And the House was monstrous and
huge, and full of quiet lights; and it was truly as that there had been
no Sound ever in that House through Eternity; but yet was it as that the
heart did think each moment to see quiet and shrouded figures within,
and yet never were they seen; and this I do but set down that I bring
all home unto _your_ hearts also, as that you crouched there with me in
those low moss-bushes, there beside the Great Road, and did look upward
unto that Monstrous House of Everlasting Silence, and did feel the
utterness of silence to hang about it in the night; and to know in your
spirits the quiet threat that lived silent there within. And so shall you have mind of me, hid there among the bushes, and sodden
and cold; and yet, as you will perceive, so held in my spirit by an
utter terror and loathing and solemn wonder and awe of that Mighty House
of Quietness loomed above me in the Night, that I wotted not of the
misery of my body, because that my spirit was put so greatly in dread
and terror for the life of my Being. And also you shall have before you, how that I knew in all my body and
soul, that I stood anigh to that Place where but a little while gone
there had passed inward so dreadful to an everlasting Silence and Horrid
Mystery those poor Youths. And after that you have minded you of this, you shall consider how that
the memory of all my life held dread thoughts of the monstrousness of
that House; and now was I anigh unto it. And it did seem to my soul that
the very Night about it, held an anguish of quiet terror. And always my
mind did come back to the sheer matter that I was so anigh. And this
thing I do say unto you once and again; for truly, as you do see, it
hath imprinted itself deep into my spirit. Yet shall I now cease from
saying further in this manner; for, surely, you shall never know all
that was in mine heart; and if I cease not, I do but be like to weary
you. And so did I hide and creep, and oft pause to a time of shaking quiet;
and afterward gather something of new courage, and go onward; and peer
upward at that monstrous House, stood above me in the night. Yet, as it
did come about, I came presently clear of that horrid place; for the
Road came round again unto the North, and I began that I made a better
way through the moss-bushes; but never that I grew to much speed; for I
had oft to go about, that I should miss a naked part here, and another
there; for truly there was an abundance and bareness of rock, so that
the bushes grew not so thick as I could wish. And in the space of five hours was I clear of that House; and did have a
greater ease about my heart; but yet was not free to come to food nor to
slumber, the both of which I did sorely need; for I had slept neither
eat for a weariful time, as you do know. But first I must go further off
from the House, and afterwards come to some fire-hole, that I should dry
myself and get warmth again into my body, which was bitter cold. And now that I had come unto the Northward of the House of Silence,
there came to me a great Wonder, which bred in me a mighty Hope and
Gladness. For as I did go among the bushes, there broke sudden all
around me in the aether, the low and solemn beat of the Master-Word. And
the throb of the Word was utter weak; so that one moment I did say unto
myself that I heard, and in a moment that I did not; yet had I no proper
doubt in my heart. And I reasoned with myself, and with a great shaking of excitement and
expectation upon me, that the Master-Word came not from the Great
Pyramid, which should have power to send it as a Great Force across the
everlasting Night; whilst that this that throbbed about me was faint and
scarce to be known even unto the keenness of the Night-Hearing, which
was mine. And, immediately, as I crouched low there, and thrilled with the hope
that was bred in me, lo! there seemed to come the far faint voice of
Naani, calling with a little voice within my spirit. And I thought the
cry to have an utterness of supplication within it; so that I grew
desperate to up and go to running; yet did curb such foolishness, and
stayed very hushed, to listen. But I heard no more; yet was shaken continually with the Joy and Hope
which this calling did breed in me, for truly did it seem now that I was
right that I did determine to go unto the North; for sure was I now that
the Lesser Redoubt lay that way in the Night. And it did seem plain unto
me, that the House of Silence had put a barrier between; and had power
to withhold so weak a calling. And now had I come beyond the Barrier. And I did perceive in my heart how that Naani had called off, maybe in
the sadness of Despair; yet had the weak crying of her brain-elements
been held from me by the horrid power of the house; and surely, as I did
think, it was well named; for it did make a silence. And so shall you stay with me in your hearts, and take to ourselves
something of the new Gladness that held all my being; for it did seem
truly that my bitter task and adventuring should not in the end be
offered to Uselessness; and that I did truly draw unto that far place in
the Everlasting Night, where mine own Maid did cry for me, that I should
succour her. And ever as I went, did I hark; but there was no more the low eating of
the Master-Word in the Night; not at that time. And presently, I spied outward to the West, as it did seem a good mile
off in the night, the shining of a fire-hole; and I began to plan that I
should come unto that place, and have warmth and dryness, and food and
slumber. And, in verity, so set was I to the need of these matters that
if there did be a Monstrous Thing nigh to the fire--as was so oft the
case--then would I give battle unto it; for neither my Joy nor my
labours did serve to put warmth into my body; and I must surely come
anigh to fire, or die. Then, as I kneeled upward among the moss-bushes, and made to lay a true
course unto the fire-hole, I perceived that there came a Being along
the Road unto my right; and I went low into the bushes, and moved not;
for truly I had seen that there drew nigh one of the Silent Ones. And I made a little place that should let me to see; and I spied out,
with an utter caution; and lo! the Being came on very quiet, and with no
hurry. And in a time, it went by me on the road, and did take no heed to
me; yet did I feel that it had knowledge that I stoopt there among the
moss-bushes. And it made no sound as it went; and was a Dreadful thing;
yet, it did seem unto my heart, as that it had no trouble of Wanton
Malice to work needless Destruction to any. And this, I crave strangely
that you to understand; for it was so to me that I had a quiet and great
respect for that thing; and did feel no hatred; yet was very dreadly in
fear of it. And it was Huge in size, and was shrouded unto its feet, and
seemed, maybe ten feet high. Yet, presently, it was gone onward down the
Road, and I was no more troubled by it.