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trees, using the Diskos with care and wiseness.
And with these branches to be for crosspieces, and our belts and the straps
for binders, I set the trees together into a raft, and made it pretty good for
our need, and so that no monstrous thing in the river should have chance to
snap upward between the trees at my dear One.
And when the raft was done, I gat it to the water, and the Maid did lend her
strength; for the thing was heavy, as you shall think. And when this was done,
I pushed a sharp branch downward into the shore, and I hookt a branch of the
raft about this mooring, and so did be nigh ready for the voyage.
But first I did need a pole to push the raft, and did wonder now where the
other did be gone, that I cut upon the outward way; for I had set the pole
with the two trees, as I did mind, having some vague thought that mayhap I
should live to come that way again.
And I had a little strange unease that the pole did be gone; but scarce to
know that I did be troubled, yet to set me to a new haste. And I bid the Maid
put the scrip and the pouch and her bundle secure upon the raft; and in that
time I lookt well about for a sapling tree that should do my purpose. And I
saw that there grew an odd one a little to the side of the flattopt rock that
the Maid had lookt from; and whilst that I cut it, the Maid did come to watch,
and made pretty chatter in the time that I trimmed the branches away.
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And lo! whilst that I did be part divided in mine attention between her dear
talk and my work and an haste that did be born of that little unease that was
come upon me, my spirit to seem to be aware that there came a danger anigh to
us; and the Maid to have this same knowing; for she ceased her speech, and
lookt at me with somewhat of trouble. And lo! in that moment, as I balanced
the pole in my hands, there came the noise of a sudden bounding to our
backward part, where the trees did grow something anigh.
And I turned, instant, and lookt; and behold! there did be upon us an Humpt
Man, very lumpish and mighty;
and he stretched out his hands, and ran at me. And I had no time to the
Diskos, which did be upon the earth to my feet; and I smote the Humpt Man with
the point of the pole that did be in my hands, and the point took him very
strong and horrid in the breast, and entered in, so that the Humpt Man gave
out a strange howling, that did be half seeming of an animal and half of an
human. And he clutched at the pole that did so hurt him, and I stoopt very
swift for the Diskos, and had it in a moment. And the Humpt Man tore the pole
out of his breast, and in the same instant I ript him from the head downward,
so that he did be nigh in two halves; for I
had no mercy in mine act, even though my heart did be something sorry.
Now, even as the man died, there did be a sound of running in the wood before
me; and lo! I turned very speedy to the Maid, and she was there to my back,
and had her beltknife drawn in her hand; for she had it in her bosom, where
she had put it when that I took her belt for the raft.
And I caught the Maid about the waist with my left arm, and was come with her
to the top of the rock in two great houndings. And I set her there upon the
rock, and turned again to the way I came and swung the Diskos free; for
indeed, I had seen that there did come a number of the Humpt Men among the
trees.
And there came running from the wood, mayhaps a great score of the Humpt Men;
so that it did seem to me that we did be going to die; for how should one
stand against so many, and they so quick and strong, as you shall mind.
Yet, in verity, I had no despair; but did be mixt in the heart with a great
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fear for Mine Own, and a strange and exulting gladness that I should do that
day some deed for Mine Own Maid; and truly this to be the pomp of love and the
heartcry of the barbarian, as you shall say. And this maybe; but truly I did
be proper human, and to make no excuse because that I was natural; neither
have I hid anywheres aught that I did think and feel.
And whether that you approve or not, if that you condemn me, you to condemn
all Humanity, and to have vain words and vain regrettings; for these things
that be named for faults, do but be the complement of our virtues, and if that
you slay the first, you may chance to wither the last; for now I speak of
things as they be now, and as they did be then; and nowise of lovely ideals
that do live chief in the mind, and so much in mine as any, as you to know, if
that you have gone with me all along my way.
And surely, I must cease from my thinkings, and go forward with my telling;
for the Humpt Men did come forward at a wondrous quick run, and did swarm
upward on to the rock, as that they did be panthers; and they made no outcry;
but came silent to the killing; and I saw that they did be something smaller
than he that I had but then slain. And, in verity, I did be all knit in that
moment with speed and cleverness; for I split the heads of three, with but
quick turns of my wrist, as I did wield the Diskos. And I kicked the face of
another, in the same time, with my metal boot, so that he died; for there did
be all my strength and all my skill working then for our salvation.
Now all this to have been done in but a few beats of the heart, as I might
say; and these men to have been in the front of the attacking. Yet there did
be no space to have breath; for there leaped three more of the Men upon the
rock; and one smote me with a great piece of rock that he carried, so that
mine armour did seem as that it crackt, and I to be driven backward upon the
Maid; yet had slain one of the Humpt Men, even in that moment.
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And surely, my dear One caught me in her arms, behind, and steadied me, so
that I fell not; and I slew the
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