But in the
Valley someways, I had feeling of assurance that it must be; for it was
plain that the telling of the book was sound in its bottom sense; as
might be seen; for how should any live in the utter bleak and deadly
chill of the silent upper world that lay an hundred miles up in the
night, hid and lost for ever. And strange is it to think of those wondrous and mighty cliffs that
girt us about, and yet were fast held from us in the dark; so that I
had not known of them, save for the telling of that book; though, in
truth, it had been always supposed that we lived in a great deep of the
world; but, indeed, it was rather held in belief that we abode in the
bed of some ancient sea, that did surely slope gradual away from us, and
not go up abrupt and savage. And here let me make so clear as I may that the general peoples had no
clear thought upon any such matters; though there was something of it
taught in the schools; yet rather this and that, of diverse conclusions,
as it might be thinkings of the Teachers, after much study, and some
ponderings. For one man, having a lack of imagining, would scoff, and
another, maybe, to take it very staidly, but some would build Fancy upon
the tellings of the Records, and make foolish and fantastic that which
had groundings in Truth; and thus is it ever. But to the most Peoples of
the Pyramid, there was no deep conviction nor thought of any great hid
World afar in the darkness. For they gave attention and belief only to
that which lay to their view; nor could a great lot come to imagine that
there had been ever any other Condition. And to them, it did seem right and meet that there should be strange
things, and fires from the earth, and an ever-abiding night, and
monsters, and matters hid and tangled much in mystery. And very content were the most of them; though some had in them the
yeast of imaginings, or the pimples of fancy upon them, and to these
there seemed many possibilities; though the first to read out to sanity;
and the second, to expect and have speech towards much that was foolish
or to no purpose. And of these vague believings of the peoples, have I made hint before,
and need not have much trouble to it now. Save that, with the children,
as is ever the way, those olden tales had much believing; and the
simplicity of the Wise did mate with the beliefs of the Young; and
between them did lie the Truth. And so did I make speed towards the North, having a strong surety in my
heart and mind that there were but two ways to my search; for without of
the Valley, afar up in the dead lonesomeness of the hidden world, was a
cold that was shapen ready to Death, and a lacking, as I must believe,
of the sweet, needful air that yet did lie in plenty in that deep place
of the earth. So that, surely, the mighty Valley somewheres to hold that
other Redoubt. Yet, as I have said, I went not direct to my journey, but otherwise, for
those sound reasons which I did set down a time back. VII

THE NIGHT LAND


Now, as I went towards the North and West, I steered me warily for a
great 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 concern
me; so far as I had imagining to see. And first I did consider the speed
that 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, who
might speak knowingly of the end thereof? And another matter, I did arrange; for I would make the times of my
goings forward, and the times of mine eatings and sleepings all to a
wise and regular fashion; that, thereby, I might go a great way, with
the less harm to my body; so that I should be strong when the need did
come 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 the
twenty-fourth. And by this means did I eat thrice in that time, and have six hours of
sleep. And this seemed very good to me, and I did strive always to
manage thus in all my great journeying in the Night Land. Yet, as may be
supposed, there were times oft and many when I must watch without
ceasing, and leave my slumber unto the future; for the Land was full of
grim and dreadful Perils. And, as doth be human, I brake my rule straightway in the beginning; for
I ceased not to walk for one-and-twenty hours, hiding and creeping, as
the need did be in those places that were like to show me unto the
Watcher; and when I did think upon food, it did sicken me; so that I
would eat by and by, as I made it within my thoughts. But when one-and-twenty hours had gone, I grew very weary and something
faint; and was forced that I look about for some place where I might
have rest. And, in a little while, I did see, away off, a small
fire-hole, the like of which I had passed odd times even so early. And I
made to come nigh to that part; for there would be warmth from the
chill of the Night Land, and mayhaps a place dry and convenient to my
slumber. And when I came anigh, I saw that it was a cheerful place, as it might
be said, amid so much gloom; for the hole was but a few paces wide, and
full of a dull, glowing fire, that did bubble somewhat, and throw off a
small sulphur-smoke. And I sat me down, at no great way, and did place
the Diskos on the rock to my hand. And I moved not, awhile; but was aweary, so that I had not the courage
to eat, neither to drink; but must turn me and look back to the Mighty
Pyramid; and, in truth, though I had come a very good space, yet was I
so anigh to it, that I was both cheered and put out of heart; for it did
seem close upon me, by reason of its greatness, so that I, who had
journeyed a hard and weariful way, was shaken with the greatness of the
task that was upon me. Yet was this but one side of my heart; for it was good to feel the
nearness of my Mighty Home; and I knew that there did countless millions
make watch upon me, as I sat; yet did I make no sign; for it is not meet
to make a constant farewell; but to GO. Yet was it very strange to be
thus near, and to show such behaviour as were proper to one afar from
all humanity. But so it was that I ordered my ways; for it did seem
proper to me; yet was I happy to know that the dear Master Monstruwacan
must, time and oft, have spied upon me through the Great Spy-Glass; and
mayhaps 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 my
scrip, 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 were
they not filling to the belly; and I made that I would drink well, that
I might feel that something was therein.