And there came then a rush of the Humpt Men up the rock; and truly it
did be a glad thing for our lives that they might come up only upon but
one side; for the other sides did be utter steep and smooth worn; and
this to have been unto our saving, as you shall think. And I stood up to the rush of the Humpt Men, and did smite hard at them,
with a quick circling of the Diskos, so that the great weapon did glow
and roar. And they gave back from the blaze and the sound of the Diskos;
and surely then I ran in upon them, whilst that they did be something
bewildered; and I gat the foremost man full upon the head, so that he
did be dead before he did know what thing happened. Yet, in verity, this
did be a dread moment to me; for the Humpt Men leaped in at me upon
every side in an instant of time; and I did be struck upon my head-piece
and upon my back and breast with the stones that certain of them did
carry, so that I rockt as I stood, and did near to swoon, and mine
armour to be all dint and bent upon me, and I truly to seem that I had
come to the time of my dying. And lo! in that moment of time, there did come to my dazed sense a low
and bitter cry of anguish from the Maid; and this to set all my life
aglow in me. And, in verity, there went a strange greyness of fury
before mine eyes, and I then to fight as I did never fight before; and I
did smite as it did seem forever. And the greyness did ease from mine
eyes, and the Maid did have her arms about me as I stood, and the dead
Men to lie heapt upon the rock, and Mine Own to steady me, for I did be
near slain and the blood did go from me, and mine armour was all broke
upon me by the smitings of the sharp stones. And I lookt something slowly upon Mine Own; and she to know that I would
ask whether that she did be harmed anywise; and she to be very brave
with me, and to tell me that she did be well; and she to be all slain in
the heart, because that I did be so hurt; but truly I had fought a good
fight, and did lack only to know that she come to no harm. Now my wits
did come back into me very soon; but I did be utter weak, and scarce to
stand; so that I did mind only that I get Mine Own safe unto the raft,
and to put off then from the shore. And I walkt slow to the edge of the rock, and lookt well about, that I
learn whether the Humpt Men did be all gone away; and the Maid did
steady me. And lo! there came up in that instant the last of the Humpt Men, and
they were five and did creep very stealthy, that they have me in
surprise. And I loost from the Maid, for I saw that I must come upon
them whilst that I had any strength left in my body; and they now to
leap upward unto me, so that I gat the first upon the head, and he to go
backward dead; but truly I did be more weak than I knew; for I swayed
upon the edge of the rock, and sudden I went downward to the earth; and
did be there upon my knees, and my back to the rock. And, in verity, the Humpt Men did come in upon me very swift; yet did
they give back from the Diskos, which I swung to and fro, so speedy as I
might, for my weakness, which did be so utter that I could nowise come
to my feet to stand. And Mine Own came down swiftly from the rock, and ran past the Humpt
Men, and I to make that I shout to her to go to the raft; but truly I
had no voice in my body, and did be dumb and weak, and did know that I
should be gone forever from Mine Own in a little moment, and she to have
none to protect her, neither to know the way of our journey, save by
reason. And behold! Mine Own did shout to the Humpt Men, and I perceived that
she made to draw them after her; for she ran to and fore and did shout
continually. But, indeed, the Humpt Men had no heed of her; but did make
alway to come at me; and surely, in that moment, one of the Humpt Men
reached me, and smote me so shrewd that sure he nigh crackt his
monstrous hand upon mine armour, and did drive me backward upon the
rock, and to make me bleed afresh, so that I was all in a daze and near
swooned away. And the Humpt Man caught at the Diskos; yet, in verity, he
loost it on the instant, for it did burn and shake him very sore; and
immediately, he smote me again, and so made to end me. And lo! in that moment, the Maid ran right in among the Humpt Men, and
she struck the man that strove with me, and drove her belt-knife once
and again through his arm, very savage and determined. And surely, the
man turned upon her, and he caught her by her garments, and he ript her
two garments utter from her, so that they came away and she did be free. And behold, mine utter despair for her did give me a new strength, so
that I shouted to her that she run instant to the raft; and I cut the
Humpt Man in twain, and did fall back then into a part swoon against the
rock. And lo! the Maid ran out from the Humpt Men; but they neither to
know whether that they follow her or that they come in upon me; and as
they did pause, she to call to them, and to try that she tempt them from
me toward the wood; for she had no thought of her life, but only that
she free me and save me; and I too weak even to have power to command
her to the raft; and she, truly, to have no heed to such command, even
did I thus to call again. And there I did be, half-gone out from this
life, and lookt at her with eyes that did scarce wot, save as in a
dream. And lo! the Humpt Men ceased sudden that they heed her; and the three
that did be left came very sly unto me, and with slowness and cunning;
for they wotted not whether I did be dead, or but a-wait for them. And
the Maid perceived that they came not after her; and she let out a great
cry that did be distant-seeming in my dulled ears, and came back, naked,
and running very swift. And she ran by me as death should run, white and
silent and her face set unto despair, and her eyes utter intent. And she
struck her belt-knife into the shoulder of the near Humpt Man; and the
Man howled and turned, and she did leap to the side, and the Humpt Man
ran at her. But lo! she leaped again this way and that, and utter
silent, and so quick as a light doth seem to dance all ways in a moment. And the two other Men did join with the first, that they catch her; and
behold! she went about, and did run right away among the trees, and the
three Men did come after her, running very lumbersome, yet with a great
speed. And the Maid had the knife in her hand, and I knew that she did mean to
slay herself presently, when that she could run no more; and in that
moment it seemed that my heart burst; for that I should never more see
Mine Own Maid forever. And there came some power of movement into me,
and I came forward from the rock and fell over upon my face. And I gat
again to my knees, and began that I creep after the Maid, and I did
shout in whispers, for my voice had no more power to call.