And I
resolved that I would obey the wit of my Reason in all the future time,
and make to eat and rest in due season, as you will wot that I did
before intend. Then, with a self-reproachful heart, I went around the small fire-hole,
and caught up my cloak and other matters. And I turned me towards the
Mighty Pyramid, and did look once upwards along all the great slope,
where it did go measureless into the far blackness of the Everlasting
Night; and I made no salutation; for I had so resolved, as you will
know; moreover, I desired not to call forth any unneedful disturbance of
the aether of the world, which indeed must be, did I make to stir the
emotions of the Millions. And I turned me then away, and went off into the night, going swift and
cautious, and bearing the Diskos cunningly and almost, as it were, with
a love for that strange and wondrous weapon that had so befriended me,
and slain the foul Grey Man with one stroke. And I had feeling that it
did know me, and had a comradeship for me; and I doubt none will
understand this; save, it might be, they of the olden days that did
carry one strong sword always. Yet was the Diskos more than the sword;
for it did in truth seem to live with the fire and the flame of the
Earth-Current that did beat within it. And it was well acknowledged within the Great Redoubt, that none might
touch the Diskos of another; for that the thing went crustily, as it
might be said, in the hands of a stranger; and if any made foolishness
of this knowledge, and did persist much to such an handling, or making
to use, the same would presently act clumsy with the weapon, and come to
an hurt; and this was a sure thing, and had been known maybe an hundred
thousand years; or perchance a greater time. And by this it doth seem wise to believe that there did grow always an
affinity between the nature of the man--which doth, as ever, include the
woman--and the Diskos that he did use in his Practice; and because of
this known thing, and that the place would elsewise be lumbered with
olden weapons of those that did die, it was a Law and Usage that there
was placed with the Dead, the Diskos of the Dead, there upon The Last
Road in the Country Of Silence, and was thus made to give back unto the
Earth-Current, the power that did lie in it. And this doth seem to a
careless thinker, as it were that I told once again those olden customs
of the Ancient Folk; but this is otherwise, and had a sound reason to
it; yet, if you do so believe, I doubt not but that a right human
sentiment was something at the bottom, which is proper; for it is meet
that Love should mate with Wisdom to mother Comfort in our sorrows; and
it is a warm thing to do aught for our dead; and none may say nay to
this. Now, as I did go onwards into the Night Land, looking ever to this
shadow and to that, it may be conceived how my heart would stir with
swift fear, at this and that; and that my body would oft quiver to leap
aside; and as swift discover that naught assailed. And so did I go forward, and always with imaginings and wonders
concerning what manner of uncouth Being or Brute might come out of the
darknesses all about. Yet, in all that time, there was a certain
proudness of the heart, that I did come safe out of the power of the
Grey Man, and did surely slay him. But, truly, it were well that the
praise be considered, and not overmuch given unto me; for I had died as
I slept, but that they of the Great Redoubt, had made a watch over me,
and waked me unto my saving. Now, presently, as I walked, I grew something faint, and had knowledge
that I did foolishly; for, indeed, I should have eat after my fight; yet
may I be forgiven for this forgetting, in that I had been much shaked
and put about. And I sat me down in a little clear place among the bushes, and did eat
three of the tablets, and did once more shake forth the dust that did
turn in the air to a natural water by a proper and natural chemistry of
these matters. And after I had eat, I sat a little while, and did think,
and did look upwards at the great slope of the Pyramid in the night; and
all the time did I listen with mine ears and with my spirit; and kept
the Diskos across my knees, and looked this way and that, very frequent;
but nothing came anigh. And so I rose presently, and went onwards, and walked for six hours
towards the North and the West. And I made much to the West, for a
little, that I might come clear of the North-West Watcher. Yet, after a
space, I made to do foolishly; for I changed my mind about, and kept
something more towards the North, so that I should have a surer sight of
that Monster. And this was, in truth, a rash and naughty thing to consider; for if I
were but seen, then should that grim Brute make a signal unto the Evil
Powers, and I be met swiftly with destruction. But surely the heart is a
strange and wayward thing, and given to quick fears, and immediately
unto great and uncountable rashnesses. And so I did go forward unwisely
to the Northward of a safe and proper going; and it may be that an
influence was upon me, and drew me thatwards; but who shall say. Now, a great time I walked, and made a halt upon every sixth hour, and
did eat and drink, and look a little unto the monstrous towering of the
Great Redoubt; and afterwards make strong mine heart, and go forward
again. And always I did go warily, and chiefly among the low moss-bush;
but sometimes out upon stony ground, and oft across places where sulphur
did puff somewhat from the ground in a low smoke, very strong in the
nostrils and not liked inwardly. And as I made onwards, I looked always to my right and to my left, and
anon to the rear; yet made a constant observation of the Mighty Watcher,
that I did begin to draw nigh unto. And oft did I stoop to crawl, and my
hands did bleed somewhat; but after I was troubled so, I put on the
great gloves that made complete the grey armour, and so was shod proper
to such journeying. And, presently, when eighteen hours did have passed since that my sudden
awakening to the peril of the Grey Man, I did search about for a place
to slumber; for I would keep wisely unto my ruling, and go not over long
lacking of sleep; and by this planning I should be the less like to
sleep oversound, and so should set my spirit to listen whilst I did
sleep; and by so much as my spirit should serve me with faith, should I
have safety. And this thing is plain, and wants not more to the saying
thereof. And I came presently unto a sudden place where the land did go downwards
brokenly, as that it had been burst a great while gone by the inward
fires; and I looked downwards over the edge of that place, and went
round about it, and did see presently a ledge upon the far side, that
was difficult to come upon; yet a place of some little safety to any
that might go down to it; for it was awkward to see, and did any monster
seek to come at me, I should have chance of warning; and might go
downwards a greater way in time to my salvation.