The Night Land

And lo! I did be come something nigh unto the Mighty Pyramid; and my

great Home went up vast into the everlasting night, as a very Mountain

of sweet Life and Safety, and had surely amazed me afresh with the utter

Bigness of it, only that despair and weariness did have too grim an hold

upon my heart for me to care of aught, save to have Mine Own Maid within

the safe wonder of the huge Refuge.

And it did be still afar off from me.

And I to go forward across the Land with a strong going; and lo! as I

past a hollow place where did burn a fire-hole, there came something out

of the hollow.

And the thing gat upward from crawling, and did be a

great and haired Man. And the Man lookt at me, and afterward came unto

me, and did put his hands forward, very eager, as he came. And I did see

the hands plain in the light from the fire-hole, and the hands were

monstrous, and did be armed brutish with horrid claws, so that the Man

should have been able to rip aught, even as a wild beast.

And I put Mine Own very swift to the earth; and surely, I cared not for

life or aught; for this thing did make to delay me, and I to be fierce

with despair that aught should halt me. And lo! I leaped very furious

and with cold anger at the giant; and I smote at the monstrous brute;

but he unto the side in an instant of time, and so escaped the blow. And

he flung forth his monstrous arm out of the half-dark of a shadow that

did be cast by the dance of the fire-hole, and caught my head-piece and

pluckt it from me so strong and brutish that he cast me nigh a dozen

feet on to my back.

Yet I was not harmed in the life, but only sore

shaked and bruised; and I to be up in a moment, and came in upon the

giant, and the Diskos did roar and blaze in my hands as I swung the

weapon.

And I gat the giant above the middle part, and the Diskos did

glut itself, and went through the giant as that he did be naught, though

so huge and monstrous and girt with strength. And he to have surely

turned his shoulders as he died; for the upper part of the giant-man

went horrid to the earth, and the legs and the trunk stood plain in the

light of the fire-hole, and the blood went upward as a fountain in the

night.

And I made no pause, but leaped unto the Maid, and had her in a moment

to mine arms, and onward again past that dead thing, that did only then

to fall with an horrid sound. And surely the night did be full of an

astonishment and upliftedness of the Millions, so that their spiritual

cryings did go all about me, and did tell me that they had perceived

this thing, and did cast their love and delight unto me, and a vast

excitement to be upon them.

And lo! I scarce to have gone a great mile more, but there came two

vague things out of a dark place, where certain rocks did upstand; and I

smote them with the Diskos, and went onward; but what they did be, I

never to know.

And surely, after that, I did seem to go smiting forever; for there to

come, time and oft, strange things out from the bushes and the rocks, as

that all the Land did be a-crawl with foul and monstrous life, and I to

go smiting, as in a dream, and to speed forward ever with a more fierce

despair; for surely the end of our lives did be come, and I not to be

given power to save Mine Own Maid.

And all the Land did be full of grim and monstrous roarings, and

odd-wise lower sounds, very deadly. And once I did hear the noise of

giants running. And all the night to be Evil. And, in verity, how I did

not be slain by some dread Force, I not to know, unless that I did be

burned free of all weakness that an Evil Power should have chance to

harm me through; for, indeed, I had been dealt a bitter training a

monstrous time.

And lo! there to be again the deep and dreadful baying of the

Night-Hounds unto the South-East, and to be nearer; and I to know now

that no strength of mine should serve to protect Mine Own.

And lo! from the upwardness of the night, where did be the Last Light,

there sudden to come downward a strange blue flash, that smote downward

into the Land unto the South-East. And again the flash to come, and

mayhap a score times after; and there to come down out of the height a

peculiar crackling sound, that did be less than the thunder of this age,

yet more loud than any other sound that you ever to hear. And lo! I knew

that the Humans did begin to fight for me, that I bring Mine Own safe

unto Home.

And behold! it did be as that all the wakefulness of the Land that had

been, did be but as sleep, beside the wakefulness that now to come; for

surely the Night now to seem to rock with the roarings of the Monsters,

and with the be-stirring of Great Forces. And ever there to go over the

Land the yowling of that strange and dreadful Laughter, which did come

from that hid Country in the night of the lost East.

And lo! there arose constant now the hoarse and dreadful bayings of the

Hounds, and made known that a mighty pack did be out. And they to seem

to be no more, maybe, than a good mile unto the South-East; and I to be

all alone, save for the dying Maid that I held in mine arms. And I lookt

vainly and with despair for the Hundred Thousand that did be Prepared,

and had come downward, as you do know, unto mine aid. But truly, there

did be naught to see anywheres, save the strange lights and shadows of

the Land; and the movement of monstrous life in this place and that

place. And the Hounds to come nearer with every moment of time; so that

indeed, I knew that death did be very nigh.

And I ceased not from my stride; but went forward, and did begin to run;

for the Pyramid was not a huge way off in the night; and the shine of

the Circle about it, to be plain seen, save here and there, where it did

be hid strangely. And I to have a despairing hope that I come yet with

Mine Own into the safety of the Circle.

And the baying of the Hounds to come ever the more near; and surely it

did be a doubly hideous bitter thing that I lose My Dear One, so nigh

unto Home; and the great Mountain of my Home to go upward before me into

the night, and to seem so near that surely I did be almost there; but

yet, mayhap, two great miles off, even then. And, behold, I called out

in vain despair and to no end, why that none come to give me aid in this

extremity; for the Hounds did bay now but the half of a great mile, upon

my left, and did surely have scent of me, by the way of their dreadful

baying.

And, truly, the Millions to have an anguish of sympathy for me; for the

spiritual noise of their emotion did be plain unto my spirit; and they

surely to have seen and to have interpreted the way that I did look

about me and appear to call out in despair; for there came all about me

in a moment the companioning of a great and sweet spiritual force, which

did be bred of their quick going with me in their understanding and

love; and they to have perceived how that I did be unto the end of hope;

and the Hounds to be almost upon me.

And in this moment, there came afresh to my hearing the shaking beat of

the Earth-Current; so that I knew the Humans to take desperate means to

save. And there came to my view a vast pack of the Hounds unto my left,

and they came running at a great pace, and their heads did be low, and

they to be so great as horses; and seen plain, and again in shadow, all

in the same moment, as they did come.

And, in verity, I knew that we two to be dead indeed ere a minute be

gone, if that the Humans not to haste. And I stood where I did be; for

there was no more use to run; and I lookt from the Hounds unto the

Mighty Pyramid, and again to the Hounds. And again I lookt with my hope

gone, unto the Pyramid; for the Hounds did be scarce two hundred fathoms

off from me; and there did be hundreds of the mighty beasts. And lo!

even as I lookt that last time unto the Pyramid, there brake out a

monstrous bursting flame, that did rush downward from the Sealed lower

part of the Mighty Pyramid. And the flame smote downward upon the Land

where the Hounds did run, and all the Night to be lost from my sight in

the brightness and strangeness of that mighty flame; so that I saw no

more the Pyramid, or aught; but only the shining and dreadful glory of

that flame. And the Flame made a blast in the Night, and a hotness that

did seem to wither me, even where I did be from it. And I perceived that

the Humans had truly turned loose the Earth-Current upon the Hounds,

that I be saved. And there went a constant great thundering over the

Land, because that the Earth-Force did rend and split the air, and did

tear up the earth. And the roaring of the Monsters did be husht and lost

in that mighty sound; and I to see no place where the Hounds did be; but

only flames and broken lands where the Earth-Force did strike; and great

rocks did be hurled all whithers, with a vast noise; and truly it did be

a mercy that I was not slain an hundred times, if this might be, by the

failings and burstings of great rocks and boulders.

And lo! in a moment the Humans did cut off the Earth-Force, and had it

again to their control. And there to seem now a great silence upon the

Land, and an utter dark; save that flames and noise came from that part

where the Current did strike. And I very speedy to come free of the

dazedness that had me, and made again to my running; for, in truth, it

to seem now that I should yet be let to win unto safety with Mine Own.

And mine eyes did grow presently unto their accustomed using; and I to

look all ways about me, lest there come somewhat upon me even then to

work our deaths. And for a good time there to be naught that I did see

anywheres, neither there to be the wakeful sounds of the Land, save only

the grim and horrid Laughter from afar in the dead East.

And oft as I did run, I to stare hungry hearted upward at the Mighty

Pyramid; and surely it alway now to seem to be less bright than before.

And in the first, I to set this to the count that mine eyes did be yet

dazed by the great Flame of the Earth-Force; but soon I to perceive that

it did be otherwise; and that there did be truly a less brightness of

the light that did shine throughout all the Mighty Redoubt. And this

lack I conceived had owing to that great using of the force and power of

the Earth-Current that had been loosed to save us. And I to have this

new thing cold upon my heart; for, truly, if that the Force of the

Current to be made over low, there to be a danger for all the Humans

that did live, even for all the great Millions of the Mighty Refuge. And

this, did be surely known by the Masters; and they to have no more power

to aid me with the Current, until it flow strong again, lest that they

destroy all the Peoples of the Earth. And all this to be plain to me in

a moment, as I ran; and I to be but the more desperate to come unto

instant safety with the Maid.

And surely, I to be yet in expecting of the Hundred Thousand to come

unto me; but they not to come. And all about me the Land to begin again

to give out the noises of the Monsters; and to send forth new and

peculiar noises, as that there did be more awaked in the Land than did

be ever heard by me before. And presently, I saw that there went living

things, creeping, between me and the light of the Circle. And I to know

that I yet to have to fight bitter, if that I would bring the Maid safe.

And I swung the Diskos free, and ran on.

And sudden my Spirit to know that I did be warned of some new peril; and

I to look upward into the night, that the Master Monstruwacan should

mayhap to tell me the danger, by the Set Speech. But, in truth, there

came not the quick flashings of the Set Speech; but only an upward

stillness, and a dimness of the lights of the Mighty Pyramid. And

afterward, I to learn that the dear Master Monstruwacan made to warn me

of danger; but that all the instruments of the Tower of Observation to

fail to work, and likewise all the machinery of the Pyramid to cease,

even unto the moving of the great lifts, and the moan of the Air Pumps;

and all to have been this way for nigh a great hour, until that the

Earth-Current did flow again more full. And surely, this doth show that

Death did nigh to come unto all the Millions, because of the great trial

that did be made to save us.

But, truly, my spirit did be warned by the trouble of the Millions, and

because the Master Monstruwacan called vaguely with his brain-elements;

so that I went ever more warily, and did look all ways. And lo! sudden

I to stare above me into the night; and there to be a pale circle, very

quiet and steadfast that did go alway over the twain of us. And I saw

that this did be surely one of those sweet Powers of Holiness, that did

stand between our souls and some dread Power that came anigh to work our

Destruction. And I to have no over-fear; but did put my trust in the

Force of Holiness, and went forward, running warily.

And surely, I came mayhap so nigh as to within four hundred paces of the

Circle; and I to think that I yet to win Mine Own safe and undelayed

within the guarding of the Circle. And the light of the Circle did burn

dim; so that I had sudden fear whether that it be any more use for a

Guard, until that the Earth-Current to come more free. And all this as I

ran, swift and wary and utter anxious.

And lo! in that moment in a dim place there rose up three beast-men from

the earth, and came at me, growling. And the first did be so close that

I had no room to the Diskos; but beat in the head of the man with the

haft-part. And I leaped unto the side then, and swung the Diskos, and

did be utter mad, yet chill, with fury; so that the Maid did be no more

than a babe in the crook of mine arm. And I came in sudden to meet the

two beast-men as they ran at me; and I cut quick and light with the

great Weapon, and did have that anger upon me which doth make the heart

a place of cold and deadly intent; so that I had a wondrous and brutal

judgement to the slaying. And, truly, I slew them as that they had been

no more than mice; and I had no harm, neither so much as a touch from

them. And, behold! in that moment there came a great Shout of wonder and

of welcome from within the Circle. And I lookt swiftly, and began again

to run; for there did be men in grey armour all within the Circle; yet

came they not to mine aid.

And lo! in a moment I knew why that the Hundred Thousand did have held

off from me in mine extremity; for, behold! there did be monstrous Black

Mounds all along without of the Circle, and did rock and sway with a

force of strange life that did set an horror into my soul as I ran; for

truly they did be the visible signs of monstrous Forces of Evil. And did

any Human have ventured outward beyond the Circle, then had that man

been Destroyed in the Spirit, and lost utterly; so that none had dared

to come; neither had it been of use if any had made themselves to be a

sacrifice to aid me; for, truly, they to have been of no use, when dead,

as you shall say.

And there came a constant shouting from the Hundred Thousand to me, that

I haste, and indeed to haste. And truly I did haste with all my

strength. And I lookt unto the dear Circle of Holiness that did be above

us twain; and it to go steadfast over us; so that I saw we to be surely

saved.

And lo! I to be no more than an hundred paces now from the glowing of

the Circle. And behold! even in that instant, there must come brutal

things to destroy us; for there came an herd of squat and brutish men

all about me in a moment from the shadows, where they had been hid. And

they caught at me, and caught at the Maid to tear her from mine arm. And

truly, it did be as that they surely to have success; for I could nowise

in a moment free myself, and yet to guard the Maid and to use the

Diskos. And lo! I kickt with my metal boots, and gave from them, and

turned all ways in a moment, and wrenched free; and I leaped back; and

the herd of horrid brutes after me.

And now I to have space for the Diskos, and a grimness in my heart; and

I came round very sudden, and ran in among the men, smiting. And I hit

very swift both from the right and the left, and to and fro with a

constant quick circling. And the Diskos did spin and roar, and made a

strange light upon the faces of the men, and they to have tusks like to

the tusks of pigs. And surely I did rage through them, smiting. And they

to strike me a thousand times with great stones, so that mine armour

rang, and was all fresh burst, and I near to sicken under the blows and

new wounds; but they not to harm the Maid, for I carried her above their

squat and brutish reach.

And the brute-men to seem without end. But I made alway forward unto the

glowing of the Circle; and the night to be full in that place of the

fierce shoutings of the Hundred Thousand; and many--as I did learn--to

have tried to come unto me, but that their comrades held them from so

useless a dying.

And, in verity, I to be now scarce fifty paces from the glowing of the

Circle; and did be nigh to fall; for I did be so utter dazed and wounded

with the fight, and ill with a vast weariness and the despair and

madness of my journey, and moreover, as you do know, I not to have

slept, but to have carried the Maid forever through days and nights, and

to have fought oft.

And lo! the Hundred Thousand stood just within the Circle, and they that

were to the front did swing each man the Diskos; and they hurled each

the Diskos in among the herd of the tuskt men that did make to slay me.

And surely this to save me; for the herd did thin to my front; and I to

gather my strength, and to charge with despair, and to smite and never

be ceased of smiting; so that there did be dead creatures all about. And

behold! I brake through the herd, with Mine Own, and did be upon the

Circle. And lo! I stept over the Circle, that did scarce now to give out

a Resistance; and a thousand hands did come forward to give me help; yet

did none touch me, but gave back from me; for there did be that about me

which held them off, as with a little awe; for I to be strange unto

them.

And I stood there in a great silence, and the Diskos in my hand ran

blood to the haft. And maybe I rockt as I stood; for many again did put

out their hands, as to hold me, and again drew back, and were silent.

And I lookt unto them, and they lookt back at me; and I did gasp

awhile, and was strangely dazed, and did try to tell them that I had

need of the Doctors for the Life of Mine Own Maid, that did be dying in

mine arms. And behold, in that moment, there did be a sound of giants

running, out in the night. And some then to cry out different matters,

to aid me, and to beware of the giants, and to bring the Doctors to

attend me on the instant.

And other voices did call that the Holy Light was gone from above; and

likewise the Black Mounds from the outer part of the Circle. And there

did be a monstrous noise of roarings in the Land, and all to come

bewildered unto my brain, which did surely fail now with the grim and

utter stress which had been mine so long.

And there to be also a constant noise that came from near and from

upward; and truly I to know, as in a dream, that it did be made of the

shouting of the great Millions, that did make an eternal and vague

roaring-sound upward in the night, that did come down from the upper

heights, no more loud than a strange and continual murmuring out of the

lofty miles.

And surely, I to find my voice in a little minute, and did ask a near

man whether there be any Doctors with the men. And in that moment there

came forward a Master of the Diskos, which doth be as a Commander of

this age. And he made the Salute of Honour with the Diskos, and would

have eased the Maid from me; but I to ask again, very slow, whether that

there was a Doctor a-near. And he on the instant to give an order; and

the great thousands to begin to shape, and did make a mighty lane unto

the Great Gateway of the Mighty Pyramid.

And the Master of the Diskos made a sign to certain that did be near;

and they stood about me, as I to know dully, lest I fall; but they not

to touch me; for I did be as that I must not be laid hand upon; for I

did near to choke with despair lest I to have come Home too late; and

surely, also, the men to seem as that I did be strange unto them.

And there went orders swift and constant this way and that; and lo! in a

little while, there came two big men of the Upward Cities, running; and

they had a little man between them upon a sling. And the little man did

be a Master of the Doctors; and he aided me gentle to lay Mine Own Maid

upon the earth. And the Master of the Diskos made a sign, and the men

that did be near, turned each his back; and the Doctor to make

examination for the life of Mine Own.

And there to come about that time a seeming of silence in the land. And

truly the Hundred Thousand did be utter quiet; and a great quiet in the

Mighty Pyramid; for, in truth, all to know, by this, that there to be a

fear that the Maid I did bring out of the night, did be slain by the

Evil Forces.

And sudden the little man that did be the Master Doctor, lookt up quiet

and piteous at me; so that I knew in a moment that Mine Own Maid did be

dead. And he to see that I knew; and he covered the face of Mine Own,

and stood up very speedy; and he called softly to the men that did be to

my back, and he signed to them that some to support me, and some to lift

Mine Own Maid, and bear her unto the Great Gateway. And he lookt keen at

me; and I to fight a little that I breathe; and afterward did make with

my hands, that the men not to come near me, neither to touch Mine Own.

And the Master Doctor to understand that I did be truly strong until I

die, and did beckon the men from me, and from the Maid.

And I stoopt, in a little, and I lifted Mine Own Maid into mine arms for

that last journeying.

And I came down the mighty lane of the Hundred Thousand, all in their

grey armour. And they did make silent salute with the Diskos reversed,

each man as I passed him, and did be utter silent. And I scarce to wot

of aught, save that all the world did be quiet and emptied, and my task

to have failed, and Mine Own to lie dead in mine arms. Yet, truly, did

it to have failed utter? for I had surely saved Mine Own from the terror

of the Second Night Land, and she not to have come alone and with

madness unto her death; but to have died in mine arms; and she surely to

have been comforted within her spirit, because that my love did be so

utter about her. And I to think vaguely and terribly on an hundred sweet

love actions that she to have shown unto me; and sudden I did remember

with a dreadful pain how that I never to have waked to discover Mine Own

Maid kissing me in my sleep, as I to have meant. And a madness of

anguish did flash sudden through the numbness upon my brain; so that I

did be blinded a little, and surely went crooked in my walk; for I to

know, sudden, that the Master Doctor steadied mine elbow for a moment;

but afterward did leave me be, as I to have again control of my spirit.

And lo! as I drew nigh unto the Great Gateway, the lights of the Pyramid

to begin to glow again more strong, and the machinery of the Lifts and

the Air Pumps to work, because that now the Earth-Current did grow once

more to natural strength. And they to have power now to open the Great

Gate, which did be done by great machines.

And there to come forth to meet me a number of the Masters of the Mighty

Pyramid; and the dear Master Monstruwacan did come before them all, so

eager as that he did be mine own Father. And he to have heard somewhat,

vaguely, that there to have been a fear for the life of the maid that I

did bring.

And surely, he did be told by one near to the Gateway, that the Maid did

be dead in mine arms; for he and all the Masters did pause and stand

silent for me to go by, and did reverse each his Diskos; and this to

have been an Honour shown, than which there did be scarce any greater.

And there went a constant murmuring up in the night, which did be the

speech of the Millions, questioning. And the news that the Maid did be

dead, went upward through the miles. And my spirit to know, as in a

dream, of the spiritual noise which did go outward through all space,

and did be the grief of the Multitudes, as they did hear this thing.

Yet, truly, there did nothing comfort me anywise; neither I proper yet

to know the verity of my loss; for I did go stunned.

And I came in through the Great Gateway, and the Full Watch did stand

there silent in their armour; and they made the Salute of Honour. And I

went onward with the dead Maid that I did bring out of Eternity.

And presently, they that were around, did guide me, with the Maid in

mine arms, unto the Great Lift. And I took Mine Own Maid into the Great

Lift; and the Masters came with me, and did be in their armour; and none

did speak to me. And the Master Monstruwacan and the Master of the

Doctors stood silent to the side of me. And there did be everywhere

great Multitudes, that I did see vaguely; but my spirit not to wot of

them.

And lo! I stood very quiet and dumb as we did go upward through the

miles; and the Millions of the Cities stood about the Great Lift, and

there did be a great silence upward and downward through the strange

miles; save for the weeping of women in dear sympathy, that did sound

far and low and constant.

And presently I to know that the Master Monstruwacan and the Master of

the Doctors did look one to the other; and I to be aware sudden that I

stood in my blood; for I did be wounded in an hundred parts, and the

blood to go alway from me. Yet did the Master Doctor be slow to do aught

for me, because that he to perceive that I did be slain in the heart;

and there to be no pain so dreadful as that he should be like to wake me

unto, if that he went hastily.

Yet, presently, there did come whirlings into my head; and someone did

surely make to ease Mine Own Maid from mine arms. But I held her,

dumbly; and the blood to go the more from me; and they not to know what

should be done. And I to look at them. And the dear Master Monstruwacan

did be saying somewhat unto me, that I did have no power to hear; but

only to know that his face did be very human. And there went a strange

noise all about me; and the Master Monstruwacan to seem to hold me up,

and to beckon to some that did be to my back. And lo! there came a

blackness, and the gentleness of arms about mine armour....

And I to come presently to quietness and to half-dreams; and did alway

to seem that I carried Mine Own Maid in mine arms. But truly there did

pass three great days, whilst that I did be thus. And I all that while

to be laid quiet, and to be tended by the Master Doctor, and aided by

all knowledge that did be known of Humans.

And on the third day, as it might be called, I to come full unto my

senses; and the pain to take me in the breast; and the Master of the

Doctors did be with me, and they that nurst me; and the Master Doctor

watched me very keen and gentle.

And I did be in a bed of the Health Room of mine own city. And I gat

from the bed, and the Doctor to say naught; but only to watch me. And I

walkt to and fro a little, and he alway to watch me; and presently he

gave me somewhat to drink; and I drank. And I was gone soon from all

knowledge.

And I to come again unto a knowing that I yet to live; and there went a

certain strength in my body. And lo! the first that I did see, was the

Master of the Doctors; and I to perceive in a moment that he had wakened

me, and had nurst my strength for that moment, that I live through the

Burial. For he to be very wise, and to have known from that first seeing

of me, that I not to live after that Mine Own did die.

And there was brought to me a loose garment; but I to refuse the

garment, dumbly, and did look about me very troubled and forgetting. And

the Master Doctor lookt alway at me; and lo! in a moment he called one,

and gave an order. And there was brought in then my broken armour, and a

garment to wear below. And I then to know that I did be content in this

matter; and the Doctor alway to watch me. And they drest me in my broken

armour.

And surely, as they drest me, my spirit to hear the sorrow and sympathy

of the Multitudes, and did know that they went downward by millions,

unto the Country of Silence.

And lo! in that moment when I near to be in mine armour, I to mind

sudden again that I never to have waked to discover Mine Own Maid

kissing me in my sleep. And the Pain gat me in the breast, so that I had

surely ended then, but that the Master Doctor set somewhat to my breath,

that eased me, and gave something of dullness unto my senses for a

while.

And I did be carried then in a sling unto the Great Lift, and there did

be a bed in the lift, and the Doctor to have me to lie upon the bed; and

I to know that he also to know that I never to need a bed any more;

neither should I ever to come upward again in the Lift.

And truly the Mighty Pyramid did be an emptyness; for there did seem to

be left only the Stress Masters that did arrange the moving of the

Millions. And the Stress Masters did stand about the Lift, as we dropt

downward through the great miles unto the Underground Fields. And we

came downward in the last unto the Country of Silence, which did lie an

hundred miles deep in the world, and did be an hundred miles every way

of Silence unto the Dead.

And they that were with me, gat me from the Lift, and did mean to carry

me in the sling unto The Last Road. But I stood upon my feet, and made

that I should walk, and I held out my hand for the Diskos, which one did

carry. And the Master Doctor signed that they should obey me, as my

spirit to know. And I walkt very steadfast down the Way that did lead

unto The Last Road; and the Master Doctor walkt behind me, a little

space off.

And surely, there did be all the Peoples of the World in that great

Country; and the Peoples did be spread out forever, so far as my seeing

did go; and they to have sight of me; and all the aether did be stirred

with the humanness of their sorrow and their kind sympathy. And there

grew a murmur, which did be like to a low rolling thunder, and did be

the voices of the Peoples. And the rolling of that great husht Sound

went to and fro across that mighty Country of Quiet; and there to be

afterward an utter silence.

And I saw below me the place of the Last Rest, where did be the

beginning of The Last Road; and there did lie there a little figure,

covered with a white robe, that did glimmer with the beauteous work of

women that had stitcht love and honour into that Last Garment. And

surely, I to rock upon my feet, and to steady myself with the Diskos;

and the Master Doctor to be unto my side in a moment, and gave me again

something that I breathe-in. But, indeed, I to refuse, after that I had

taken one breath of the drug; for I to be able to bear my pain the

little time that I now to have to live; and I to mean that I have no

dimness of my senses for those short minutes that I should have yet near

unto Mine Own. And truly the Master Doctor did not press me anywise, but

had a perfect understanding, and went quiet again to the rearward.

And I came soon to that place where Mine Own Dead One did lie; and the

Master Monstruwacan stood to her feet, and did be clothed in grey

armour, and had the Diskos reversed; and this to be for an Honour unto

My Dead Maid.

And there kneeled two maids in white, one to the right and one to the

left of Mine Own, and they to be for Faithfulness, and did be maids,

because that they watched by a maid; and had likewise been matrons, if

that the Dead had been wife unto any.

And the place at the Head of the Last Rest did be empty, and did be for

me; and he that stood to the head, did be for Love; for it did be the

chief, and did hold dominion over and did make to live both Faithfulness

and Honour. And this to be the way of the Burial alway.

And lo! I took my courage into my heart; and I stood to the head of Mine

Own Maid; and I lookt down upon the wondrous white glory of the garment,

which did be white because that Mine Own did be a Maid; yet did be

worked with yellow Flowers of Weeping, as we did call them, because that

she had died in love. And I to know that no hand had toucht that

wonderful garment, save the hands of maidens.

And behold! as I stood there, from far away over the Land, there did

come a far and faint sound; and the sound did come more nigh, so that I

knew that afar off, beyond the Hills of the Babes, the Millions did

begin to sing the Calling Song, where Million did call husht unto

Million, and the sound did come onward toward where we did be, and did

go over us, and pass onward in a husht and wondrous breathing of sound,

as that all the Love that did be ever in this world, did call in a low

anguish unto a lost Beloved. And the sound to pass away and away over

that mighty Country in the deep Earth, and did hush and hush unto a

great and utter silence, save for a faint murmur of countless women

weeping, that did be in the air of that Land of Quiet.

And there to be a space of silence, and again the silence to be broken

by a far sound; and there to come again from beyond the far Hills of the

Babes a strange and low sound, and did be as of a wind wandering through

damp forests. And the sound grew, and came across the Hills of the

Babes, and did be breathed forth by Million after Million, so that in a

little I to hear the Song of Weeping sung very low and sorrowful by the

multitudes. And the Song came onward over all that great Country, and

past over us, and went onward into the far Land beyond the Dome, and did

be caught by the voices of Millions that did be hid in great distances,

and so to go onward forever, and to die at last unto a mighty silence.

And the Master Monstruwacan lookt at me from the feet of Mine Own Maid,

and I to know that the moment did be come when I to part from the Maid

Naani forever and forever, even though I to live in some strange future,

and to find her soul in some other sweet child. And I stoopt and laid

the Diskos beside Mine Own Maid there upon the Last Rest; and the two

maids drew back the light wonder of the Garment, and showed me the face

of Mine Own, and she to sleep there forever so sweet and husht as a

child, and as oft I to have seen her to sleep. And I lookt a little

while, and the pain of my heart did be sufficient, so that I knew I died

as I lookt. And once more I lookt, and I set my soul about Mine Own. And

I fought with myself, and stood upward, and the maids did cover the face

of Mine Own Maid.

And the Master Monstruwacan commended Naani unto Eternity. And he raised

the Diskos reversed; and lo! the Road did begin to move upward unto the

Dome, and Mine Own Maid did be upon the Road; and I to fight that I keep

breathing; so that I not to die before she be lost utter to my sight.

And there did rise now a sound from all that Country that had no order

in it; and did be like to a low moaning that did fill all the air of

the Land; and there to be also a constant sound, as of a little

whistling dree wind that did be in all that Country of Quiet; and truly

this to be more than any singing; for it to be the true weeping of

multitudes, that did sorrow from the heart, with the grief of this thing

that did be.

And I stood utter still, and did draw my breath very even, and lookt

unto that small form that did be now afar off where it did lie upon the

moving Roadway. And I gazed, as that my soul and all my being did have

no power else, even as a man that dies, doth set all his strength to a

last movement. And I not to wot that the Master Monstruwacan and the two

maids did hold me up, because they to perceive that I did be dying; for

I only to see Mine Own Little One lying afar off upon the moving of the

Last Road.

And the Maid in that moment to come to the place where the Road did pass

into the strange and luminous vapour of the Earth-Current, which did lie

all about the base of the Dome; and the vapour to be only as a faint

shining smoke, scarce seen, yet to be enough to give something of

uncertainty to the Dead, when that they did have past inward of it.

And I stared, with all that did be left of my strength; for Mine Own to

be gone utter and forever in but a little minute. And the uncertainty of

the luminous vapour did cling about her, and to make her to seem unreal

to my gaze; for the vapour did be in constant movement, and to give a

seeming of shifting to and fro of all that did be in it.

And behold! as I did stare, with my dreadful pain, there did be sudden a

strange hoarse noise from the nearer Millions. And lo! in an instant

there came a mighty Shout out of all that Country; and the shout did be

made again, and did grow into a mighty hoarse roaring from the Millions,

so that all that great Country did be filled with the monstrous sound.

And, in verity, I to have seen the thing, likewise; but to have set it

to the madness of longing of my heart and to that desperate and dreadful

pain which did make me to be crazed and lost from all sane thinking.

And the thing that I did see, had been that the Maid did seem to move,

there upon the Last Road, where she did lie; but indeed, this to have

appeared only to be the stirring of the luminous vapour of the

Earth-Current, which did seem to make things shift, as I have told.

And lo! I now to see truly that the Maid did move where she was laid

afar off upon the Road; and I now to know, and to believe that she did

indeed live. And my life came into me with a bounding; yet did my heart

seem to be a moment stilled in my breast. And the Master Monstruwacan to

have signed already that the Roadway be stopt, and brought backward; but

I to be now upon the Last Road, and did run as a madman, shouting vainly

upon the name of Mine Own. And I to learn afterward that there to have

been a dreadful peril that all the near Millions to rush toward the Last

Road, and so, mayhap, to have caused the death of many, and to have

been like to have crusht Mine Own. But this danger to have been eased,

because that the Watch Master did act very prompt, and set the great

regiments of his men to keep back the Millions, and did send a signal

abroad over all the Country, that there to be calmness, for that the

Maid should be succoured. And alway, whilst this to be, I did run

staggering most strangely upward of the Last Road; and surely that great

roof did ring and boom with the constant and mighty shoutings of the

Millions.

And there did run others also along the Road, to my back; but I to have

been the first, and to make a good speed, though I did stagger and rock

so strange upon my feet; and the Road alway to be moving backward under

me; and so I to be come wonderful soon unto where the Maid did be. And

she to be upon her back, and to have pusht the Garment from her face,

and did be lying with her eyes open, and a look of gentle wonderment

upon her dear face. And she then to see me, and her eyes did smile at

me, very glad and quiet; for there to be yet an utter weakness upon her.

And lo! I came with a falling beside her, and I gat upon my knees and

upon my hands, and my heart did shake my lips to dry whisperings. And

she to look weak and steadfast unto me, and I to look forever at her;

and I did alway try to say things unto her; but my mouth to refuse me.

And understanding did come into her, as a light; and she to know in that

instant that she to be truly come into the Mighty Pyramid, and I to have

gat her there somewise; and she to wake sudden in her body, and set her

hands forth all a-trembling from the Garment, and in dreadful trouble.

And I to see then that the blood did go from me, constant; and the Maid

to have perceived this thing, so that she was waked the more proper in a

moment from her death-swoon.

And surely, I did bleed very dreadful; for all my wounds did be opened

with my running. And I to have sudden power with my lips, and did say

unto her, very simple, that I loved her. And she to be all in an haze

from me; and I to know that she to have come likewise unto her knees,

and did have my head upon her breast; and there to be an utter shaking

of the air with some great sound, and a mighty spiritual stirring of the

aether of the world.

And there to be then the voice of the Master Monstruwacan very dull in

mine ears; and the low voice of the Master Doctor; but I never to hear

what they did be saying; and did know only that Mine Own Maid did live;

and I not to mean to die, but to fight unto living. And even whilst that

I made this resolving, I was gone into an utter blackness.