Now, sudden, as I stooped very husht and troubled in the mouth of the
little cave, I knew that Mine Own sobbed dryly in the back part of the
cave. And I had gone to comfort her, but that in the same moment, I saw
a naked maid run very swift over the edge of the hollow, and did look
over her shoulder, as she ran. And she came to the bottom, and crept in
under a ledge of rock that did be in that place; and she did seem utter
worn, and gone of the spirit, and desperate. And I perceived in the same
instant why that she did go stealthy and swift in that fashion, and to
cower, as for her very life; for there came a squat, haired man, so
broad as a bullock, who did come silent down into the hollow, looking
this way and that, even as a wild beast doth peer, very sudden.
And the Squat Man had instant knowing of the place where the maid did
be; and ran in upon her, with no sound.
And I paused not; but leaped all the great way unto the bottom of the
hollow, which did be, mayhaps, twenty good feet and more; for mine anger
was upon me, and I did mean that I save that one, though I did be
powerless to give succour unto those others.
And I fell strong upon my feet, and had no harm of my limbs, for all
that the leap did be so high. And in that moment, before that I had time
to save the maid, the Squat Man ript her; and she cried out once with a
very dreadful scream, and was suddenly dead in the hands of the
Brute-Man.
And my heart made my blood to burn with wrath in mine eyes, so that I
had scarce power in that instant to see the Squat Man, as I ran upon
him. And the roar of the Diskos filled all the hollow, as I made it to
spin, as that it did rage with an anger, and to be glut of the Man.
And the Man came round upon me; and thought, mayhaps, to deal with me,
as it had dealt with that poor maid, but not all thatwise, as you must
know. And I swung the Diskos, and it did seem to sing and to cry eager
in my hands. And I smote at the Squat Man, even as it did leap silent
upon me, as a tiger doth leap, making no sound. But I gat not home the
blow; for the Man dropt sudden down upon the hands, and the blow went
overwards. And the Brute-Man caught me by the legs, to rip me; and I cut
quick with the Diskos, and it did have but one monstrous talon left unto
it. And immediately, it cast me with the other, half across the hollow,
and I fell with mine armour clanging mightily, and the Diskos did ring
like a bell.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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