III

THE QUIET CALLING


Now, oft had I heard tell, not only in that great city which occupied
the thousandth floor, but in others of the one thousand, three hundred
and twenty cities of the Pyramid, that there was somewhere out in the
desolation of the Night Lands a second Place of Refuge, where had
gathered, in another part of this dead world, some last millions of the
human race, to fight unto the end.

And this story I heard everywhere in my travels through the cities of
the Great Redoubt, which travels began when I came upon my seventeenth
year, and continued for three years and two hundred and twenty five
days, being even then but one day in each city, as was the custom in the
training of every child.

And truly it was a great journey, and in it I met with many, whom to
know was to love; but whom never could I see again; for life has not
space enough; and each must to his duty to the security and well-being
of the Redoubt. Yet, for all that I have set down, we travelled much,
always; but there were so many millions, and so few years.

And, as I have said, everywhere I went there was the same story of this
other Place of Refuge; and in such of the Libraries of those cities as I
had time to search, there were great numbers of works upon the existence
of this other Refuge; and some, far back in the years, made assertion
with confidence that such a Place was in verity; and, indeed, no doubt