utter desolation.

And I stood upward from my knees, and did look very earnest, and surely
it did seem that a light was there afar downward in the night; and again
it did seem that I must be plagued by my hopes and by my fancy, and that
there was nowhere any light. And then again I did see it very clear, and
not to be mistaken, and I had a shaking to come upon me, and I gat me to
a run, and made a great and mad speed down the dark slope. And lo! I was
not gone any way, but I went headlong, and near brake myself; and could
but hold my teeth together very fierce and quiet until that the pain was
something gone from me.

And afterward, I gat me again to mine hands and knees, and went slowly,
as before; and so for a great hour or more, and did look oft; and alway
the light became more plain to my sight; but ever to come and go,
oddly-wise. Yet did I go six hours, before that I was come anywise near
to it. And by this shall you know how great a space off it had been. And
lo! when that I did seem surely anigh unto it, truly was it still far
away in the night; and I came not indeed near to it until that I was
gone onward again for three hours more. And all that time did I yet go
downward into the night; but the Slope now did not be so utter dark.

Now, presently, I made a pause, and stood upward to my feet, so that I
should the better perceive the light. And lo! as I did look toward it, I
heard a faraway sound in the dark, as that something did set up a
strange and monstrous piping in the night. And immediately, I went to
mine hands and knees among the stones of the Slope, and kept myself low
in the darkness, so that I should be the less plain to be seen, did any
Monster approach.

But there came nothing to trouble me, and I went downward of the Slope
for yet another hour; and all the time that I did go, the sound of the
piping grew more in the great eternity of the night upon the Slope.

And by this time was I come truly near unto the light; but yet did not
behold it plainly; for it did burn beyond certain monstrous rocks that
stood between. And I went to the left for, maybe, the half of a big
mile; and all the while that I did go, the piping made a mightier
whistling in the Night; and it did seem presently as that the earth sent
forth the sound and revelry of wild roarings. And I went the more
silent; and later did kneel among three rocks, and peered forth for a
while upon the place before me.

And now, being come nigh