y, after that I had eat and drunk, I did compose
myself unto sleep, the which came very speedy upon me, whilst yet I did
believe I thought only upon the sweetness of the Maid. And truly it had
been something over three and twenty hours, since last I did sleep; so
that I was greatly awearied.

And in six hours I waked and did eat, and did climb downward again to
the Gorge, and so unto mine upward journey.

Now, as you do perceive, when that I was come properly a great way up
the Gorge, and had come among the fire-holes, there was no more an utter
darkness, for the dull red glare of the pits beat upward upon the black
sides of the rock-mountains, that did make the sides of the Gorge; so
that oft I did see both sides very plain in the lower parts; yet of the
height of the Gorge, who might know aught; for the black sides did go
upward for ever into the everlasting night.

And because of the light from the fire-pits, I did see, time and oft
about the fires, horrid monsters, both that were snakes, and others like
to scorpions so great as my head; but no more than these for a long
while. And afterward I perceived that surely other matters did move
among the rocks of the Gorge; so that I did keep the Diskos very ready
in mine hand; yet had truly no use for it all that day.

Now I eat and drank at the sixth and the twelfth hours, and went onward
at a very strong speed. And at the sixteenth hour, I did seem as that I
knew the aether to be stirred about me, and the beat of the Master-Word
very faint upon mine inward ear. And immediately, a wondrous great and
lovely thrilling did wake all my being; for surely, I said, this was the
spirit of my love, calling unto me with her brain-elements. And, indeed,
this was a very proper and sensible thinking; for had the Master-Word
been sent from the Mighty Pyramid, I had been like to hear it very
plain, by reason of the force of the Earth-Current which was with them
and to their command. But, as you do know, the Earth-Current was nigh
gone from the Peoples of the Lesser Refuge; so that they were over-weak
to make any proper calling. And this I have spoken of before this place.

Yet, in a little while, as I did stand very hushed, that I should hark
the better, I was come to doubt whether that I did truly hear the
Master-Word. And one moment I did say that it had surely beat in the
night about me; and immediately would I be just so unsure; and so in a
while I gat once more to my journey, a