And I made presently a strong walking unto that place where did glow in
the night the shine of the fire-holes, as I did well judge them to be;
and so was like to have come over-swiftly upon my death, as you shall
presently see; for, as I came anigh to the first, I perceived that the
light came upward out of a great hollow among the moss-bushes, and that
the fire-hole burned somewhere in the deep of the hollow; so that I did
but look upon the shine thereof.
Yet very eager was I to come to that warmth; and I made more of haste
than care, as I did hint; and so came very swift to the top of the
hollow; yet was still hidden by the kindness of the moss-bushes.
And as I made to thrust forward out of the bushes, that I might look and
go downward into the hollow, there rose up to me the sound of a very
large voice, and deep and husky. And the voice was a dreadful voice that
did speak as that it said ordinary things, and in a fashion so monstrous
as that it were that a house did speak, and, in verity, this is a
strange thing to say; yet shall it have the truth of my feelings and
terror in that moment.
And I drew back swiftly from discovering myself; and was then all feared
to move, or to make to go more backward, lest that I should give
knowledge that I was come anigh. And likewise did I shiver lest that I
was even then perceived. And so shall you have something of the utter
fear that did shake me. And I abode there, very quiet, and moved not for
a very great space; but did sweat and shake; for there was a monstrous
horridness in the voice that did speak.
And as I crouched there within the moss-bushes, there came again the
large voice, and it was answered by a second voice; and thereupon there
arose, as it did seem, the speech of Men that must have the bigness of
elephants, and that did have no kindness in all their thoughts; but were
utter monstrous. And the speech was slow, and it rose up out of the
hollow, brutish and hoarse and mighty. And I would that I could make you
to hear it, and that you could but borrow mine ears for a little moment,
and forthwith be shaken with that utter horror and an afraidness, even
as was I.
Now, presently, there was a very long quiet, and I ceased at last a
little from mine over-fear; and later I did calm somewhat; so that I
made to shift my position, which was grown very uneasy.
And there was still no sound from the hollow. Wherefore, having a little
boldness and much curiousness, and these despite my great fearfulness, I
put forth mine hand, very cautious, and did move the mossbush a little
from my face. And I went forward upon the earth, and did lie upon my
belly; and was by this so close upon the edge of that place, that I was
abled to look downwards.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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