第8章
Andthenhesawfirstoneandthenasecondgreatwhiteball，agreatshiningwhiteballlikeagiganticheadofthistle-down，thatdrovebeforethewindathwartthepath。Theseballssoaredhighintheair，anddroppedandroseagainandcaughtforamoment，andhurriedonandpassed，butatthesightofthemtherestlessnessofthehorsesincreased。
Thenpresentlyhesawthatmoreofthesedriftingglobes——andthensoonverymanymore——werehurryingtowardshimdownthevalley。
Theybecameawareofasquealing。Athwartthepathahugeboarrushed，turninghisheadbutforoneinstanttoglanceatthem，andthenhurlingondownthevalleyagain。Andatthat，allthreestoppedandsatintheirsaddles，staringintothethickeninghazethatwascominguponthem。
“Ifitwerenotforthisthistle-down——“begantheleader。
Butnowabigglobecamedriftingpastwithinascoreofyardsofthem。Itwasreallynotanevensphereatall，butavast，soft，ragged，filmything，asheetgatheredbythecorners，anaerialjelly-fish，asitwere，butrollingoverandoverasitadvanced，andtrailinglong，cobwebbythreadsandstreamersthatfloatedinitswake。
“Itisn’tthistle-down，“saidthelittleman。
“Idon’tlikethestuff，“saidthegauntman。
Andtheylookedatoneanother。
“Curseit！“criedtheleader。“Theair’sfullofitupthere。
Ifitkeepsonatthispacelong，itwillstopusaltogether。“
Aninstinctivefeeling，suchaslinesoutaherdofdeerattheapproachofsomeambiguousthing，promptedthemtoturntheirhorsestothewind，rideforwardforafewpaces，andstareatthatadvancingmultitudeoffloatingmasses。Theycameonbeforethewindwithasortofsmoothswiftness，risingandfallingnoiselessly，sinkingtoearth，reboundinghigh，soaring——allwithaperfectunanimity，withastill，deliberateassurance。
Rightandleftofthehorsementhepioneersofthisstrangearmypassed。Atonethatrolledalongtheground，breakingshapelesslyandtrailingoutreluctantlyintolonggrapplingribbonsandbands，allthreehorsesbegantoshyanddance。Themasterwasseizedwithasuddenunreasonableimpatience。Hecursedthedriftingglobesroundly。“Geton！“hecried；“geton！Whatdothesethingsmatter？
HowCANtheymatter？Backtothetrail！“Hefellswearingathishorseandsawedthebitacrossitsmouth。
Heshoutedaloudwithrage。“Iwillfollowthattrail，Itellyou！“
hecried。“Whereisthetrail？“
Hegrippedthebridleofhisprancinghorseandsearchedamidstthegrass。Alongandclingingthreadfellacrosshisface，agreystreamerdroppedabouthisbridle-arm，somebig，activethingwithmanylegsrandownthebackofhishead。Helookeduptodiscoveroneofthosegreymassesanchoredasitwereabovehimbythesethingsandflappingoutendsasasailflapswhenaboatcomes，about——
butnoiselessly。
Hehadanimpressionofmanyeyes，ofadensecrewofsquatbodies，oflong，many-jointedlimbshaulingattheirmooringropestobringthethingdownuponhim。Foraspacehestaredup，reininginhisprancinghorsewiththeinstinctbornofyearsofhorsemanship。
Thentheflatofaswordsmotehisback，andabladeflashedoverheadandcutthedriftingballoonofspider-webfree，andthewholemassliftedsoftlyanddroveclearandaway。
“Spiders！“criedthevoiceofthegauntman。“Thethingsarefullofbigspiders！Look，mylord！“
Themanwiththesilverbridlestillfollowedthemassthatdroveaway。
“Look，mylord！“
Themasterfoundhimselfstaringdownatared，smashedthingonthegroundthat，inspiteofpartialobliteration，couldstillwriggleunavailinglegs。Thenwhenthegauntmanpointedtoanothermassthatboredownuponthem，hedrewhisswordhastily。Upthevalleynowitwaslikeafogbanktorntorags。Hetriedtograspthesituation。
“Rideforit！“thelittlemanwasshouting。“Rideforitdownthevalley。“
Whathappenedthenwasliketheconfusionofabattle。Themanwiththesilverbridlesawthelittlemangopasthimslashingfuriouslyatimaginarycobwebs，sawhimcannonintothehorseofthegauntmanandhurlitanditsridertoearth。Hisownhorsewentadozenpacesbeforehecouldreinitin。Thenhelookeduptoavoidimaginarydangers，andthenbackagaintoseeahorserollingontheground，thegauntmanstandingandslashingoveritatarentandflutteringmassofgreythatstreamedandwrappedaboutthemboth。Andthickandfastasthistle-downonwastelandonawindydayinJuly，thecobwebmasseswerecomingon。
Thelittlemanhaddismounted，buthedarednotreleasehishorse。
Hewasendeavouringtolugthestrugglingbrutebackwiththestrengthofonearm，whilewiththeotherheslashedaimlessly，Thetentaclesofasecondgreymasshadentangledthemselveswiththestruggle，andthissecondgreymasscametoitsmoorings，andslowlysank。
Themastersethisteeth，grippedhisbridle，loweredhishead，andspurredhishorseforward。Thehorseonthegroundrolledover，therewerebloodandmovingshapesupontheflanks，andthegauntman，suddenlyleavingit，ranforwardtowardshismaster，perhapstenpaces。
Hislegswereswathedandencumberedwithgrey；hemadeineffectualmovementswithhissword。Greystreamerswavedfromhim；therewasathinveilofgreyacrosshisface。Withhislefthandhebeatatsomethingonhisbody，andsuddenlyhestumbledandfell。Hestruggledtorise，andfellagain，andsuddenly，horribly，begantohowl，“Oh——ohoo，ohooh！“
Themastercouldseethegreatspidersuponhim，andothersupontheground。
Ashestrovetoforcehishorsenearertothisgesticulating，screaminggreyobjectthatstruggledupanddown，therecameaclatterofhoofs，andthelittleman，inactofmounting，swordless，balancedonhisbellyathwartthewhitehorse，andclutchingitsmane，whirledpast。Andagainaclingingthreadofgreygossamersweptacrossthemaster’sface。Allabouthim，andoverhim，itseemedthisdrifting，noiselesscobwebcircledanddrewnearerhim……
Tothedayofhisdeathheneverknewjusthowtheeventofthatmomenthappened。Didhe，indeed，turnhishorse，ordiditreallyofitsownaccordstampedeafteritsfellow？Sufficeitthatinanothersecondhewasgallopingfulltiltdownthevalleywithhisswordwhirlingfuriouslyoverhead。Andallabouthimonthequickeningbreeze，thespiders’airships，theirairbundlesandairsheets，seemedtohimtohurryinaconsciouspursuit。
Clatter，clatter，thud，thud——themanwiththesilverbridlerode，heedlessofhisdirection，withhisfearfulfacelookingupnowright，nowleft，andhisswordarmreadytoslash。Andafewhundredyardsaheadofhim，withatailoftorncobwebtrailingbehindhim，rodethelittlemanonthewhitehorse，stillbutimperfectlyinthesaddle。
Thereedsbentbeforethem，thewindblewfreshandstrong，overhisshoulderthemastercouldseethewebshurryingtoovertake……
Hewassointenttoescapethespiders’websthatonlyashishorsegatheredtogetherforaleapdidherealisetheravineahead。AndthenhereaIiseditonlytomisunderstandandinterfere。Hewasleaningforwardonhishorse’sneckandsatupandbackalltoolate。
Butifinhisexcitementhehadfailedtoleap，atanyratehehadnotforgottenhowtofall。Hewashorsemanagaininmid-air。
Hecameoffclearwithamerebruiseuponhisshoulder，andhishorserolled，kickingspasmodiclegs，andlaystill。Butthemaster’ssworddroveitspointintothehardsoil，andsnappedcleanacross，asthoughChancerefusedhimanylongerasherKnight，andthesplinteredendmissedhisfacebyaninchorso。
Hewasonhisfeetinamoment，breathlesslyscanningtheonrushingspider-webs。Foramomenthewasmindedtorun，andthenthoughtoftheravine，andturnedback。Heranasideoncetododgeonedriftingterror，andthenhewasswiftlyclamberingdowntheprecipitoussides，andoutofthetouchofthegale。
Thereundertheleeofthedrytorrent’ssteeperbankshemightcrouch，andwatchthesestrange，greymassespassandpassinsafetytillthewindfell，anditbecamepossibletoescape。Andthereforalongtimehecrouched，watchingthestrange，grey，raggedmassestrailtheirstreamersacrosshisnarrowedsky。
Onceastrayspiderfellintotheravineclosebesidehim——afullfootitmeasuredfromlegtoleg，anditsbodywashalfaman’shand——
andafterhehadwatcheditsmonstrousalacrityofsearchandescapeforalittlewhile，andtemptedittobitehisbrokensword，helifteduphisiron-heeledbootandsmasheditintoapulp。Hesworeashedidso，andforatimesoughtupanddownforanother。
Thenpresently，whenhewassurerthesespiderswarmscouldnotdropintotheravine，hefoundaplacewherehecouldsitdown，andsatandfellintodeepthoughtandbeganafterhismannertognawhisknucklesandbitehisnails。Andfromthishewasmovedbythecomingofthemanwiththewhitehorse。
Heheardhimlongbeforehesawhim，asaclatteringofhoofs，stumblingfootsteps，andareassuringvoice。Thenthelittlemanappeared，aruefulfigure，stillwithatailofwhitecobwebtrailingbehindhim。Theyapproachedeachotherwithoutspeaking，withoutasalutation。Thelittlemanwasfatiguedandshamedtothepitchofhopelessbitterness，andcametoastopatlast，facetofacewithhisseatedmaster。Thelatterwincedalittleunderhisdependant’seye。“Well？“hesaidatlast，withnopretenceofauthority。