The Night Land

Yet, though the voice was the voice of Mirdath the Beautiful, it

was also the voice of Naani; and I knew in all my heart that this thing

was in verity; and that it had been given to me to be birthed once more

into this world in the living-time of that Only One, with whom my spirit

and essence hath mated in all ages through the everlasting. And I called

with my brain-elements and all my strength to Naani; but there came no

answer; neither sign of hearing, though through hours I called.

And thus at last I came to an utter exhaustion; but neither could be

quiet, nor sleep. Yet, presently, I slept.

And when I waked, my first memory was of the wondrous thing which had

befallen in the sleep-time; for none in all this world could have known

those words; save it had been the spirit of Mirdath, my Beautiful One,

looking from above my shoulder in that utter-lost time, as I made those

words to her, out of an aching and a broken heart. And the voice had

been the voice of Mirdath; and the voice of Mirdath had been the voice

of Naani. And what shall any say to this, save that which I had in my

heart. And immediately I called to Naani, once, and again twice; and in a

little moment there came all about me the throbbing of the Master-Word,

beating solemnly in the night; and I sent the Master-Word to give

assurance, and immediately the voice of Naani, a little weak as was it

always when she had not the Instrument, but sent the message with her

brain-elements.

And I answered her, and questioned her eagerly concerning her sayings of

the past time of sleep; but she disclaimed, and made clear to me that

she had no knowledge of having spoken; but had slept through all that

time of which I made to tell; and, indeed, had dreamed a very strange

dream. And for a little while I was confused, and meditated, not knowing what

to think; but came suddenly again to a knowledge that Naani's far voice

was thrilling the aether all about; and that she would tell to me her

dream; which had set strong upon her mind.

And she told the dream to me, and in the dream she had seen a tall, dark

man, built very big, and dressed in unfamiliar clothing. And the man had

been in a little room, and very sorrowful, and lonesome; and in her

dream she had gone nigh to him.

And presently the man made to write, that he might ease him by giving

expression to his sorrow; and Naani had been able to read the words that

he wrote; though to her waking spirit the language in which they were

writ was strange and unknown. Yet she could not remember what he had

writ, save but one short line, and this she had mind of in that he had

writ the word Mirdath above. And she spoke of the strangeness of this

thing, that she should dream of this name; but supposed that I had fixed

it upon her, by my first callings.