XIV
ON THE ISLAND
Now I came unto my senses, and did be in pain and a great forgetfulnessand bewilderment. And I strove that I rise; but did be held by a strangeforce, that did be surely my weakness, as I to know afterward.
And I was upon my back; and a little sound did be near me, as thatsomething did pant. And I turned my head, very slow, because that I didso lack of strength. And lo! I saw that the Maid did be anigh to me, anddid be yet naked; and did pant, and pusht hard and desperate with agreat pole, which did be surely that one which I had cut when that theHumpt Men came upon us. And therewith I remembered all, and perceivedthat I did be upon the raft, and the Maid to push the raft along withthe pole.
And, at that, I made a little sound with my mouth; but the Maid not tohear me; for she did look backward, as I should think to the shore; andher face did be very set and anxious; and there to be a far noise ofhowling, that I knew to be the voices of the Humpt Men; and so toperceive that the Maid had come unto her senses, and had gat me somewiseto the raft, whilst that I did yet be swoond. And thus to save me erethe Humpt Men had come. But, in verity, how she did this thing, I neverto learn; neither she to know, but only that her love did give her agreat 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 hersenses, and did be there upon the earth, and somewhat did be upon herbreast; and she saw that it was my head which did be heavy upon her, andI 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 herheart nigh brake, because that I was so be-bled, and my blood to havestained all that did be near. But when she had gat me restful, she sawthat I did surely live; and a great hope to spring in her heart. Andoft, as she had eased me, she had lookt about, and there did be naughtto the sight, save the body of the Humpt Man anigh, and the others deadabout and upon the flat-topped rock, as you to mind.
And she ran then very speedy to the raft, and brought water from theriver in my headpiece, and she dasht the water upon me; but I to have nopower to come unto my senses. And lo! in that moment, she to know bysome 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 ustogether. And she strave with me, and did carry and draw me thatweariful way unto the raft. And she gat me on to the raft; and she ranthen for the pole that did be beside the rock; and whilst that she tookthe pole, she perceived her torn garments, that did be yet in the handsof the Humpt Man, even as she had slipt them to escape him. And shecaught the garments very hasty from the hand of the Man, and ran then tothe 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 thewood. 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 theyran downward to the shore, very silent and intent upon her; but she towork with an utter despair, and to have the raft a good way out, erethey 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 tocome 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 theraft, as you do know. And by this telling, you to be so wise as I; formore I know not, save odd things that I did learn afterward, that didbut set my love more holy unto Mine Own Maid; and these to have been butsmall matters of love-thoughts that we did have together; and scarceclear unto my remembering.
And lo! even as I harked unto the howling of the Humpt Men, the sounddid grow more faint and far off; for the Maid worked very desperate withthe pole. And I did feel that I would help her; but yet was so a-lack;and surely, even as I did mean to rise, I was gone again utter from mysenses; and that dear naked One did pilot me safe and loving unto thesafe harbouring of the little island, that you do mind; and had nothought unto herself; but only that she save me. And I to be there,scarce offward from my death, and to have no knowing of aught, and nomore power to help or to be a shield unto Mine Own; but did be only anhelpless man, that had surely died, save for the care of My Beloved.
Yet did I fight a good fight, and have alway a great joy in theremembering.
Now, I mind nothing very clear after this for a great time; but only ofpain and weariness, and of half wakings and times when I did knownaught, and others when that I did be awake, yet did have no realness,either in myself or in any land or place; and all to come back strangeand vague; yet with a constant knowing that there went Love about me,and a great and gentle watchfulness; so that I was eased when that theblack mists of my weakness did uprise about me to swamp me; and I wasmade to know hope, when that unknown despairs did live stealthy withinme.
And lo! there came a time when I waked, and did be freed of uncertainburdenings and peculiar woes and that still haze through which greatachings did come constant upon me. And surely, I was laid very nice uponsomewhat that did be soft, and there went a sweet quietness about me,and an healthful drowse did grow in my bones.
And slowly I perceived that the Maid did kneel beside me, and did lookupon me with so great a love and gladness that it did be as that I drankin health and a drowsy joy and peace. And surely, she stoopt and kiss mewith an utter gentle love, upon my mouth, and her tears to go sweet uponmy face; and truly I kist her again, with an utter content.
And she took my head in the comfort of her arm, and gave me somewhatthat I drink; and when I had drunk, she kiss me once again, so light asthat a pretty wind did blow hushed upon my lips. And my head she madeeasy; and lo! I was gone over unto sleep, even as she tended me.
And thrice do I mind that this to happen; and at the third time, I knewthat my strength was come something into me again; and I moved my hand alittle, this way and that; and she to know that I did need her to holdmy hand; and she to do this, and I to go into sleep again, even whilethat I look sleepy, yet with all my love, into her eyes.
And when I waked for the fourth time, I did whisper that I loved her;and surely she broke into a sudden weeping, and did hold my hand verydear against her breast.
And when I waked for the fifth time, I to know how things did be aboutme, and that I did lie naked in the cloak, and did be all bandaged aboutmy body; and the bandages, as I did know afterward, did be from the torngarments of the Maid.
And I look at the Maid, and knew that she did be drest again, and did bein the garments that I did give to her, as you to mind; which did bethat one, and the inner, that the Humpt Man tore from her, and which shehad slipt, that she escape from the Man.
And afterward, I found that she had made a very cunning mend of thegarments, whilst that she did sit so utter long beside me to tend me;for she had gotten threads from her torn garments, and had made needlesfrom thorns that did grow on the little bushes of the island; and thethorns did brake oft, and she then to have another, and so to persist anhundred times. And this way she did be drest very nice and dainty.
And Mine Own Maid perceived how that I lookt with interest at her, anddid mind, very natural, how that I last to have seen her; and she thento blush gently; and did kiss me, that she have her pretty facesomething from mine eyes. And truly, I to wish the more that I bestrong, that I kneel in a glad reverence unto her; for this way did bemy love, and ever so; and you likewise, that have truly loved.
Now I did begin that I grew very steady unto my strength, again, andMine Own Maid did tend me alway, and she gave me a broth of tablets andthe water at set times, by the telling of my timepiece. And oft shewasht me and did change the bandages, and did wash and dry the bandages,that she use them over again; for we did be so lacking for such matters,as you to know.
And on the fifth day, I was come utter to ease; and did be wondroushappy, and Mine Own to make pretty talk unto me; but had me to be alwayquiet, because that I did be yet so weak.
And on the sixth day, I to be let answer Mine Own, and to say how greatI did love her, the w
hich mine eyes had said alway, while that I did liein silence. And I to be assured by the Maid that she did be in health,and recovered; but indeed, I saw that she was gone very thin, and thather eyes did be weary, even while that they had so great a love and agladness to me.
And I made Mine Own to bring her tablets by me, as she did alway, andwhen that I had kist them, and she to have eat and drunk, I bade her tomake me the broth ready; and when she had made the broth, I askt thatthe Diskos be set anigh to me. And afterward, I bid her to my side, andhad her to lie by me; and I took her pretty head upon mine arm, and toldher that she to lie thus and to sleep, and to have no fear that sheweary me; for that I to be but the more rested to have her so, besideme.
And she in the first to trouble that she be too heavy for mine arm; buttruly, I showed that my strength was something come back to me; for Iprest her gentle unto me, and she then to nestle content, and to be goneinto an utter sleep, and to have been in a sore need of the same.
And Mine Own did sleep for twelve great hours, and had scarce any lifein all that time, save when once she did make a little and gentlemoaning, and did afterward set her pretty face more nigh to me in hersleep. And surely, I had neither weariness nor lonesomeness; but did liewith an utter content; and did look downward upon the Maid, where shedid sleep in the hollow of mine arm; and truly she did be most wondrouslovely and dainty; and the goodness of her face did seem as that it madean holiness about my heart, so that my spirit was uplift in a quiet andconstant glory of love.
And I drank a part of the broth at the third hour, and at the sixthhour, and at the ninth hour, when that I finished it; and my right armdid be free to this purpose and to the Diskos; and surely I did twiceand thrice set my hand upon that great weapon, as to a true comrade;and, in verity, I could think the weapon did know and did love me. Andthis thinking to be because I did be so uplift, as I have told; yettruly, the Diskos did be a strange and wondrous thing, and did be alwaythought to have an oneness with the man that did use it.
And in the twelfth hour, the Maid awoke sudden, and came upward out ofmine arm, all in a sweet haste, that she know that I did be well; andshe did be eased wondrous, when that she saw how I laughed with a quietjoy but to see her dear eyes, and her pretty trouble. Yet did she be inreproach to herself, when that she lookt to find how the hours had past.But, indeed, I did make a mocking sternness with her; and forbad thatshe even to say one little word more upon this matter; but to be gladthat I did be so utter happy, and she likewise.
And truly, when I had said this, that impudent Maid did set her littlefist against my nose, and to threaten me. And, in verity, I laught sohearty that the Maid did be in fear I should set my wounds again tobleed, and did reproach herself again; but, in truth, I came to no harm.
And when that I could speak, I askt the Maid whether that there had beenbrothers to her, because that she did play so natural. And this I askt,not thinking; and lo! in a moment I perceived my thoughtlessness; butsaid naught, save to take the hand of Mine Own, that she know utter thatI did not be heartless. And she to nod very quiet, and afterward kist myhand, and slipt from me. And I knew that she was gone a little way off,lest she weep; and I did be in trouble for her and for mine a-lackness;but truly I could do naught, only that I called very gentle unto her.
And she to return soon, and did smile loving and cheerful upon me; but,indeed, I saw that she covered her weeping, whilst that she had made menew broth. Yet, before I would take the broth, I would have her to minearms; and she to submit very glad and happy, but to keep her prettyweight from me, lest she hurt my woundings.
And afterward, we both to eat, and be happy in glad talk.
And presently, I did sleep; but would have her to be nigh to me, eventhough she did be wakeful; and so we to be utter content together.
Now, the seventh day, as it might be called, was a wondrous happy time;and when I waked, the Maid did be sleeping as a child to my side, andher face nestled against me. And she to waken in a moment; for thus hadshe drowsed and watched through all the hours whilst that I had slept.
And we then to eat and to drink together, after that Mine Own had mademe easy with a gentle washing and care. And I now to be allowed that Ihave my tablets whole, and the water afterward, as when that I did bewell; and this to please me, as you shall think; for I did ache that Ibe strong very speedy, that I have power to guard Mine Own Maid again,and to go forward with our journeying, that I have the Maid unto thesafeness of the Mighty Pyramid; and surely, now that I had my tabletswhole, I to feel that I did grow near unto fitness again; and moreover,they did satisfy my hunger the better than the broth.
And the Maid to give me my tablets oft, so that I eat a great many; andI did make her to count; and surely there did be sufficient, if that Iget strong pretty quick. And so I made no refusing of the tablets; for Idid need them, that I make blood again within me, else should I belacking, when that there came any need anigh.
And we kist each the tablets of the other, and did drink from the samecup, and did be utter happy; and did be part like children, but also tobe man and maid.
And presently, the Maid did shift my bandages, as alway, and washt meproper, and had me into comfort. But she did keep me alway verylow-lying; and truly I scarce to mind; for I was not gotten enough of mystrength, to give me to feel irked. And further, as you shall think,there did be that lovely One with me alway; and did make sweet quipsunto me, and talkt and did laugh, and oft did come into singing; for shedid be so sweetly joyed that I was in life and did mend so proper.
And afterward, she went off from me a little, to her toilet; but I toask that she be so swift as might be, and she to promise very merry; andshe came back in a little while, and her hair to be in a lovely cloudabout her shoulders, and her pretty feet yet to be bared from her bath,which she had in a pool beyond some bushes; and she to say that I did beso impatient a man, that she to be forced that she do the half of herdressing with me; but truly, she came thiswise only because she to knowhow I did delight in her thus, and to watch the way that she set up herabundance of hair; and she to be hungry also that she be with me, and tolove me that I watch her, even while that there did be oft a little andquaint stirring of shyness in her dear heart.
And I had her to come beside me, and to sit anigh to my hand; and I madepresently that I did scold her, because that she had no proper care toher pretty feet; and I bid her to set her feet toward me, that I lookthe more close at them. And she to be a pretty rogue, and did think I tomean to kiss them--and truly not to think alway wrong--but I then tohave another planning; for I had pluckt a hair very sly from her head,and she but to have said an Oh! to me, and to have thought no more. But,indeed, when that she gave her feet to me, I held them so strong as Imight, and I bound her pretty toes together with the hair; and surelyshe did be a captive unto me, and we to laugh, as that we to be bothchildren. And afterward she stole back her feet from me; but, in verity,I knew that she had a wondrous heed that she brake not the hair thatbound her; but did sit beside me bound in that pretty way; but yet tohide from me that she did not brake the hair.
And she then to do her hair upon her head, very lovely; and afterward,I put up my hands, and took it down again; and she then to kiss me andto ask how that she should ever have it proper upon her head, if that Idid alway so tease her.
And she then to take her hair, and did set the abundance of it upon bothsides of my face, and then to kiss me, as I did look up at her, from outof so much beauty.
And afterward she cut a lock of my hair, and a lock from her own dearhead; and she did plait the two locks together, so that our hair didblend and be together; and afterward she hid it in her bosom. But I didbe then out of content, and would have done likewise, only that it didso weary me to uphold my hands; and she to cut a second lock from myhead, and a second tress of her own most lovely hair; and she made me tokiss the hair that did be from her, and she then to kiss the hair thatdid be from me; and afterward, she did plait them together, and gavethem to me. And I set the hair,
for that time, under the great bandagethat went over my heart; and truly, she did be then the one that lacktcontent; for she to say that the second plaiting did be kist, and thefirst to lack; but I to refuse to exchange; so that we made up aquarrelling, and did presently have to be kist, unto forgiveness. And,truly, have you not likewise known such glad foolishness, when that youwere in the love-days.
And she then to make me to be quiet, and to keep my hands downward fromher hair, because that the uplifting did prove overmuch to me; and shetook my great hands then, and did threaten how dreadful she use me, ifthat I be not humble. And truly, I said that I did be an humble man; andshe then to hold my hands with but one small one; and surely, her handdid be so small that she not able to hold me, save by the thumbs. Andshe then with her free hand to cover mine eyes, so that I might not see;and whilst that she did hold me thus so utter helpless, she to kiss mevery dainty and impudent upon the mouth; and afterward she loost me, anddid be demure.
And we did be then silent a space; and presently, I put forth my hand,that did be very great, yet to be gone white and to tremble, becausethat I did lack so utter of blood. And the Maid to know what I did mean,and she clenched her hands into two fists, and set them both into my onehand, and surely they did be little fists; and I then to be happy; forthis did be a wondrous pleasure alway unto me; and she to have her lidsa little downward upon her eyes, and to be quietly happy. And, truly,how I mind it all so plain.
And afterward, I did plague her very gentle that she to be all a-lack,if that she did try to use her hands to aught, because that they did beso small. And she in a moment to have her two arms very dear about myneck, and did kiss me with an utter love and tenderness upon the mouth,and afterward went from me, lest that she have me to overset myself.
And I did then to make her to sit by me, and I did tell her a tale howthat a young man did once live in the olden days, and did meet with theOne Maid Upon All The Earth. And how that they loved and did be married,and she to die, and of the utter and desperate madness of grief thatnigh destroyed the man; and how that he sudden to wake into the futureof the world, in a New Time, and did come to learn that His Own did alsoto live in that Time. And he then to make that he find her; and didtruly come unto her. And how she did be different in her beauty; but yetto be utter lovely. And the man did hold an utter reverence to the Maid,that had been his wife in the olden dream-days, so that his reverence oflove did live in him like a constant pain and anguish of sweetness andtrouble, and of holy thoughts that did be bred of her lovelycompanionship, and of his memories.... But, in truth, I gat not furtherin the tale than this; for Mine Own did have come sudden into weeping,and had gotten to her knees, and did hold my hand against her breast,and did put her hand gentle upon my lips. And, in a moment, she towhisper somewhat through her tears; and there to be dear Motherhoodwithin her face; and a sudden shining of Memory in her eyes, that hadbeen near dreadful, only that it did seem to be to her as that she werepart dreaming. And the strange and solemn pain did come also unto methrough the part-open gateways of my Memory. And I to remember veryclear and with an anguish in that moment. And I told Mine Own how thatthe babe had gone onward, after that the Beloved had died. And there didbe then an utter quiet upon us.
And lo! sudden the Maid did bend unto me, and I to take her into minearms, out of the vague dreamings of her Memory-dreams. But, ere she didbe come outward entire from the haze of the Past, she to try to setsomewhat into words concerning this memory-vision of the babe; butsomeways to be strangely dumb. And I did be silent likewise, because ofall those things that did be between us forever and forever.
And presently, she kist me, and was herself again; and she went from meto attend unto our food.
Now, that did be truly a lovely day; for I to have gat sufficient ofstrength that I did be able to have interest, and talk with Mine OwnMaid; and she now to be well rest, and to have ease in her dear heartconcerning me.
And surely we oft to laugh, and did make jests utter glad and foolish.And indeed, I do mind how that I askt Mine Own an olden puzzle, that didcome out of the vagueness of my Memory-dreams. And she to be like aperson that doth hear a strange familiar thing; and lo! sudden she tosay, as that she gat knowledge from beyond Eternity, that it did be whenthat he was a little hoarse. And you to know the jest, and to havetroubled it oft at school; but, in verity, it did be a strange thing tohave from our Memories out of all the deep of Time. And we, in truth,never in that Age to have seen or to have known that ever there did bean Horse, or to mind the likeness of one. And this to be but a littlematter; yet of strange and peculiar interest, as you to agree. And,indeed, we did both to look one at the other, when that we had ended,and did wonder what an horse did be; yet in the same time did have avague inward knowing.
And so we to look ever backward through dim Ages; and surely we gatpresently from jests, unto solemnness; and the Maid to be nigh againunto tears. And, in truth, I then to bring our thoughts and our speechforward from the Abyss of the Years, and did cease from Memory-dreamingfor that time; and so to have the Maid again in joy; yet mayhapsomething wistful odd whiles.
And presently, I to tell the Maid an hundred thousand things concerningthe Mighty Pyramid, of which I had so oft said somewhat; but never tohave gat so great a chance as this unto a plenty of time and so nice anoneness in the way that our minds did go.
And surely, the Maid did be eager in a moment, and did be husht; andagain to ask constant concerning all matters.
And, in verity, there went a great while this way; and the Maid to havean utter wonder and excitement of all that I to tell; for truly, it didbe as that a man of this age should come downward from a great star inthe heavens, and to tell of wonders and new things; and you tounderstand how she did feel.
And of all things that did most have a happiness unto the Maid, I toperceive that the great Life and Humanness of the Millions to dwellwithin her imaginings as a cloud of warmth and quiet joy; for I did showthis thing to her, so well as I was able; and, in truth, you shall tellme in honesty whether that I have made the same likewise clear-seen untoyou?
And she, as you shall mind, did be a maid that had grown all her life ina Refuge that did be shaken with hauntings, because that it lackt thepower of the Earth-Current to protect; and with a People that did beweak-conceived through great thousands of years; and where love didbloom something faded, even in youth; and youth to have lack of thelife-blood of an utter joy, such as did be ours and likewise to manythat did be of the Mighty Pyramid.
Though, truly, there did go millions then, as now, that did never toknow love; though the name did be in their mouths, and they to havebelief that the sweet kernel did be in their hearts; but, in verity,THIS to be love, that your life shall bound in you with abundance, andjoy dwell round you, and your spirit to live in a natural holiness withthe Beloved, and your bodies to be a sweet and natural delight thatshall never be lost of a lovely mystery that doth hold a perfect peaceeach unto the need of the other; and all to be that there go roundabout you a wonder and a splendour all the days and the nights that youshall be--the Man with the Woman, the Woman with the Man. And Shame tobe unborn, and all things to go natural and wholesome, out of an uttergreatness of understanding; and the Man to be an Hero and a Child beforethe Woman; and the Woman to be an Holy Light of the Spirit and an utterCompanion and in the same time a glad Possession unto the Man. And lo!if one to die, then the soul of the other shall fail; and that one neverto have full life again, in that bitter parting. And this doth be thetrue Human Love; and all else that be not like to this with the Man andwith the Woman, doth be but a borrowing of the name of Love for thatquiet desiring, which is but an Endurance beside Love, which doth bebetween they that be not mated both in their souls and in their bodies.And this telling to take no heed to those base joinings that be made forpurposes of wealth or Desire or other piteous ends; for, in verity,these to have no more dealings with the thing that I do tell upon, thanhath the merchanting of goods, or the _need_ of a glutton. But the thingthat I
do have upon my heart doth be that dear and uplifting Power ofLove, which I to set forth in this mine own story; for, in truth, I tohave known love, and to need death when that I be parted from Mine Own.
Now, surely, Mine Own did come twice and thrice unto weeping, as I didtell of this thing and that, which did set her memory backward unto theways of the Lesser Redoubt. And presently, I did cease from my tellings,because that she did so be gone into pain of her memories. But, indeed,she then to beg me that I go forward again; for, truly, she to need inthe heart that she know, and to strive to be no more in grief for thetelling.
And I then to say on, and did tell upon the Might and Wonder and greatOlden Delight of the Underground Fields, that were below the GreatRedoubt, as you do know. And I told how that they went downward anhundred strange miles, that did be dug of the labour of Millions and ofthe years of Eternity.
And I set out unto Mine Own concerning that there did be wondrousvillages spread through that great and hidden Country that did be in theunderground; and how that great millions of the Peoples did live there,and made a constant labour in those deep Lands and Countries, that didbe truly so monstrous in all as an huge Continent.
And I showed Mine Own how that there did be wondrous processes that didbe learned in the Ages; and how that water did be made in chemistry; andtruly she to nod to this, because that she did mind upon the powder thatwe did use; but truly the powder to have to be made in the first, as youshall think; and we but to advantage ourselves of that which did result,and I to speak to her of the making of the powder, rather than of theway that it afterward to make chemistry with the air, unto water.
And I told the Maid how that there did be mighty underground pipes thatwent across the Night Land, and did be, mayhap, oft so much as twentygreat miles deep in the world, and did come upward into the seas of theLand; and all to have been made secret and hid from the monsters of theLand, as I to know from much readings of the Histories.
And Mine Own then to tell me that they did lack to have any such greatwonders below the Lesser Redoubt; but that there did be utter monstrouscaverns, where that there had been alway a strange and uncouth Countryof Husbandry, and lit from the Earth-Current; and they also there tobury their Dead. And all had been a-lack through great thousands ofyears, as she did know of their Records, and had grown dim-lit andlonesome, and a Land of deepness to starve the spirit with an utterstrangeness and discomfort, where that the men went quietly as ghosts,through many ages; and all a place in dire want of sound and laughter.
Yet this all to have been surely different a monstrous Age gone, whenthat the Earth-Current did be a power in the Lesser Redoubt, and theHumans to be in plenty, and of good and natural health and courage oflife. And, truly, to mind upon that Place, doth alway to set a freshwonder in me, that Mine Own did be so lovely and wholesome of spirit andwise and in knowledge and good force of her being. But so it did be withher; and she to have been surely alway That One that did be Mine Own.
And I then to tell Mine Own Maid concerning the lowest Field, which didbe the Country of Silence, and was the Place of Memory unto all thegreat Millions, where did linger and bide the ghosts of an hundredbillion griefs and the drifted thoughts of sorrowful hearts; and thereto live a great hallowedness and a mystery of silence and an holinessand a Greatness, as that it did be the Expressing of all that doth beNoble and Everlasting that ever did come out of the heart of Man and allthe lost Dead of Eternity; so that the spirit of a man did seem to go ongreat wings, unto lovely and splendid resolvings, if that he but to walklonely awhile in that Country, that surely did be never lonesome untothe spirit.
And lo! the Maid did be all husht, as I did speak, and did look downwardunto me with her eyes very bright, and lovely with the thinkings andtears that did stir within her.
And sudden she to ask whether that I did make my resolve to my journey,whilst that I walkt in that place; and she to look very intent andbeautiful upon me, as she did question. And, indeed, I saw that she tomean a lovely praise unto me, as you to perceive; and truly, I did feela little strange, as that I did be both glad and shy in the same moment.And she then to ease me of any answer; for she gat upward upon herknees, and she put her two hands to the sides of my face, and bid me tolook into her eyes and to know that she loved me with her soul and withall that did make her to be.
And afterward, she kist me very gentle upon the forehead, and did bethen husht awhile, as that she to be in thought; yet oft she did lookdownward at me, and did have a beauty of love and honour within hereyes, so that they alway to shine, as she did look at me.
And presently, the Maid did sit again beside me, and slipt her two handsinto the one of mine, as did be ever my desire, and she to love that shegive me this delight, and likewise, she to have joy to herself in thislovingness.
And we then again to have talk; and I did tell Mine Own somewhat of theHistory of the Olden World! and she did have dim memories, as in dreams,of the days of light; yet scarce that she could believe it of truth. Butshe to have knowledge of the Olden Love Days within her spirit, and tomind that there did be alway, as it did be, a lovely and golden lightupon the world; but she not to know truly whether this to be but theholy glamour-light that Memory doth set about a past loveliness; and tohave no remembering of the Sun; but yet to be made ready by her memoriesunto believing. And I to know of certainty; but yet even I that do tellthis My Tale, did but perceive the Days of the Light, as in a far andvague dream; and to remember it but in the chief by the glory of lostsunsets that had cast an holiness upon my heart, and of the hush ofDawns that had made ready my spirit in the Gone Ages to look quietlyunto my death.
And surely you to go with me in all this thing, and to have felt withinyour own spirit that uplifted wonder that doth shake the soul with thelost Beginning and with the unknown End, when that you have looktthrough the sorrow of the Sunset, and stood silent before the QuietVoice that doth make promise in the Dawn.
But, in verity, we that had near lost our Memory of the surety of thesegreat wonders, did have memory of Love; and this to be most beautifulunto my heart; for it but to show the more how that love doth liveforever, and doth make an holiness in all places; and doth giveCompanionship and Satisfying; so that to have love, is to have all, andto have escaped this Wonder is to have missed to have Lived.
And I to find then that Mine Own did have no knowledge of the way thatthe World did be in that Future Age; and did lack to know that thereabode mightily above us in the everlasting night, the dead starkness ofthe world, where did be--mayhap two hundred great miles above us--snowand the eternal desolation of a lost world, that did be once the lovelyworld of the olden days, which did be now given over unto Night andSilence.
And mayhap there did wander upward there Memory, and did go companionedby Grief. But, indeed, I to delight to think that Hope and Love didbuild houses of joy about the Dead; and there to be no true death; butonly the dying of days. Yet, surely, this doth be sorrow enough unto theheart and the soul, if that they did be days when love did make amystery of light about the spirit, and the Beloved to have been anigh tomake ever a sweet wonder unto the heart.
But I to cease from these thoughts; for we to face our life brave andwise, and to take both the sorrow and the joy unto our developing, andto hold up the face with courage when that Grief doth come anigh; and tosee that we grow not to bitterness, but unto sweet wholesomeness. Andthere to be Joy again, and we then the better abled to have that delightinto our hearts; for how shall Joy ever to come truly again to thatheart which bitterness hath made a place for the abode of sorrow.
And truly, I to cease from these thinkings also; for my story to waitupon me, and these things that I do say do be plain unto you, and tohave no need to the telling.
And so did I tell Mine Own Maid of the things that I did learn from thelittle metal book; and she to be in a constant wonder and delight andwith an awe and newness upon her. And sudden, there did some oldenmemory stir within her; for she askt me, in one instant, whether that Idid remembe
r when that the Cities did move alway unto the Westward.
But truly I had no remembering of this thing, and did look at herawhile, with somewhat of a trouble upon me; for, that there should beaught lacking in my memory of those times that we did be together uponthis world, was a fear unto me, and a vague sorrow alway, if that I didbut to let my thought go that way; though, indeed, I did ever strive towiseness, and did have knowledge that there doth be an heart-wearing anddespair and needless trouble in vain regrets; but yet these to benatural unto the spirit, if that you to know love; and do be but thecomplement of the love-joy, and mayhap to have a use unto the sweeteningof the spirit, if that they be not let to over-ride the reason.
And whilst that I did look unto Mine Own, that she help me to remember,she did strive with her Memory. But in the end, did fail to come untoaught of clearness, save that she did see, as in a far dream, yet veryplain, a great metal roadway, set in two lines that went forever untothe setting Sun; and she then sudden to say that she did see in hermemory the Sun, and she to have a strange and troubled amazement uponher. And there did be Cities upon the great road; and the houses did bestrange-seeming, and did move forward eternally and at a constant speed;and behind them the Night did march forever; and they to have an evenpace with the sun, that they live ever in the light, and so to escapethe night which pursued forever, as she did tell, and a dread andterrible chill that did live in the night. And there did be cities farforward in the morning Sunshine, that did have gone before at speed, andset the husbandry of the world, and to be finished and gone forwardagain ere that certain of the latter cities did come to that place tothe reaping; and the night to come presently to that place; but this notto be for some part of a year after that the crops were taken. But howlong this might be, she not to remember.
And all this the Maid did say to me, as out of a strange dream, and I tohave set it down, and to have made it so clear to you as she to havetold it; and surely it doth be plain then that she to speak of a timewhen that the day did be grown to a monstrous length, because that theworld did turn but slow and weary.
And it to be a sureness, as you shall perceive, that but to stand stillin that age of which Naani told, was to be left presently in an utternight and chill, that should last mayhap a great and weary year. And, inverity, it doth seem that all Humanity did travel forever in thatstrange age, when that to stay was to die unprepared in the bitternight, and to go forward, was to be forever in the sun. And truly, thisdoth be so strange seeming to me, as to you.
And much I questioned the Maid, and did have an hurt within my heart,and a pain of jealousy and sadness to grow in me; for surely she didspeak of some life that she did live, when that I did be elsewhere,either in Life or Unknowing. And, in verity, what man then should havetaught Mine Own to love him? And she then mayhap to have had noremembering of me.
And truly I questioned very desperate, and the more so because that Iwas yet weak, and lacking my strength to be composed. But she neither toremember me nor any other man of that time; and to have no memories,save these bare things that she to have spoken out so strange, and whichdid come sudden unto her out of all the deepness of the years and thelost sorrows and joys and wonders of that which doth make a World ofHumans.
And surely my questionings brought a distress upon Mine Own, bothbecause that she did be troubled by the way that my love did bring me tothis strange anguish, and because that she also to have pain, and asudden fear that there did be ever a time when she not to have known me,or to have permitted the arms of another.
And she did then strive that she be both wise and strong, and to givehelp unto me, and to take reason unto her own easing. And truly she toshow how that she did be all unknowing of any love in that far backwardtime; but it to be possible in reason that she to have gone to another,in natural course, the while that her heart did yearn alway in vaguetrouble unto Her Own, that her spirit did mayhap never to haveforgotten. And, truly, this doth be the way of Life, and a bitter thingand a sorrow to Joyous Love to think upon; yet I here to be set to thetellings of Truth, and to have heed to all that reason doth show to be.
But Mine Own did also have us both to remember that there did be equalright to think that she had died Mine Own Maid in that life; for that itdid be not out of reason to think that she had been void-hearted untoall men, because that she had known in her spirit that she did once tomeet Her Own, and did be thereafter untuned unto all other men that everdid live. And this all to be in a mist, and we to go vainly. And of herwill, she did think that no man did ever to have possessed her, save I;yet this to be mayhaps only the prompting of her love; and she then tokiss me, and to say that there did be no surety in aught, but only thatwe did have been together before, and have borne a love so great that itdid live through Eternity; and we to be now together, and maybe all elseto be but dreams.
And truly I did have a fierce hope that this be so; and the Maidlikewise so to hope, yet to be less bitter with rebellion than I, thoughin pain upon the thought; for she did be so utter and dreadful glad andin happy thankfulness that we did be now come together again in the end;and did mean that she conquer all that should be like to set a greynessupon our joy, and to be steadfast unto this end.
And I afterward to be likewise in wisdom, when that I was come the moreto strength, and to mind that I suffer vainly for that which did have nosurety, as I have shown; and moreover I did have no power upon the past,either to learn aught or to mend aught; so that I did go the way of anHuman, and did shake free from these broodings, and strove untoforgetfulness; which, in truth, doth be both a Terror and aMercifulness, as doth chance. And I kist Mine Own Maid, with somewhatmore of the years within my love; and she to kiss me very sober anddear; and to desire only for my happiness, and to be utter mine own.
Now, we then to eat and to drink, and the Maid to see me unto comfort inall things, and my bandages all right; and she then to make that shehave on her footgear and her hair to be bound; but indeed I bid her thatshe to dare do this thing, when that she to know how I did delight thather little feet be bare to mine eyes, and her hair most lovely upon hershoulders; and she to be very happy that I so to have an utter pleasurein her dear beauties, and did sit beside me again, and set her feet verysly where they did be anigh to my hand; for she to know that she did beMine Own, and I to be her Master, and she to have joy that she to haveto render her beauty unto me; for she did be that true complement untome that the heart of a man doth ache for eternally.
And so, presently, did end that lovely day of quiet speech andtogetherness; and the Maid did prepare me for my slumber, and she thento lie anigh to me, and her head to rest gentle beside me, so that herpretty face did be near unto my breast upon the right side; and she togive me at the first a loving and sober kiss that did be somewise to seta guard upon her tenderness, and afterward did sleep content and gentle,as that she did be in the same moment a child and a woman.
And I also to come unto slumbering; yet did know vaguely how that MineOwn did rise a little upon her elbow, this time and that, and look veryloving into my face, that she have assurance of my comfort andwell-being; and once I did waken, proper, and lookt at her, and she thento kiss me gentle upon mine eyelids, and bid me to sleep; and so didcome herself unto her sweet slumber. Now when that I did come to myproper wakening, I to hear the fizzing of the water, and to know thatthe Maid did be risen a good while, and had made her toilets, as Iperceived in a moment, when that she came unto me; for her hair did bein a lovely cloud upon her shoulders, all combed and made ready againstmy waking; and she to have bathed, as I supposed, in some warm pool thatdid be among the bushes upon the island; and she now to slip herfoot-gear, that her feet be bare unto me, as I did love, and to stand amoment, and her eyes to twinkle gently. And I lookt at her with love andhonour in mine eyes, as you shall know, and she to have dancing of sweetpleasure in her heart, that I so to look upon her with holiness and withnatural love, and surely the last doth be unnatural if that it do lackthe first; but my love did burn upward out of my
being, so that theflame of my spirit did light the fires of my heart, and my Reason to addcoals unto that fire that hath lived for ever, and doth be as that itshall be never quenched.
And Mine Own in a moment did kneel beside me, and, truly, someways inher deep intenseness unto me; for our love did make all the world holy,and she to be both uplifted and as that she must give all the humblenessof her heart unto the greatness of my love; and this she to feel, andher deep and utter love, to make it as that she did be all a passion ofhumbleness unto me, so that in her soul I did rise in that moment uponthe wings of my love, and to seem that I did be all the world and alltime and all place and all that ever she did need unto her.
And she put out her arms to me, and her eyes did shine with those tearsthat do never be shed; and lo! in a moment, she did be upon my heart,and we two to be husht together in content; for our need did be in theother. And truly, where there do be two together with love, there dothbe neither lack nor need; but eternal fulfilment.
And in verity this to be my Hope for that which doth comeAfterward--that all doth be leading unto so glad a joy as this, and thatall pain and grief and all that doth make the shaping of Life, doth bebut a process by which we be eternally perfected from living untoliving, unto each Fulfilment that doth be but the doorway unto greaterFulfilment in the Beloved.
And, presently, Mine Own Maid did loose herself gentle from me, andwasht me and tended me; and very husht and tender, and somethingdown-ridded of her dear and lovely eyes.
And we then to eat and to drink together, and joy so great and quiet didbe upon us, that it did be as that we had gone into an eternity of peaceand an utter content. And surely, as the thought did stir in me, it didbe of beauty that we did be both of us true unto the other, in thatlife, and I never to have kist a maid, until that I kist Mine Own, andshe to have been likewise, and to have fended all men from her, becausethat they did be Strangers unto her inwardness, and so we two to be soutter together, both in that our spirits did be knit, being each thecomplement of the other, and because that we had no secret pains ofremembered things, to set any apartness between our hearts.
And in verity, I to think back then upon my jealousies, that I havetold, and to know that Mine Own did never to have given herself lightlyto any, neither to have taken lightly; and her spirit to have been alwaymine through all the Everlasting; and mayhap this to be how all Peoplesshall come to be in the length of time, only that to us had come thegreat wonder that we did early meet; though this also to bring thatutter pain, which doth seem to slay, when that once you have known theBeloved, and to be parted.
And so I to think, and did presently ponder with a great and strangepity upon they that did not yet have met the Beloved, and they mayhapnot to have kept all for the Beloved; but to have been light with thatwhich doth be the Treasure, because that Love had not come to show themthat they did unknowingly squander the strange and holy glory which dothbe the possession of they that shall come to the Beloved and say, Allthat is thine have I kept for thee. And the Beloved to know and to havepeace in the remembering. But what doth be the peculiar sorrow of theythat have gone over-lightly, when that they shall meet the Beloved; forthen shall there be a constant and inward regret, as a thorn in theheart, that they not to have observed alway that holy care of all whichdoth pertain unto love; and they nigh to moan in the spirit, _if theyhad but known, if they had but known._ Yet, in the end, of their pain,shall they grow unto all loveliness, if that now they have truly comeupon Love, and to live with Love; for this to be the especial glory oflove, that it doth make unto all Sweetness and Greatness, and doth be afire burning all Littleness, so that did all in this world to have metThe Beloved, then did Wantonness be dead, and there to grow Gladness andCharity, dancing in the years.
And there to be yet one thing upon which, mayhap, I not to have thoughtsufficient; for it doth be this, that they who did err, as I have shown,shall be the greater for their _Pain_; and let this be to cheer you, ifthat you have done foolishly, and thought not upon that day when theBeloved shall come; for Pain is but the voice of Development orDestruction; and truly you to suffer the first, if that Love doth workin you; but truly, the more that you have lacked, the greater shall beyour pain; for the more change there doth need be in you.
And so would I have you now to think, and to know that the Beloved shallcome, and so shall you live in glad care of all your being, that you beable to come unto the Beloved in that day, and to say with beauty andhuman joy in your heart, even as I have said; and thus shall you missthat bitter pain. But yet, truly, you to be like to heed not this, untilthat Love doth come upon you; and I therefore to cease from this vainsetting of mine inward reasonings.
But truly, when that day be come, as I have told, you to know how thatthere went alway with me in this mine own story which I tell, thesimplicity of Truth; and how that I did be minded only that you to know,and thereby that you have gentle wisdom that you lay not up pain forthat day. Yet, if you do lack to go with me, you to need that developingwhich shall then come upon you.
And so shall you perceive how my thoughts did go to and fro, as I dideat with Mine Own; and so in the last I to find that I did think veryserious; and I then to cast from me this pondering, and to have thatutter joy which did be upon us, and to seem that it did fill all thatstrange Country of Seas.
And lo! after we did be done of eating and drinking, which did be but alittle time, as you shall think, the Maid did ease me to an upwardsitting, and had my back very nice to an olden stump which did be light,and she to push unto me.
And Mine Own did sit then beside me, so that mine arm did come mostnatural about her; and she there to be nestled all gleeful and content,so that my heart did be doubly tender unto her. And I took the abundanceof her hair, and set it about my neck, and upon my breast, so that itdid near to cover me in the upward part; and we both then to laugh asthat we did be two children, because that Love did make us so utteryoung in the heart; and our hands to be hid under the beauty of theMaid's hair, and I to have her then that she explain just how great shedid love me; and you that go with me, do know how that this doth be adelight that is never done, neither to be set only into words.
And all that day we did be wondrous happy, save once when we saw thatthere were Humpt Men upon the shore, about the Flat-Topt rock where didbe the fight; but what they did there, we not to be able to see, onlythat presently they went away; and indeed seemed to have no thought untous, neither any knowledge; and so did be gone again into the forests;and we saw no more of them, after that time. And afterward we to be lostutter in happiness.
Now, upon the tenth day, I did be so come into health that I to walk alittle way to and fore upon the island; and Mine Own did go with me, andso I to pace a good while, and afterward to rest again.
And Mine Own then to bring mine armour to me, which she had scoured verynice; but truly, the Armour did be sore broke and bent, and did bejagged inward this place and that, with the monstrous strength of theHumpt Men, when that they did strike me with the great sharp stones.
And, in verity, how I should ever come again to wear this protection, Ito be in doubt. Yet, truly it had been a wondrous suit of strength thathad kept my life within me when that I had been so deadly beset; and Ito know that it to be yet like to save both our lives, if that we couldsomeway straighten it, and ease the broken jags from wounding me afresh.
And I thought a time, and the Maid with me; and afterward we gat thatstump upon which I had leant, and had this to be for an anvil; and wefound then smooth stones of different sizes, and these to be forhammers; and we wrought all that day, with restings, upon the armour;and surely, we beat it into a very good shape, from the inward, and thebroken parts we beat smooth, so that they should not wound, and in theend to have mine armour fit to go upon me.
And I, by now, as you shall think, to be drest part in my garments; butnot all; for there did be yet some of the bandages upon my body, so thatfor the main I did wear the cloak, that the bandages be easily come at.And all t
hat day did be utter happy, whilst that we workt; for we to betogether.
And on the morrow, as we do say, which was the eleventh wakening uponthe island, the Maid and I to talk long and oft, whilst that we yetworked upon the armour; and we to ponder the best way that we continueto our journeying; for, indeed, I was not come to my strength; yet was Ivery earnest that we go forward early; but in the same time, I did fear,lest that we meet with aught of Danger, and I to be a-lack, because thatI was yet weak.
And presently, the Maid and I both to think upon the same thing; for sheto cry out concerning the raft, and I to have the same word in my mouth.And, in verity, this to be a great thought; for then should we be ablealway to be free of the Humpt Men, and to have frequent rest when thatwe be weary, and to sleep with an ease in the mind; and, indeed, I tohope that the labour of oars should be something less than to go uponthe feet.
And surely, we talkt upon this a good while, and afterward we left thearmour, and went over to the raft, and so to learn whether we shouldhave power to make it something more stable, and that we have some waythat we should put a solid matter between our bodies and any monsterthat should chance to swim under us.
And we went then together over all the little island; for I did searchfor some bush that should have a long tendril in plenty, and supple, andso to suit for binding. But, truly, there did be no such bush in all theisland; and this to put me in trouble, as you shall suppose; yet wasthere a sufficient plenty of small and upright trees, that did seem verygood for any purpose of structure.
And when we had gone all about the island, and found naught that shouldbind, the Maid to say with a pretty jesting that we should cut her hair,and plait it to be for cords. And, surely, even as the words did comefrom her, they to set me upon the thing that should supply our need; forI stoopt sudden to the grass that did grow oft and plenty in this placeand that, and was so tall as my thigh, and to my head in the middle ofthe dumpings where it did sprout. And lo! it was wondrous tough.
And the Maid to have likewise perceived the thought, almost at thatmoment; but I to have been the first this time, and so to tease her; fortruly, we had grown that we did nigh alway to discover all things in thesame instant, as you mayhap to have seen. But I did surely be first thistime, and must kiss her, as we do kiss little ones, that they be easedin their dismays and disappointments; and she to see how I did mock her,and she to pretend to weep; and surely how could she even to pretend,when that she did not be able to keep her pretty mouth from searchingwith laughter unto mine; but must be kissed full and plenty in ourconstant joyfulness.
And we cut then a good arm-load of the grasses, using the knife, and hadthose to our camp; for we did be homely now unto that place, as youshall think. And the Maid then to show me plaiting, and how that wecould work in the grass piece by piece, so that we should plait unto anylength that we to need.
And all that day we workt, and did be very happy together; but when thatwe came to the time of our slumber, the Maid had done twice and thriceso much as I; and surely she came over to me, and kist me very grave,that I should be not to fret, even as I did kiss her with gentle mockingconcerning the thought about the grass; and so did she make level withme, by this impudence and quaint sweetness.
And on the next day, which did be the twelfth, I took the Diskos, and onthat day I cut down six of the trees; and alway the Maid did bring herplaiting, that she be near me; and when I had cut the six trees, she hadme to cease, lest that I risk to open any wound. And truly they to havehealed very wonderful.
And afterward, we to plait all that day, and did also finish the armour;and did be content and utter happy.
And on the thirteenth day, I counted the tablets, and found that we yetto have sufficient, if that we came unto the Mighty Pyramid within anyreasonable time. But I insist that I should eat no more now than did bemy usual way; and though Mine Own did beg and to coax me, and even totry whether that a naughty and loving anger should do aught to shift me,I not to alter from my deciding, which was based upon my reason and uponmy intention that Mine Own should never to go in hunger-danger, whilstthat there did be life in my body. And when that the Maid did show thisdear and pretty anger, I to take her into mine arms, and to tell her howI did reverence and love her, and that she did be all beauty unto me,and I but to love her the more, because that I did know the reason forher dear shaping of anger unto me.
And she then to kiss me, and yet to beg again that she have her way inthis thing; but presently I did show her that my reasoning was sound inthis matter; though I said not that my strongest thought did be unto herown needs. And she to have to agree with me in her brain, even whilstthat her heart did ache to feed me. And truly, I to love her but themore, as you shall think.
And this way shall you ever to manage a dear and sensible woman thatdoth both love you and hath reason in her; for the wise man and he thathath an heart unto bigness, doth be never hasty to command. But, indeed,I speak not now of the way that you shall go with a woman that hath thelove-foolishness upon her; for this to be a different matter, as you doknow; and a woman then to require a double wit and tenderness in thegoverning; but also to need to be commanded, mayhap with sternness; yetwith the more love.
Now, when that we wakened on our fourteenth day upon the Island, we gatto work, so soon as we had washt and eat and drunk, and Mine Own to seehow my scars did go.
And I cut seven more trees that day, which made thirteen in all; andafterward I trimmed the trees very nice. And when this was done, I cuttwelve good sapling-trees, and two more very thin, that I did mean to befor paddling the raft upon the water. And Mine Own Maid did sit near mealway, and never to be ceased from her plaiting.
And whilst that the Maid did plait, and make gentle and happy talk withme, I presently to sit beside her, and had her belt-knife to my need;and therewith, when I had cut bark from a tree, I made a foot-longcross-piece of wood which I did fasten with pegs and some lashing untothe end of one of the paddle-shafts.
And I took then a piece of the bark, so big, mayhap, as would cover mythigh, and shaped broad one end and thence to a point; and when I hadmade holes in the piece of bark, I lasht the broad end to thecrosspiece, and the end that did be narrowed, I lasht secure to theshaft, and likewise made holes down the length of the bark, and lasht italso thereby to the shaft, and thiswise I had a pretty good paddle,that did be about ten feet long in the clear shaft, and the head to besomewise two feet more, mayhap.
And when this was done, I shaped the handle so small as might come intothe grasp of the Maid, and did jest her very loving and gentle that shegive me so great a work, because that she have her hands so little. Andtruly, she presently to stop me of my mocking; for she put her prettyhands upon my mouth, and I then to have to mumble and to laugh, and soshe to go forward again with the plaiting.
And when I had made the one paddle, I made also the other; but somethingmore rough and heavy, and suited unto my strength; and so did be verywell pleased; for they did be made more of my Reason than of memory; yethad I used somewhat of the kind upon the quiet lakes which did be in theCountry of Silence.
And we then to join in the plaiting, and thus with happy talk and ourtimes of eating, until that we did be come again to our slumber.
And on the fifteenth day, when that we had gotten up and washt and eatand drank, the Maid did look unto my bandages; and did consider that Ibe healed very good, if but that I not to overstrain my body. And wethen to dance, half in play and half in victory, but gentle; andafterward she to come with me that she give me aid that we get the treesunto the water.
And in six hours, we rolled the trees down to the shore, and did beginthen that I lash the saplings across the trees, and thiswise to holdthem secure into a raft. And the midmost tree I put something moreforward than the next; and so, until that which did be the front wasshaped somewise like to the bow of a ship. And the saplings to hold thetrees thiswise, when that I had set the lashings about every sapling andevery tree, where the saplings did go across.
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bsp; And all that day I worked pretty constant and steady, until that MineOwn had me to cease awhile, lest that I bend overmuch, and so to putstrain upon my scars. And I to be reasonable; but yet to go forwardagain with the work; only that I did rest now, this time and that; andso did all to prosper.
And on the morrow, which did be the sixteenth day upon the island, Imade an end of lashing the saplings across the raft; and I set up also,two rests for the paddles, so that we might row if we stood upon theraft; and afterward, being ready, we gat together our gear, and set allupon the raft.
And I put the pole that the Maid had used, also upon the raft, andloosed the straps from that first raft, and had the straps for ourrequirement, as heretofore. And mine armour we made safe on the raft;but the Diskos I had to my hip, as ever; and so did we be ready to leavethat little island of refuge, where we had been so near to sorrow, butyet had come utterly upon joy.
And surely, Mine Own did take me by the arm, and she to stand a little,and to look with me unto that bed of soft herbage where she had laid me,when that I did be so nigh unto death; and she then to kiss me verysweet and loving and gentle, and all a-tremble with the tears and lovethat did stir in her; and I to set mine arms about her in love; and sowe to turn and to put off then in the Raft.
The Night Land Page 14
