And after that, I went to the Great Spy-Glass, and turned it towards the
two hundred and fifty Youths that were far off, upon the Road Where The
Silent Ones Walk; yet for awhile I could not perceive them, for all the
Road seemed empty. But afterward I saw them, and they were clambering
back into the Road, having gone aside, as I thought, because of the
passing of one of those Silent Ones, that I saw now at a distance to the
Southward of them. There passed then, some three hours; and in that time I varied my
watching between those far-off Youths, and the Ten-thousand that went
forward to succour the wounded, that were now, maybe, scarce nine miles
distant from the Mighty Pyramid, and the Ten-thousand came very close to
them. And, in truth, in a little while, they spied one the other, and I
gathered, in spirit, something of the rejoicing of those youths; yet
weak and troubled were they, because of their wounds, and their
knowledge of failure, and their disobedience of the Law. And, presently, they were surrounded by the Ten-thousand, and carried
upon slings; and all that body swung round towards the Pyramid, and came
back at a great pace. And, in the same time, I heard the sound that made them so swift to
hasten; for there smote up through the night the Baying of the Hounds;
and we knew that they were discovered. And I swept the Great Spy-Glass
over the Land, towards the Valley Of The Hounds, that I might discover
them quickly; and I saw them come lumbering, at a strange gallop, and
great as horses, and it might be only ten miles to the East. And I looked once upon the Watcher of the North-East, and I saw and
marvelled that the great bell-ear quivered constantly; and I knew that
it had knowledge, and gave signal to all the Land. Then did one of the
Monstruwacans report that a new and terrible Influence was abroad in the
Land; and by the instrument, we had knowledge that it approached; and
some of the Monstruwacans called foolishly with weak voices to the
Ten-thousand to haste; forgetting, and desiring only their safety from
that which came near. Then, looking with the Great Spy-Glass, I saw that there moved across
the Land, from the direction of the Plain of Blue Fire, a mighty Hump,
seeming of Black Mist, and came with prodigious swiftness. And I called
to the Master Monstruwacan, that he come and look through one of the
eye-pieces that were about the Great Spy-Glass; and he came quickly, and
when he had looked a while, he called to the Monstruwacan that had made
report. And the Monstruwacan answered, and replied that the Influence
drew nearer, by the reading of the instrument; yet of the thing itself
the man had no sight. And I ceased not to look, and in a little while, the Humped thing passed
downwards into the Vale of Red Fire, which lay across the Land that way. But I watched steadfastly, and presently I saw the black Hump climb up
from the Vale of Red Fire upon this side, and come through the night, so
that in scarce a minute it had come halfway across that part of the
Night Land. And my heart stood quiet with fear, and the utter terror of this
Monster, which I knew to be surely one of the Great Forces of Evil of
that Land, and had power, without doubt, to destroy the spirit. And the
Master Monstruwacan leapt towards the Home-Call, and sent the great
Sound down to the Ten-thousand, that they might attend, and immediately,
he signalled to them to Beware. Yet, already I perceived that they knew
of this Utter Danger that was upon them; for I saw them slay the Youths
quickly, that their spirits might not be lost; for they were Unprepared. But the men, being Prepared, had the Capsule, and would die swiftly in
the last moment. I looked again towards the Hump, and saw that it came like a Hill of
Blackness in the Land, and was almost anigh. Then there happened a
wonder; for in that moment when all had else gone quickly, that they
might save their souls, out of the earth there rose a little Light, like
to the crescent of the young moon of this early day. And the crescent
rose up into an arch of bright and cold fire, glowing but little; and it
spanned above the Ten-thousand and the dead; and the Hump stood still,
and went backwards and was presently lost. And the men came swiftly towards the Mighty Pyramid. Yet, ere they were
come to safety, the Baying of the Hounds sounded close upon them, and
they faced to the danger; yet, as I could know, without despair, because
that they yet lived after so enormous a peril. And the Hounds were very nigh, as now I beheld with the Great Spy-Glass;
and I counted five score, running with mighty heads low, and in a pack. And lo! as the Hounds came at them, the Ten-thousand drew apart, and had
a space between the men, that they might have full use of that terrible
Diskos; and they fought with the handles at length, and I saw the disks
spin and glisten and send out fire. Then was there a very great battle; for the Light that arched above
them, and held away The Power from their souls, made not to protect them
from this danger of the lesser monsters. And at an hundred thousand
embrasures within the Mighty Pyramid, the women cried and sobbed, and
looked again. And in the lower cities it was told, after, that the
Peoples could hear the crash and splinter of the armour, as the Hounds
ran to and fro, slaying; aye, even the sound of the armour between their
teeth. Yet, the Ten-thousand ceased not to smite with the Diskos; and they
hewed the Hounds in pieces; but of the men that went forth, there were a
thousand and seven hundred slain by the Hounds, ere the men won to
victory. Then came that wearied band of heroes back to the home shelter of the
Vast Redoubt; and they bore their dead with them, and the Youths that
they slew. And they were received with great honour, and with exceeding
grief, and in a great silence; for the thing admitted not of words,
until a time had passed. And in the cities of the Pyramid there was
mourning; for there had been no sorrow like unto this through, mayhap,
an hundred thousand years. And they bore the Youths to their Mothers and to their Fathers; and the
Father of each made thanks to the men that they had saved the soul of
his son; but the women were silent. Yet, neither to the Father nor to
the Mother, was ever made known the name of the slayers; for this might
not be; as all shall see with a little thought. And some did remember that, in verity, all was due to the unwisdom of
those Youths, who had heeded not the Law and their life-teachings. Yet
had they paid to the uttermost, and passed outwards; and the account of
their Deeds was closed. And all this while did great numbers spy toward the Road Where The
Silent Ones Walk, that they might watch that band of Youths afar in the
Night Land, who went forward amid those horrid dangers.