And, at that, I made a little sound with my mouth; but the Maid not to
hear me; for she did look backward, as I should think to the shore; and
her face did be very set and anxious; and there to be a far noise of
howling, that I knew to be the voices of the Humpt Men; and so to
perceive that the Maid had come unto her senses, and had gat me somewise
to the raft, whilst that I did yet be swoond. And thus to save me ere
the Humpt Men had come. But, in verity, how she did this thing, I never
to learn; neither she to know, but only that her love did give her a
great and desperate strength that she save me, that did be her man.
And afterward, Mine Own Maid did tell me how that she had come into her
senses, and did be there upon the earth, and somewhat did be upon her
breast; and she saw that it was my head which did be heavy upon her, and
I to be surely gone out from this life; for I was so still.
And she came from under me, and did ease me out upon the earth, and her
heart nigh brake, because that I was so be-bled, and my blood to have
stained all that did be near. But when she had gat me restful, she saw
that I did surely live; and a great hope to spring in her heart. And
oft, as she had eased me, she had lookt about, and there did be naught
to the sight, save the body of the Humpt Man anigh, and the others dead
about and upon the flat-topped rock, as you to mind.
And she ran then very speedy to the raft, and brought water from the
river in my headpiece, and she dasht the water upon me; but I to have no
power to come unto my senses. And lo! in that moment, she to know by
some subtile telling of the spirit, that there came some danger anigh;
and she then to make that she save me, or that we die both of us
together. And she strave with me, and did carry and draw me that
weariful way unto the raft. And she gat me on to the raft; and she ran
then for the pole that did be beside the rock; and whilst that she took
the pole, she perceived her torn garments, that did be yet in the hands
of the Humpt Man, even as she had slipt them to escape him. And she
caught the garments very hasty from the hand of the Man, and ran then to
the raft; and she pusht the raft out from the shore, and leaped aboard;
and behold! as she made to use the pole, there came a sound out of the
wood. And there ran from the wood the two Humpt Men that did yet live;
and they to have trackt her, after that she did run from them; and they
ran downward to the shore, very silent and intent upon her; but she to
work with an utter despair, and to have the raft a good way out, ere
they did be come. And surely, they either to have no power of swimming,
or to know that there did be a Dread in the water; for they made not to
come after; but did stand and stare very stupid, and afterward to howl;
and this howling I did hear when that I was come unto myself upon the
raft, as you do know. And by this telling, you to be so wise as I; for
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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