Now when I had gone onward through six hours, I ate and drank; for I did
mind now to be wise and keep my strength good within me. And I went
onward again at a very great speed, and full of an excitement. And
surely, I did be glad at last that the tablets were so easy gone in the
mouth, and unfilling to the belly; for I had been without power and
patience to eat proper victual.
And at the tenth hour, I saw that there rose a red-shining out of the
Land before me, as that it came upward from a mighty pit. And I made
slow my way, and so, when I was gone on for two great hours more, I saw
that monstrous figures went about, against the red glare of the shining.
And I gat me down into the bushes which were very plentiful in that
part.
And I stayed there for a certain while, and made a watch upon the
red-shining and the figures; and, truly, it did seem to me that there
were horrid giants in that Land, even as in the Night Land. And
afterward, I crept away, and went outward from the little volcanoes,
into that part of the Land that was dark, save, as you do mind, for the
glare of fire-holes in this part and that.
And I went now with an utter care; for the giants had put a new caution
into my heart, and I did surely mean that I should live to rescue mine
own Maid, and have joy through all my life. And thereafter, I went with
the Diskos in my hand, and at each hour that was the sixth, I eat two of
the tablets, and drank some of the water, and so did keep my strength
very good within me.
Now, presently, I was come to a place where the Land did go downward a
great slope, and there was a difference in the earth that went beneath
my feet, and no great plenty of the bushes; but only one in this place
and one in that, and nowhere any fire-hole.
And I gat me down and did feel the earth with my hands, and lo! I did
find presently smooth stones, and afterward olden shells. And
immediately, a great delight took me; for Naani had told how that the
Lesser Pyramid stood something nigh to the shore of an ancient sea, that
was long dried up in the years of eternity. And surely it might be that
I was come down into the dry bottom of that same olden sea, and should
presently have sight of the Little Pyramid.
And because that hope was put so fresh into me, I went forward through,
maybe, thirty hours, across the olden sea-bed; but in all that time I
had no sight of the lights of the Lesser Redoubt. And a great trouble
began to take me; for, indeed, Naani had not told me how great was the
sea; and it might be that I should wander a weariful age across it,
before that I come to the far side.
And it did come to me, presently, how that I should be wise to see that
my way was very straight, so that I waste not my strength in useless
wanderings. And I had a great care now to observe that the red-shining
did be always upon my right, to my rear; and by this reasonable cunning
did I make to steer very nicely through the great gloom of that place.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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