; and she then to be upon that
branch alone, as she did eat and drink; and to look outward at the light
from the fire-hill, and to be very husht, and to think, and I not to
disturb her with speech.

And when she did be done, she gat from the branch, and kist the place
where I did lie; and lo! in a moment a thought came into her, and she
drew her knife, and cut out a piece of the bark, and put it into her
breast to be for a keepsake; and so to seem somewise contented.

And truly, I told her about the great beast, when we were come down
again to the earth; and she to cry out and to show me that there did be
yet the mark where the belly of the monstrous beast did brush upon the
earth, as it ran, and moreover the broken places of the foot-marks; and
she by this to see how great a beast it did be; but yet did it be a
little thing beside the Slug; only that it did be a thing of horn and
hardness of skin, as you have perceived.

And truly, I do mind how that the observings of the Maid did bring very
keen to me how that there had past but seventeen days since that I did
go onward from this place; and this to seem very strange and scarce
credible unto me; for I had thought it, somewise, as a great time; and
truly this to be because it was so marked by stress of the mind and
great happenings; and you to agree in this thing. But yet, also, we
shall truly mind that those times that I have called days, did hold oft
the hours of two days, and mayhap three, as you do remember. Now we
went onward then to our journeying; and I to make to carry the Maid, as
ever, after that she had walked twelve hours, though she did walk
thirteen hours this time as you have seen. And she to say that she go
now upon her own feet through the next six hours, and so to ease me from
the labour that did be needful to carry her.

But I to know how that she did be like to be all gone of her strength
thiswise, in but a day or two, and we to make the better speed, if that
I keep to my way, and to have her to walk twelve hours of every journey,
and afterward to come into mine arms; for, truly, she did be bred less
hardy than I, as you shall think from all that I have told concerning
the Peoples of the Lesser Pyramid; and moreover she was yet something
weakened, as I did think, by the dreadful month of her lonesomeness and
escapings, before that I was come to succour her.

And truly, as I did carry her, the Maid did make remark of her
wonderment concerning me,