it, whilst
yet it was beyond, and before I did come right unto it, to pass below.
Yet may I be wrong in this thought, and do but make a guessing. But, as
I shall here explain; after that time, I kept mine ears newly keen unto
hearing; and did chide my Spirit, for that it had not taken account of
that Sound a great while earlier. Yet, as I did presently conceive, the
spirit had no power to hear that thing; which was very strange; but
truly so.

Now, because that I went with a very wary hearing, I heard the Sound
once a far way off before me, and I hid upon the moment, and went
backward, and after a while, did judge myself to have come unto safety;
and so it was, in verity, for I heard no more that time. And so did I
come presently unto the eighteenth hour, and did eat and drink, and made
me a place of slumber in a little hollow of a rock that stood upward out
of the moss-bushes. And I slept for six hours, and afterwards waked,
and was come to no harm.

And after I had eat and drunk again, I did look outward over the Night
Land, and with particularness to that part that I did travel in, as it
might be called, the yesterday. And I did observe it to be a very bleak
and desolate Country, and not given over to fire, or other warmth, nor
to sulphur-vapours; but to be very quiet, and with but a little light in
all its breadth. And I could conceive that it was no place for anything
of life to desire; but rather to avoid; and that Country did seem to be
yet all about me; for I was by no means come clear from it at that time;
though, Northward, there was a glimmer, as of fire-holes; and beyond
those, the strange shining of the Plain of Blue Fire. And, after that I
had thought awhile, I did believe that I should meet no Monster of
Natural Life in all that Country of Desolation, until I did draw nigh,
once more unto fire. And I conceived that this Sound from out of the
invisible Doorways might yet trouble me; but whether the quietness of
that part was because all of natural life did fear the Sound, or because
that there was neither fire nor warmth, I do not say, having no knowing
in this matter; but may yet believe that it was to be laid to both
causes; and this doth seem of common reason, as you shall agree.

And when I had looked a while unto the Mighty Pyramid, which was now
truly a great way off; for I had walked so many weary hours; I turned me
once more to my journeying. And here let me observe that I had gone very
far; ye