The Night Land

And, presently, I minded me of the men, and signed to them that they

should continue; for the Records must not be broken; and now I had the

communication full established.

And by me stood the Master Monstruwacan, quietly as any young

Monstruwacan, waiting with slips to make any notes that were needful;

and keeping a strict eye upon those others; but not unkindly. And so,

for a space of wonder, I had speech with that girl out in the darkness

of the world, who had knowledge of my name, and of the old-earth

love-name, and named herself Mirdath.

And much I questioned her, and presently to my sorrow; for it seemed

that her name was not truly Mirdath; but Naani; neither had she known my

name; but that in the library of that place where she abode, there had

been a story of one named by my name, and called by that sweet love-name

which she had sent out somewhat ruthless into the night; and the girl's

name had been Mirdath; and when first she, Naani had called, there had

come back to her a cry of Mirdath, Mirdath; and this had minded her so

strangely of that olden story which had stayed in her memory; that she

had answered as the maid in that book might have answered.

And thus did it seem that the utter Romance of my Memory-love had

vanished, and I stood strangely troubled for sorrow of a love of olden

times. Yet, even then I marvelled that any book should have story so

much like to mine; not heeding that the history of all love is writ with

one pen.

Yet, even then in that hour of my strange, and quaintly foolish pain,

there came a thing that set me thrilling; though more afterwards, when I

came to think afresh upon it. For the girl who spoke to me through the

night made some wonder that my voice were not deeper; yet in quiet

fashion, and as one who says a thing, scarce wotting what they say. But

even to me then, there came a sudden hope; for in the olden days of this

Present Age my voice had been very deep. And I said to her that maybe

the man in the book was said to have had a deep tone of speech; but she,

seeming puzzled, said nay; and at that I questioned her the more; but

only to the trouble of her memory and understanding.

And strange must it seem that we two should talk on so trivial a matter,

when there was so much else that we had need to exchange thought upon;

for were a man in this present day to have speech with those who may

live within that red planet of Mars within the sky, scarce could the

wonder of it exceed the wonder of a human voice coming through that

night unto the Great Redoubt, out of all that lost darkness. For,

indeed, this must have been the breaking of, maybe, a million years of

silence.