And by the graciousness of all good things, I was harmed not by that
monster throw; but was to my feet in one instant, and had not loosed the
Diskos from my hand. And the Beast-Man did be upon me with two quick
boundings; and I stood up to the Man, and it made no sound or cry as it
came at me; and there did a great froth of brute anger and intent come
from the mouth of it, and the teeth came down on each side of the mouth,
very great and sharp. And I leaped and smote, so that my blow should
come the more speedy, and the Diskos took away the head and the shoulder
of the Squat Man; and the dead thing knockt me backward, with the spring
that it had made; but it harmed me not greatly. Yet afterward I did know
how sore and bruised I did be, in all my body and being. And I came back
very swift against the Man; but it did be truly dead and greatly horrid.
And I went from the dead monster, and did go, all heart-shaken, unto the
dead maid. And I took the torn body of the maid, very sorrowful, and
cast it into the fire-hole.
And I turned me then that I should look unto the cave, that I should
know that all did be well with Mine Own, and whether she did have seen
the horror, or be gone into a swoon.
And lo! Mine Own did run toward me; and she had in her hand my
belt-knife which I did give her, before that time, to be a weapon for
her defence. And I perceived that she had come to be mine aid, if that
I did need such. And she did be utter pale, yet very steadfast and not
seeming to tremble.
And I made to take her from that place; but she went beyond me, and
lookt at the monstrous bulk of the Squat Man; and was very silent. And
she came back unto me; and still so silent. And she stood before me, and
said no word; but my heart knew what she did be thinking; for I am not
foolish, to have lacked to know what did be in her heart; though mine
effort had not shown itself that way unto me, before that moment. And I
had no pretending of modesty, but received with gladness and a
strangeness of humbleness the honour that her eyes did give to me; for,
indeed, she did be so, that she might not give word to her joy of me and
her glad respecting, the which is so wondrous good unto the heart of all
men that do be loving of a dear and honest maid.
And she said nothing, neither then nor afterward; but I did be honoured
all my life after, when that I did anytime mind me of the way that Mine
Own lookt upward at me in those moments.
And afterward she did need and allow herself to come unto mine arms,
that I hold her from the trembling of heart which did come to her, after
that there did be no need for courage; for surely we had both seen a
very dreadful thing, and there was a great horror upon us.
And I climbed upward again to the little cave, and did help Naani; and
when we were come there again, we did rest awhile. And presently we eat,
each of us, two of the tablets and drank some of the water, and indeed
we were both utter thirsty.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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