rawling on the ground, as he was unable to lift his body because of its intense weight. A numbing pain, which he could not identify with any region of his frame, acted from n
erance the size of a small plum, having a cavity in the middle, of which he could not feel the b
ad budded. It was as long as his arm, but
organs, his heart began to pump. Whatever might, or might not,
m. He went on shouting out, at irregular intervals - equally alarmed at the silence and at the sound of his own voice. Finally, as no ans
d dim shadows around him, bu
the upper sky rosy tints appeared. On earth, one would have said that day was
e sand was scarlet. The obscure shadows he had seen were bushes, wi
ady greater than that of the midday sun on earth. The heat, too, was intense, but Maskull welcomed it - it re
to see far. The mists had no more than partially dissolved, and all that he cou
ervous fright and, in doing so, tumbled over onto the sand. Looking up over
ove, warmth, kindness, tenderness, and intimacy. Such was the noble familiarity of that gaze, that he thought he knew her. After that, he recognised all the loveliness of her person. She was tall and slight. All her movements were as graceful as music. Her skin was not of a dead, opaque colour, like that of an earth beauty, but was opalescent; its hue was continually changing, with every thought and emotion, but none of these tints was vivid - all were delicat
feet, naked and helpless. She realised his plight, and put into his hands a garment that she had been
ou can put it o
ous of these words, yet
, and she helped him to master t
ble language. This time he discovered that the sense of what she
ormance?" he asked. As
ed him to sit down. "Yes
w reminded him of an April day, it was so fresh, nervous, and girlish. "I can now understa
hat is this organ?" he as
read one another's thoughts. Still, speech i
that speech is given
ht, too. But I'm thinking o
seen my
tly, before answering. "
ne. I must have lost consciousness on
een them. They can't be here, or we w
ame, and your h
ht that you were lying here insensible. We almost quarrelled about which of us should come to you, but in the en
ind!" said Ma
o you say that? What pleasure is greater than loving-kindness? I
" he demanded,
k and heavy for our world. Until you have
ke a complete ignoramus her
suppose it will pain me. B
d of hospitality t
for me?" asked Joiwind, ha
his world. I scarcely know where I am. . .
ained fog-charged. The desert of scarlet sand stretched in all directions, except one, where there was a sort of little oasi
thout any trace of nervousness, she made a careful,
g. "And if it were - a sacrifice that is no sacrifice -
er arm. It was not red blood,
"I have already been cut there." He submi
a stream of pleasure entering his body through the incision. His old lightness and vigour began to return to him. After about five minutes a duel of kindness
expression than before, as if strang
is you
sku
come from, with
suitable for this world, Joiwind, but after all, that was
to be done. We must all help one another.
n her own veins the blood of a strange man from a strange planet.
we not all brothers and sisters?
t foolish if I say I hardly know? - I came with those two men. Perhaps
. . . These friends of yours must b
you. They came
t least must be a bad man, and yet if he is following Surtur
Surtur?" asked Mask
outside. "I see. . . . and yet I don't see," she said at last. "It is very difficult. . . . Your God is a dreadful Bein
is mean, Joiwind?
nt to
grand, a few holy men are reputed to have walk
mong us and converses with us. He is real and active - a
emanded Maskull, hard
may have an opportunity to sacrifice myself, and then
other world. But why do you
all him Shaping, and so do most
l. "Have you ever h
many names - which shows how much he occupies
came here with quite differ
e of his. Let us go and pray there, and then we'll go on our way to Poolingdred.
at is Bl
day Branchspell's rays are so hot that no o
l another name
ly we don't take our names from you, Maskull. I don't t
errible gust of scorching heat, like a blast from a furnace, struck Maskull's head. He involuntarily looked up, but lowered his eyes again like lightning.
must be right enough about Blodsombre." When he had somewhat r
t his brain
every hour's daylight that yo
omehow I don't feel so distressed
fficult to account for it; you have som
ter, if I stay here long enough? - I mean, will it lose its redness an
as we live, you will a
ean food
od, and drink
you manage to
ter is good water," re
almost violet, sky. The circle of the horizon was far larger than on earth. On the skyline, at right angles to the direction in which they were walking, appeared a chain of mountains, apparently about forty miles d
e cup-shaped mountain
om there!" he excla
And that is where we
gle object of
y,
and noblest of all girls," he said quietly, after a pause.
hues stained her cheeks in rapid transition. "Please don't s
we possibly get th
. We think nothing of long distances here - we have so
, was moving across the sand in their direction. When it came near enough he perceived that it was not grass; there were no blades, but only purple roots. The roots were revolving, for each small plant in the whole patch, like the spokes of a rimless wheel. They
here. But what was peculiar about it was its colour. It was an entirely new colour - not a new shade or combination, but a new primary colour, as vivid as blue, red, or yellow, but quite different. When he inquired, she told him that it was known as "ulfire." Presently he met with a second new colour. This she designat
l purple-coloured, covered the slopes and top. Maskull and Joiwind climbed up and through. Some hard fruit, bright
onous, or why don't you
"We don't eat living things. T
at, theoretically. But do you rea
thing else to live on, Masku
ould
llow creatures. So nothing is left to us but water, and a
on. He found that the fleshy knobs beneath his ears were in some novel fashion acquainting him with the inward properties of the fru
the questions h
r use is to enable us to understand and
do you derive fr
t being cruel and se
ruit away and
"Have I said too much? Have I been too familiar? Do you know why you think so? It's b
h with his own was so moist and sensitive that it resembled another kind of kiss. He saw who it was that embraced him - a pale, beautiful girl. Yet, oddly enough, he experienced
o arms on his shoulders and penetrated
ered. "Without that what can I ev
dicating her tentacle. "By means of it what we love already w
like o
guard most jealous
d to the zenith. On descending the other side of the little hills, Maskull looked anxiously for traces of Nightspore and Krag, but with
as of red sand. In the very middle shot up a tall, stately tree, with a black trunk and branches, and tran
bottom, Joiwind took him
tently. "Is this the s
r woman who wishes to invoke Shaping must ta
ll. "Your unspotted praye
o you w
wered Maskull, in
to Maskull's mouth. "You must drink too." He obeyed. She then stood erect, clo
heavy blood. He wishes to be pure. Let him know the meaning of love, let him live for others. D
ned with tear
, appeared a large circle of dazzlingly white pillars. For some minutes they flickered to and fro bet
haping?" asked Maskull
is. It is a
that be,
will do so, because it must. What you and I are now doing i
in the world don't originate from nothing. God and Devil mus
must fi
u say?" asked Mas
f evil and misery -
revent Joiwind from learning his relationsh
me?" she demanded, looking at hi
, evil seems so remote, one can scar
y men are corrupt. Panawe, my husband, has travelled, and he has told me things I would almost rather
ke to meet y
are going
ether she had any children, but was afra
ere? Is not the whole world full of lovely chi
five distinct notes. It was not a bird, but had a balloon-shaped
- perhaps all the more for its grotesqueness. But if I had children of my own
Wouldn't it be as well," he went on, "since we've got to walk through that sun-b
sh, but every tearing off of a leaf would be a wound in
rpose, but tell me - weren't these ver
f a certain animal, but they have
icity," remarked Maskull meditati
y now without further ceremony be
their way to lie due north. The sand was soft and powdery, very tiring to his naked feet. The red glare dazed his eyes, and made h
s nowhere, and i
s accidental," said Joiwind
re. It begins to look like a piece of bad work to me. They must have gone on, and left me.
y instinct tells me that you are better away from those men
. She twined her magn lovingly around his waist, and a strong curre
d! But am I not
thrilling glance. "But not much
ved to the front, and so the little monstrosity proceeded by means of a series of complete rotations. It was vividly coloured,
ne, Maskull. Whenever I come this way, I see it. It's always wal
re is no need for anyone to get anywhere. What I don't quite
It means, does it not,
f the kind,"
disease brought
you nev
esh is clean and unclogged, inside and out. . . . Before long I
easant hissing sound. It differed, however, from a fountain in this respect - that the water of which it was composed did not return to the ground but w
ing brook, which came down from the direction of the mountains. The explanation of the phenomenon was evidentl
drink," sa
ch her thirst until she had seen him drink. He found the water heavy, but bubbling with gas. He drank copiously. It affected his palate in a new way - with the purity and
n see by the colour. At Poolingdred it is crystal clear. But we would be ung
ffect every part of his body with unequal intensities. His ears awakened; the atmosphere was full of murmurs, the sands hummed, even the sun's rays had a sound of their own - a kind of faint Aeolian harp. Subtle, puzzling perfumes assailed his nostrils. His palate lingered over the memory of the gnawl water. All the pores of his skin were tickled and soothed by hitherto unperceived
ey approached the sedgy margin of a dark g
a dark rock, waiting f