Now, even as I stood and lookt, the Maid drew nigh to the place where
the water did thunder; and the Jet in that moment to bellow, so that I
knew it came upward again. And I ran then after the Maid, and she to see
me, and began likewise to run from me toward the monstrous fountain; and
surely I did think that I had done well if that I had whipt or beat her
proper before this time; for truly it did be as that her naughtiness had
gone nigh unto somewhat that did be near to a wayward madness, so that
as I did perceive all her nature did surely work in her toward some deed
that should be for regret; and this to come, because that she did be
something pusht from her dear balance by her loving, and by the acting
of my manhood upon her, so that her nature both to be in rebellion
against me and to need me, and all in the same time. And this-way, she
to be in an inward turmoil, and to be ready foolishly that she put in
danger her beloved life, if only thereby she to make me something
adrift, and in the same moment to have some ease of her perverseness. And, in verity, you to know all this, because that I have shown the
working of her heart to you before this time. Now, I caught the Maid among the great rocks, which did stand all about;
and before her there did be a monstrous pit whence came the upbursting
of the water; and the water to go upward before our faces in a mighty
column, so that it did be as that a sea shot up on end, into a pillar of
living water, and went upward forever, as it did seem in that moment. And how we should be saved, I knew not, for the water did be as that it
overhung us, and should come down upon us and smother us in one moment,
forever. And the roar was in our ears and shook all the air of that
place with sound, as of an harsh and dreadful thunder; and there was a
scalding of beaten water, as fine as an haze, all about us. And I had the Maid in one instant into mine arms, and I ran very swift,
with a fierce running, that I have her away speedy, and so made forlorn
trial that I save her life. And lo! as I went from under that huge and
dreadful overhang of the great waters, there came downward from the
height a great stone that had been cast by the Jet, and it burst upon
the rock to my back, and certain of the flinders did strike and ring
upon mine armour, and made me to stagger as I ran. But I held the Maid
crowded safe against my breast, and she did not be hurt; and truly I was
yet able to run, and did save Mine Own, and brought her out from under
that grim Spouting. And I put the Maid down then to her feet; and she not to know how near
that she had given us to death, neither of the way that the fragments
did strike me; for she laughed very naughty and gleeful. But truly I
laughed not; for my heart had been nigh husht with terror for her; so
that I did be yet sick in my spirit, and mayhap also something shaken by
the blows that I gat from the broken stone. And, in verity, I to have meant that I flog her, very sharp, if that
there be no other way that I might bring her to reason; for, in surety,
as you to see, she to be acting so wild as a child, and so unreasoning
as only a Maid-in-love; and I to know that she did have to be brought
back from this way of spirit, even though I have to hurt her pretty
body, that I bring her again to her dear natural wiseness. Yet, indeed, I could not whip her then, because that she did laugh so
joyous, though with a naughty heart, and did look so wondrous dainty, so
that even her defyings did but seem that which my heart desired. And
you, mayhap, to have been something likewise in the love-days. Yet I
pled and reasoned with her to be a wise maid; but, indeed, she only to
make a gleeful mock of all that I did say. Now I went forward again, for I was not harmed by the stone, only that I
did be shaked, as you shall think. And the Maid to go offward from me,
and to sing, and did oft dance naughtily as she went. But truly, I did
be silent with her, for I was but human, and did lack that she come to
mine arms, and love me, because that I had pluckt her safe from that
place. And, indeed, this to be but a natural desiring; and you to have
understanding with me, and to know that you also to have this lack and
need, if that you to have done aught for love of your maid, and she to
deny you a word of loving tenderness. Yet, in verity, I to be even then able to perceive with mine inward
senses, how that the Maid did have a wondrous up-pouring of love for me,
but yet did be so perverse, and the more so, mayhap, because that her
love did so urge her unto loving admittings that I did be her Man. And
she, maybe, to have meant that she be the more humble presently, but yet
to go naughtily awhile more, and not, indeed, to have had the power
within her at that time, to have come unto me, and cast off her
waywardness, and askt that she be in mine arms, as all my heart did
desire. And so, as I have told, I went silently, and mayhap with a little
dullness, that did be part of anger and part of hurt and part of that
same strange love-foolishness from which the Maid did suffer. And truly,
this doth be very contrary-seeming, only that you have seen my heart;
and all indeed the more human, that it doth be so contrariwise to the
brain-reason; and all to be desired, else did a man be no better than an
ant or a weariful machine. And this to be truth and wholesomeness as you shall perceive, if that
you look deep enough, and do modify Reason with heart-understanding;
for, in verity, how shall that which we call Reason, bring any to the
full and the great knowledge. And this doth be a power of holy things,
and doth be a child that is born of Love and Reason, and in the one to
hold the two, and to know all things is the gift of this power; so that
no man may walk truly that hath only the first, neither any man do utter
wise that hath only the second. And surely, I to cease from these thoughts, and to my tellings; and you
to your harkings and dear sympathy. Now, when the sixth hour did be come, we made a halt and eat and drank,
and afterward went onward again, and so came presently clear of the two
monstrous fire-hills; and their great noise to be presently to our rear,
and likewise that quiet country that did be round their feet, and did
seem so utter husht and strange and doubly so, because of the upward
noise of the mountains, and because of the slow and subtle earth-shaking
that did be so constant, and because of all those things that I have
told. Now, when we had made halt, the Maid had done her hair very uncomely
upon her head, and had lookt slyly to see whether I did note; but truly,
I took no heed; so that in the end she had it again in a pretty fashion,
and did sing naughtily and with an heart of mischief, as she did shape
it loose and wondrous nice about her head.