Panawe, however, endeavoured to reassure him. "It's quite true this has been a very long, hard double journey, but for the future it will lighten all her other journeys for her.... Such is the nature of sacrifice.""I can't conceive how I have walked so far in a morning," said Maskull, "and she has been twice the distance.""Love flows in her veins, instead of blood, and that's why she is so strong.""You know she gave me some of it?"
"Otherwise you couldn't even have started.""I shall never forget that."
The languorous beat of the day outside, the bright mouth of the cavern, the cool seclusion of the interior, with its pale green glow, invited Maskull to sleep. But curiosity got the better of his lassitude.
"Will it disturb her if we talk?"
"No."
"But how do you feel?"
"I require little sleep. In any case, it's more important that you should hear something about your new life. It's not all as innocent and idyllic as this. If you intend to go through, you ought to be instructed about the dangers.""Oh, I guessed as much. But how shall we arrange - shall I put questions, or will you tell me what you think is most essential?"Panawe motioned to Maskull to sit down on a pile of ferns, and at the same time reclined himself, leaning on one arm, with outstretched legs.
"I will tell some incidents of my life. You will begin to learn from them what sort of place you have come to.""I shall be grateful," said Maskull, preparing himself to listen.
Panawe paused for a moment or two, and then started his narrative in tranquil, measured, yet sympathetic tones.
PANAWE'S STORY
"My earliest recollection is of being taken, when three years old (that's equivalent to fifteen of your years, but we develop more slowly here), by my father and mother, to see Broodviol, the wisest man in Tormance. He dwelt in the great Wombflash Forest. We walked through trees for three days, sleeping at night. The trees grew taller as we went along, until the tops were out of sight. The trunks were of a dark red colour and the leaves were of pale ulfire.