g Mine Own safe
unto Home.

And behold! it did be as that all the wakefulness of the Land that had
been, did be but as sleep, beside the wakefulness that now to come; for
surely the Night now to seem to rock with the roarings of the Monsters,
and with the be-stirring of Great Forces. And ever there to go over the
Land the yowling of that strange and dreadful Laughter, which did come
from that hid Country in the night of the lost East.

And lo! there arose constant now the hoarse and dreadful bayings of the
Hounds, and made known that a mighty pack did be out. And they to seem
to be no more, maybe, than a good mile unto the South-East; and I to be
all alone, save for the dying Maid that I held in mine arms. And I lookt
vainly and with despair for the Hundred Thousand that did be Prepared,
and had come downward, as you do know, unto mine aid. But truly, there
did be naught to see anywheres, save the strange lights and shadows of
the Land; and the movement of monstrous life in this place and that
place. And the Hounds to come nearer with every moment of time; so that
indeed, I knew that death did be very nigh.

And I ceased not from my stride; but went forward, and did begin to run;
for the Pyramid was not a huge way off in the night; and the shine of
the Circle about it, to be plain seen, save here and there, where it did
be hid strangely. And I to have a despairing hope that I come yet with
Mine Own into the safety of the Circle.

And the baying of the Hounds to come ever the more near; and surely it
did be a doubly hideous bitter thing that I lose My Dear One, so nigh
unto Home; and the great Mountain of my Home to go upward before me into
the night, and to seem so near that surely I did be almost there; but
yet, mayhap, two great miles off, even then. And, behold, I called out
in vain despair and to no end, why that none come to give me aid in this
extremity; for the Hounds did bay now but the half of a great mile, upon
my left, and did surely have scent of me, by the way of their dreadful
baying.

And, truly, the Millions to have an anguish of sympathy for me; for the
spiritual noise of their emotion did be plain unto my spirit; and they
surely to have seen and to have interpreted the way that I did look
about me and appear to call out in despair; for there came all about me
in a moment the companioning of a great and sweet spiritual force, which
did be bred of their quick going with me in their understanding and