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every sphere； as far removed in the sequence of your strong emotions from
the painted fripperies of the woman…land as pole from polethe grateful
blessing of the humblest of your followers on you！
The mere sight of salt water did me good。 Heaven knows our
separation had not been long； and many an unkind slap has the Mother
given me in the bygone； yet the mere sight of her was tonic； a lethe of
troubles； a sedative for tired nerves； and I gazed that morning at the
illimitable blue； the great； unfettered road to everywhere； the ever… varied；
the immutable； the thing which was before every… thing and shall be last of
all； in an ecstasy of affection。
There was also other satisfaction at hand。 Not a mile away lay a
well…defined roaddoubtless the one spoken of by the wood…cutterand
where the track pointed to the seashore the low roofs and circling smoke
of a Thither town… ship showed。
There I went hot…footed； and； much too hungry to be nice in formality；
swung up to the largest building on the waterside quay and demanded
breakfast of the man who was lounging by its doorway chewing a honey
reed。 He looked me up and down without emotion； then； falling into the
common mistake； said；
〃This is not a hostel for ghosts； sir。 We do not board and lodge
phantoms here； this is a dry fish shop。〃
〃Thrice blessed trade！〃 I answered。 〃Give me some dried fish； good
fellow； or； for the matter of that； dried horse or dog； or anything mortal
teeth can bite through； and I will show you my tastes are altogether
mundane。〃
But he shook his head。 〃This is no place for the likes of you； who
come； mayhap； from the city of Yang or some other abode of disembodied
spiritsyou； who come for mischief and pay harbourage with mischance
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is it likely you could eat wholesome food？〃
〃Indeed I could； and plenty of it； seeing I have dined and breakfasted
along the hedges with the blackbirds this two days。 Look here； I will pay
in advance。 Will that get me a meal？〃 and； whipping out my knife； cut
off another of my fast…receding coat buttons。
The man took it with great interest； as I hoped he would； the yellow
metal being apparently a very scarce commodity in his part of the planet。
〃Gold？〃 he asked。
〃Wellahem！ I forgot to ask the man who sewed them on for me
what they were exactly； but it looks like gold； doesn't it？〃
〃Yes；〃 he answered； turning it to and fro admiringly in his hand； 〃you
are the first ghost I ever knew to pay in ad… vance； and plenty of them go
to and fro through here。 Such a pretty thing is well worth a mealif；
indeed； you can stomach our rough fare。 Here； you woman within；〃 he
called to the lady whom I presume was his wife； 〃here is a gentleman from
the nether regions who wants some break… fast and has paid in advance。
Give him some of your best； for he has paid well。〃
〃And what；〃 said a female voice from inside； 〃what if I refused to
serve another of these plaguy wanderers you are always foisting upon
me？〃
〃Don't mind her tongue； sir。 It's the worst part of her； though she is
mighty proud of it。 Go in and she will see you do not come out hungry；〃
and the Thither man returned calmly to his honey stick。
〃Come on； you Soul…with…a…man's…stomach；〃 growled the woman； and
too hungry to be particular about the tone of invitation； I strode into the
parlour of that strange refreshment place。 The woman was the first I had
seen of the outer race； and better than might have been expected in
appearance。 Big； strong； and ruddy； she was a mental shock after the
slender slips of girlhood on the far side of the water； half a dozen of whom
she could have carried off without effort in her long arms。 Yet there was
about her the credential of rough health； the dignity of muscle； an upright
carriage； an animal grace of movement； and withal a comely though
strongly featured face； which pleased me at once； and later on I had great
cause to remember her with gratitude。 She eyed me sulkily for a minute；
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then her frown gradually softened； and the instinctive love of the woman
for the supernatural mastered her other feelings。
〃Is that how you looked in another world？〃 she asked。
〃Yes； exactly； cap to boots。 What do you think of the attire； ma'am？〃
〃Not much；〃 replied the good woman frankly。 〃It could not have
been becoming even when new； and you appear as though you had taken a
muddy road since then。 What did you die of？〃
〃I will tell you so much as this； madamthat what I am like to die of
now is hunger； plain； unvarnished hunger； so； in Heaven's name； get out
what you have and let me fall…to； for my last meal was yesterday
morning。〃
Whereat； with a shrug of her shoulders at the eccentric… ities of nether
folk； the woman went to the rear of the house； and presently came back
with a meal which showed her husband had done scant justice to the
establishment by calling it a dry fish shop。 It is true； fish supplied the
staple of the repast； as was inevitable in a seaport； but； like all Martian fish；
it was of ambrosial kind； with a savour about it of wine and sunshine such
as no fish on our side of space can boast of。 Then there were cakes；
steaming and hot； vegetables which fitted into the previous course with
exquisite nicety； and； lastly； a wooden tankard of the in… variable Thither
beer to finish off。 Such a meal as a hungry man might consider himself
fortunate to meet with any day。
The woman watched me eat with much satisfaction； and when I had
answered a score of artless questions about my previous state； or present
condition and prospects； more or less to her satisfaction； she supplied me
in turn with some information which was really valuable to me just then。
First I learned that Ar…hap's men； with the abducted Heru； had passed
through this very port two days before； and by this time were probably in
the main town； which； it appeared； was only about twelve hours' rowing
up the salt… water estuary outside。 Here was news！ Heru； the prize and
object of my wild adventure； close at hand and well。 It brought a whole
new train of thoughts； for the last few days had been so full of the stress of
travel； the bare； hard necessity of getting forward； that the object of my
quest； illogical as it may seem； had gone into the background before these
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things。 And here again； as I finished the last cake and drank down to the
bottom of the ale tankard； the extreme folly of the venture came upon me；
the madness of venturing single…handed into the den of the Wood King。
What had I to hope for？ What chance； however remote； was there of
successfully wresting that blooming prize from the arms of her captor？
Force was out of the question； stealth was utterly impractical； as for
cajolery； apparently the sole remaining means of winning back the
Princesswhy； one might as well try the persuasion of a penny flute upon
a hungry eagle as seek to rouse Ar…hap's sympathies for bereaved Hath in
that way。 Surely to go forward would mean my own certain destruction；
with no advantage； no help to Heru； and if I was ever to turn back or stop
in the idle quest； here was the place and time。 My Hither friends were
behind the sea； to them I could return before it was too late； and here were
the rough but honest Thither folk； who would doubtless let me live
amongst them if that was to be my fate。 One or other alternative were
better than going to torture and death。
〃You seem to take the fate of that Hither girl of yours mightily to heart；
stranger；〃 quoth my hostess； with a tou