here was a new hope and
strength of courage in all my body and soul.

And I went forward very swift, and all renewed, as it were; and my
strength and hope did make naught of any terror that should lie to bar
my way, neither did I have further heed of the boulders that lay always
upon my path, but did go over them with quick leapings, and a wondrous
and thrilling eagerness of the heart within me.

And, sudden, in the end of the tenth hour, I perceived that the mighty
walls of blackness that made the sides of the Gorge did be no more
there, and that I was come truly upon the end of the Gorge. And I near
trembled with hope and astonishment; for when I was gone a little way
on, I had ceased to go upward any more, and was come clear out from the
mouth of the Gorge, and did peer forth across a mighty country of night.

And it did seem to me as that I was come to a second Land of Strange
matters, even as the Night Land where did lie the wonder of the Mighty
Pyramid. And surely, I did think within my heart that I was come at last
to that far and hidden place of the world where did be the Lesser
Redoubt. But yet was there no place in all that night where did tower
the shining lights of the Lesser Pyramid, the which I did hope vainly to
perceive. And because that I saw them not, a great heaviness came upon
my spirits for a time; but afterward the heaviness did go; for I put
Reason to help my courage, and did plan this cause and that to show why
that I was not come to sight of the shining embrasures of the Lesser
Redoubt. But yet was there left an ache of doubting, as you shall well
conceive.

Now this Land was very new and strange, and had a great light in this
part, and a wondrous grim darkness in that. And I did pause a great
while to determine how that I should go properly. And presently I
bethought me of the compass, and did draw it forth, and set it upon the
earth, that I should see how it did act. And truly it did go almost as
Naani had told to me; so that I was very sure in all my being that I was
in verity come anigh to the hidden Refuge. But yet did the compass give
me no proper guiding to my way; so that I was no more wise to this end
than before, only that I had the comfort of that which it did seem to
assure.

And, in a little while, I went forward into the Land, and did hope that
I should come presently to some matter to help my choice. And I went
first toward a certain great glowing of fire that lay before me,