me far and mighty sound. And this should be surely the monstrous
piping of the Great Gas Fountain, that you do well mind. And, in verity,
I told Mine Own in a moment; and she to be all eager with me, because
that this did be both a wondrous thing, and to be also a landmark to
show that we did be nigh to come out of the Gorge, and our journey to
come the more near unto an ending.

And surely we lookt ahead very earnest; and there to be so many strange
and leaping fires to our front, that we not to be very sure which did be
the far and monstrous dance of the Great Gas Fountain; for truly it to
be yet so distant that the near gas-fires did make more upon the eye up
all of a weary length of the Gorge, than did the great dance of the
far-off fire, that was now so small, by the distance.

And presently, when that we were gone onward something more, we to see
that there went a lightening and a darkening afar along the Gorge, so
that the background of the night was made to lose somewhat of the
intensity of its darkness, as with constant shudders of light; and this
to be surely the far away dance of the flame of the Great Gas Fountain.
And we then to watch alway as we journeyed, and to see how that the
vague shudderings of light did grow in the distance of the night, and
did merge and become known presently in a strange uplifting and falling
of a far away blue flame.

And the sound now to come more steady, and to grow in a long while into a
monstrous piping, very great and wonderful, and having a constant change
in the note.

And we to come past the last of the lesser fires, and to be in that part
of the Gorge which did be fireless, save for the great upward dance of
the Gas Fountain, which did now to be grown huge and plain-seen, and did
make a quaking light over all the Gorge.

And so in the end, we to be come very nigh to the dance of the monstrous
flame; and did be half stunned by the noise, which did be now an utter and
furious roaring, as you shall remember; and the Maid and I did stand as
but two lonesome strangers in the mouth-part of that deep and desolate
Gorge, and did stare voiceless unto the great flaw; and mine arm did be
about the Maid, and she to stand very nigh to me; and neither to speak;
and surely, how should we anywise; for the noise did be so huge.

And after that we had stared a great while, we turned that we look each
at the other; and we kist very sober, there in the light from the
monster flame. A