And afterward, I gat me to the earth, and did look this way and that
way, to see that no beast was anigh, neither any of the Humped Men; and
afterward, I eat two of the tablets and drank some of the water.
And when I had gat this far to a readiness for my going, I minded me
that I should try the compass again, as I did intend. And surely the
machine did point between the North and the South, upon the Westward
arc, even as Naani had told unto me; yet, as it did seem, with somewhat
more of a Southward pointing than she had made me to think. And because
of this telling of the compass, a great ease came upon my spirit; for,
surely, was not this but a sure sign that I did go direct unto that
hidden place of the world where the Lesser Refuge did abide; but yet was
not come over-close, so that the pull of the Mighty Earth-Current of the
Great Redoubt was something stronger than in the place where was the
Little Pyramid.
And all this did I think very swift to myself, and had a glad uplifting
of the heart, as you do perceive; so that I went forward upon my
journey, with a great stride, and did scarce fear any strange thing that
all the Country did hold, in that moment.
And I went all that day at a strong pace, and did be oft tempted to send
the Master-Word unto Naani; yet did keep from so foolish an acting, the
which, mayhaps, had brought straightway upon me an Evil Power, and had
given me to Destruction when that I was near come to the succour of the
Maid. And it was this quick and constant fear of the Evil Forces of the
Night Land, that did keep me ever from calling unto Naani, lest that
they should discover me, and follow after; and this, I doubt not, you to
know by now so well as I.
Now, by the sixth hour, I was come into a part of the Country where
there were an exceeding abundance of steam fountains and sprayings and
great upboilings of water in basins of rock; and the air did be full of
the sounds and the roarings of the boilings and the spoutings, and of a
hot mist and spray; so that, truly, I had scarce the power to see to my
front, nor to any side.
And here, presently, I made a pause, and did eat and drink, and
afterward went forward again; and I did keep the shore of the sea always
to my right, and so did go proper to my way; yet with no great ease; for
the sea also did steam very strong in that part, and because of this
great fog of steam, I was surely much laboured to make a great speed,
lest unseeing I go headlong into an hole of the boiling water.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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