And here you must know that the Place Where The Silent Ones Kill was an
utter bare place, where all did seem of rock, and no bush did seem to
grow thereon; so that a man might not come to any hiding; though, in
truth, there might be some hole here or there; yet was none shown in any
map within the Pyramid; neither did there seem to be any such to me, as
I did creep there among the moss-bushes to the Northward of the Place,
and look constant and fearful towards it; so that I should see quickly
whether any Silent One did move across all the grey quiet of that rocky
plain.
And concerning this same Place Where The Silent Ones Kill, it were well
to make an explanation how that there was always a little and
far-spreaded light over all that lonesomeness; and the light was
something grey-seeming; as it were that a lichen might grow upon the
rocks, and send out a little uncomfortable glowing, even as certain
matters do in these times, if you do but know the place and the time to
seek them. Yet was the light exceeding weak, and very cold and dismal,
and did seem truly to show naught with a sureness; so that it did appear
to the eye, if one did look fixedly, that there were shadows that did
move here or there, as it were of silent beings; and none might know, in
truth, whether this shaping of the greyness was to the clouding of the
Reason, or that the eye did see of Reality. Yet, if one did look with
the Great Spy-Glass, then might there be some surety and plainness; and
likewise was it so, if one did have come sufficient anigh to that
uncomfortable Place, even as I then did be. And so you shall conceive
how that I did slide very quiet from bush unto bush; for I had alway in
all my life had a very dread fear of this place; and oft did I peer out
into the dim grey light of the lonesome plain unto my left; and would
think sometimes to perceive the shapes of the Silent Ones stood vague
and watchful; yet, on the instant, to see nothing.
And thus I did go onward, and came presently to a part where the grey
plain did stretch out a bareness into the Night Land to my front; so
that my way ended, unless I did make a long passing round about.
And I sat there among the moss-bushes, and did consider, and lookt out
cunningly through a spy-hole of the bush in which I did sit. And I
perceived that the part of the plain which did jut bareness into the
Land before me had no greatness of size; but might be passed swiftly in
but a little running. And this thing should save me a wearisome going
round; so that I made to consider it with a serious mind; and all the
time did I search the bare greyness before me, and saw presently that it
was surely empty.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account