ned by the sinking sun. The vast expanse of sky was filled by
evil-shaped clouds and wild colors. The freezing wind, flurrying across
the desert, drove the fine particles of sand painfully against their
faces.

"Where now do you take us?" asked Maskull.

"He who guards the old wisdom of Sant must give up that wisdom to
me, that I may change it. What he says, others will say. I go to find
Maulger."

"And where will you seek him, in this bare country?"

Spadevil struck off toward the north unhesitatingly.

"It is not so far," he said. "It is his custom to be in that part where
Sant overhangs the Wombflash Forest. Perhaps he will be there, but I
cannot say."

Maskull glanced toward Tydomin. Her sunken cheeks, and the dark circles
beneath her eyes told of her extreme weariness.

"The woman is tired, Spadevil," he said.

She smiled, "It's but another step into the land of death. I can manage
it. Give me your arm, Maskull."

He put his arm around her waist, and supported her along that way.

"The sun is now sinking," said Maskull. "Will we get there before dark?"

"Fear nothing, Maskull and Tydomin; this pain is eating up the evil in
your nature. The road you are walking cannot remain unwalked. We shall
arrive before dark."

The sun then disappeared behind the far-distant ridges that formed the
western boundary of the Ifdawn Marest. The sky blazed up into more vivid
colors. The wind grew colder.

They passed some pools of colourless gnawl water, round the banks of
which were planted fruit trees. Maskull ate some of the fruit. It was
hard, bitter, and astringent; he could not get rid of the taste, but
he felt braced and invigorated by the downward-flowing juices. No other
trees or shrubs were to be seen anywhere. No animals appeared, no birds
or insects. It was a desolate land.

A mile or two passed, when they again approached the edge of the
plateau. Far down, beneath their feet, the great Wombflash Forest began.
But daylight had vanished there; Maskull's eyes rested only on a vague
darkness. He faintly heard what sounded like the distant sighing of
innumerable treetops.

In the rapidly darkening twilight, they came abruptly on a man. He was
standing in a pool, on one leg. A pile of boulders had hidden him from
their view. The water came as far up as his calf. A trifork, similar to
the one Maskull had seen on Disscourn, but smaller, had been stuck in
the mud close by his hand.

They stopped by the side of