And, moreover, concerning this same compass, I did find a fresh thing;
for, after a yet greater time, as I shall set out in a due place, if I
do but remember, which doubt is ever my fear to fret me, I came a
mighty way from the Redoubt, and, lo! fearing that I might indeed lose
that, My Great Home, in the Darkness of the World, I did pull out that
strange wonder of the needle, that I might have comfort by its homeward
pointing. And I did discover a new power in the night; for the machine
did point no more directwards unto the Great Redoubt; but was a point
unto the Westwards; so that I had knowledge that some Great Power afar
in the Darkness of the World did sway upon it; and I had a childlike
wonder that this might be, in truth, that same Power of the North, of
which the books, and my Memory-Dreams did tell. And, indeed, no doubt
should there be upon this matter; yet who might not have doubt in that
time, that they should perceive after an eternity, that ancient
Northward Force swaying that small servant unto an olden obedience. And
it was, as it were, a revealing unto me, how that to know within the
brain is one matter; but to have knowledge within the heart is another;
for I had always known concerning this Northward Force; but yet had not
known with the true meaning of Knowledge.
And yet one other matter there was to cause doubt, at that moment of
this new knowing; for it came to me that maybe the power of that Lesser
Redoubt did begin to act upon the machine, even as the Earth-Current of
the Great Pyramid did hold yet a strong drawing upon the needle; and
were this so, then did I not surely begin to stand anigh unto my
Journey's end; for that less power of the Lesser Redoubt could have no
impudence to pull, save that I had come to a closeness with it.
Yet, in truth, as I do now have knowledge, it was the North that drew;
and I do seem to make a great telling about this little matter; but how
else shall I show to you mine inward mind, and the lack of knowledge and
likewise the peculiar knowings that did go to the making of that time,
and the Peoples thereof, which is but to say the same thing twice over.
And now, as I did say, I made to compose myself for sleep; and to this
end, I took a cloak-matter which did cross my shoulder and hip, and
wrapt it about me, and lay down there in the darkness of the Night, by
that strange fire-hole.
And I lay the Diskos beside me, within the cloak; for it was, indeed, my
companion and friend in bitter need; so that I had pleasure to feel the
strange thing anigh to me. And as I did lie there, in those moments that
do drowse the Soul, as it were that they do proceed as breath out of the
mouth of Sleep, I had a half-knowing that the aether did surge about me;
and I doubt not but that there had watched my every doing, many of the
Millions, and had been humanly stirred, at my commending of my spirit
unto sleep; and thus did shake the aether of the world about me, with
their unity of sympathy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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