The wind was blowing in
fresh puffs, and though I did not open my eyes, I knew that it was moving
the little tufts of bent grass, and the chiding cries of the gulls
seemed to invite me to be done with fear and pain and broken leg, and
fling myself off on to the rocks below.
Then Elzevir spoke. 'John' he said, 'there is no time to play the woman;
another minute of this and we are lost. Pluck up thy courage, keep thy
eyes to the cliff, and forward.'
Yet I could not, but answered: 'I cannot, I cannot; if I open my eyes, or
move hand or foot, I shall fall on the rocks below.'
He waited a second, and then said: 'Nay, move thou must, and 'tis better
to risk falling now, than fall for certain with another bullet in thee
later on.' And with that he shifted his hand from my back and fixed it
in my coat-collar, moving backwards himself, and setting to drag me
after him.
Now, I was so besotted with fright that I would not budge an inch,
fearing to fall over if I opened my eyes. And Elzevir, for all he was so
strong, could not pull a helpless lump backwards up that path. So he gave
it up, leaving go hold on me with a groan, and at that moment there rose
from the under-cliff, below a sound of voices and shouting.
'Zounds, they are down already!' cried Elzevir, 'and have found Maskew's
body; it is all up; another minute and they will see us.
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