t when I touched it I stood
still in my walk shuddering; I nearly fell to the earth with shame and
sick horror; for I laid my hand on a lump of Slimy earth with worms
coiled up in it I could scarce forbear from shrieking, but breathing
such a prayer as I could think of, I raised my hand again and seized
it firmly. Worse horror stilll The rust had eaten it into holes, and I
gripped my own hair as well as the rotting steel, the sharp edge of
which cut into my fingers; but setting my teeth, gave a great wrench,
for I knew that if I let go of it then, no power on the earth or under
it could make me touch it again. God be praised! I tore it off and
cast it far from me; I saw the earth, and the worms and green weeds
and sun- begotten slime, whirling out from it radiatingly, as it spun
round about.

I was girt with a sword too, the leathern belt of which had shrunk and
squeezed my waist: dead leaves had gathered in knots about the buckles
of it, the gilded handle was encrusted with clay in many parts, the
velvet sheath miserably worn.

But, verily, when I took hold of the hilt, and pent in my hand; lo!
then, I drew out my own true blade and shook it flawless from hilt to
point, gleaming white in that mist.

Therefore it sent a thrill of joy to my heart, to know that there was
one friend left me yet: I sheathed it again carefully, and undoing it
from my waist, hung it about my neck.

Then catching up my rags in my arms, I drew them up till my legs and
feet were altogether clear from them, afterwards folded my arms over
my breast, gave a long leap and ran, looking downward, but not giving
heed to my way.

Once or twice I fell over stumps of trees, and such- like, for it was
a cut-down wood that I was in, but I rose always, though bleeding and
confused, and went on still; sometimes tearing madly through briars
and gorse bushes, so that my blood dropped on the dead leaves as I
went.

I ran in this way for about an hour; then I heard a gurgling and
splashing of waters; I gave a great shout and leapt strongly, with
shut eyes, and the black water closed over me.

When I rose again, I saw near me a boat with a man in it; but the
shore was far off; I struck out toward the boat, but my clothes which
I had knotted and folded about me, weighed me down terribly.

The man looked at me, and began to paddle toward me with the oar he
held in his left hand, having in his right a long, slender spear,
barbed like a fish-hook; perhaps,