are better left in ignorance and bliss, obedient and submissive.  A good many of them have given up the old rough methods, and hang about the base of the cliff, dissuading souls from climbing:  they do the most harm of all, because if one does turn back here, it is long before one may make a new attempt.  But enough of this,” he added; “it makes me sick to think of them—­the old fellow you saw with me had an awful fright—­he was nearly done as it was!  But I see you are feeling stronger, and I think we had better be going.  One does not stay here by choice, though the place has a beauty of its own.  And now you will have an easier time for awhile.”

We descended from our rock, and Amroth led the way, through a long cleft, with rocks, very rough and black, on either side, and fallen fragments under foot.  It was steep at first; but soon the rocks grew lower; and we came out presently on to a great desolate plain, with stones lying thickly about, among a coarse kind of grass.  At each step I seemed to grow stronger, and walked more lightly, and in the thin fine air my horrors left me, though I still had a dumb sense of suffering which, strange to say, I found it almost pleasant to resist.  And so we walked for a time in friendly silence, Amroth occasionally indicating the way.  The hill began to slope downwards very slowly, and the wind to subside.  The mist drew off little by little, till at last I saw ahead of us a great bare-looking fortress with high walls and little windows, and a great blank tower over all.

XVIII

We were received at the guarded door of the fortress by a porter, who seemed to be well acquainted with Amroth.  Within, it was a big, bare place, with, stone-arched cloisters and corridors, more like a monastery than a castle.  Amroth led me briskly along the passages, and took me into a large room very sparely furnished, where an elderly man sat writing at a table with his back to the light.  He rose when we entered, and I had a sudden sense that I was coming to school again, as indeed I was.  Amroth greeted him with a mixture of freedom and respect, as a well-loved pupil might treat an old schoolmaster.  The man himself was tall and upright, and serious-looking, but for a twinkle of humour that lurked in his eye; yet I felt he was one who expected to be obeyed.  He took Amroth into the embrasure of a window, and talked with him in low tones.  Then he came back to me and asked me a few questions of which I did not then understand the drift—­but it seemed a kind of very informal examination.  Then he made us a little bow of dismissal, and sat down at once to his writing without giving us another look.  Amroth took me out, and led me up many stone stairs, along whitewashed passages, with narrow windows looking out on the plain, to a small cell or room near the top of the castle.  It was very austerely furnished, but it had a little door which took us out on the leads, and I then saw what a very large place the fortress was, consisting of several courts with a great central tower.