And I thought mayhap that these did be some of the Peoples of the Lesser
Pyramid; yet did they be only as that shadows went among the
blue-shinings. And I pondered a moment, whether that I send my voice
over the Valley, to question what they did be; but yet had caution, and
harked through the utter silence of the night; for I had no surety of
aught.
And, surely, in that moment that we harked very keen, there did be a
sound afar off in the night of the Land; and it was as that we had heard
the sound before; and, in verity, our spirits had perceived the sound,
those two hours back; and now our bodies did wot, and perceived that we
had known it subtly before that moment. And the sound was as that
something went spinning in the night.
And a very great terror came upon the Maid; for she did know the sound;
and the sound was that which did show that one of the great Evil Forces
of the Land did approach; and the sound had been known alway in the
Lesser Refuge to show this thing. And, indeed, mine own spirit had been
half to know that a Power of Evil did come through the night; but yet
was the assurance very terrible; for how should I protect Mine Own.
And the spinning came toward us, and was presently in the Valley; and it
came swiftly across the dark of the Valley. And my heart was all broken
within me, because that there had been happiness with us, but a little
time gone; and now there did be our death anigh.
And Mine Own gave me the knife that I had given to her; meaning that I
slay her, in the last moment; for she did heed even in that moment that
she be not gashed horridly by the terror of the Diskos. And I took the
knife. And I kist not Mine Own; but stood there, very shaken and
desperate, and gript her fast unto me, scarce heeding the hardness of my
gripe; and alway I lookt unto the way of the coming of the Sound. And
presently did unbare my wrist where the Capsule did be.
And the sound of the thing Spinning came anigh, across the Valley; and
my heart did dull and my spirit go black with my desperateness, because
that this thing must be, and because that I could nowhere see hope that
I should save Mine Own.
And, of a sudden, the Maid put up her arms, and pulled me downward, and
kist me once on the lips; but I wot not whether I kist her; for I did
burn with despair and was all adrift in my being. Yet was there a sharp
comfort that mine own dying did be so nigh.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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