And you shall know that it did seem homely and sweet unto me to hear all
about me the shaking of the aether of the world, and to be ware that so
many did think humanly upon me, and had prayers unto my safety.
And it was a strange thing to stand so utter far off in the Night, and
to look back to that Everlasting Hill of Light, that was grown something
small by the distance, and to have surety that I was lookt upon through
the Great Spy-Glass, maybe by the kindly eye of my dear friend the
Master Monstruwacan, and so keenly that he could, it might be, make
almost to guess the look within mine eyes, as I did gaze backward unto
that Mine Home.
Yet, though this dear and homely sympathy was a sweet and companionable
thing to my heart, it came swift to my thought that I was in a sore
danger, if that they ceased not quickly to think so onely upon me; for
surely was I not come over-near unto that _dreadful_ House of Silence;
and well might so much Emotion of the Millions tell unto the Horrid
Power that dwelt within, how that I was even anigh. And so shall you see
the mixt feelings that came upon me everyway.
Yet, as it did chance, the aether was quieted in a little; for it did
need unity of the Millions (being that they were untrained to their
spiritual powers) to stir the aether. And so was I more easy of mind,
and went forward again upon my way.
Now, as it did chance, at the eighteenth hour, I was come to a place
where I heard a noise of water; and I went to my left, that I might come
upon it; and there boiled a hot fountain that went up out of the rock of
that place. And the water rose upward in a column, and was, maybe, so
thick as my body; and it fell unto the North, for the water came not up
straightly, but did shoot out from the earth unto that way. And I saw
the thing plain; for there were many fire-holes all about, as you shall
have wotted from my telling; and so was there a certain and constant
light in that part of the Land.
And I followed the water that ran from the fountain, and tried it with
mine hand; but found it to burn; and so did go further beside it; for
presently it should be no hotter than I did need. And it went onward,
winding among the moss-bushes, and sent up a constant steam, that hung
about it; and the steam made a red cloud about the way that it did go;
for the lights from the fire-holes made a shining upon it; and so was it
a wondrous pretty sight.
Now, presently, I tried the stream again, and found it to be nicely
warm; and I sat upon a little rock, and took off my foot-gear, that I
might bathe my feet, which were gone something tender; moreover, I did
ache to have the sweetness of water about me. And I made that I should
bathe my feet, and afterwards find a place among the moss-bushes, and so
eat and drink, and have my slumber.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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