And it did seem to me as that I was come to a second Land of Strange
matters, even as the Night Land where did lie the wonder of the Mighty
Pyramid. And surely, I did think within my heart that I was come at last
to that far and hidden place of the world where did be the Lesser
Redoubt. But yet was there no place in all that night where did tower
the shining lights of the Lesser Pyramid, the which I did hope vainly to
perceive. And because that I saw them not, a great heaviness came upon
my spirits for a time; but afterward the heaviness did go; for I put
Reason to help my courage, and did plan this cause and that to show why
that I was not come to sight of the shining embrasures of the Lesser
Redoubt. But yet was there left an ache of doubting, as you shall well
conceive.
Now this Land was very new and strange, and had a great light in this
part, and a wondrous grim darkness in that. And I did pause a great
while to determine how that I should go properly. And presently I
bethought me of the compass, and did draw it forth, and set it upon the
earth, that I should see how it did act. And truly it did go almost as
Naani had told to me; so that I was very sure in all my being that I was
in verity come anigh to the hidden Refuge. But yet did the compass give
me no proper guiding to my way; so that I was no more wise to this end
than before, only that I had the comfort of that which it did seem to
assure.
And, in a little while, I went forward into the Land, and did hope that
I should come presently to some matter to help my choice. And I went
first toward a certain great glowing of fire that lay before me, and did
seem joined to another great glare that went afar to my left.
And I found the ground of that Land to be very fair for my feet, and to
have in this place and that certain bushes, even as it did seem to me,
of the kind that we named moss-bushes in the Night Land, as you do know.
And I made a very good speed, and went thus until I had gone for maybe
six long hours. And by that time, I was come anigh to the glowing of
light; and did keep now a strong caution to my going; for truly, as I
did know from the tellings of the Maid, there were very horrid and
dreadful Powers in that Land, and I did well to remember that I was come
again to parts where might be the destruction of the spirit. Now I made
a pause, and lookt toward the glowing light; and it seemed to me that
for a monstrous way unto the right and unto the left, there did be
surely a great, hid valley in the earth before me. For the shining did
seem as that it came up from out of a valley, as that there burned a
deep light in such a place; but yet was I all unsure, and had no proper
knowing whether indeed there did be any valley there, but only a strange
and luminous shining that did come upward from the earth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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