The voice in the night by William Hope Hidgieson.

It was a dark, starless night.

We were becalmed in the northern Pacific.

Our exact position I do not know, for the sun had been hidden, during the course of a weary, breathless week, by a thin haze which seemed to float above us about the height of our mast heads, at whiles descending and shrouding the surrounding sea.

With there being no wind, we had steadied the tiller, and I was the only man on deck.

The crew, consisting of two men and a boy, were sleeping far round in their den, while will my friend and the master of our little craft, was aft in his bunk on the port side of the little cabin.

Suddenly, from out of the surrounding darkness, there came a hail, shonar a high.

The cry was so unexpected that I gave no immediate answer because of my surprise.

It came again, a voice, curiously throaty and inhuman, calling from somewhere upon the dark sea, away on our port broadside, shonar a high HULLO.

I sung out, having gathered my wit somewhat, What are you?

What do you want?

You need not be afraid, answered the queer voice, having probably noticed some trace of confusion in my tone.

I am only an old man.

The pause sounded oddly, but it was only afterwards that it came back to me with any significance.

Why DON'TS come alongside?

Then, I queried, somewhat snappishly, for I liked not his handing, and my having been a trifle shaken.

I uh, I can't.

It wouldn't be safe.

The voice broke off, and there was silence.

What do you mean, I asked, growing more and more astonished, Why not safe?

Where are you?

I listened for a moment, but there came no answer, and then a sudden, indefinite suspicion of I know not what coming to me.

I stepped swiftly to the binnacle and took out the lighted lamp.

At the same time, I knocked on the deck with my heel to waken will.

Then I was back at the side, throwing the yellow funnel of light out into the silent immensity beyond our rail.

As I did so, I heard a slight, muffled cry, and then the sound of a splash, as though someone had dipped oars abruptly.

Yet I cannot say that I saw anything with soirertainty save it seemed to me that with the first flash of the light there had been seeking upon the water, where now there was nothing.

Hallo there, I called, what foolery is this?

But there came only the indistinct sounds of a boat being pulled away into the night.

Then I heard Will's voice from the direction of the after scuttle.

What's up, George, Come here, Will, I said, What is it?

He asked, coming across the deck.

I told him the queer thing which had happened.

He put several questions, Then, after a moment's silence, he raised his hands to his lips and hailed boat ahoy.

From a long distance away.

There came back to us a faint reply, and my companion repeated his call.

Presently, at very short period of silence, there grew on our hearing the muffled sound of oars, at which Will held again.

This time there was a reply.

Put away the light.

I'll be damned if I will, I muttered.

But Will told me to do as the voice bade, and I shoved it down under the bulwarks.

Come there, he said, and the oat strokes continued.

Then, when apparently some half dozen fathoms distance.

They again ceased, come alongside, exclaimed, Will there's nothing to do?

Have frightened up on board here?

Promise that you will not show the light.

What's to do with you?

I bust out that you're so infernally afraid of the light because began the voice and stopped short cause the what I asked quickly, Will put a hand on my shoulder?

Shut up a mint, old man, he said in a low voice.

Let me tackle in, he leaned, more over the rail.

See here, mister, this is a pretty queer business, you coming upon us like this, right out in the middle of the blessed Pacific.

How are we to know what sort of hanky panky trick you're to you say, there's only one of you.

How are we to know unless we get a squint at you?

Eh, once you're objecting the light?

Anyway?

As he finished, I heard the noise of the oars again, and then the voice came, but now from a greater distance, and then sounding extremely hopeless empathetic.

I I am sorry, sorry, I would not have troubled you.

Only I am hungry, and so is she.

The voice died away, sound of the oars dipping irregularly was born to us.

Stop, sung out Will.

I don't want to drive you away.

Come back.

We'll keep the light hidden if you don't like it.

He turned to me.

It's a damn queer rig this, but I think there's nothing to be afraid of.

There was a question in his tone, and I replied no, I think the port has been wrecked around here and gone crazy.

The sound of the oars drew nearer.

Shout that lamp back in the binnacle, said Will.

Then he leaned over the rail and listened.

I replaced the lamp and came back to his side.

The dipping of the oars ceased some dozen yards distant.

Won't you come alongside now, asked Will, in an even voice.

I have had the lamp put back in the binnacle.

I I cannot, replied the voice.

I dare not come nearer.

I dare not even pay for the the provisions.

That's all right, said Will, and hesitated.

You're welcome to as much grub as you can take.

Again, he has stated you are very good, claimed them.

May God, who understands everything, reward you.

It broke off hustly, the lady said Will abruptly, is she I have left her behind upon the island, came the voice.

What island?

I cut in, I know not its name, returned the voice.

I would to God, it began, then checked itself as suddenly, could we not send a boat for her?

Asked Will.

At this point, no, said the voice, with extraordinary inftance, My God, No.

There was a moment's pause.

Then it added and it toned, which seemed a merited reproach.

It was because of our want, I ventured, because her agony tortured me.

I am a forgetful brute, exclaimed Will just wait a minute, whoever you are, and I will bring you up something at once.

And a couple of minutes he was back, and his arms were full of various edibles.

He paused at the rail.

Can't you come alongside for them?

He asked.

No, no, I dare not, replied the voice.

And it seemed to me that in its tone I detected a note of stifled craving, as though the owner hushed a mortal desire.

It came to me then, in a flash, that the poor old creature out there in the darkness was suffering from actual need of that which Will held in his arms, and yet because of some unintelligible dread, refraining from dashing to the side of our little schooner and receiving it.

And with a lightning light conviction, there came the knowledge that the invisible was not mad, but sanely facing some intolerable horror.

Damn it, Will, I said, full of many feelings over which predominated a vast sympathy.

Get a box.

We must float off the stuff to him in it.

This we did, propelling it away from the vessel out into the darkness by means of a boat hook.

In a minute, a slight cry from the invisible came to us, and we knew that he had secured the box.

A little later he caught out a foil to us, and so heartfelt a blessing that I am sure we were the better for it.

Then, without much ado, we heard the ply of oars across the darkness.

Pretty soon all remarked Will, with perhaps just a little sense of injury.

Wait, I replied, I think somehow he'll be back.

He must have been badly needing that food, And the lady said Will.

For a moment he was silent, Then he continued, It's the queerest thing I've ever tumbled across.

Since I've been fishing, yes, I said, and filled a wondering, And so the time slipped away an hour another, and still Will stayed with me, for the queer adventure had knocked all desire for sleep out of him.

And the third hour was three parts through when we heard again the sound of oars across the silent ocean.

Listen said Will, in a low note of excitement in his voice.

He's coming, just as I thought, I muttered.

The dipping of the oars grew nearer, and I noted that the strokes were firmer and longer the food had been needed.

They came to a stop a little distance off the broadside, and the queer voice came again to us through the darkness.

Sooner, ahy that you asked Will, Yes, replied the voice.

I left you suddenly, But but there was great need, the lady, questioned Will.

The lady is grateful now on earth, she will be more grateful soon in in heaven.

Will began to make some reply in a puzzled voice, but came confused and broke off short.

I said nothing.

I was wondering at the curious pauses, and apart from my wonder I was full of great sympathy, the voice continued.

We she and I have talked as we shared the result of God's tenderness, and yours will interposed without quierance.

I beg of you not to to belittle your deed of Christian charity this night, said the voice.

Be sure that it has not escaped his notice.

No, the full minutes silence.

Then it came again.

We have spoken together upon that which which has fallen us.

We had thought to go out without telling any of the terror which has come into our lives.

She is with me in believing that tonight's happenings are under a special ruling.

That it is God's wish that we should tell you all that we have suffered since since yes, said will softly, since the sinking of the Albatross, ah, I exclaimed involuntarily.

She left Newcastle for Frisco some six months ago.

It hasn't been heard of since, yes, answered the voice.

For some few degrees to the north of the line.

She was caught in a terrible storm and dismisted.

When the day came and it was found that she was leaking badly, and presently it falling to a calm, the sailors took to the boats, leaving, leaving a young lady, my fiance, and myself upon the wreck.

We were below, gathering together a few of our belongings.

When they left, they were entirely callous through fear, and when we came up upon the deck we saw them only as small shapes afar off upon the horizon.

Yet we did not despair, but set to work and constructed a small raft.

Upon this we put such few matters as it would hold, including a quantity of water and some ship's biscuits.

Then the vessel, being very deep in the water, we got ourselves on to the raft and pushed off.

It was later when I observed that we seemed to be in the way of some tide or current, which bore us from the ship at an angle, so that in the course of three hours, by my watch, her hull became invisible to our sight, her broken masks remaining in view for a somewhat longer period.

Then towards evening it grew misty, and so through the night the next day we were still encompassed by the mist, the weather remaining quiet.

For four days.

We drifted through this strange haze until on the evening of the fourth day that grew upon our ears the murmur of breakers at a distance.

Gradually it became plainer, and somewhat after midnight it appeared to sound upon either hand at no very great space.

The raft was raised upon a swell several times, and then we were in smooth water, and the noise of the was behind.

When the morning came, we found we were in a sort of great lagoon.

But of this we noticed little at the time, for close before us, through the enshrouding mist, loomed the hull of a large sailing vessel with one accord.

We fell upon our knees and thanked God, for we thought that here was an end to our perils.

We had much to learn.

The raft drew near the ship, and we shouted on them to take us aboard, but none answered.

Presently the raft touched against the side of the vessel, and seeing a rope hanging downwards, I seized it and began to climb.

Yet I had much ado to make my way up because of a kind of gray, lecherous fungus which had seized upon the rope, and which blotched the side of the ship lividly.

I reached the rail and clambered over it on to the deck.

Here I saw that the decks were covered with gray messes, some of them rising into modules several feet in height.

But at the time I thought less of this matter than of the possibilities of their being people aboard the ship.

I shouted, but none answered.

Then I went to the door below the poop deck.

I opened it and peered in.

There was a great swell of staleness, and so that I knew in a moment that nothing living was within.

And with the knowledge I shut the door quickly, where I felt suddenly lonely.

I went back to the side where I had scrambled up.

My sweetheart was still sitting quietly upon the raft.

Seeing me look down, she called up to know whether there was any aboard the ship.

I replied that the vessel had the appearance of having been long deserted, but that if she would wait a little I would see whether there was anything in the shape of a ladder by which she could extend to the deck.

Then we would make us search through the vessel together.

A little later, on the opposite side of the deck, I found a rope side letter.

This I carried across and a minute afterward she was beside me.

Together we explored the cabins and apartments in the after part of the ship, but nowhere was there any sign of life.

Here and there, within the cabins themselves we came across odd patches of that queer fungus, but this, as must wed are said, could be cleaned away.

In the end, having assured ourselves that the after portions of the vessel was empty, we picked our way to the bowels between the ugly gray modules of that strange growth, And here we made a further search, which told us that there was indeed none aboard but ourselves.

This being now beyond any doubt, we returned to the stern of the ship and proceeded to make ourselves as comfortable as possible.

Together we cleared out and cleaned two of the cabins, and after that I made an examination whether there was anything edible in the ship.

This I soon found so, and thanked God in my heart for his goodness.

In addition to this, I discovered the whereabouts of the fresh water pump, and having fixed it, I found the water drinkable, though somewhat unpleasant to the taste.

For several days we stayed aboard the ship without attempting to get to the shore.

We were busily engaged in making the place habitable.

Yet even thus early we became aware that our lot was even less to be desired than might have been imagined.

For though at first step we scraped away the odd patches of growth that studied the floors and walls of the cabin and saloon, yet they returned almost to their original size within the space of twenty four hours, which not only discouraged us but gave us a feeling of vague unease.

Still we would not admit ourselves beaten, so set to work afresh, and not only scraped away the fungus, but soaked the places where it had been with carbolic a canful of which I had found in the pantry.

Yet by the end of the week the growth had returned in full strength, and in addition, it had spread to other places, as though our touching it had allowed germs from it to travel elsewhere.

On the seventh morning, my sweetheart woke to find a small patch of it growing on her pillow, close to her face.

At that she came to me so soon as she could get her garments upon her I was in the galley at a time, lighting the fire for breakfast.

Come here, John, she said, and led me aft.

When I saw the thing upon her pillow, I shuddered.

And then and there we agreed to go right out of the ship and see whether we could not fare to make ourselves more comfortable ashore.

Hurriedly we gathered together our few belongings, and even amongst these I found that the fungus had been at work, for one of her shawls had a little lump of growing near one edge.

I threw the whole thing over the side, without saying anything to her.

The raft was still alongside, but it was too clumsy to guide, and I lowered down a small boat that hung across the stern, and in this we made our way to the shore.

Yet as we drew nearer to it, I became gradually aware that here the vile fungus which had driven us from the ship was growing.

Riot.

In places it rose into horrible, fantastic mounds, which seemed almost to quiver with a quiet life when the wind blew across them.

Here and there it took the forms of fast fingers, and in others it just spread out, flat and smooth, and treacherous odd places.

It appeared as grotesque stunted trees, seeming extraordinarily kinked and gnarled, the whole quaking violey at times.

At first it seemed to us that there was no single portion of the surrounding shore which was not hidden beneath the masses of the hideous lichen.

Yet in this I found we were mistaken for somewhat.

Later, coasting along the shore of a little distance, we described a smooth white patch of what appeared to be fine sand, and there we landed.

It was not sand.

What it was I do not know.

All that I have observed is that upon it the fungus will not grow.

While everywhere else, save where the sind like earth wanders oddly pathwise amid the gray dissolution of the lichen, there is nothing but that loasome grayness.

It is difficult to make you understand how cheered we were to find one place that was absolutely free from the growth, and here we deposited our belongings.

Then we went back to the ship for such matters as it seemed to us we should need.

Among other matters, I managed to bring ashore with me one of the ship's sails, with which I constructed two small tents, which, though exceedingly rough shaped, served the purpose for which they were intended.

In these we lived and stored our various necessities, and thus, for a matter of some four weeks all went smoothly and without particular unhappiness.

Indeed, I may say, with much of happiness far, for we were together.

It was on the thumb of her right hand that the growth first showed.

It was only a small circular spot, much like a little gray mole.

My god, how the fear leapt to my heart when she showed me the place.

We cleansed it between us, washing it with carbolic and water.

In the morning of the following day she showed her hand to me again.

The gray worty thing had returned.

For a little while we looked at one another in silence.

Then, still worthless, we started again through a movement.

In the midst of the operation, she spoke, suddenly, what's that on the side of your face, dear?

Her voice was sharp with anxiety.

I put my hand up to feel there under the hair by your ear, a little to the front a bit.

My finger rested on the place, and then I knew let us.

Get your thumb done first, I said, and she submitted only because she was afraid to touch me until it was cleansed.

I finished washing and disinfecting her thumb, and then she turned to my face.

After it was finished, we sat together and talked a while of men things, for there had come into our lives sudden, very terrible thoughts.

We were all at once afraid of something worse than death.

We spoke of loading the boat with provisions and water and making our way out onto the sea.

Yet we were helpless from many causes, and and the growth had attacked us already.

We decided to stay.

God would do with us what he will.

We would wait a month, two months, three months passed, and of places grew somewhat, and there had come others.

Yet we fought so strenuously with the fear that its headway was but slow, comparatively speaking.

Occasionally we ventured off to the ship for such stores as we needed.

Then we found that the fungus grew persistently.

One of the modules on the main deck became soon as high as my head, and we had now given up all thought our hope of leaving the island.

We had realized that it would be unallowable to go amongst healthy humans with the things from which we were suffering.

With this determination and knowledge in our minds, we knew that we should have to husband our food and water, for we did not know at the time, but that we should possibly live for many years.

This reminds me that I have told you that I am an old man, dudging by the years.

This is not so.

But he broke off, then continued somewhat abruptly as I was saying, we knew that we should have to use care in the matter of food, but we had no idea then how little food there was left of which to take care.

It was a week later that I made the discovery that all of the other bread tanks, which I had supposed full, were empty, and that beyond odd tents of vegetables and meat and some other materials, we had nothing upon which to depend but the bread in the tank which I had already opened.

After learning this, I bestirred myself to do what I could, and meant to work at fishing in the lagoon, but met with no success at this.

I was somewhat inclined to desperate until the thought came to me to try outside the lagoon in the open sea.

Here, at times I caught odd fish, but so infrequently that they proved of but little help in keeping us from the hunger which threatened.

It seemed to me that our deaths were likely to come by hunger, and not by the growth of the thing which had seized upon our bodies.

We were in this state of mind when the fourth month wore out.

When I made a very horrible discovery.

One morning, a little before midday, I came off the ship with a portion of the biscuits which were left in the mouth of her tent.

I saw my sweetheart sitting eating something.

What is it, my dear, I called out as I leapt so, Yet, on hearing my voice, she seemed confused and turning slyly through something Towards the edge of the little clearing.

It fell shark, and a vague suspicion having arisen within me, I walked across and picked it up.

It was a piece of the gray fungus.

As I went to her with it in my hand, she turned deadly pale, then rose red.

I felt strangely dazed and frightened.

My dear, my dear, I cried, and could say no more yet.

At words, she broke down and cried bitterly.

Gradually, as she calmed, I got from her the news that she had tried it in the preceding day, and enlightd it.

I got her to promise, on her knees not to touch it again, however great our hunger.

After she had promised, she told me that the desire for it had come suddenly, and that until the moment of desire she had experienced nothing towards it but the most extreme repulsion.

Later in the day, feeling strangely restless and much shaken with the thing which I had discovered, I made my way along one of the twisted paths formed by the white, sin like substance which led among the fun guaited growth.

I had once before ventured along there, but not to any great distance.

This time, being involved in perplexing thoughts, I had went much further than her hitherto.

Suddenly I was called to myself by a queer, hoarse sound on my left.

Turning quickly, I saw that there was movement among an extraordinarily shaped mass of fungus close to my elbow.

It was swaying uneasily, as though it possessed life of its own.

Abruptly, as I stared, the thought came to me that the thing had a grotesque resemblance to the figure of a distorted human creature.

Even as the fancy flashed into my brain, there was a slight, sickening noise of tearing, and I saw that one of the branch like arms was detaching itself from the surrounding gray masses and coming towards me.

The head of the thing, a shapeless gray ball, inclined in my direction.

I stood stupidly, and the vile arm brushed across my face.

I gave out a frightened cry and ran back a few paces.

There was a Swedish taste upon my lips where the thing had touched me.

I licked them and was immediately filled with inhuman desire.

I turned and seized a mass of fungus.

Then more and more I was insatable.

In the midst of devouring, the remembrance of the morning's discovery swept into my mazed brain.

It was sent by God.

I dashed the fragment I held to the ground.

Then, utterly wretched and feeling a dreadful guiltiness, I made my way back to the little encampment.

I think she knew by some marvelous intuition which love must have given, so soon as she set eyes upon me.

Her quiet sympathy made it easier for me, and I told her of my sudden weakness, yet omitted to mention the extraordinary thing which had gone before.

I desired to spare her all unnecessary terror.

But for myself I had added an intolerable knowledge to breed an incessant terror in my brain.

For I doubt it not but that I had seen the end of one of those men who had come to the island in the ship, in the lagoon, and in that monstrous ending I had seen our own.

Thereafter, we kept from the abominable food, though the desire for it had entered into our blood.

Yet our drear punishment was upon us far day by day, with monstrous rapidity, the fungoid growth took hold of our poor bodies.

Nothing we could do would check it materially, And so we who had been human became well.

It matters less each day only we had been man and made, And day by day the fight is more dreadful To withstand the hunger lust for the terrible lichen.

A week ago we ate the last of the biscuit, and since that time I have caught three fish.

I was out here fishing tonight when you were sooner drifted upon me out of the mist.

I held you, you know the rest, and may God, out of his great heart, bless you for your goodness to to a couple of poor, outcast souls.

There was a dip of an oar another, then the voice came again, for the last time, sounding through the slight surrounding mist, ghostly and mournful.

God, bless you, good bye, good bye.

We shouted together, hoarsely, our hearts full of many emotions.

I glanced about me.

I became aware that the dawn was upon us.

The sun flung a straight beam across the hidden sea, pierced the mist dully, and lit up the receding boat with a gloomy fire.

Indistinctly, I saw something nodding between the oars.

I thought of a sponge, a great gray, sotting sponge.

The oars continued fly.

They were gray, as with the boat, and my eyes searched a moment vainly for the conjunction of hand and oar.

My gaze flashed back to the to the head.

It nodded forward as the oars went backward for the stroke.

Then the oars were dipped, the boat shot out of the patch of light, and then the the thing went nodding into the mist end of The Voice in the Night by William Hope Hodgson