well might so much Emotion of the Millions tell unto the HorridPower that dwelt within, how that I was even anigh. And so shall you seethe mixt feelings that came upon me everyway.
Yet, as it did chance, the aether was quieted in a little; for it didneed unity of the Millions (being that they were untrained to theirspiritual powers) to stir the aether. And so was I more easy of mind,and went forward again upon my way.
Now, as it did chance, at the eighteenth hour, I was come to a placewhere I heard a noise of water; and I went to my left, that I might comeupon it; and there boiled a hot fountain that went up out of the rock ofthat place. And the water rose upward in a column, and was, maybe, sothick as my body; and it fell unto the North, for the water came not upstraightly, but did shoot out from the earth unto that way. And I sawthe thing plain; for there were many fire-holes all about, as you shallhave wotted from my telling; and so was there a certain and constantlight in that part of the Land.
And I followed the water that ran from the fountain, and tried it withmine hand; but found it to burn; and so did go further beside it; forpresently it should be no hotter than I did need. And it went onward,winding among the moss-bushes, and sent up a constant steam, that hungabout it; and the steam made a red cloud about the way that it did go;for the lights from the fire-holes made a shining upon it; and so was ita wondrous pretty sight.
Now, presently, I tried the stream again, and found it to be nicelywarm; and I sat upon a little rock, and took off my foot-gear, that Imight bathe my feet, which were gone something tender; moreover, I didache to have the sweetness of water about me. And I made that I shouldbathe my feet, and afterwards find a place among the moss-bushes, and soeat and drink, and have my slumber.
Then, as I did sit there beside that warm stream, with my feet dabbledtherein, I heard sudden, afar off, the voice of a mighty Night-Hound,baying in the night. And the sound came from the North-West of the Plainof Blue Fire. And there was afterward a quiet; and you shall see mesitting there upon the rock by the side of that smoking river, and thesteam all about me, and my feet within the lovely warmth of the water;and I very still and frozen with a sudden fear; for, it did seem to me,in an instant, that the Night-Hound might surely be upon the track of mygoings.
And after that there had passed a little time, the while that I didlisten very keen, lo! there burst out in the night, as it did seemscarce a mile off, the monstrous deep baying of the giant Hound. And Iknew surely that the Brute did track me, and a sick and utter horror didfall upon me; so that I could scarce get my foot-gear upon me, oncemore. Yet, in truth, I was not long to the matter, and was to my feet,and did hold the Diskos ready; and very desperate I was to the heart;for it is ever a fearsome thing to be put in chase, and the worse anhundred times when there is a sure knowledge that a deathly Monster dothbe the pursuer.
Now, I did stand there but a moment it did seem, to make an anxiousconsidering how that I might best assure me some chance to live throughthis swift coming Danger. And then did I think upon the stream, to useit, and I leapt quick therein, and did run very strong down the middlepart, which was nowheres so much as thigh-deep, and oft not above mineankles. And as I did run, there came again the bellow of that direBrute, following, and was now, as mine ears did say, scarce the half ofa mile to my rear.
And I did run but the stronger, for the dread of the sound; and so,maybe, for a little minute; and after that time, I stopt from mine heavyrunning, and went very wary, that I made no loud splashing; for by nowthe Monster-Brute should be something anigh to that place where I didenter the stream. And I looked round, with a constant looking; but didsee no surely visible thing; though my fear did shape me an Hound fromevery shadow of the moss-bushes about me.
Then, in a moment, I did hear the Great Beast; for it bayed but alittle way up the stream, as that it had overshot the place where thescent did end. And immediately, I sank swiftly into the water, which wasthere so deep as my knee, and turned upon my belly. And the water surgedover my shoulders; for I kept my head above. And so I did look eager andfearful through the steam into the shadows and the half-darkness,towards where I did think to see the Night-Hound.
And in a moment I saw it coming; and it was a little vague, by reason ofthe smoke of the river; yet did seem black and monstrous in the gloom,and great as a mighty horse. And it went past me at a vast andlumbersome gallop; but I did not see it in that moment; for I dived myhead down unto the rock of the river bottom, and held downward, untilthat I was like to burst for sore longing of breath.
Then I put upward my head, and took swift and deep breathings, and looktabout me, very cautious and fearful, as you can know. And I heard theNight-Hound casting round among the moss-bushes, and it did send up awild and awesome baying; and I heard the bushes brake and smash beneathit, as it did run to and hither. And afterward there was a quiet; yet Imoved not; but stayed there, very low in the water, and did have athankful heart that it was warm and easy to persist in; for I had surelydied of a frozen heart, if that it had been cold; for, by this time, youdo know even with me, how bitter was the chill of the Land.
Now, I had been awhile lain thus upon my belly, and heard no sound fromthe monstrous Hound. Yet, I ceased not to be full of an horrid unease,concerning the Great Beast; for I did better to know what it did, thanto have no knowing. And, sudden, I heard the sound of it, running veryswiftly and coming nigh; and it passed me, and did go up the stream; andthere was surely a quick stupor upon me; for I ducked not my head underthe water; but stayed very still; which as it did chance, was maybe notsuch an utter foolishness; for my head did seem in that half-
gloom tobe, mayhap, no more than a little rock in the water, and I made no moveto tell of life; yet should the Hound have smelled me; and that itfailed in this matter, doth be a puzzle to me.
And as the great Night-Hound past me, it tore the earth and the bushes,with the exceeding strength that it put forth to run, and clods of theearth and stones of bigness were cast this way and that by the feet ofthe Hound, running. And so shall you have a little knowledge of thestrength of that Beast.
And the Hound ran on into the distance, and presently, I heard it bayingin the Night. Then I rose, and went onward, down the warm stream, andmade a strong walking, yet keeping alway to the water; and oft did stopa little that I should listen; and always I heard the Night-Hound agreat way off in the night, baying, and seeming that it did surely runto and fro, searching.
Now, I journeyed thus for twelve hours, and the baying of the Houndmaking search, did never cease. And I kept always to the water, as Idid say, that I should leave no scent unto the Hound. And by that twelveweary hours had gone, I found that I was come anigh unto the House ofSilence. And this put me in great trouble; as you may perceive; forsurely had mine whole effort been to the end that I should avoid thatHouse, by a great way. Yet had the Hound driven me thus a-near.
Now I saw that the small river did go onward, and did make a breachacross the Road Where The Silent Ones Walk; and I determined in my heartthat I should leave the water, which was now grown nigh to a bittercold, in that it was so long upon the face of the Land. Yet chiefly didI mind to leave the water, that I should come no more anigh unto thatHouse of Silence; for the water did go that way. And I stood awhile, anddid listen for the baying of the Hound; but could hear it no more; anddid have a surety within me that it was indeed gone from searching forme.
Then I came out of the water, and went forward, stooping and creeping,among the moss-bushes, going outward to the Westward of North, so that Ishould go away so quickly as I might from the nearness of the House.Yet, lo! I was gone upon my hands and knees no more than an hundredfathoms, when I did find the moss-bushes to cease to the Westward, for agreat way, and there to be a great bareness of rock, which, in truth,was much shown thereabout. And I dared not to go outward upon that nakedLand; for then I had not been hid by the moss-bushes; but had stoodplain there for all things of the Night to behold; and moreover, thoughI could nowise have a sure knowledge concerning this matter, yet did Ihope within me that I should make a sure hiding from the Power of theHouse of Silence, did I but go very low among the bushes. But, indeed,it was like enough that naught could give me hiding; yet should I loseno chance unto my safety.
And because of this, I went backward among the bushes, and ceased toescape out unto the Westward. And I found presently, that themoss-bushes made but a narrow growth in that path, and grew only for awhile by the side of the Great Road; so that I was surely fain to keepnigh to the Road, that I have the covering of the bushes.
And, in a while, I found the Road Where The Silent Ones Walk, to bendinward at the North of the House of Silence; so that it came righthorridly close unto the House; for here the hill on which the House didstand, was very abrupt and fell steeply unto the Road. And so was thatDreadful House stood up there above me in the Silence, as that it didseem to _brood_ there upon the Land. And this side did seem truly as theother; and equal lone and dreadful. And the House was monstrous andhuge, and full of quiet lights; and it was truly as that there had beenno Sound ever in that House through Eternity; but yet was it as that theheart did think each moment to see quiet and shrouded figures within,and yet never were they seen; and this I do but set down that I bringall home unto _your_ hearts also, as that you crouched there with me inthose low moss-bushes, there beside the Great Road, and did look upwardunto that Monstrous House of Everlasting Silence, and did feel theutterness of silence to hang about it in the night; and to know in yourspirits the quiet threat that lived silent there within.
And so shall you have mind of me, hid there among the bushes, and soddenand cold; and yet, as you will perceive, so held in my spirit by anutter terror and loathing and solemn wonder and awe of that Mighty Houseof Quietness loomed above me in the Night, that I wotted not of themisery of my body, because that my spirit was put so greatly in dreadand terror for the life of my Being.
And also you shall have before you, how that I knew in all my body andsoul, that I stood anigh to that Place where but a little while gonethere had passed inward so dreadful to an everlasting Silence and HorridMystery those poor Youths.
And after that you have minded you of this, you shall consider how thatthe memory of all my life held dread thoughts of the monstrousness ofthat House; and now was I anigh unto it. And it did seem to my soul thatthe very Night about it, held an anguish of quiet terror. And always mymind did come back to the sheer matter that I was so anigh. And thisthing I do say unto you once and again; for truly, as you do see, ithath imprinted itself deep into my spirit. Yet shall I now cease fromsaying further in this manner; for, surely, you shall never know allthat was in mine heart; and if I cease not, I do but be like to wearyyou.
And so did I hide and creep, and oft pause to a time of shaking quiet;and afterward gather something of new courage, and go onward; and peerupward at that monstrous House, stood above me in the night. Yet, as itdid come about, I came presently clear of that horrid place; for theRoad came round again unto the North, and I began that I made a betterway through the moss-bushes; but never that I grew to much speed; for Ihad oft to go about, that I should miss a naked part here, and anotherthere; for truly there was an abundance and bareness of rock, so thatthe bushes grew not so thick as I could wish.
And in the space of five hours was I clear of that House; and did have agreater ease about my heart; but yet was not free to come to food nor toslumber, the both of which I did sorely need; for I had slept neithereat for a weariful time, as you do know. But first I must go further offfrom the House, and afterwards come to some fire-hole, that I should drymyself and get warmth again into my body, which was bitter cold.
And now that I had come unto the Northward of the House of Silence,there came to me a great Wonder, which bred in me a mighty Hope andGladness. For as I did go among the bushes, there broke sudden allaround me in the aether, the low and solemn beat of the Master-Word. Andthe throb of the Word was utter weak; so that one moment I did say untomyself that I heard, and in a moment that I did not; yet had I no properdoubt in my heart.
And I reasoned with myself, and with a great shaking of excitement andexpectation upon me, that the Master-Word came not from the GreatPyramid, which should have power to send it as a Great Force across theeverlasting Night; whilst that this that throbbed about me was faint andscarce to be known even unto the keenness of the Night-Hearing, whichwas mine.
And, immediately, as I crouched low there, and thrilled with the hopethat was bred in me, lo! there seemed to come the far faint voice ofNaani, calling with a little voice within my spirit. And I thought thecry to have an utterness of supplication within it; so that I grewdesperate to up and go to running; yet did curb such foolishness, andstayed very hushed, to listen.
But I heard no more; yet was shaken continually with the Joy and Hopewhich this calling did breed in me, for truly did it seem now that I wasright that I did determine to go unto the North; for sure was I now thatthe Lesser Redoubt lay that way in the Night. And it did seem plain untome, that the House of Silence had put a barrier between; and had powerto withhold so weak a calling. And now had I come beyond the Barrier.And I did perceive in my heart how that Naani had called off, maybe inthe sadness of Despair; yet had the weak crying of her brain-elementsbeen held from me by the horrid power of the house; and surely, as I didthink, it was well named; for it did make a silence.
And so shall you stay with me in your hearts, and take to ourselvessomething of the new Gladness that held all my being; for it did seemtruly that my bitter task and adventuring should not in the end beoffered to Uselessness; and that I did truly draw unto that far place inthe Ever
lasting Night, where mine own Maid did cry for me, that I shouldsuccour her.
And ever as I went, did I hark; but there was no more the low eating ofthe Master-Word in the Night; not at that time.
And presently, I spied outward to the West, as it did seem a good mileoff in the night, the shining of a fire-hole; and I began to plan that Ishould come unto that place, and have warmth and dryness, and food andslumber. And, in verity, so set was I to the need of these matters thatif there did be a Monstrous Thing nigh to the fire--as was so oft thecase--then would I give battle unto it; for neither my Joy nor mylabours did serve to put warmth into my body; and I must surely comeanigh to fire, or die.
Then, as I kneeled upward among the moss-bushes, and made to lay a truecourse unto the fire-hole, I perceived that there came a Being alongthe Road unto my right; and I went low into the bushes, and moved not;for truly I had seen that there drew nigh one of the Silent Ones.
And I made a little place that should let me to see; and I spied out,with an utter caution; and lo! the Being came on very quiet, and with nohurry. And in a time, it went by me on the road, and did take no heed tome; yet did I feel that it had knowledge that I stoopt there among themoss-bushes. And it made no sound as it went; and was a Dreadful thing;yet, it did seem unto my heart, as that it had no trouble of WantonMalice to work needless Destruction to any. And this, I crave strangelythat you to understand; for it was so to me that I had a quiet and greatrespect for that thing; and did feel no hatred; yet was very dreadly infear of it. And it was Huge in size, and was shrouded unto its feet, andseemed, maybe ten feet high. Yet, presently, it was gone onward down theRoad, and I was no more troubled by it.
Then did I make no waste of time; but set off unto the fire-hole; andkept so much to shelter as I might; but was oft made to run over bakedplaces, ere that I should come to more of the bushes.
And I came presently nigh unto the fire-hole, and made a pause, andcrept unto it, with a great care. And I found it to be in the bottom ofa deep hollow of the rock of that part. And the rock was clear lookingof all living matters, the which did make me to be glad. And I wentround about the top of the hollow, carrying the Diskos very handily; butthere was nowhere any living thing; and I feared not to go downward intothe deep hollow, and so unto the fire-hole, which lay in the bottom, asyou have perceived.
And when I was come there, I made a close search of the rock, and foundit was very sweet and warm; and there were no serpents, neither anystinging creatures; so that a certain comfort came upon my spirit.
Then stript I off mine armour and gear, and afterward all my garments,so that I stood naked there in the hollow. Yet was that place almost sowarm as some mild oven, and I had no fear to suffer from the cold of theNight Land; but was uneasy lest that any monstrous thing should be anighto come to take me so unawares.
Now I wrung the garments, and spread them upon the rock near unto thefire-hole, where it was hot; and I did rub my body very brisk with myhands, so that I glowed into health and had no fear of a stiffness.
And afterward, I did look to my food and drink, and to the matters inthe pouch; but there had no harm come to any, by reason of the tightnessof the scrip and the pouch, that had kept off the water. And I eat anddrank, there as I stood waiting for the garments to come to dryness; andI walked about a little, as I eat; for I was restless to be into minearmour swiftly. And now I did turn this garment upward of the dry side,and now that; but did find them to steam, so that I turned them manytimes before they were proper.
Yet, in truth, they dried in but a little while, and I gat me into themvery swift, and into the armour; and I felt the strength and courage ofmy spirit to come back into me, which had gone outward somewhat when Idid stand there so naked. And this feeling you shall all haveunderstanding of; and know that you would have felt that way, likewise,had you but stood there in that Land in so unhappy a plight.
And when I had come into mine armour, I put my gear upon me, and tookthe Diskos into my hand, and did climb out of the hollow; for I wouldfind a more secure place to my slumber, and did not dare to sleep inthat place; for it was beyond seven and thirty hours since that I didhave sleep; though as I do see by my count, I have made it to seem butas five and thirty; yet was a part consumed in diverse matters that Ihave not set down. And you shall mind how bitter had been my labour andweariness in all that time; and I did know of a surety that sleep mustcome heavily upon me; so that I was sorely in need that I should searchout a safe place; for I should not be lightly waked, until that I hadslept away the tiredness of my heart, and the weariful achings from mybody. And, indeed, I should mind you how that I was not yet come perfectfrom the bruising which I had gotten from the fight with the YellowThing.
And presently, when I had searched but a little while, I did find that arock stood upward from a great clumping of the moss-bushes unto my left;and I went over to the rock, and made a search about it. And I foundthat there was a hole into the bottom part of the rock, and I thrust theDiskos into the hole, and made the blade to spin a little, so that itsent out a light; but there was no thing in the hole, and it did seem adry and safe place for my sleep.
Then I turned me about, and went into the hole with my feet that way;and I found that it was so deep into the rock as the length of two men,and just so wide as I could lie in it without having it to pinch me. Andthere I made my bed in the hole, and went swift unto my sleep, andscarce had but a moment even to think upon Naani; and by this thingshall you know how utter was my weariness.
Now I waked of a sudden, and was very clear and refreshed. And I creptto the mouth of the hole, and lookt out; but there was all a quietnessround about, and nothing to threaten.
And I found that I had slept ten hours; so that I made a haste to eatand drink, that I should go forward swiftly upon my journey. And at thattime, as in the time when I did eat, naked, in the hollow, by thefire-hole, I eat four of the tablets; and this you shall understand tobe rightly due unto me, in that I had gone so long fasting in that mygreat journeying to come safe from the Hound, and to come past the Houseof Silence. And this shall seem but a little thing to you; yet was it awondrous important matter unto me, that had gone so long with an emptybelly, and was never satisfied. And neither should any be, that had eatso little as I did eat, and made to fill their belly always with a drinkof water. Yet, I doubt not but that it did keep my soul sweet andwholesome and no useful thing to the Powers of Evil of the Land.
And when I had made an end of so great a gorging, and had ceased to bedrunken with water, I gat my gear upon me, and took the Diskos into minehand, and so went forth once more towards the North.
And presently, I was nigh unto the Road again; for it did curvesomething Westward a space beyond. And I was sore tempted to go upon theRoad; for the ground was rough and the moss-bushes did catch my feet.Yet did I stay among the bushes, though the Road was true and smooth, bycompare. And by this telling, you will perceive that I walked once moreupright, and had given over to crawl between the bushes. And, in truth,this was so; for the Land did seem very quiet in all that part; and Ihad less of fear, now that I stood beyond the horrid unease of the Houseof Silence.
Now, after that I had journeyed twelve hours, I saw that I was come uponthe commencement of a great and mighty slope, as that the world didslope downward always towards the North. And I went on again, after thatI had eat and drunk, as I did likewise before this at the sixth hour ofthat day's journey.
And presently, I perceived the Road to cease; and surely this didconfound me; as that a man of this age had come to a part where theworld did end; for you shall know that the Road was that which hadseemed to go on for ever; and you shall mind the way of my life up tillthat time, and so shall you the better conceive of my bewilderment, andas it were a feeling of great strangeness unto one that was overprest,as you would believe, with strange matters.
Yet, truly, was this all as the little book of metal had told unto me;and so should I have been something prepared; yet are we ever thusneeding eye-proof; and
perhaps it is more proper that it be so.
Yet, you shall perceive me adrift somewhat as to direction; for I hadsteered before this time so that I should come to the North of the Houseof Silence; and afterward had shaped my way by the Road. But now was Iadrift, as it might be set down, in the wilderness.
And so did I stand and consider, and presently did look unto the farPyramid, which was now a great way off in the night, and had seemed butsmall by that which I knew it to be. And lo! as I did look, I perceivedthat I could but see the high upper-point of the light of the GreatPyramid, where did shine the Last Light; and I was confounded afresh;yet in a moment I saw that the greatness of the slope did account forthis. But here I should tell to you that the slope was nowise steep; butdid seem as that it should never cease. And mayhaps this is clear untoyou.
And I perceived surely that the time was come when I should make anutter parting from the Great Redoubt; and the thought came very heavyupon me. And in the same time I knew that the aether was stirred by theemotions of the Millions; so that I had knowledge they watched me withthe Great Spy-Glass, and did send word down unto the Hour-Slips; and bythis did the Millions know, and have a great thinking upon me in thatmoment.
And you shall perceive how utter lost and lonesome I did feel. And itwas at that time that I did test the compass, to comfort me, as I didtell before this, and feared I must sure forget, when I did come to theproper place; yet have I minded me, as I did desire.
And I saw now that the Night Land that I did wot of, was hid from me bythe slope. And I turned and looked down the slope; and surely all beforeme was utter wildness of a dark desolation; for it did seem to gonowhither but into an everlasting night. And there was no fire downthere, neither light of any kind; but only Darkness and, as I did feel,Eternity. And downward into that Blackness did the great slope seem togo for ever.
Now, as I did stand there, looking downward into the Dark, and oftenbackward unto the shining of the Final Light, and put to a horriddesolateness, behold! there came the low beating of the Master-Word inthe Night. And it did appear as that it had been sent to give me courageand strength in that moment; and did seem unto my fancy that surely itdid come upward unto me from out of the mighty blackness into which theGreat Slope ran. Yet could this have been but a belief; for the aetherdoth have no regard unto direction to show you whence the spiritualsound doth come; and this did my knowledge and Reason know full well.
And I made that I would send back the Master-Word, sending it with mybrain-elements, and so give news unto Naani how that I did struggle tocome unto her. Yet did I have caution in time; for in verity, had I sentthe Master-Word, then had the Evil Forces of the Land wotted that I wasout; and mayhaps had come swift unto my Destruction; and so did Icontain my spirit and desire, and made to do wisely.
Yet was I put in courage by the low beat of the Master-Word; and didlisten very keen, that some message should follow; but there came none,neither did the weak throb of the Word come about me again, at thattime. And because that I was now grown more to my natural state, and didfeel that I should indeed find the Maid, I looked once more unto theGreat Pyramid, long and eager and with a solemn heart; yet with no signor salutation, as I was before determined. And afterward, I turned andwent downward into the dark.
The Night Land Page 7