And afterward, I made a very
stern and playful order that she must sleep, and, indeed, she to need it
sore, for she was gone again from her excitement, and her weakness upon
her; yet very happy and content and without fear. And I made a smooth place for her, and put the pouch and the scrip to be
for a pillow, and I did lay her there very quiet and sweet in the cloak,
and covered her feet; but, indeed, I saw first that they did be sore cut
and without any gear to them; so that I perceived that Mine Own had worn
out her foot-gear utter in her lonesome journeyings, and in running from
Brutes that did come to find her. And so I to know more in the heart,
somewhat of the true dreadfulness and fear that had companioned Mine
Own. And I was minded then that I would wash and bind up her feet; but
yet was she so utter worn, that I did prefer that she sleep so soon as
she might, and afterward, when she was come wakeful again, then should I
take a proper heed of her feet. And truly, they were very small and
shapely. And presently, she slept; and, surely, I doubt whether she had slumbered
so peaceful and proper for a great month; for she never to have known
when any evil thing should come upon her in her sleep. And this to be a
very dreadful feeling, as you do know well; for you do know how I had
been in this same matter. Now, while Naani did sleep, I stript off mine armour, and took off mine
under-suit, which was named the Armour-Suit, and a very warm and proper
garment, and made thick that it should ease the chafe of the armour. And
afterward, I put on the armour again; but the suit I folded, and laid
beside the Maid; for, truly, she was nigh unclothed, by reason of the
bushes and the rocks, that had rent her garments all-wise. And I stood watch for the Maid, the while that she did slumber; and
surely she went ten long hours. And I walked upon this side of the
fire-hole and now upon that, and did oft cease, that I might hearken
both with mine ears and with my spirit; for, truly, I was all wakened to
a new care and delight, and did have a fresh and doubled fear of any
Horrid Creature or Force of Evil. And this shall be very plain to you. And in the end of ten long hours, the Maid wakened, and I ran to her all
joyed that she was come again to knowledge and to be that I could talk
with her. And she sat upward and looked at me, and there was new light and
movement in her, so that I knew her strength was come back into her. And
for a little minute, she said naught unto me, the while that I did ask
how she did be; and she lookt at me very keen, so that I wondered some
wise in a daze, what was in her mind. And she askt me, of a sudden, how long it did be since that I had slept. And having not thought to put away her asking, because that the question
was over sudden, I said four-and-eighty hours, which should be three
days and the half of a day of four hours and twenty; and this thing I
knew, because that I kept alway a very careful counting of the hours,
lest that I get all adrift, and know not how long I was taken to come to
this place and that. And, truly, even as I told this thing to the Maid, I was grown very
quaint in the head; for, indeed, I was gone a wondrous while without
slumber, and had done much and bitter work in that time; and before then
had been much lacking of rest, as you do know. And, sudden the Maid cried out something, and tost the cloak from her,
and had me into her arms, and did heed not to have any foolish shame of
her nakedness. And, in verity, I knew not how I was gone so strange; but
do see now that I was nigh to swoon for lack of slumber and rest. And she kept me very steady for a little, and afterward helped me to be
laid upon the ground; and she put the scrip and the pouch under my head;
and so I did lie very calm and restful, and did be the more so, because
that I was grown so tired in the heart, the which did make my head to be
very husht, as that all the world was grown very quiet in a moment. And the Maid did mind then that she did lack to be properly covered, and
she gat the cloak, and put it about her, and did afterward sit a little
beside me, and did rub my hands. And presently, I was something more to
myself, and she did grow more happy of her mind, and made to give me
something for my stomach; for, indeed, I was grown those late hours to
be foolish and to have no wiseness to proper eating. And she did lift my head, the while that she did take the scrip from
under, and kept me very sweetly upon her knee, and so until she had gat
free a pack of the tablets, and the flask and the cup; for I had put all
matters back into the scrip before Naani had gone unto sleep, and
because of this, I had not been able to eat or drink aught, save by
wakening her, as you perceive; for, indeed I had put the scrip and the
pouch under her head for a pillow, as I have told. And she would not bide that I should do aught; but only did ask
concerning the making of the water, and was wondrous amazed to see how
the powder did fizz up and become water; and indeed, she had too much
into the cup, for, truly, it rose up and ran to the ground. And when she
had done thus, and ceased to marvel, she put three of the tablets into
the water, and made me a broth, even as I had made a broth for her; but,
indeed, I was in no need, and had done very well to eat the tablets and
drink the water. Yet, truly, I was not wishful to lack the love of her
way, as you may think. Now while I did drink the broth, I did be very restful upon the earth,
and mine head against mine own Maid; and I did mind me now that I tell
her concerning the Armour-Suit that I did mean for her wear. Yet I said not that I had stript it from me, for then she had been like
to say nay, and to trouble that I was like to come to a chill, as is the
way of a woman. But, indeed, I might so well have told her, for truly,
she did know on the moment, and set to a little unto weeping; yet very
gentle and sweet, and did kiss me as I lay there, and say such things as
should make a young man the better to have heard, if but that his own
dear Love doth say the same. And she would nowise wear the garment; but yet in the end I prevailed by
gentle reasonings and because that I was her master, as I was born to
be; and moreover, her own sweet sense did show that I spoke for wisdom;
for how should she come through all the bitter way before, if that she
had not a strong and close-made garment; and as you do mind, her
coverings did be in utter rags, as I have told; yet very sweet and
clean, as I had known; so that I ween she had stript oft in the lonesome
night, and washt her garments in this or that hot spring of the sulphur
waters and other matters. And, in verity, alway she was much given to washings, as I did soon
perceive. Now, presently, I did be very well again; but with a sore slumber that
did press upon my head.