‘Ah!’ I think, ‘this old woman is my fate. The fate from which there is no escape for man!’
‘No escape! no escape! What madness.... One must try.’ And I rush away in another direction.
I go swiftly.... But light footsteps as before patter behind me, close, close.... And before me again the dark hole.
Again I turn another way.... And again the same patter behind, and the same menacing blur of darkness before.
And whichever way I run, doubling like a hunted hare ... it’s always the same, the same!
‘Wait!’ I think, ‘I will cheat her! I will go nowhere!’ and I instantly sat down on the ground.
The old woman stands behind, two paces from me. I do not hear her, but I feel she is there.
And suddenly I see the blur of darkness in the distance is floating, creeping of itself towards me!
God! I look round again ... the old woman looks straight at me, and her toothless mouth is twisted in a grin.
No escape!