And concerning this same Place Where The Silent Ones Kill, it were well
to make an explanation how that there was always a little and
far-spreaded light over all that lonesomeness; and the light was
something grey-seeming; as it were that a lichen might grow upon the
rocks, and send out a little uncomfortable glowing, even as certain
matters do in these times, if you do but know the place and the time to
seek them. Yet was the light exceeding weak, and very cold and dismal,
and did seem truly to show naught with a sureness; so that it did appear
to the eye, if one did look fixedly, that there were shadows that did
move here or there, as it were of silent beings; and none might know, in
truth, whether this shaping of the greyness was to the clouding of the
Reason, or that the eye did see of Reality. Yet, if one did look with
the Great Spy-Glass, then might there be some surety and plainness; and
likewise was it so, if one did have come sufficient anigh to that
uncomfortable Place, even as I then did be. And so you shall conceive
how that I did slide very quiet from bush unto bush; for I had alway in
all my life had a very dread fear of this place; and oft did I peer out
into the dim grey light of the lonesome plain unto my left; and would
think sometimes to perceive the shapes of the Silent Ones stood vague
and watchful; yet, on the instant, to see nothing. And thus I did go onward, and came presently to a part where the grey
plain did stretch out a bareness into the Night Land to my front; so
that my way ended, unless I did make a long passing round about. And I sat there among the moss-bushes, and did consider, and lookt out
cunningly through a spy-hole of the bush in which I did sit. And I
perceived that the part of the plain which did jut bareness into the
Land before me had no greatness of size; but might be passed swiftly in
but a little running. And this thing should save me a wearisome going
round; so that I made to consider it with a serious mind; and all the
time did I search the bare greyness before me, and saw presently that it
was surely empty. And I made to adventure myself across, running very swift until I had
come to the far side. And lo! as I did go to rise up out of the bush,
mine eyes were opened, as it were, and I saw that there was something
amid the constant greyness; and I fell quickly into the bush; and did
sweat very chill; but yet did haste to look. And I saw now that there were, in truth, matters that did show vague
upon that part of the plain that was before me. And I did peer very
constant and anxious, and, behold, I saw that there was facing me, a
great line of quiet and lofty figures, shrouded unto their feet; and
they moved not, neither made they any sound; but stood there amid the
greyness, and did seem to make an unending watch upon me; so that my
heart went unto weakness, and I did feel that there was no power of the
moss-bushes to hide me; for, in verity, they that stood so silent were
certain of the Silent Ones; and I was very nigh to the Place of
Destruction. Now, I moved not for a time; but was made stiff by the greatness of my
fear. Yet I was presently aware that the Silent Ones came not towards
me; but stood quiet; as that they did mind not to slay me, if but I did
keep from that Place. And there grew therefrom a little courage into mine heart, and I obeyed
my spirit, and took an hold of my strength and went slowly backward in
the bushes. And presently I was come a long way off. Yet troubled and
disturbed, and very strict to my going. And I made a great circling about that place where the plain of the
Silent Ones did come outward; and so did gain to the North-West; and was
thence something the happier in my heart; and went easily, and oft upon
my feet; yet making a strong watching to every side. And so I came at the last to a time when I had walked through
four-and-twenty weariful hours; and was eager that I should come to a
safe place for my sleep; yet did lack a happy belief of safety, in that
I had come twice anigh to so grim trouble; and unsure I was that I did
not be secretly pursued in the night. And this you shall believe to be a
very desperate feeling; and a plight to make the heart sick, and to long
with a great longing for the safety of that mine Home. Yet had I put
myself to the task; and truly I did never cease to the sorrowful
remembering of that utter despair that had sounded to me plain in the
last calling of mine own love, out of all the mystery of the night. And
but to think upon this was to grow strong in the spirit; yet to have a
fresh anxiousness that I did the more surely keep my life within me, and
so come to that maid's salvation. Now, as you shall mind, I had spied the shine of certain fire-holes
somewhat to the Northward, and had thought to make thereabouts a place
for my sleep; for, in truth, there was a bitterness of cold in all the
air of night that did surround me; and I was warmed nigh to a slow
happiness, by thinking upon a fire to lie beside; and small wonder, as
you shall say. And I made presently a strong walking unto that place where did glow in
the night the shine of the fire-holes, as I did well judge them to be;
and so was like to have come over-swiftly upon my death, as you shall
presently see; for, as I came anigh to the first, I perceived that the
light came upward out of a great hollow among the moss-bushes, and that
the fire-hole burned somewhere in the deep of the hollow; so that I did
but look upon the shine thereof. Yet very eager was I to come to that warmth; and I made more of haste
than care, as I did hint; and so came very swift to the top of the
hollow; yet was still hidden by the kindness of the moss-bushes. And as I made to thrust forward out of the bushes, that I might look and
go downward into the hollow, there rose up to me the sound of a very
large voice, and deep and husky. And the voice was a dreadful voice that
did speak as that it said ordinary things, and in a fashion so monstrous
as that it were that a house did speak, and, in verity, this is a
strange thing to say; yet shall it have the truth of my feelings and
terror in that moment. And I drew back swiftly from discovering myself; and was then all feared
to move, or to make to go more backward, lest that I should give
knowledge that I was come anigh. And likewise did I shiver lest that I
was even then perceived. And so shall you have something of the utter
fear that did shake me. And I abode there, very quiet, and moved not for
a very great space; but did sweat and shake; for there was a monstrous
horridness in the voice that did speak. And as I crouched there within the moss-bushes, there came again the
large voice, and it was answered by a second voice; and thereupon there
arose, as it did seem, the speech of Men that must have the bigness of
elephants, and that did have no kindness in all their thoughts; but were
utter monstrous.