So it was to be a question of endurance? Well, I had caught my
second wind by now. I set my teeth, and, clenching my fists,
lengthened my stride.
And now, indeed, the real struggle began. My pursuer had long
ago abandoned his coat, but his boots were heavier and clumsier
than those I wore; but then, again, my confining shackles seemed
to contract my chest; and the handcuffs galled my wrists cruelly.
On I went, scattering flocks of scampering sheep, past meditative
cows who started up, puffing out snorts of perfume; scrambling
through hedges, over gate and stile and ditch, with eyes upon the
distant woods full of the purple gloom of evening, and, in my
ears, the muffled thud! thud! thud! thud! of the pursuit,
sometimes seeming much nearer, and sometimes much farther off,
but always the same rhythmic, remorseless thud! thud! thud! thud!
On, and ever on, climbing steep uplands, plunging down
precipitous slopes, past brawling brooks and silent pools all red
and gold with sunset, past oak and ash and thorn on and on, with
ever those thudding footfalls close behind. And, as we ran, it
seemed to me that our feet beat out a kind of cadence--his heavy
shoes, and my lighter ones.
Thud! thud!--pad! pad!--thud! thud!--pad! pad! until they would
suddenly become confused, and mingle with each other.
One moment it seemed that I almost loved the fellow, and the next
that I bitterly hated him. Whether I had gained or not, I could
not tell; to look back was to lose ground.
The woods were close now, so close that I fancied I heard the
voice of their myriad leaves calling to me--encouraging me. But
my breath was panting thick and short, my stride was less sure,
my wrists were raw and bleeding, and the ceaseless jingle of my
chain maddened me.
Thud!--thud!--untiring, persistent--thud!--thud!--the pulse at my
temples throbbed in time with it, my breath panted to it. And
surely it was nearer, more distinct--yes, he had gained on me in
the last half-mile--but how much? I cast a look over my
shoulder; it was but a glance, yet I saw that he had lessened the
distance between us by half. His face shone with sweat--his
mouth was a line--his nostrils broad and expanded--his eyes
staring and shot with blood, but he ran on with the same long
easy stride that was slowly but surely wearing me down.
We were descending a long, grassy slope, and I stumbled, more
than once, and rolled in my course, but on came those remorseless
footfalls--thud!--thud!--thud!--thud!--strong and sure as ever.
He was nearing me fast--he was close upon me--closer--within
reach of me. I could hear his whistling breaths, and then, all
at once, I was down on hands and knees; he tried to avoid me
--failed, and, shooting high over me, thudded down upon the grass.