And in the end
of six more hours, I ceased to go upward, and did know of a strange low
sound, that did be like to no other sound that ever I did hear; and was
like to a dull roar that did never have ceased through eternity. And I went forward unto the light, and the Land to be now as that I went
over an upland plain. And I did go thus through five hours, and the low
roar did grow ever upon mine ears. And truly! even as I did shape my
thoughts to take a caution for my body, I went upward again a little,
and came out upon the edge of a mighty cliff, and the low and constant
roar did moan upward against me with an everlasting muttering. And I
lookt downward a monstrous way, and surely there was spread out a mighty
sea, as it did seem, of dull fire, as that a red-hot mud did lap very
deep and quiet below me in all that night. And I lookt outward across the strange sea, and the far side was hid
from me; for, surely, there were dull and solemn clouds that came off
the sea, and hid the distance from me. And the clouds to glow a little
redly; and so to rise, and presently to blacken into the night. And I
lookt to the right and to the left, and it was plain that the black
cliffs did stretch out both ways, and did go downward ever into that
monstrous sea of slow fire. And there were great headlands that went out
into the fire, as into a sea; and the fire did lap very quiet about
these, and where the fire lapt about them, there did shine and spirt out
green flames and vapours at diverse times. And, indeed, as I did perceive, I was come to an upward sea of fire, as
it were the deep inwards of a low and utter monstrous volcano, that was
flat of the top and utter big across. And, in verity, I did look
downward into the fires of the inward earth, and a very wondrous sight
was it, to stand there alone upon the cliffs of that everlasting sea. And a great heat came upward from the dull and grim fire of that gloomy
sea, and a reek of sulphur; so that I was like to be choked, and did go
backward from the edge of the cliff. And surely, I was come to the end of that Dark Land upon that side, and
had nowhere perceived the Lesser Pyramid in all the night of my travel. And a new despair came upon me; for, indeed, it seemed I was come all
astray in the night of the World, and did nowise have any knowing
whether I stood near to the Country of the Lesser Redoubt, or whether
that I was gone half across the World unto a strange place. And, then, as the despair troubled my spirit and dulled the beating of
my heart, a sudden thought did light up a fresh hope within me; for,
indeed, as you do know, I was come upward of a great height, and did
surely have a huge view over all that Land; and mayhaps the Lesser
Pyramid did lie somewhere in a valley, if, in verity, it did be
anywheres at all in that Country. And I turned me from the cliffs, and
lookt backward over all the night of the Land; but there was nowhere in
all that Country the shining of the Lights of the Lesser Pyramid. And lo! of a sudden I did know that there was something in the night. And I stared, with a very keen and anxious look. And behold, there was
the black shape of a great pyramid afar off in the night, that did show
against the shining of the distant light; for it did stand between me
and the far-off fires. But until I was come to that place, whence I did
look, I had not stood to have it plain against the shining upon the
other side of that Land. And how I did feel in that moment, I have no words to set out unto you. But surely was my heart gracious with thankfulness, and I ready to leap
with joy and hope, and all my body thrilled with an excitement that
would not have me to be silent; so that, suddenly, I began to shout
foolishly across the night. But I came soon to wisdom and silence, as
you shall think. X

THE MAID OF THE OLDEN DAYS


Now, as you shall perceive, all mine utter despair was turned in a
moment into an huge gladness and a great hope; so that it did seem to me
that I should be with my dear One in but a little while. Yet was this an
over-hope and expectation, and was not like to have a swift satisfying;
for, truly, I was made aware of naught, save that I did perceive the
shape of a great pyramid, going upward into the night. And I knew that the Pyramid did surely stand upon an hill in the midst
of that dark Country, for only so might it show so great and high. And I
set me to run swift downward into the Land, so that I should make a
strong going unto the Pyramid. And I ran for a few little minutes, and lo! I fell headlong, and did
truly feel as that I had brake my neck with the hardness and pain of my
fall. And I had no power to go forward any more for a great while; but
did just be there where I did fall, and very helpless and moaning a
little; so that any creature had been able to slay me, if that it had
come upon me in that time. Yet, presently, I was able to sit upon the earth, and did hold my neck
with my hands, and afterward the pain went away; so that I gat once more
to my feet. But now I went forward very wisely, and had, moreover, an
anxiousness in my heart; for, indeed, how did it be that the Pyramid was
so utter dark, if that it did be the Lesser Refuge, in truth. And
immediately there did rise in me a fear that it should be some House of
Evil in the dark of that Land, or some wicked Force working a Pretence
and a bewilderment upon my sight. Yet, truly, the thing was plain now
against the far-off fires of the Land; and I did have little thought but
that it should be, in verity, the Lesser Refuge. Now in the first moment that I did perceive the dark Pyramid, I had been
without wit, save to run very quick and blind unto the place; for you to
remember how long I had made so great a search. And afterward, I had
been minded to call unto Naani with my brain-elements, sending the
Master-Word, and my speech after to tell how that I was come unto her. But now I did heed to have caution, and to discover what this darkness
should truly mean. And so did I go downward again into the night of that Land, at the first
with a carefulness; but presently with a fierce eagerness and expecting
of the heart, the which had been dulled a little time with the horrid
shaking and pain of my fall. Now I had climbed unto the upper plain of the great volcano in, maybe,
thirteen hours; but I went downward of that great Hill in ten, and had
made a greater speed, but that I was sore shaken and unsure, by reason
of my fall. And in the end of the tenth hour, I perceived that I was come again to
the great Plain of the Land; and I had no more any proper sight of the
Refuge, because that it was upward afar in the darkness of the night. Yet was I abled now to see that there went a bulk between me and the far
shinings, and did know that this great thing was surely the hill on
which the Pyramid did stand.