David Lindsay

“ Navigating the mountains by night isn't child's play, let me tell you."
"I shall not forget," said Corpang.
Maskull gazed down at the boat. "Are we to get in?"
"Gently, my friend. It's only canework and skin."
"First of all, you might enlighten me as to how you have contrived to dispense with the laws of gravitation."
Haunte smiled sarcastically. "A secret in your ear, Maskull. All laws are female. A true male is an outlaw—outside the law." ”

“ Ahead, where these rays did not shine, Haunte was guided by the self-luminous nature of the rocks, grass, and trees. These were faintly phosphorescent; the vegetation shone out more strongly than the soil.
The moon was not shining and there were no stars; Maskull therefore inferred that the upper atmosphere was dense with mist. Once or twice, from his sensations of choking, he thought that they were entering a fogbank, but it was a strange kind of fog, for it had the effect of doubling the intensity of every light in front of them. Whenever this happened, nightmare feelings attacked him ”

“ Haunte gazed at him sombrely. "Will you not describe that passage?"
Maskull answered slowly and thoughtfully. "When I was in Matterplay, I saw heavy clouds discharge themselves and change to coloured, living animals. In the same way, my black, chaotic pangs just now seemed to consolidate themselves and spring together as a new sort of joy. The joy would not have been possible without the preliminary nightmare. It is not accidental; Nature intends it so. The truth has just flashed through my brain.... You men of Lichstorm don't go far enough. ”

“ Haunte looked at the skin, and then stared hard at Maskull with his disagreeable smile, but neither said anything.
The place in which they found themselves was a large oblong cavern, with walls, floor, and ceiling of natural rock. There were two doorways: that by which they had entered, and another of smaller size directly opposite. The cave was cold and cheerless; a damp draft passed from door to door. Many skins of wild animals lay scattered on the ground. A number of lumps of sun-dried flesh were hanging on a string along the wall, and a few bulging liquor skins reposed in a corner. ”

“ Maskull took Corpang's arm, and constrained him to silence.
"Where have you been hunting, Haunte?"
"Matterplay. I had the worst luck—I speared one wold horse, and there it lies."
"What is Lichstorm like?"
"There are men there, and there are women there, but there are no men-women, as with you."
"What do you call men-women?"
"Persons of mixed sex, like yourself. In Lichstorm the sexes are pure."
"I have always regarded myself as a man."
"Very likely you have; but the test is, do you hate and fear women?" ”

“ I was watching you in the boat, Maskull. You had some bad feelings, eh?"
"I don't conceal it. There were times when I felt as if I were struggling with a nightmare. What caused it?"
"The female atmosphere of Lichstorm. Sexual passion."
"I had no passion."
"That was passion—the first stage. Nature tickles your people into marriage, but it tortures us. Wait till you get outside. You'll have a return of those sensations—only ten times worse. The drink you've had will see to that.... How do you suppose it will all end?"
"If I knew, I wouldn't be asking you questions."
Haunte laughed loudly. ”

“ But why should she desire you?"
"Nothing turns out as one expects," said Maskull, shaking his head. "We had better get on again."
They resumed the journey. The ledge still rose, but, on turning a corner of the cliff, Haunte quitted it and began to climb a steep gully, which mounted directly to the upper heights. Here they were compelled to use both hands and feet. Maskull thought all the while of nothing but the overwhelming sweetness he had just experienced.
The flat ground on top was dry and springy. There was no more snow, and bright plants appeared. Haunte turned sharply to the left. ”

“ Maskull spoke to himself, but Haunte answered him.
"Don't expect anything pleasant, in spite of what has just occurred. She is not a woman, but a mass of pure sex. Your passion will draw her out into human shape, but only for a moment. ”

“ Soon the rock masses ceased on the great, rising plain. Haunte withdrew the shutter entirely, and the boat gathered full speed.
"You say that navigation among the mountains is difficult at night," exclaimed Maskull. "I would have thought it impossible."
Haunte grunted. "You will have to take risks, and think yourself fortunate if you come off with nothing worse than a cracked skull. But one thing I can tell you—if you go on disturbing me with your chitchat we shan't get as far as the mountains." ”

“ It is all that prevents the world from being a pure female world. It would be one big mass of heavy sweetness, without individual shapes."
"Yet this same sweetness is torturing to men?"
"The life of an absolute male is fierce. An excess of life is dangerous to the body. How can it be anything else than torturing?"
Corpang now sat up suddenly, and addressed Haunte. "I remind you of your promise to tell about Muspel."
Haunte regarded him with a malevolent smile. "Ha! The underground man has come to life."
"Yes, tell us," put in Maskull carelessly. ”

“ About twenty feet long, its straight sides tapered off from a flat bow, four feet broad, to a sharp-angled stern. The flat bottom was not above ten feet from the ground. It was undecked, and carried only one living occupant; the other object they had distinguished was really the carcass of an animal, of about the size of a large sheep. The blue haze trailing behind the boat appeared to emanate from the glittering point of a short upright pole fastened in the stem. ”

“ Blue is existence. It is darkness seen through light; a contrasting of existence and nothingness. Yellow is relation. In yellow light we see the relation of objects in the clearest way. Red is feeling. When we see red, we are thrown back on our personal feelings.... ”

“ Corpang fingered his chin awhile. "The Lichstorm men, however, will never reach this stage, for they are too masculine."
Haunte turned pale. "Why should we alone suffer?"
"Nature is freakish and cruel, and doesn't act according to justice.... Follow us, Haunte, and escape from it all."
"I'll see," muttered Haunte. "Perhaps I will."
"Have we far to go, to Sullenbode?" inquired Maskull. ”

“ So in that direction the boat travels."
"And what are these wondrous male stones?"
"They really are male stones. There is nothing female in them; they are showering out male sparks all the time. These sparks devour all the female particles rising from the earth. No female particles are left over to attract the male parts of the boat, and so they are not in the least attracted in that direction."
Maskull ruminated for a minute.
"With your hunting, and boatbuilding, and science, you seem a very handy, skilful fellow, Haunte.... ”

“ The one underneath the boat prevents it from falling to the ground; the one in the stem shuts it off from solid objects in the rear. The only part of the boat attracted by any part of the earth is the bow, for that's the only part the light of the male stones does not fall on. ”