And afterward we gat inside; and surely it did be very cozy, as we do
say; but yet not so secure as I did wish, only that I could not shift to
plan aught better. And, indeed, it should keep off from us any small
thing, and should be like to save us from any monstrous Brute treading
upon us; but otherwise, it did be but a poor affair. Now we eat two of the tablets, each, and drank some of the water, even
as we had done in the sixth and the twelfth hours; and afterward we
shared the cloak for our slumber; and we kist very sedate and loving,
and charged our spirits that we wake if that any horrid thing should
come anigh to us in our sleep; and afterward we did be gone very swift
to slumbering, and suffered no harm. And I waked seven hours after, and surely I did ache very bitter, as I
did move my body; for the bruisings did be gotten hold of me. And I slipt away from the Maid, very gentle; for I had mind that she
sleep a while more, as I did mean that we make a great journey that day. And after I had harked a while, and perceived that there was no evil
thing anigh, I went outward of the stones. And I walked to and fore and
moved mine arms, that I be eased somewhat of the stiffness and ache; but
surely it did seem that many hours must go ere I should make any speed
of travel; for I did be all clumsy and slow and nigh to groan with the
pain of going and aught that I did. And I minded me that I should do somewhat to ease this thing, lest that
I cause us both to come to an harm by staying over-long in that Land. And I went back into the stones, and gat an ointment from the pouch,
that I did carry. And surely the Maid did yet sleep. And I went outward
of the stones, again; and stript off the armour, and all my garments;
and I rubbed my body with the ointment, and surely the pain did be so
that I groaned at this time and that; but yet must I rub good and strong
so that I die not of the cold of the Land; and beside I was greatly
anxious to cure myself. And sudden, as I did rub very strong and savage, and heeding so well as
I might that I groan not, the Maid did speak close beside me. And,
indeed, she could see me but dimly, and had waked sudden to hear my
groaning, and I was not to her side. And immediately she had thought
that some evil thing harmed me, and was come in an instant that she be
with me. And she cared not that I did be naked; but was utter in anger that I
strove to do this thing alone, and with none to aid me, and all
uncovered to the chill of the Land. And she ran back into the stones,
and brought the cloak and put it about me; and was so angered that she
stampt, and had no impudence, but rather as that she did be minded to
have tears. And she sent me back into the sheltering of the stones, and gathered
mine armour, and brought these things after me. But the Diskos I took in
my hand. And she took the pot of the ointment from me, and made me to
lie, and she rubbed me very strong and tender, and kept me warm with
the cloak; and surely she was a wise and lovely Maid, and utter Mine
Own. And in the end, she askt me how I was, and I said that I did be
different; and she hurried me that I be clothed very quick; for she did
be sore afraid that I should come to a chill. And when I was gotten again into mine armour, she came to me, and showed
me where I did lack wisdom, and spoke very straitly and gentle and
serious; and afterward kist me, and gave me my tablets, and to sit
beside me. And we eat and drank; and I with a new lovingness unto Mine
Own; and she somewhat as that she did mother me; but when I put mine arm
about her, she did be only a maid. And we did be thus, with but little
talk and a great content. And afterward, we gat our gear together, and went from that little
refuge that we had made; and in a while we did go upward out of the
olden sea-bed. And when we were come again to the top of the shore, the which we did in
two good hours, I lookt over the Land, a time, with Mine Own anigh to
me. And I perceived that the Great Red Fire-Pit of the Giants did be no
mighty way off unto the South and West; and surely in a little moment,
we saw that there went monstrous figures against the shine of the mighty
fire-pit; and we stoopt unto the earth; for it did seem that the light
did be like to show us standing there, though truly we did be afar off,
as you perceive. Yet, mayhaps, you do share with us the utter horror and
distress that those horrid Men did cast about the heart, and so have a
kindly understanding of our fear. And over all the Land, in this place and that, there did be the small
shining of little fire-holes and pits, that did be alway red, save in
that part where the Poison Gas did lie, the which we had now come safe
past. And beyond the fire-holes, was the great Shine, that lay from the West
unto the North of all that Land; and, in verity, we did need that we
steer so that we come not anigh to it, neither unto the Great Red
Fire-Pit of the Giants; neither unto the low volcanoes, which were
beyond the Great Red Fire-Pit, as you do know, and someways unto the
Mouth of the Upward Gorge. And the way of our journey was between the West and the South-West of
that Land; and to be made with cunning and wisdom, that we come clear of
all unseemly danger unto Mine Own. And I askt her concerning this thing
and that of the Land; and surely she told me so much of terror that I
was half in a wonder that ever I did live in the end to come unto her. And it was because of the things that she set out to me, that I
perceived how we must come nowise anigh to the low volcanoes that were
upon this side of the mouth of the Upward Gorge; for it had been known
alway in the Lesser Redoubt that there went very horrid men in that
part that did be called wolf-men; but whether there did be any such
thing in that age, she had no knowing; for she told me the things that
did be set down in the Records and the Histories; and truly no man of
the Lesser Redoubt had found heart in a thousand great years to make a
journeying through the Land, for the desire of glad and dreadful
adventuring, such as our young men did be oft set to; though it was not
all such that went. And because there did be no adventuring for so monstrous a space of
years, there was no certain new knowledge of the Land of that age. And
this thing is plain to you, and needing not of many words, which do so
irk me. And Naani set out to me how that The Shine was conceived to be a land
where Evil did live for ever, and whence came all those Forces of Evil
that did work upon the Lesser Refuge. And afterward, she did quiet; so
that presently I perceived that she did weep to herself, because that
her memory was all new-stirred by my questionings. And I took her very
gentle into mine arms, as we did be there kneeled upon the earth. And after that time, I askt her no question, save as it did be needful
to our health and life; yet oft did she tell me this thing and that of
her knowledge, to be for mine help and guiding.