And I went thirty hours in all, even as before, ere that I did come
again to sleep, and I eat and drank at every sixth hour, so that my
strength should abide within me. And by that I was come to the ending of
the thirty hours, I was sorely awearied, and gat me upward of the
monstrous cliff that did make the left side of the Gorge, having
perceived in a place a great ledge of the rock, that did seem very
proper for my purpose of slumber.
And when I was come upward upon the ledge of the rock, I saw that there
did seem something, like to a mighty spider, that did stay half without
of a hole in the back part of the ledge. And I smote the thing gently
with the Diskos, so that it was very quickly dead; and afterward I
searched well about; but did gladly perceive that there abode there no
other horrid creature.
And I eat two of the tablets, and drank some of the water; and did
afterward make me ready for slumber, as ever. But now I did put the
cloak well about me; for truly there was grown a chill into the air of
the Gorge; and here also will I tell how that it did seem unto me that
the air was gone something from that great thickness and strength which
had been with me in the past days of my journeying.
Now I was gone so tired, that I fell upon sleep in a moment, yet with a
dear thought and anxious, concerning Naani; but was so starved of the
body for slumber, that even mine anxiousness kept me not awake. And I
was then so fast with sleep that I knew naught for eight hours of very
sound slumber. And then did I awake, and very thankful of the heart that
no evil beast or creeping thing had come upon me whilst that I was so
utter lost in sleep.
And now, truly, was I something fresh and ready; and I ate and drank,
and had my gear once more upon me, and so down into the Gorge. And
afterward, I went upon my journey for eighteen hours, and did pause but
a little while at the sixth and the twelfth hours that I should eat and
drink.
And when the eighteenth hour was nigh come, I perceived that the nature
of the Gorge was grown very horrid and dank. And in verity, I did feel
as that afar upward in the night the black mountains that did make the
sides of the Gorge had come together, and did make a monstrous roof
unseen in the utter height.
And this thing I do tell, only as of my belief; for I have no very sure
proof. Yet, truly, my reason doth say likewise; for there did oft drip
water upon me out of the darkness, even though I walked in the middle
way of the Gorge; and how should this thing be, save that there went an
overreaching of the sides, that should let the mildew down upon me.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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