Now, in a little while, I felt that the ground did be sloped upward
before us a little, and by this thing I saw that I had known aright, for
that there did be a ridge that hid the Land somewise over unto the part
where I lookt to find the mouth of the Upward Gorge. And we went up this
slope at a strong pace, because that I was so eager that I find where we
did be in nearness unto the mouth of the Upward Gorge.
And surely, I was something forgetful, in mine eagerness, and came
somewhat ahead of Mine Own, who did make to hide from me that she did
begin to lag, because that her new strength was near gone from her.
And sudden there did be a very dreadful cry, to my back; and I came
round in one instant, so quick as a light doth flash; for it was the
voice of Mine Own, and all my being did suddenly burn with fear that
kindled through me in a moment of thought.
And lo! Mine Own did struggle terribly with a yellow thing which I
perceived to be a man with four arms; and the Man had two arms about the
Maid, and with two did make to choke her unto death; for she cried out
no more.
And I came unto the Man with a quick leaping, and stopt not to pluck the
Diskos from my hip; and surely I did be very strong, and mine anger and
rage to make me monstrous; for I caught the two upper arms of the Man,
and brought them backward in an instant, so fierce and savage, and so
wrencht upon them, that I brake them in the shoulders of the Man.
And the Man roared and shriekt, even as a wild and dreadful Beast should
cry out, and came round upon me with the two lower arms. And surely it
was a mighty and brutish thing, and so broad and bulkt as an ox, and the
lower arms were huge and greatly haired, and the fingers of the hands
did have the nails grown into horrid talons, as that they should grip
very bitter.
And it caught me by the thighs, to rip me upward, as I did fear; but yet
this did not be the intent of the Man; for in a moment it caught me
round the body; and on the instant, I gat the Man by the great throat,
and the throat did be haired, and so great as the neck of a bull. And I
strove with mine armoured hands that I choke the Man, and surely I made
it to suffer great trouble; yet, I could not harm it in the life.
And so I did be an horrid minute, and fought with the Beast, with no
more than the strength of my body; and it was as that an human went with
his hands to slay a monster so strong as an horse. And the breath of the
Man-Beast came at me, and did sicken me; and I held the face off from
me; for I had died with horror, if that it had come more anigh; and
surely the mouth of the Man was small and shaped so that I knew that it
did never eat of aught that it did slay; but to drink as a vampire; and
in truth, I did mean that I chop the Man to pieces, if that I have
chance to the Diskos.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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