’Thereisnothingelseforit，’thoughthe。’ImustdragonaslongasIhaveanystrengthleft。IfIsitdown，Ishan’tbeabletoriseagain。Ican’treachthefortress；butwhendaybreaksI’llliedownintheforest，remainthereallday，andgoonagainatnight。’
Hewentonallnight。TwoTartarsonhorsebackpassedhim；butheheardthemalongwayoff，andhidbehindatree。
Themoonbegantogrowpaler，thedewtofall。Itwasgettingneardawn，andZhí；linhadnotreachedtheendoftheforest。
’Well，’thoughthe，’I’llwalkanotherthirtysteps，andthenturninamongthetreesandsitdown。’
Hewalkedanotherthirtysteps，andsawthathewasattheendoftheforest。Hewenttotheedge；itwasnowquitelight，andstraightbeforehimwastheplainandthefortress。Totheleft，quitecloseatthefootoftheslope，afirewasdyingout，andthesmokefromitspreadround。Thereweremengatheredaboutthefire。