And behold! Mine Own did shout to the Humpt Men, and I perceived that
she made to draw them after her; for she ran to and fore and did shout
continually. But, indeed, the Humpt Men had no heed of her; but did make
alway to come at me; and surely, in that moment, one of the Humpt Men
reached me, and smote me so shrewd that sure he nigh crackt his
monstrous hand upon mine armour, and did drive me backward upon the
rock, and to make me bleed afresh, so that I was all in a daze and near
swooned away. And the Humpt Man caught at the Diskos; yet, in verity, he
loost it on the instant, for it did burn and shake him very sore; and
immediately, he smote me again, and so made to end me.
And lo! in that moment, the Maid ran right in among the Humpt Men, and
she struck the man that strove with me, and drove her belt-knife once
and again through his arm, very savage and determined. And surely, the
man turned upon her, and he caught her by her garments, and he ript her
two garments utter from her, so that they came away and she did be free.
And behold, mine utter despair for her did give me a new strength, so
that I shouted to her that she run instant to the raft; and I cut the
Humpt Man in twain, and did fall back then into a part swoon against the
rock. And lo! the Maid ran out from the Humpt Men; but they neither to
know whether that they follow her or that they come in upon me; and as
they did pause, she to call to them, and to try that she tempt them from
me toward the wood; for she had no thought of her life, but only that
she free me and save me; and I too weak even to have power to command
her to the raft; and she, truly, to have no heed to such command, even
did I thus to call again. And there I did be, half-gone out from this
life, and lookt at her with eyes that did scarce wot, save as in a
dream.
And lo! the Humpt Men ceased sudden that they heed her; and the three
that did be left came very sly unto me, and with slowness and cunning;
for they wotted not whether I did be dead, or but a-wait for them. And
the Maid perceived that they came not after her; and she let out a great
cry that did be distant-seeming in my dulled ears, and came back, naked,
and running very swift. And she ran by me as death should run, white and
silent and her face set unto despair, and her eyes utter intent. And she
struck her belt-knife into the shoulder of the near Humpt Man; and the
Man howled and turned, and she did leap to the side, and the Humpt Man
ran at her. But lo! she leaped again this way and that, and utter
silent, and so quick as a light doth seem to dance all ways in a moment.
And the two other Men did join with the first, that they catch her; and
behold! she went about, and did run right away among the trees, and the
three Men did come after her, running very lumbersome, yet with a great
speed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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