David Lindsay

“ Corpang still paused. "Underneath your crimes I see a man," he said, after a few minutes. "On that account, and because we are commanded to help one another, I won't leave you at present, though I little thought to be walking with a murderer.... Now to your question.... Whatever a man sees with his eyes, Maskull, he sees in three ways—length, breadth, depth. Length is existence, breadth is relation, depth is feeling." ”

“ This light, which started as pale gold, ended as flaming golden fire. It illumined the whole underground landscape. The rock ledges, the cliffs, himself and Corpang on their knees, the two unlighted statues—all appeared as if in sunlight, and the shadows were black and strongly defined. The light carried heat with it, but a singular heat. Maskull was unaware of any rise in temperature, but he felt his heart melting to womanish softness. ”

“ The longer a man seeks Thire, the more he seems to absent himself. In the beginning he is felt and known, sometimes as a shape, sometimes as a voice, sometimes an overpowering emotion. Later on all is dry, dark, and harsh in the soul. Then you would think that Thire was a million miles off."
"How do you explain that?"
"When everything is darkest, he may be nearest, Maskull." ”

“ Maskull kept looking at it, and puckering his forehead.
"Nature has other laws here, it seems?"
"Nothing can exist here that is not a compound of the three worlds."
"Yet the water is flowing somewhere."
"I can't explain it, but there are three wills in it."
"Is there no such thing as pure Thire-matter?"
"Thire cannot exist without Amfuse, and Amfuse cannot exist without Faceny."
Maskull thought this over for some minutes. "That must be so," he said at last. "Without life there can be no love, and without love there can be no religious feeling." ”

“ Maskull rushed out first into the world of colours and, all dirty and bleeding from numerous scratches, stood blinking on a hillside, bathed in the brilliant late-afternoon sunshine. Corpang followed closely at his heels, He was obliged to shield his eyes with his hands for a few minutes, so unaccustomed was he to Branchspell's blinding rays.
"The drum beats have stopped!" he exclaimed suddenly.
"You can't expect music all the time," answered Maskull dryly. "We mustn't be luxurious." ”

“ He got up onto his feet.
The very moment that he arose, a man's voice sounded, not a yard from his ear. It was hardly raised above a whisper, but he could distinguish that it was not Corpang's. As he listened he was unable to prevent himself from physically trembling.
"Maskull, you are to die," said the unseen speaker.
"Who is speaking?"
"You have only a few hours of life left. Don't trifle the time away."
Maskull could bring nothing out.
"You have despised life," went on the low-toned voice. "Do you really imagine that this mighty world has no meaning, and that life is a joke?" ”

“ This feeling is not to be found in either the first or second world, therefore it is a third world. Just as depth is the line between object and subject, feeling is the line between Thire and man."
"But what is Thire himself?"
"Thire is the afterworld."
"I still don't understand," said Maskull. "Do you believe in three separate gods, or are these merely three ways of regarding one God?"
"There are three gods, for they are mutually antagonistic. Yet they are somehow united." ”

“ I confess I shan't be sorry to see sunlight once more."
"Can you find time to think of sunlight?" asked Corpang with a rough smile.
"I love the sun, and perhaps I'm rather lacking in the spirit of a zealot."
"Yet, for all that, you may get there before me."
"Don't be bitter," said Maskull. "I'll tell you another thing. Muspel can't be willed, for the simple reason that Muspel does not concern the will. To will is a property of this world." ”

“ Maskull impatiently shook himself free. "Your sensations may be reliable in your own case, but how do you know I shall die?"
"Life is flaming up inside you," replied Leehallfae, shaking aer head. "But after it has reached its climax—perhaps tonight—it will sink rapidly and you'll die tomorrow. ”

“ Interpenetrating Faceny's world of Nature, therefore, we have Amfuse's world of Love, or Relation."
"What grounds have you for assuming that this so-called second world is not contained in the first?"
"They are contradictory. A natural man lives for himself; a lover lives for others."
"It may be so. It's rather mystical. But go on—who is Thire?"
"Length and breadth together without depth give flatness. Life and love without feeling produce shallow, superficial natures. Feeling is the need of men to stretch out toward their creator." ”

“ Crystalman is life, but Surtur is other than life."
"How do you know this?"
"It has sprung together somehow—from inspiration, from experience, from conversation with the wise men of your planet. Every hour it grows truer for me and takes a more definite shape."
Corpang stood up squarely, facing the three Figures with a harsh, energetic countenance, stamped all over with resolution. "I believe you, Maskull. No better proof is required than that. Thire is not the highest; he is even in a certain sense the lowest. ”

“ There they live to an incredible age. Partly on that account, and partly because of their spontaneous origin, they regard themselves as the favoured children of Faceny. But when they come here to find him, they die at once."
"I think this one is the last of the race. But whom do I speak to?"
"I am Corpang. Who are you, where do you come from, and what are you doing here?"
"My name is Maskull. My home is on the other side of the universe. As for what I am doing here—I accompanied Leehallfae, that phaen, from Matterplay."
"But a man doesn't accompany a phaen out of friendship. ”

“ Beyond a mile or two in any direction the light merged into obscurity. At their back a great rocky wall extended on either hand; but it was not square like a wall, but full of bays and promontories like an indented line of sea cliffs. ”

“ I wish to see Faceny."
"The sick must have their way," said Maskull. Lifting aer bodily in his arms, he walked quickly along for another hundred yards or so. They then emerged from the tunnel and faced a world the parallel of which he had never set eyes upon before.
"Set me down!" directed Leehallfae feebly. "Here I'll die." ”

“ Corpang started off more eagerly than Maskull. They walked fast in the direction of the drumming. For upward of two miles the path went along the ledge without any change of level. The mysterious radiance gradually departed, and was replaced by the normal light of Threal. The rhythmical beats continued, but a very long way ahead—neither was able to diminish the distance.
"What kind of man are you?" Corpang suddenly broke out. ”

“ Leehallfae was standing by his side, looking down at him. It was doubtful whether ae had slept at all.
"What time is it?" Maskull asked, rubbing his eyes and sitting up.
"The day is passing," was the vague reply.
Maskull got on to his feet, and gazed up at the cliff. "Now I'm going to climb that. No need for both of us to risk our necks, so you wait here, and if I find anything on top I'll call you."
Ale phaen glanced at him strangely. "There's nothing up there except a bare hillside. I've been there often. Have you anything special in mind?"
"Heights often bring me inspiration. ”