For, indeed, the needle did swing
in an arc, as we heard, that held between the North and the South;
within the Westward arc; but this it had done ever with them, and so was
a very helpless guide; save that, maybe, as we had thought, the force of
the Earth-Current that was with us, had in truth some power to pull the
needle towards us. And if this were so of verity, we made a reckoning
that set the Lesser Redoubt to the North; and they did likewise, and put
us to the South; yet was it all built upon the sand of guess-work; and
nothing to adventure the life and soul upon. Now we, of curiosity; though a million times had it been done in the
past ages, set the compass before us, having it from the Great Museum. But, as ever in that age, it did spin if we but stirred the needle, and
would stop nowheres with surety, for the flow of the Earth-Current from
the "Crack" beneath the Pyramid had a power to affect it away from the
North, and to set it wandering. And this may seem very strange to this
present Age; yet to that, it was most true to the seeming nature of
things; and harder to believe that ever it did once point steadfastly,
to prove a guide of sureness, and unfailing. For, be it known, we knew the positions of the Land by tradition, coming
from that ancient time when, in the Half-Gloom they had builded the
Pyramid; they having known the use of that ancient compass, and with
sight of the Sun had named the Positions; though we of that far future
day had forgotten the very beginnings of those Names of Direction; and
used them but because our fathers did a million years and more. And
likewise we did the same with the names of the day and the night and the
weeks and the months and the years; though of the visible markings of
these there was nothing but only and always the everlasting night; yet
the same seeming very natural to that people. Now, Naani, having heed to my constant questions, craved with an utter
keen hunger that I might come to her; but yet forbade it, in that it
were better to live and commune in the spirit, than to risk my soul, and
mayhaps die, in the foolishness of trying to find her in all the
darkness of the dead world. Yet, no heed had I taken of her commands,
had I but known of a surety the _direction_ in which she might be
discovered; and gained some knowledge of the space between, for this
might be named by thousands of miles, or but by hundreds; though a great
distance it was surely. Yet, one other thing there was, that has point in this place; for when I
sent my speech out into the night, using my brain-elements, I came to
know that, whether I had a knowledge of the North, or no knowledge at
the moment, yet did I turn oft with a sure instinction to that
Direction. And of this, the Master Monstruwacan took very great note,
and had me to experiment many a time and way, and so enclosed about with
screens, or with bandages across mine eyes, that I could not, save by
that inward Knowing, have any knowledge to point me the way. Yet would I
turn Northwards very frequent, by a certain feeling; and seemed unable
of speech, if I were turned otherwise by force. But when we asked Naani whether she had an unusualness in this matter,
she could discover none; and we could but take note curiously of that
which affected my habits; and which truly I set to the attracting of her
spirit; for I had mind that she did be somewheres out that way in the
darkness of the world; but yet was this no more than to suppose, as you
perceive. And the Master Monstruwacan wrote a study of this matter of the
Northwardness of my turning; and it was set out in the Hour-Slips of the
Tower of Observation; and so it came to be copied by the Hour-Slips of
the great cities, and made much comment, and much calling up to me
through the home instruments; so that with this, and the speech that
went about concerning my powers to hear, I was much in talk, and
diversely pleased and oft angered by overmuch attention and importunity. And now, whilst I pondered this matter in all my spirit and being, how
that I should some way come to Naani, there befell a very terrible
thing. And in this wise must I tell it:

It was at the seventeenth hour, when all the millions of the Mighty
Pyramid slept, that I was with the Master Monstruwacan in the Tower of
Observation taking my due turn. And sudden, I heard the thrilling of the
aether all about me, and the voice of Naani in my soul, speaking. And I
sent the Master-Word into the darkness of the world, and presently, I
heard the solemn answer beating steadfastly in the night; and
immediately I called to Naani with my brain-elements, to know what thing
troubled her in her sleep. And her voice came into my spirit, weak and far and faint, and so that
scarce I could make to hear the words. Yet, in a while I gathered that
all the peoples of the Lesser Redoubt were in very deadly trouble; for
that the Earth-Current had failed suddenly and mightily; and they had
called her from her sleep, that she might listen whether we answered
their callings by the Instrument; but, indeed, no calling had come to
us. And they who had been of late so joyful, were now grown old with sorrow
in but an hour or two; for they feared that the fresh coming of the
Earth-Current had been but the final flicker and outburst before the
end. And, even in this short while of our speech, did it seem to me that
the voice of Naani grew further off from me; and I felt like to have
broken my heart with the trouble of this thing. And through all that remained of that sleep-time, did I converse with
Naani, as might two lovers who shall presently part forever. And when
the cities awoke, the news went throughout them, and all our millions
were in sorrow and trouble. And thus was it for, maybe, a little month; and in that time had the
voice of Naani grown so weak and far-off that even I that had the
Night-Hearing, could scarce make real its meaning. And every word was to
me a treasure and a touch upon my soul; and my grief and trouble before
this certain parting drove me that I could not eat, neither have rest;
and this did the Master Monstruwacan take upon him to chide and correct;
for that, if any were to help, how should it be done if I that had the
Night-Hearing, and heard even now that the recording Instruments were
dumb, came to ill-health. And because of this, and such wisdom as was mine, I made to eat and
order my life that I might have my full powers. Yet was this beyond all
my strength; for, presently, I knew that the people of the Lesser
Pyramid were threatened by the monsters that beset them; and later I had
knowledge from faint, far words whispered in my brain, that there had
been a fight with an outside Force that had harmed many in their minds;
so that in madness they had opened the gate and had run from the Lesser
Pyramid, out into the darkness of the Lands about them; and there had
their physical bodies fallen to the monsters of those Lands; but of
their souls who may know?