that we did be in the path
of a mighty rock that was over-nigh unto the edge of the shelf-place,
and did put fear upon me, in that it seemed that it should come down
with great thundering upon us, if that we but shook the place where it
did be.

And I caught the Maid very swift and gentle, and shaped our path unto
one side of that great rock, and did presently lose my fear, when that
we did come safe from under it.

And in a minute after, we were come upward upon the ledge, and a very
safe place it did seem, and surely as that no monster should be abled to
come upward upon us. And this I did try to make for comfort unto
ourselves; but that we both to know how that the great Slugs could lie
up against the sides of the Gorge, and surely it did be like that they
should be able to come upward clear of the Gorge, and so to the place
where we made to have safety. And I had no thought to deny this thing,
when that it was clear to my brain; but set rather that we should have
some way to fight the Monster, if that we did be discovered.

And I thought in a moment upon the stones that did be about; and the
Maid in the same moment cried out that we should push the big rock down
upon the Slug that we believed to have chase of us, and indeed, the rock
to be a great weapon, if we could but stir it, as you shall think.

And alway, as we talked, very hushed, we lookt downward into the
deepness of the Gorge, unto the upward end of the fire-light; but there
came no thing yet unto our knowledge, only that the stinking did rise up
to us through that great distance.

And the fire-pit to seem now a very small burning, and to give no great
light up to us; and we neither to be abled to see very clear of the
Gorge bottom, in that the haze of the fumes and the smoke was in the air
of the Gorge, and made uncertainty; and we to be nowise proper free of
the smoke, even where we did be.

And we watched, very set with anxiousness and fearful expecting of the
monster; and did be both yet lost of breath, and the Maid that she made
her words something broken for a little while.

And lo! in a moment, Naani cried out very low and sharp that the thing
did come; and I to see a moving of somewhat, in the same instant, in the
Gorge that lay upon the upward side of the fire-pit.

And immediately I saw the great and monster head of the Beast come
forward into the shine from the pit; and the head did be of a blotched
white, and to have the eyes upon gre