XI

THE HOMEWARD WAY


Now, truly, it did seem very light, after the horrid and lonesome gloom
that did lie all-ways in the bottom of the olden sea; and I saw that I
was come out upon a part of the Land that did be surely to the right of
that place where I made entry into the sea-bed, on mine outward going. And there did be a great plenty of fire-holes, so that mine heart was
warmed to see them; yet did I mind to be wary in coming unto them; for,
as you do know, there did so oft be life of this kind and that about
these fires. And I lookt now down to the Maid, and she upward to me, and did come
more anigh to me, and truly she did be most wondrous pretty and sweet;
yet did seem very awearied and pale in the face; so that I made blame
upon myself that I had overwalked her; for, in verity, I do think that I
was so strong and hard as that I had been made from iron; and she but a
dear and tender Maid. Yet did she refuse that I should so reproach
myself; and did but stand anigh to me and look at me with eyes that were
very beautiful. And so I put mine arms about her, and kist her; and
afterward lookt again over the Land, that I should shape out our further
journeying. And from that place where I did stand, there spread out all before me
the blue shining that I had seen from the mouth-part of the Upward
Gorge; yet did it be a great way off. And, indeed, I should tell you in
this place, that it was by the glimmering of this shine within the sky
of the night that I had steered, as we did come across the olden
sea-bed. And, truly, it was but a broad thing to go toward; but yet did
serve me, in that it told me that I went toward the far side of the
sea-bed, and made not to go all about in blind circles in the night. And after that I had considered a while, I did know somewhat where the
Gorge should be, and perceived that I should go unto my left; but not
overmuch, for indeed I saw the red-shining of the giants' hole that lay
at a great space that way; and surely I must go so that I missed the
place of the giants so much as I might, and in the same going, come not
overnear unto the blue-shining that lay before me, across all the far
part of that Country; for, in verity, I Mistrusted the place where that
shining did be. Now when I had gained somewhat of knowledge where should be found the
Mouth of the Upward Gorge, I put mine arm about the Maid, where she did
stand so nigh to me, and very husht, the while that I had lookt about. And
I pointed outward over the dark Land unto my left, and told her that the
Gorge did be somewhere that way, a great distance off; yet utter out of my
sight, and only to be known that it did be somewise there by the things
that I did mind of, concerning my way after I came into the Land. Now the Maid, having stood very quiet, had lookt all that time about
her; and so had come to some knowing of the place where she did be in the
Land, for she to know the land someways, as you shall think. And she askt
me how I did mind to go; and truly I said, so straight as we might; but yet
so that we come neither too nigh to the shining nor to the great red
fire-pit of the Giants. And the Maid bade me to look in the way that I did mind to go; and I
lookt, but yet there was nothing save, as they did seem, certain
fire-holes that had a green-shining about them. And she set out unto me
then, how that there did go a tract of bad gas in that part of the
Land, that should be utter poisonous unto any; and this had been well
known in the Lesser Redoubt, by the reading of their instruments. And
where the gas did go, there was there a green-shining about the
fire-holes. And she showed me how that the Place of the Gas went a great way unto
the North-West, so that I learned now somewhat how the land did lie, as we
do say in these days. And it was in all the North-West that the great
blue-shining did burn. And I askt Naani how they named this, and she told
me by no name, save but The Shine. And Mine Own made very earnest to warn me, regarding The Shine; and urged
that we go no more that-wards than should be needful to our lives--the
which, indeed, was no wish of mine. And her reason to be that the Fixed
Giants did be within the borders of The Shine, and all hid in the light
thereof, save when the burning mist did roll this way or that. And I
took a great heed of this thing, and did guess that these Fixed Giants
were somewhat even as the Great Watchers that were about the Mighty
Pyramid, as you do know. And immediately I minded me of that utter
monstrous face that I did see amid the bright smoke of The Shine, when
that I came first into the Land; and surely this had been one of the
Fixed Giants, that Naani told me were Forces of great and very horrid
Evil. And I askt Mine Own how far the Place of the Gas went across the Land;
and she pointed and made further explaining. And, in verity, in the
end, I saw not how I should come that way to the mouth of the Gorge, if
that I would keep off-wards from The Shine. Yet, in a moment, Naani askt
me how I did come across the Land, when that I searched for her. And,
truly, as I showed her, I had walked then by a sweet chance, or guiding,
alway upon the far side of the Place of the Gas, and so unto the Olden
Sea bed; and was in this way come free of the gas, and all unknowing of
it. And at this telling, the Maid said that we go downward again into the
bed of the Olden Sea, and walk some great hours below the shore, but in
the way that should take us unto the South-West, and so until we were
come beyond the Place of the Gas. And afterward up again into the Land,
and then to have an utter caution that we escape the watching of the
giants who did be ever about the Great Red Fire-Hole. And by this plan
very speedy to the entering-part of the Upward Gorge. And, truly, this did be very good and sound, and such as I should have
planned in a moment; for, indeed, I am not over-slow in such matters;
only the Maid did be very eager and quick; and it was very sweet to me
that she should thus plan; for, in verity, I loved alway the sounding of
her voice, and to hear her have speech and to plan and think, and so to
show me the workings of her inward self and her dear qualities and human
niceness. And to have part and lot alway with me in all things and
thinkings. And, we shaped to this plan that Naani made; but at that time, as you do
mind, it was somewhat of seventeen hours since last we had slumber; and
the Maid was sore wearied, as I did see. And I showed to her how that it
did be wise that we have our rest very soon, and so forward again in new
strength and ability. And the Maid did soon agree with me; for indeed she was very weary; and
we made it that we should venture unto one of the fire-holes that lay no
great seeming away, a little upon our right, which was the Northward-way
of that Land.