An awful agony, emanating from the wound, started to run through Maskull's body, and he began to doubt whether he would not have to faint, but it subsided almost immediately, and then he felt nothing but a gnawing ache in the injured arm, just strong enough to make life one long discomfort.
"That's finished," said Krag. "Now you can follow me."Picking up the lantern, he walked toward the door. The others hastened after him, to take advantage of the light, and a moment later their footsteps, clattering down the uncarpeted stairs, resounded through the deserted house. Krag waited till they were out, and then banged the front door after them with such violence that the windows shook.
While they were walking swiftly across to the tower, Maskull caught his arm. "I heard a voice up those stairs.""What did it say?"
"That I am to go, but Nightspore is to return."Krag smiled. "The journey is getting notorious," he remarked, after a pause. "There must be ill - wishers about.... Well, do you want to return?""I don't know what I want. But I thought the thing was curious enough to be mentioned.""It is not a bad thing to hear voices," said Krag, "but you mustn't for a minute imagine that all is wise that comes to you out of the night world."When they had arrived at the open gateway of the tower, he immediately set foot on the bottom step of the spiral staircase and ran nimbly up, bearing the lantern. Maskull followed him with some trepidation, in view of his previous painful experience on these stairs, but when, after the first half - dozen steps, he discovered that he was still breathing freely, his dread changed to relief and astonishment, and he could have chattered like a girl.
At the lowest window Krag went straight ahead without stepping, but Maskull clambered into the embrasure, in order to renew his acquaintance with the miraculous spectacle of the Arcturian group.
The lens had lost its magic property. It had become a common sheet of glass, through which the ordinary sky field appeared.