And this, we set assuredly to the failure of the Earth-Current, which
had robbed them of all force and power; so that, in those few weeks all
life and joy of living had left them; and neither hunger nor thirst had
they, much, nor any great desire to live; but yet a new and mighty fear
of death. And this doth seem very strange. And, as may be thought, all this made the Peoples of the Great Redoubt
think newly of the Earth-Current that issued from the "Crack" beneath
the Pyramid; and of their latter end; so that much was writ in the
Hour-Slips concerning this matter; yet in the main to assure us that we
ourselves might each be free from a disturbed heart; though some went
foolishly to the other event, and spoke of a speedy danger to us,
likewise; as is ever the way. But the truth of our own case lay, maybe,
somewhere between. And all the Hour-Slips were full also of imaginings of the terror of
those poor humans out in the darkness of the world, facing that end
which must come upon all, even upon our mighty Pyramid; though, as most
would believe, so far away in some future eternity, that we have no
cause to trouble. And there were sad poems writ to the peoples of that Lesser Redoubt, and
foolish plans set about to rescue them; but none to put them to effect;
and no way by which so great a thing might be done; and doth but show
how loosely people will speak out of an over-security. Yet to me, there
had come a certain knowledge that I must make the adventure, though I
achieved naught save mine own end. Yet, it were better to cease quickly,
than that I should feel, as now I did feel. That same night, in the Eighteenth Hour, there was a great disturbance
in the aether about the Mighty Pyramid; and I was awakened suddenly by
the Master Monstruwacan; that I might use my gift of the Night-Hearing
to hearken for the throbbing of the Master-Word, which they had thought
to come vaguely through the Instruments; but no one of the Monstruwacans
was sensitive enough of soul to account truly whether this was so. And lo! as I sat up in the bed, there came the sound of the Master-Word,
beating in the night about the Pyramid. And immediately there was a
crying in the aether all about me: "We are coming! We are coming!" And mine inwards leaped and sickened me a moment, so shaken was I with a
sudden belief; for the message seemed some ways to come to me from very
near to the Great Redoubt; as that they who sent it were nigh to hand. And, forthwith, I called the Master-Word into the night; but no answer
did there come for a while, and then a faint thrilling of the aether
about me, and the weak pulse of the Master-Word in the night, sent by a
far voice, strangely distant. And I knew that the voice was the voice of
Naani; and I put a question through all the darkness of the dead world,
whether she were within the Lesser Redoubt, and safe thus far. And presently, there came a faint disturbance about me, and a small
voice in my soul, speaking weakly and out of an infinite distance; and I
knew that far away through the night Naani spoke feebly, with her
brain-elements; and that she abode within the Lesser Pyramid; but that
she too had heard that strange pulse of the Master-Word in the night,
and that message: "We are coming! We are coming!" And vastly had this
thing disturbed her, waking her within her sleep; so that she knew not
what to think; save that we were devising some method to come to them. But this I removed from doubt, saying that she must not build on vain
hoping; for I would not have her doubly tortured by the vanity of such
believing. And, thereafter, having said such things as I might, though
few they were, to comfort her, I bade her, gently, to sleep; and turned
therewith to the Master Monstruwacan, who waited in quiet patience; and
had no knowledge of that which I had heard and sent; for his hearing was
but the normal; though his brain and heart were such as made me to love
him. And I told the Master Monstruwacan many things as I put my clothing
about me; how that there had indeed been the calling of the Master-Word;
but not by any of that Lesser Redoubt; but that, to my belief, it had
come from nigh about the Great Pyramid. Moreover, it was sent by no
instrument; as I wotted that he did guess; but, as it seemed to me, by
the brain-elements of many, calling in unison. And all this did I set out to the Master Monstruwacan; and with
something uncertain of fear and trouble in my heart; yet with a blind
expectation; as, indeed, who would not. Though, no longer was I shaken
by that first thought of Her nearness. And I said to the Master Monstruwacan that we should go to the Tower of
Observation, and search the Night Lands with the great spy-glass. And we did this, and lo! presently, we saw a great number of men pass
over the Electric Circle that went about the Pyramid; yet they came not
_to_ us; but went outwards towards the blackness and the strange fires
and hideous mysteries of the Night Land. And we ceased from spying, and
looked swiftly at one another, and knew in our hearts that some had left
the Mighty Pyramid in the Sleep-Time. Then the Master Monstruwacan sent word to the Master Watchman that his
wardership had been outraged, and that people left the great Pyramid in
the Sleep-Time; for this was against the Law; and none ever went out
into the Night Land, save the Full Watch were posted to the Great Door;
and at a due time, when all were wakeful; for the Opening Of The Door
was made known to all the Millions of the Great Redoubt; so that all
might be aware; and know that no foolishness was done without their
wotting. Moreover, ere any had power to leave the Pyramid, they must pass The
Examination, and Be Prepared; and some of this have I set out already. And so stern was the framing of the Law, that there were yet the metal
pegs upon the inner side of the Great Gate, where had been stretched the
skin of one who disobeyed; and was flayed and his hide set there to be a
warning in the Early Days. Yet the tradition was remembered; for, as I
might say it, we lived very close about the place; and Memory had no
room whereby she might escape. Now the Master Watchman, when he heard that which the Master
Monstruwacan had to tell, went hastily with some of the Central Watch
from the Watch-Dome, to the Great Gate; and he found the men of the
Sleep-Time Watch, with the Warder of the Gate, all bound, and stopt in
the mouth, so that none could make outcry. And he freed them, and learned that nigh five hundred young men, from
the Upper Cities, by the bigness of their chests, had come upon them
suddenly, and bound them, and escaped into the night through the
Eye-Gate in the top of the Great Gate. And the Master Watchman was angry, and demanded why that none had called
by the instruments of the Watch House; but lo! some had made to call
thus, and found them unable to wake the recorders which lay in the
central Watch-Dome; for there had been tampering.