But, indeed, I to be sure only of that which did be plain to mine
eyes. And mayhap there to be no mystery in the thing; but a score of
natural explainings, if that I did know, or had patience to think long
enough upon such. Now when that the eighteenth hour did be proper come, we to be anigh to
the great Hills, and there to seem nowise any danger of falling fire, so
that I sought about for a place for our slumber. And I found a cave in the side of a big rock; and the cave was dry and
comfortable, and had the mouth about a score feet above the earth. And
when that I had climbed and lookt well into the cave, I gave the Maid an
help, and had her safe into that place; and she then to prepare the
tablets and the water, the while that I brought up a boulder from below,
to set very light balanced in the mouth of the cave. And this I meant
for a signal to fall, if that any creature should climb upward into the
cave, while that we did sleep. And surely, you to know this plan; for I
did it before, as you to have learned. And the Maid sat near to me, and eat her tablets very quiet and with a
demure naughtiness; but yet to be also in wonder, and to gaze outward at
the Great Fire-Hills, and to be in awe, as I did know. And I put my half-anger and my play from me, and told her of mine
outward journeying, and how I did go by these same mighty Fire-Hills,
that did seem as mighty torches to light me in my search, and to have
held a new strangeness and wonder over my path. And she still to be silent, but yet to look at me twice or thrice with a
very dear and loving way; though she did hide her eyes in a moment, when
that she saw that I perceived her. And soon the Maid spread the cloak for our sleep; and while that she did
this, I lookt well about for any creature that might be anigh; and I had
an especial thought unto the Humpt Men; but, indeed, there was naught
living, unto my sight, and nowhere did I see anything to put me in fear
for our lives. And truly I had a great viewing from that place; for we did be in an
upward rock that stood in a high part, and the cave to be twenty good
feet aloft, as I have told; so that all made to set us in a lofty place. And the cave to look toward the two Mountains that did rise upward no
more than twelve good miles off from us, as I do think; and the Country
between to be somewise as a mighty park; for it was spread much about
the feet of the Great Fire-Hills, and did be bare in this place and
that, as that rock did make the earth naked there, or the falling of
some later fire to have wrought thus. And between the bare parts, there
went strange and romantic woods, seen mistily, and in parts the gleaming
of waters, as that hot lakes did be half shown among the broken forests. And presently the Land did go upward with a monstrous sweep, and was
then in great terraces in the height, and trees to grow very plentiful
upon the mountains, in sundry parts; and so those two Mighty Hills to go
upward to meet the everlasting night; and presently to show strange
uplands that did be seen very wondrous and queer in the light that did
glow from the vast glowing of the fire that did be a crown upon the
hills, that did seem in verity to be that they burned halfway between
that known world, and the lost olden world, that was mayhap two hundred
great miles above in the everlasting night and eternity of darkness. And I lookt upward for awhile, and was much held by the mighty uplands
that did be on high; yet did lie utter far below the burning crests of
the Mountains, and showed vague and sombre and dreadful seeming, because
that they did be so lost upward, and to have the mystery of the red
shining and of the shadows upon them, and to seem to slope far under the
great fires, but yet to be a place where no life should ever come,
because that they did be so monstrous a way upward beyond the great
shoulders of the Hills, the which did be themselves a huge way up. And
truly, I should give you somewhat of the affecting of those grim and
unknown Uplands, if that I said they did seem to my fancy to be a place
where a sorrowful thing might wander lost forever. But why I to think
this thing, how shall I say; and do tell it to you, only because that it
doth seem to hold in the thought the grimness and utter desolation of
those high and lonesome lands. And by this, I was done looking, and turned me about, and so did find
that Mine Own did stand silent, and waited that I come to my slumber. And surely, I lookt at her; but she did have her lids something
downward, when that she saw me turn; and so in the end, I said naught,
but went to my sleep, and had the Diskos very handy, as ever, beside me. And I then to know that Mine Own did lie down beside me, to my back, as
alway, and this to gladden me, as you shall think; for I perceived
afresh how thin did be the crust of her naughtiness; and I to be alway
stirred and touched in the heart by her loving naturalness, that did
need alway that she be near to me, save when she did play this
naughtiness upon me along the way. And I saw that she had no mind to be perverse whilst that I did slumber;
but must now be nigh unto me, and quietly loving; though nowise truly
ceased from her naughty acting that I did be as an hard slave master,
because that I had whipt her; yet she to have somewhat a truce with me,
as my heart did know. But, indeed, she not to kiss me good-night upon
the mouth, in her dear usual and sober fashion. And surely I did lie awhile, and pondered upon the Maid and upon all her
ways; and I perceived that she kist me not, only because that she did
not be able to break utter from her perverseness, that did come from the
stirring of her nature. And truly, I did love her, and was half minded
that I turn about to her, and take her a moment into mine arms; but yet
to abide from this, because that I was set that I wait awhile, and to
bring her to me thiswise, mayhaps. And presently, I knew that the Maid kist mine armour, very quiet and
shy, because that she must kiss me; yet to be intent that I have no
knowledge of this pretty act. But, indeed, I did know in all my being,
and did be newly tender unto her; yet to say naught, and to wait. And thus I knew presently that her breathing did go easy, so that I
perceived that she was all content and gone over unto slumber, somewise
as a little child that doth be weary, and doth sleep without care, and
with happy assurance. And, in verity, did a man ever to have so sweet and gentle a maid, that
did be in the same time so troublous and perverse. And I to lie yet awhile, and to note the constant tremble and shake of
the rock that did be under us; and this to be alway thus as I did lie,
and to be the more plain, because that I did be quiet in thought. And
this, as I conceived, did come from the earth-shaking that was made by
the inward fire of the world, the which did make a vague trouble in all
that part of the Land.