Alas,nothingbutadesertoffinestsand！Notatracewasleftoftheriverthathadplungedadowntherocks！Thepowderydrifthadfilleditscoursetothelevelofthedrearyexpanse！AsI
lookedbackIsawthattheriverhaddividedintotwobranchesasitfell,thatwhosebankIhadnowfollowedtothefootoftherockyscaur,andthatwhichfirstIcrossedtotheEvilWood。ThewoodIdescriedbetweenthetwoonthefarhorizon。Beforemeandtotheleft,thedesertstretchedbeyondmyvision,butfartotherightIcouldseealiftinthesky—line,givinghopeoftheforesttowhichmyhostesshaddirectedme。
Isatdown,andsoughtinmypocketthehalf—loafIhadbroughtwithme——thenfirsttounderstandwhatmyhostesshadmeantconcerningit。Verilythebreadwasnotforthemorrow:ithadshrunkandhardenedtoastone！Ithrewitaway,andsetoutagain。
AboutnoonIcametoafewtamariskandjunipertrees,andthentoafewstuntedfirs。AsIwenton,closerthicketsandlargerfirsmetme,andatlengthIwasinjustsuchaforestofpinesandothertreesasthatinwhichtheLittleOnesfoundtheirbabies,andbelievedIhadreturneduponafartherportionofthesame。ButwhatmatteredWHEREwhileEVERYWHEREwasthesameasNOWHERE！Ihadnotyet,bydoingsomethinginit,madeANYWHEREintoaplace！I
wasnotyetalive;IwasonlydreamingIlived！Iwasbutaconsciousnesswithanoutlook！TrulyIhadbeennothingelseintheworldIhadleft,butnowIknewthefact！IsaidtomyselfthatifinthisforestIshouldcatchthefaintgleamofthemirror,Iwouldturnfarasidelestitshouldentrapmeunawares,andgivemebacktomyoldexistence:hereImightlearntobesomethingbydoingsomething！Icouldnotendurethethoughtofgoingback,withsomanybeginningsandnotanendachieved。TheLittleOneswouldmeetwhatfatewasappointedthem;theawfulwitchIshouldnevermeet;thedeadwouldripenandarisewithoutme;IshouldbutwaketoknowthatIhaddreamed,andthatallmygoingwasnowhither！I