The Night Land

Now, Naani, having heed to my constant questions, craved with an utter

keen hunger that I might come to her; but yet forbade it, in that it

were better to live and commune in the spirit, than to risk my soul, and

mayhaps die, in the foolishness of trying to find her in all the

darkness of the dead world. Yet, no heed had I taken of her commands,

had I but known of a surety the direction in which she might be

discovered; and gained some knowledge of the space between, for this

might be named by thousands of miles, or but by hundreds; though a great

distance it was surely.

Yet, one other thing there was, that has point in this place; for when I

sent my speech out into the night, using my brain-elements, I came to

know that, whether I had a knowledge of the North, or no knowledge at

the moment, yet did I turn oft with a sure instinction to that

Direction. And of this, the Master Monstruwacan took very great note,

and had me to experiment many a time and way, and so enclosed about with

screens, or with bandages across mine eyes, that I could not, save by

that inward Knowing, have any knowledge to point me the way. Yet would I

turn Northwards very frequent, by a certain feeling; and seemed unable

of speech, if I were turned otherwise by force.

But when we asked Naani whether she had an unusualness in this matter,

she could discover none; and we could but take note curiously of that

which affected my habits; and which truly I set to the attracting of her

spirit; for I had mind that she did be somewheres out that way in the

darkness of the world; but yet was this no more than to suppose, as you

perceive.

And the Master Monstruwacan wrote a study of this matter of the

Northwardness of my turning; and it was set out in the Hour-Slips of the

Tower of Observation; and so it came to be copied by the Hour-Slips of

the great cities, and made much comment, and much calling up to me

through the home instruments; so that with this, and the speech that

went about concerning my powers to hear, I was much in talk, and

diversely pleased and oft angered by overmuch attention and importunity.

And now, whilst I pondered this matter in all my spirit and being, how

that I should some way come to Naani, there befell a very terrible

thing. And in this wise must I tell it:

It was at the seventeenth hour, when all the millions of the Mighty

Pyramid slept, that I was with the Master Monstruwacan in the Tower of

Observation taking my due turn. And sudden, I heard the thrilling of the

aether all about me, and the voice of Naani in my soul, speaking. And I

sent the Master-Word into the darkness of the world, and presently, I

heard the solemn answer beating steadfastly in the night; and

immediately I called to Naani with my brain-elements, to know what thing

troubled her in her sleep.