The Broad Highway

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.