“Two nights—except for one leetla piece of bread—O—O—I fin’ it in my pocket. Grace! I have travel so far. Jesu, I think it ees ten thousan’ miles I go. But I mus’ go on, I mus’ go—O—certainement.”
The light came nearer and nearer. His footsteps quickened, though he staggered now and then, and went like a horse that has run its race, but is driven upon its course again, going heavily with mouth open and head thrown forwards and down.
“But I mus’ to get there, an’ you-you will to help me, eh?”
Again he swayed, but her strong arm held him up. As they ran on, in a kind of dog-trot, her hand firm upon his arm—he seemed not to notice it—she became conscious, though it was half dark, of what sort of man she had saved. He was about her own age, perhaps a year or two older, with little, if any, hair upon his face, save a slight moustache. His eyes, deep sunken as they were, she made out were black, and the face, though drawn and famished, had a handsome look. Presently she gave him another sip of brandy, and he quickened his steps, speaking to himself the while.
“I haf to do it—if I lif. It is to go, go, go, till I get.”
Now they came to the hut where the firelight flickered on the window-pane; the door was flung open, and, as he stumbled on the threshold, she helped him into the warm room. She almost pushed him over to the fire.
Divested of his outer coat, muffler, cap, and leggings, he sat on a bench before the fire, his eyes wandering from the girl to the flames, and his hands clasping and unclasping between his knees. His eyes dilating with hunger, he watched her preparations for his supper; and when at last—and she had been but a moment—it was placed before him, his head swam, and he turned faint with the stress of his longing. He would have swallowed a basin of pea-soup at a draught, but she stopped him, holding the basin till she thought he might venture again. Then came cold beans, and some meat which she toasted at the fire and laid upon his plate. They had not spoken since first entering the house, when tears had shone in his eyes, and he had said:
“You have safe—ah, you have safe me, and so I will do it yet by help bon Dieu—yes.”
The meat was done at last, and he sat with a great dish of tea beside him, and his pipe alight.
“What time, if please?” he asked. “I t’ink nine hour, but no sure.”