blind into death; and alway to be chilled in the back
with the belief that the thing that made chase did be very close in that
utter dark, and to gain upon us.

And we knew not whether to make our belief to be the tellings of the
spirit or the utterings of our fears; and so shall you perceive our
plight; and we but to be able to make forward. And, in verity, the
dreadfulness of that time doth shake me now to think upon, and you also,
if that you have gotten my tellings to your hearts, so that your human
sympathy doth be with me.

And there came presently to our ears the far mutter of the fire-pit, so
that very soon the murmuring was lost to us in the night, and only the
slow mutter to be plain. And the dull looming of the fire shone afar
off, through the night and the smoke and fumings; and we to a great
speed, and to pant with fear; but yet with a freshness of hope again to
sweeten us.

And we came nigh to the fire-pit, and lo! the smell did be grown very
drear and foul; but there did be no Slug-Beast near the fire. And by
this, we perceived that we did be truly in an utter danger, in that the
Pursuer did be upon us, and the stinking to tell this to be truth, and
our spirits to have warned us very strong and proper.

And I stopt near to the fire-pit, which did be great, and very
red-glowing; and I lookt upward of the Gorge, into the night of the
Gorge that we did come from; but the Monster was not yet upon us to work
our death. And I lookt to the sides of the Gorge, and the Maid to have
the same thought that did be mine, that we climb the mountains that made
the sides of the Gorge.

And I lookt very keen first to this side, and then did run overward,
that I look more close upon the other; and afterward back again; for it
did seem that we should have a greater ease upon the side that we did
be.

And I askt the Maid whether that she did be prepared; and she to be very
white and wearied, and all besmirched with the dankness and growths upon
the boulders and the hidden pools of the Gorge and the dripping of the
waters; but yet did she be sound in her courage, and to show that she
had all belief and abiding in me, and her judgement likewise to be with
mine, in that her own Reason did approve.

And I took the bundle of her torn clothing from her, for it did be at
her girdle, and like to trouble her movings; but she to refuse, very
determined, in that I did be already over-burdened. And I to be firm in
my deciding,