er did go onward, and did make a breach
across the Road Where The Silent Ones Walk; and I determined in my heart
that I should leave the water, which was now grown nigh to a bitter
cold, in that it was so long upon the face of the Land. Yet chiefly did
I mind to leave the water, that I should come no more anigh unto that
House of Silence; for the water did go that way. And I stood awhile, and
did listen for the baying of the Hound; but could hear it no more; and
did have a surety within me that it was indeed gone from searching for
me.

Then I came out of the water, and went forward, stooping and creeping,
among the moss-bushes, going outward to the Westward of North, so that I
should go away so quickly as I might from the nearness of the House.
Yet, lo! I was gone upon my hands and knees no more than an hundred
fathoms, when I did find the moss-bushes to cease to the Westward, for a
great way, and there to be a great bareness of rock, which, in truth,
was much shown thereabout. And I dared not to go outward upon that naked
Land; for then I had not been hid by the moss-bushes; but had stood
plain there for all things of the Night to behold; and moreover, though
I could nowise have a sure knowledge concerning this matter, yet did I
hope within me that I should make a sure hiding from the Power of the
House of Silence, did I but go very low among the bushes. But, indeed,
it was like enough that naught could give me hiding; yet should I lose
no chance unto my safety.

And because of this, I went backward among the bushes, and ceased to
escape out unto the Westward. And I found presently, that the
moss-bushes made but a narrow growth in that path, and grew only for a
while by the side of the Great Road; so that I was surely fain to keep
nigh to the Road, that I have the covering of the bushes.

And, in a while, I found the Road Where The Silent Ones Walk, to bend
inward at the North of the House of Silence; so that it came right
horridly close unto the House; for here the hill on which the House did
stand, was very abrupt and fell steeply unto the Road. And so was that
Dreadful House stood up there above me in the Silence, as that it did
seem to _brood_ there upon the Land. And this side did seem truly as the
other; and equal lone and dreadful. And the House was monstrous and
huge, and full of quiet lights; and it was truly as that there had been
no Sound ever in that House through Eternity; but yet was it as that the
he