And I
divided the bush before me, and went through the bush, so that I came
out before her, and did be there in my grey armour; and I did pause
then, and was all adrift in myself; for my heart said that I should take
this Maid into mine arms again; for that I was come again to be with
Mirdath after an utter lost Eternity. But yet was I all paused; for
truly she was Naani and she was Mirdath, and she did be a stranger in
mine eyes, and very dainty and pretty and shaken with woe and sore
trouble and grief. And in that same moment of my coming unto her out of the bush, she
screamed and fell back from me, and strove weakly to gain unto the
hither bushes; for, truly, she knew not what was come upon her in that
first little moment. And immediately she saw that it did be an human
man, and no monster to slay her, and in that instant I said the
Master-Word unto her, aloud, that she should have knowledge of peace and
help. And I told my name, and said I am That One. And she knew this
thing, even as my lips made the sounds. And she cried out something in
an utter broke voice, and ran unto me, and thrust her two small hands
into my charge and keeping, and fell thence into a great sobbing and
shaking, so that I was all in trouble to ease her; but did keep a
silence and held fast her hands, for I had not on mine armoured gloves. And she leaned against me, very weak, and seeming wondrous like to a
child. And lo! in a while she ceased to sob, and did but catch her
breath this time and that, but said no word. And I bethought me that she
did suffer of hunger, for I perceived that she had been long wandering
and alone, and was come unto the end of hope, when that I did come. And the Maid stood there yet silent, for she might not yet command her
mouth to speak. And she trembled as she stood. And I opened my left
hand, and lookt at the hand within my palm, and surely it was utter thin
and wasted. And I made no more pause, but lifted mine Own and set her
easy upon the earth, with an hump of smooth rock unto her back. And I
stript off my cloak very quick, and put it about her, for she was scarce
covered with her clothes that had been all torn among the bushes; so
that part she shook with an utter chill, and part because of weakness,
for she was nigh to be starved unto her death, and destroyed with her
grief and lonesomeness. And I took from my back the scrip and the pouch, and I gat a tablet from
the scrip, and brake it into my cup, and with the water I made a little
broth very swift upon an hot rock that was to the edge of the fire-hole. And I fed the broth unto the Maid, for truly her hands did shake so that
she had spilt it all, if that I had done otherwise. And she drank the broth, and was so weak that presently she did fall
again to sobbing, yet very quiet; so that I strove not to be troubled in
the heart; for, indeed, this thing was but reasonable, and not cause for
me to have an anxiousness. But I put my hands under the cloak and took
her hands into mine and held them strong and firm; and this did seem to
bring something of peace and strength unto her; so that presently the
trembling and the weeping went from her. And, indeed, the broth was
surely helpful in this matter. And presently, I knew that her hands did stir a little within mine, and
I loosed somewhat of my grip; and immediately, she graspt my hands with
a weak and gentle grasp; but lookt not yet at me; only did stay very
quiet, as that she did gather her strength within her. And, indeed, I
was content; save that an anxiousness of the heart did stir me this
time and that, lest some monster should come upon us. And because of
this trouble, I did hark about me, now and oft, and with a new and
strange fearfulness of danger, because that now mine Own was given unto
my charge; and surely my heart would break, if that there came any hurt
unto her. Now, of a sudden, the Maid did make as that she would rise, and I loosed
free from her, to give help. And she gat me by the hand, and slipt
sudden to her knees, and did kiss my hand, and did begin again to weep. And surely I was so utter abashed that I stood very stupid and let her
do this thing. But in a moment I drew free from her; for this thing
might not be. And I gat me to my knee likewise before her, and took her
hands, and kist them once, newly humbled, as it were; and thus should
she know all that was in my heart, and of mine understanding. And she
did but sob the more; for she was so weak, and utter moved unto me,
because that I had come to her through the night of the world. And this
thing I knew, though no speech had yet past between us. And I gave up
her hands, lest she need them for her tears; but she left them to lie in
my palms, as she did kneel there; and she bowed her head a little over
her weeping; but did show that she was mine, in verity, unto the very
essence of her dear spirit. And I took her into mine arms, very gently and without caress; but
presently I stroked her hair, and called her Naani and Mirdath, and said
many things unto her, that now I scarce do wot of, but she did know them
in the after time. And she was very quiet in mine arms, and seeming
wondrous content; but yet did sob onward for a great time. And oft did I
coax her and say vague things of comfort, as I have told. But truly she
did ask no more comfort at that time than that she be sheltered where
she did be. And truly she had been lonesome and in terror and in grief
and dread, a great and horrid time. Now, presently, she was grown quiet; and I made to put her comfortable
in the cloak against the rock, that I should have freedom to make her
more of the broth. But yet she did nestle unto me, with a little sweet
wistfulness, that made warm my heart in a most wondrous fashion; for
surely she was mine Own. And she to begin to say odd words to me. And so
to have gentle obedience, and to rest quiet against the rock, the while
that I did make the broth. Yet ever her gaze did follow me, as I knew;
for I must look oft her way. And I took the broth to her, and she drank it, using her own two hands;
and I sat by, and eat three of the tablets and drank some of the water,
for truly it was a foolish great time since last I had eat. Now, in a while, the broth did make bright the eyes of the Maid, and she
did begin to talk; and at whiles had pauses, because that she lacked of
strength, and there was more to be told than an human may have the
heart-strength and cunning to make plain. And twice she did come again
to sobbing; for, truly, her father was dead and the Peoples of the
Lesser redoubt all slain and dispersed through the night of that Land. And I learned that an Evil Force had made action upon the Peoples within
the Lesser Redoubt; so that some, being utter weak by reason of the
failing of the Earth-Current, had opened the Great Door, and gone forth
into the night.