where any spectacle is well worth looking at), and at first, as they

approach, I see no more than that they are six soldiers with a tall

man bound, and that they are almost black to my sightexcept on

the side of the sun going to bed, where they have a red edge,

messieurs. Also, I see that their long shadows are on the hollow

ridge on the opposite side of the road, and are on the hill above it,

and are like the shadows of giants. Also, I see that they are covered

with dust, and that the dust moves with them as they come, tramp,

tramp! But when they advance quite near to me, I recognise the

tall man, and he recognises me. Ah, but he would be well content

to precipitate himself over the hillside once again, as on the

evening when he and I first encountered, close to the same spot!”

He described it as if he were there, and it was evident that he

saw it vividly; perhaps he had not seen much in his life.

“I do not show the soldiers that I recognise the tall man; he

does not show the soldiers that he recognises me; we do it, and we

know it, with our eyes. ‘Come on!’ says the chief of that company,

pointing to the village, ‘bring him fast to his tomb!’ and they bring

him faster. I follow. His arms are swelled because of being bound

so tight, his wooden shoes are large and clumsy, and he is lame.

Because he is lame, and consequently slow, they