The Night Land. William Hope Hodgson

heart and mind that there were but two ways to my search; for without of the Valley, afar up in the dead lonesomeness of the hidden world, was a cold that was shapen ready to Death, and a lacking, as I must believe, of the sweet, needful air that yet did lie in plenty in that deep place of the earth. So that, surely, the mighty Valley somewheres to hold that other Redoubt.

      Yet, as I have said, I went not direct to my journey, but otherwise, for those sound reasons which I did set down a time back.