David Lindsay

“ While they were walking swiftly across to the tower, Maskull caught his arm. "I heard a voice up those stairs."
"What did it say?"
"That I am to go, but Nightspore is to return."
Krag smiled. "The journey is getting notorious," he remarked, after a pause. "There must be ill-wishers about.... Well, do you want to return?"
"I don't know what I want. But I thought the thing was curious enough to be mentioned."
"It is not a bad thing to hear voices," said Krag, "but you mustn't for a minute imagine that all is wise that comes to you out of the night world." ”

“ He pressed his eyeballs wearily.
"Do we strip?" asked Nightspore.
"Naturally," answered Krag, and he began to tear off his clothes with slow, uncouth movements.
"Why?" demanded Maskull, following, however, the example of the other two men.
Krag thumped his vast chest, which was covered with thick hairs, like an ape's. "Who knows what the Tormance fashions are like? We may sprout limbs—I don't say we shall."
"A-ha!" exclaimed Maskull, pausing in the middle of his undressing.
Krag smote him on the back. "New pleasure organs possible, Maskull. You like that?" ”

“ I forget..." replied Nightspore in a choking voice.
Maskull looked up, surprised, but could make nothing out in the blackness of the room.
"Do you know so many extraordinary men that you can forget some of them?... Perhaps you can tell me this... will we meet him, where we are going?"
"You will meet death, Maskull.... Ask me no more questions—I can't answer them."
"Then let us go on waiting for Krag," said Maskull coldly.
Ten minutes later the front door slammed, and a light, quick footstep was heard running up the stairs. Maskull got up, with a beating heart. ”