Страница 387 из 896

"I stand aside, messieurs, by my heap of stones, to see the

soldiers and their prisoner pass (for it is a solitary road,

that, 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 sight--except 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 hill-side

once again, as on the evening when he and I first encountered,

close to the same spot!"