And then did I think upon the stream, to use
it, and I leapt quick therein, and did run very strong down the middle
part, which was nowheres so much as thigh-deep, and oft not above mine
ankles. And as I did run, there came again the bellow of that dire
Brute, following, and was now, as mine ears did say, scarce the half of
a mile to my rear. And I did run but the stronger, for the dread of the sound; and so,
maybe, for a little minute; and after that time, I stopt from mine heavy
running, and went very wary, that I made no loud splashing; for by now
the Monster-Brute should be something anigh to that place where I did
enter the stream. And I looked round, with a constant looking; but did
see no surely visible thing; though my fear did shape me an Hound from
every shadow of the moss-bushes about me. Then, in a moment, I did hear the Great Beast; for it bayed but a
little way up the stream, as that it had overshot the place where the
scent did end. And immediately, I sank swiftly into the water, which was
there so deep as my knee, and turned upon my belly. And the water surged
over my shoulders; for I kept my head above. And so I did look eager and
fearful through the steam into the shadows and the half-darkness,
towards where I did think to see the Night-Hound. And in a moment I saw it coming; and it was a little vague, by reason of
the smoke of the river; yet did seem black and monstrous in the gloom,
and great as a mighty horse. And it went past me at a vast and
lumbersome gallop; but I did not see it in that moment; for I dived my
head down unto the rock of the river bottom, and held downward, until
that I was like to burst for sore longing of breath. Then I put upward my head, and took swift and deep breathings, and lookt
about me, very cautious and fearful, as you can know. And I heard the
Night-Hound casting round among the moss-bushes, and it did send up a
wild and awesome baying; and I heard the bushes brake and smash beneath
it, as it did run to and hither. And afterward there was a quiet; yet I
moved not; but stayed there, very low in the water, and did have a
thankful heart that it was warm and easy to persist in; for I had surely
died of a frozen heart, if that it had been cold; for, by this time, you
do know even with me, how bitter was the chill of the Land. Now, I had been awhile lain thus upon my belly, and heard no sound from
the monstrous Hound. Yet, I ceased not to be full of an horrid unease,
concerning the Great Beast; for I did better to know what it did, than
to have no knowing. And, sudden, I heard the sound of it, running very
swiftly and coming nigh; and it passed me, and did go up the stream; and
there was surely a quick stupor upon me; for I ducked not my head under
the water; but stayed very still; which as it did chance, was maybe not
such an utter foolishness; for my head did seem in that half-gloom to
be, mayhap, no more than a little rock in the water, and I made no move
to tell of life; yet should the Hound have smelled me; and that it
failed in this matter, doth be a puzzle to me. And as the great Night-Hound past me, it tore the earth and the bushes,
with the exceeding strength that it put forth to run, and clods of the
earth and stones of bigness were cast this way and that by the feet of
the Hound, running. And so shall you have a little knowledge of the
strength of that Beast. And the Hound ran on into the distance, and presently, I heard it baying
in the Night. Then I rose, and went onward, down the warm stream, and
made a strong walking, yet keeping alway to the water; and oft did stop
a little that I should listen; and always I heard the Night-Hound a
great way off in the night, baying, and seeming that it did surely run
to and fro, searching. Now, I journeyed thus for twelve hours, and the baying of the Hound
making search, did never cease. And I kept always to the water, as I
did say, that I should leave no scent unto the Hound. And by that twelve
weary hours had gone, I found that I was come anigh unto the House of
Silence. And this put me in great trouble; as you may perceive; for
surely had mine whole effort been to the end that I should avoid that
House, by a great way. Yet had the Hound driven me thus a-near. Now I saw that the small river did go onward, and did make a breach
across the Road Where The Silent Ones Walk; and I determined in my heart
that I should leave the water, which was now grown nigh to a bitter
cold, in that it was so long upon the face of the Land. Yet chiefly did
I mind to leave the water, that I should come no more anigh unto that
House of Silence; for the water did go that way. And I stood awhile, and
did listen for the baying of the Hound; but could hear it no more; and
did have a surety within me that it was indeed gone from searching for
me. Then I came out of the water, and went forward, stooping and creeping,
among the moss-bushes, going outward to the Westward of North, so that I
should go away so quickly as I might from the nearness of the House. Yet, lo! I was gone upon my hands and knees no more than an hundred
fathoms, when I did find the moss-bushes to cease to the Westward, for a
great way, and there to be a great bareness of rock, which, in truth,
was much shown thereabout. And I dared not to go outward upon that naked
Land; for then I had not been hid by the moss-bushes; but had stood
plain there for all things of the Night to behold; and moreover, though
I could nowise have a sure knowledge concerning this matter, yet did I
hope within me that I should make a sure hiding from the Power of the
House of Silence, did I but go very low among the bushes. But, indeed,
it was like enough that naught could give me hiding; yet should I lose
no chance unto my safety. And because of this, I went backward among the bushes, and ceased to
escape out unto the Westward. And I found presently, that the
moss-bushes made but a narrow growth in that path, and grew only for a
while by the side of the Great Road; so that I was surely fain to keep
nigh to the Road, that I have the covering of the bushes. And, in a while, I found the Road Where The Silent Ones Walk, to bend
inward at the North of the House of Silence; so that it came right
horridly close unto the House; for here the hill on which the House did
stand, was very abrupt and fell steeply unto the Road. And so was that
Dreadful House stood up there above me in the Silence, as that it did
seem to _brood_ there upon the Land. And this side did seem truly as the
other; and equal lone and dreadful.