And in a while, Mine Own to draw my gaze to the Mountains that the Gorge
came through. And, in verity, now that I did look in ease, I to see with
her how that they did be truly monstrous, even as a monstrous wall that
did go upward for ever until that they were gone out of the light of
that Country, into the dark night of the deathly Upper World, that did
be lost an eternity. And I to mind that I had some vague thoughts
thiswise, on the outward way; but now I to have ease, and the Maid to
speak with, and so to perceive odd matters the more. And I to tell you
this little thing, so that you shall perceive the way that restfulness
did be upon me, by compare with the Outward Going.
And, truly, we had no great speed with our talk and with our eating; but
in the end did make somewhat to hurry, because that we did be conscious
that we leaned to slackness. And indeed, we came down then pretty speedy
from the rock where we did sleep; and had forward to our way at a good
pace.
And when we had gone a while, we to begin to hear the far hissing of the
steam and the noise of the upward burstings of waters that did boil; and
the sound to be very strange; but I to have heard it before, as you do
know; so that it to trouble me the less than the Maid. And I to assure
her; and she to come nigh to me, and thiswise we to enter presently into
the steam.
And we went then for more than three hours; and I had the Maid to my
back, that I should be the first; and this I did, that she have no
danger to walk into a boiling pool in the mazingness of the steam, which
was everywhere. And I to be something guided in my path by the shore of
the sea which did be unto our left alway; only that we could see neither
the sea nor otherwise, except that we go so close that we near into the
water.
And, truly, the sea to seem to boil in parts, and there to be hot pools
in all places; so that who should say with ease whether we did go by one
of the great hot pools or by the true sea. And this, our constant
puzzle, shall be likewise to you; and you to perceive how that we did go
utter wary.
And about us from every part there did come the strange burstings and
shriekings and whistlings of the boil of the waters breaking upward from
the deep world. And odd whiles the sounds to be as of great monsters;
and the earth to shake under us; and other-whiles there to be a hush and
only the steam about us, and somewhere in the distance and uncertainness
a low piping of some steam cranny, very strange and lonesome-sounding.
And when it did be somewheres nigh upon the fourth hour, we came out of
the thick steam; and the pipings and the roarings to be to our rearward;
and soon the steam to be gone thin, as but a mist, and the noises to be
very far-seeming; and presently we to be come clear out into the air of
that Country.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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