t
had been then something more to the shore, so that it had been less
plain to mine ears, as you shall suppose; neither had it been then to my
sight, as now it did be to us because that we were come mayhap the half
of a mile more toward the In-Land of the Country.

And truly, we lookt awhile at this huge great fountain and up-boiling,
and came nearer unto it; but yet to be a large space off, because of
the way that it did throw out a spattering of small stones odd whiles.
And surely the thing did cough and roar in the deep earth, and anon to
gruntle gently and to sob and gurgle; and lo! to come forth in a moment
with a bellow, very hollow and strange, and the great rock to go
spinning upward, and all a-shine in the light from the volcanoes, and
was so round as a monstrous ball, and polished by the fret of the
waters, so that I saw it had surely danced in the great jet through a
weary time.

And anon the jet to cease and to go downward with a great soughing and
thundering of waters, and the dancing rock to fall downward from that
height which did show very huge, now that we did be come so near. And
the rock surely to fall backward into some deep pit, whence came the
waters, and as it fell, there was again the dull booming. But why the
rock brake not, I could not perceive, save that it did alway fall into a
boiling up of waters, and had no hurt from the rock of the place whence
it was come.

And the Maid and I both to have stood a while, that we stare at this
thing; for it did be more strange than I have made you to know; but now
I did make to our journey again, and did think the Maid followed; but
lo! in a moment, when that I lookt, she was to my back, and went toward
the great boiling fountain. Then I stopt very swift, and called to her;
but she did take no heed of me, and went onward very naughty, unto the
danger of the great boil of the Jet, and the constant flying out of the
stones, that you do know.

Now, even as I stood and lookt, the Maid drew nigh to the place where
the water did thunder; and the Jet in that moment to bellow, so that I
knew it came upward again. And I ran then after the Maid, and she to see
me, and began likewise to run from me toward the monstrous fountain; and
surely I did think that I had done well if that I had whipt or beat her
proper before this time; for truly it did be as that her naughtiness had
gone nigh unto somewhat that did be near to a wayward madness, so that
as I did perceive