Now, Naani, having heed to my constant questions, craved with an utter
keen hunger that I might come to her; but yet forbade it, in that it
were better to live and commune in the spirit, than to risk my soul, and
mayhaps die, in the foolishness of trying to find her in all the
darkness of the dead world. Yet, no heed had I taken of her commands,
had I but known of a surety the direction in which she might be
discovered; and gained some knowledge of the space between, for this
might be named by thousands of miles, or but by hundreds; though a great
distance it was surely.
Yet, one other thing there was, that has point in this place; for when I
sent my speech out into the night, using my brain-elements, I came to
know that, whether I had a knowledge of the North, or no knowledge at
the moment, yet did I turn oft with a sure instinction to that
Direction. And of this, the Master Monstruwacan took very great note,
and had me to experiment many a time and way, and so enclosed about with
screens, or with bandages across mine eyes, that I could not, save by
that inward Knowing, have any knowledge to point me the way. Yet would I
turn Northwards very frequent, by a certain feeling; and seemed unable
of speech, if I were turned otherwise by force.
But when we asked Naani whether she had an unusualness in this matter,
she could discover none; and we could but take note curiously of that
which affected my habits; and which truly I set to the attracting of her
spirit; for I had mind that she did be somewheres out that way in the
darkness of the world; but yet was this no more than to suppose, as you
perceive.
And the Master Monstruwacan wrote a study of this matter of the
Northwardness of my turning; and it was set out in the Hour-Slips of the
Tower of Observation; and so it came to be copied by the Hour-Slips of
the great cities, and made much comment, and much calling up to me
through the home instruments; so that with this, and the speech that
went about concerning my powers to hear, I was much in talk, and
diversely pleased and oft angered by overmuch attention and importunity.
And now, whilst I pondered this matter in all my spirit and being, how
that I should some way come to Naani, there befell a very terrible
thing. And in this wise must I tell it:
It was at the seventeenth hour, when all the millions of the Mighty
Pyramid slept, that I was with the Master Monstruwacan in the Tower of
Observation taking my due turn. And sudden, I heard the thrilling of the
aether all about me, and the voice of Naani in my soul, speaking. And I
sent the Master-Word into the darkness of the world, and presently, I
heard the solemn answer beating steadfastly in the night; and
immediately I called to Naani with my brain-elements, to know what thing
troubled her in her sleep.