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"I still do not know what you are doing here," answered Corpang. "Why should I go on making a mystery of it? I came to find Surtur." "That name I've heard but under what circumstances?" "You forget?" Corpang walked along, his eyes fixed on the ground, obviously troubled. "Who is Surtur?" Maskull shook his head, and said nothing.
"That will be best," said Corpang. Maskull looked angry. "I shall decide Sullenbode, whether you go on, or back, I stay with you. My mind is made up." An expression of joyousness overspread her face, in spite of her efforts to conceal it. "Why do you scowl at me, Maskull?" He returned no answer, but continued walking onward with puckered brows. After a dozen paces or so, he halted abruptly.
His voice was extremely loud, and possessed a most unpleasant timbre. It sounded to Maskull like a large volume of air trying to force its way through a narrow orifice. "I am Maskull; my friend is Corpang. He comes from Threal, but where I come from, don't ask." "I am Haunte, from Sarclash." "Where may that be?" "Half an hour ago I could have shown it to you, but now it has got too murky.
"Who knows what we shall find on Adage, or what will happen? Corpang is as ignorant as myself." Corpang looked him full in the face. "Maskull, you are quite well aware that you never dare approach that awful fire in the society of a beautiful woman." Maskull gave an uneasy laugh.
All remained still, however, and the speaker appeared to have taken his departure. Supernatural horror seized him; he fell into a sort of catalepsy. At that moment he saw one of the statues fading away, from a pale, white glow to darkness. He had not previously seen it shining. In a few more minutes the normal light of the land returned. Corpang got up, and shook him out of his trance.
They followed the drumming along the base of these heights, but as they were passing the mouth of a large cave the sound came from its recesses, and they turned their steps inward. "This leads to the outer world," remarked Corpang. "I've occasionally been there by this passage." "Then that's where it is taking us, no doubt. I confess I shan't be sorry to see sunlight once more."
Three large rocks loomed up on the ledge opposite; they resembled three upright giants, standing motionless side by side on the extreme edge of the chasm. Corpang and Maskull drew nearer, and then Maskull saw that they were statues. Each was about thirty feet high, and the workmanship was of the rudest.
"You go too far, Corpang," said Maskull, turning a shade darker. "I don't accept you as the arbiter of our fortunes." "If honest counsel is disagreeable to you, let me go on ahead." The woman detained him with her slow, light fingers. "I wish you to stay with us." "Why?" "I think you may know what you are talking about. I don't wish to bring harm to Maskull. Presently I'll leave you."
"Well, no vessel can hold more than its appointed measure." Corpang gave a wry smile. "During your long sleep you appear to have picked up wisdom." "Yes, Corpang, I have met many men, and explored many minds." As they moved off, Maskull remembered Haunte. "Can we not bury that poor fellow?" "By this time tomorrow we shall need burial ourselves. But I do not include Corpang."
"You will always be the most generous of men, Maskull. Now let us go.... Corpang is a single-minded personage, and the least we others who aren't so single-minded can do is to help him to his destination. We mustn't inquire whether the destination of single-minded men is as a rule worth arriving at." "If it is good for Maskull, it will be good for me."
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