y the thing did seem as that it slept, but that odd whiles the
tail did lift a little off the boulders, and curl somewise, and
afterward come down again upon the boulders, mayhap in this place and
mayhap in that place, as we did watch, all hid.

And it was as that our sense and our Spirits did assure us that the
thing had no wotting of us; but surely our fears did nigh to equal the
comfort of this sweet reason, and to make us think otherwise.

Yet, in a time, I made that we go forward together through the spaces
that did be among the boulders. And I went creeping, and the Maid to
follow likewise.

And oft I did pause, and made a watching upon the monster; but truly it
moved not, save as I have told; and I kept a great heed upon the Maid,
that she follow alway close unto my feet.

And in the end we came safe from that place where the monster did be
clung unto the great cliff in the night.

And we went then for two great hours without adventure, save that once
the Maid touched me that we pause; for that something went by us where
we did be in an utter dark place of the Gorge, and no fire-hole anigh.

And I knew that the thing did be near, even as the Maid toucht me. And
caught I the Maid in the dark, and thrust her under the side of a
boulder; and I crouched then before her, with mine armour, that I should
protect her from any Brutish thing. And the Diskos in my hand, and
afterward an horrid time of waiting.

And the stink of that part of the Gorge grew very dreadful, so that it
did be as that we should not breathe, with the horror of the stink. And
there went past us some horrid and utter Monster, that made neither
sound nor anything, save that there seemed a strange noise that might be
the breathing of a great thing; but yet did be all uncertain, in that
the sides of the Gorge cast the sound this way and that, in an horrid
whispering of echoes; so that we did not know whether the sound be made
nigh to us, or afar upward in the eternity of the night, where I did
suppose the mountains to be joined over the Gorge in a monstrous roof in
that part.

And presently, the strange noisings died in the upward height, and all
about us; and the utter disgust of the stink went from us; so that we
knew that the Monster had gone past us, and did make downward through
the dark Gorge; and mayhap then to some lone and dreadful cavern of the
world, as I did think.

And, indeed, as I do mind, I had a sudden wonder at that time, an