And I stayed there for a certain while, and made a watch upon the
red-shining and the figures; and, truly, it did seem to me that there
were horrid giants in that Land, even as in the Night Land. And
afterward, I crept away, and went outward from the little volcanoes,
into that part of the Land that was dark, save, as you do mind, for the
glare of fire-holes in this part and that. And I went now with an utter care; for the giants had put a new caution
into my heart, and I did surely mean that I should live to rescue mine
own Maid, and have joy through all my life. And thereafter, I went with
the Diskos in my hand, and at each hour that was the sixth, I eat two of
the tablets, and drank some of the water, and so did keep my strength
very good within me. Now, presently, I was come to a place where the Land did go downward a
great slope, and there was a difference in the earth that went beneath
my feet, and no great plenty of the bushes; but only one in this place
and one in that, and nowhere any fire-hole. And I gat me down and did feel the earth with my hands, and lo! I did
find presently smooth stones, and afterward olden shells. And
immediately, a great delight took me; for Naani had told how that the
Lesser Pyramid stood something nigh to the shore of an ancient sea, that
was long dried up in the years of eternity. And surely it might be that
I was come down into the dry bottom of that same olden sea, and should
presently have sight of the Little Pyramid. And because that hope was put so fresh into me, I went forward through,
maybe, thirty hours, across the olden sea-bed; but in all that time I
had no sight of the lights of the Lesser Redoubt. And a great trouble
began to take me; for, indeed, Naani had not told me how great was the
sea; and it might be that I should wander a weariful age across it,
before that I come to the far side. And it did come to me, presently, how that I should be wise to see that
my way was very straight, so that I waste not my strength in useless
wanderings. And I had a great care now to observe that the red-shining
did be always upon my right, to my rear; and by this reasonable cunning
did I make to steer very nicely through the great gloom of that place. Now, as I did go across the bed of the great sea, I heard strange
sounds, now in this part of the darkness, and now in that; and oft did
there be a noise, as if things did run this way and that way in the bed
of the sea. And once, afar off in the night, there did be a strange and
horrid screaming; so that I did know truly that the monsters of that
Land were out, and did go about in the dark. And, as you shall perceive and understand, I was all unknowing of the
lore of that Land; so that I knew not what to think of this strange
sound or that, neither knew I what they might portend, but only that, as
I did say, there were Monsters abroad. And I could do no more than have
my way forward with an utter care always, and be very ready with the
Diskos, or to hide, each as maybe according to the need. And, surely, I went one-and-forty hours that day, and eat and drank
after every sixth hour. And before this, in the seven-and-thirtieth
hour, I heard a great roaring and bellowing in the night, coming nigh
unto me; and afterward the thudding of monstrous feet, as that a giant
ran past me in the darkness, and did make a chase of some creature. And
the thudding of the feet and the roaring went far off into the night;
and there did seem presently to come back to me from a great way, a
little screaming; but of this thing I had no surety; and I abode very
hushed in a clump of bush, until quietness was come again all about; for
there had been an utter frightening sound in the horrid voice and in the
thudding of the great feet. Now, in the one-and-fortieth hour of that day, I came upon the farther
shore of the olden sea. But lo! there was nowhere any light to tell me
aught of the Lesser Refuge. And truly, a great doubt and bewilderment
took me; for, indeed, I could not perceive how it might be that I saw
not the lights of the embrasures of the Lesser Pyramid. And a great
despair took me; so that I sat down there upon the shore of the olden
sea, and had no heed of anything for a while. But afterward, I ate and drunk, and went into a clump of bush, and wrapt
the cloak about me, and so went fast unto sleep, with the Diskos handy
to my breast. And, in verity, the pain of the despair and the
bewilderment of mine heart did make rather for sleep, than to keep me
wakeful; for, indeed, I was half stunned of the brain and of my courage;
and did seem now the farther off from the ending of my search than ever
I had been. And I slept six hours, and waked then, sudden. And I leaned up upon mine
elbow in the bush, and harked very quiet, perchance some noise had
shaken my sleep from me. But, indeed, there was nothing, only that I was
wakeful, and did mind me of my trouble of failure. Yet now, I did invent
this thing and that thing to make natural account that I was not come to
the Lesser Redoubt; and so had hope again within me; yet much also of
doubt and bewilderment. And I eat two of the tablets, and drank some of the water, and again to
my journey. And I made that I should keep along the shore of the sea,
the which I did through twelve hours, and was then still so much in
doubt as ever. And I ceased from my journeying, and lookt about me over the Land, and
lo! I did note how that a weak and strange shining was in the air of the
Land, at a great way; as it had been that a far spreaded and faint
glowing made a little glare into all the night unto my left and before
me. Now I ate and drank, and made to steady my spirit; for I did fear lest I
should feel utter lost in all the night of the world, and to know not
where to make any more my search, and so to grow desperate in despair. And this thing you will understand. And afterward, I did make across that Land, unto the place where it did
seem that the dull shining was something bright. And I went thus through
eighteen hours, and did make pause at each sixth hour, and ate and drank
very resolute; though, in verity, it did seem as that even so small a
matter as the tablets did be like to choke me. And by this is it plain
to me how great an anguish was come upon my spirit, lest that I was all
astray, and should have no joy to succour mine Own. And thrice in the time that I did go, there did be a running of feet
amid the darkness; and odd whiles strange and horrid cryings in the
night; so that I put a force upon my despair, and hid me; for, indeed, I
had no right to lose care of my life, if there did be any chance yet
that I find the Maid. And lo! in the eighteenth hour, which was truly the thirtieth of that
day, I found the shining in the night to be grown very plain, and an
utter stinking of sulphur; and truly I did be aware that the Land went
upward. And I made upward through seven hours, and the light did grow more
plain, and was of a dull redness, very sombre and heavy.