"And then--

"Overhead sky flashed something and burst, and all about us I heard the bullets making noise like handful of peas suddenly thrown They chipped the stones about us, and whirled fragments bricks and passed . "

He put his hand mouth, and then moistened his lips

" flash I had turned about .

" --she stood up--

"She stood up, , and moved step towards me--

" she wanted to reach me--

"And she shot heart "

He stopped and stared at me all that foolish incapacity an Englishman feels occasions I met his eyes for moment, and then stared window For long space we kept silence When at last I looked at him sitting back corner, his arms folded teeth gnawing at his knuckles

He bit his nail suddenly, and stared at it

"I carried her," , "towards the temples, in my arms-- it mattered I don't know why They seemed sort of sanctuary, , they had lasted , I suppose

"She died almost instantly Only-- to her--all the way "

Silence again

" those temples," abruptly, and indeed he had brought those still, sunlit arcades of worn sandstone very vividly before me

"It brown one, the big brown one I sat down on fallen pillar and held her in my arms . Silent first babble was over And after little while the lizards came out and ran about again, nothing unusual was going on, nothing had changed . tremendously still there, the sun high shadows still; even the shadows weeds entablature were still-- thudding and banging that went all sky

"I seem to remember aeroplanes came up south, and battle went away west One aeroplane was struck, and overset and fell I remember that--though it didn't interest me least It didn't seem to signify like wounded gull, --flapping for time water I it down the aisle temple--a black thing bright blue water

"Three or four times shells burst beach, and then that ceased that happened all the lizards scuttled in and hid for space That was all the mischief done, except that once stray bullet gashed the stone hard by--made just fresh bright surface

" shadows grew longer, the stillness seemed greater

"The curious thing," he remarked, manner of man who makes trivial conversation, " I didn't think_--I didn't think at all I sat with her in my arms amidst the stones--in sort of lethargy-- stagnant

"And I don't remember waking up I don't remember dressing that day myself in my office, with my letters all slit open in front of me, and how struck absurdity of being there, seeing that in reality sitting, stunned, Paestum Temple with dead woman in my arms my letters like machine forgotten what they were about "

He stopped, and long silence

Suddenly I perceived that we were running down the incline from Chalk Farm to Euston I started passing I turned on him with brutal question tone of "Now or never "

"And did you dream again ? "

"Yes "

to force himself to finish His voice was very low

"Once more, and as it were only for few instants I seemed suddenly awakened out of great apathy, risen into sitting position, body lay there stones beside me gaunt body Not her, So soon-- not her .

" heard voices know Only clearly that men were coming solitude that was last outrage

"I stood up and walked temple, and then there came into sight--first one man with yellow face, dressed in uniform of dirty white, trimmed with blue, and then several, climbing crest old wall vanished city, and crouching there They were little bright figures sunlight, and there they hung, weapon in hand, peering cautiously before them

"And further away others, and then more at another point wall long lax line of men in open order

"Presently the man I had first seen stood up and shouted command, men came tumbling down the wall and high weeds towards the temple He scrambled down and led them facing towards me, and when me he stopped

"At first I had watched these men with mere curiosity, but when I had seen they meant temple moved to forbid them I shouted officer

"' not come here,' I cried, '_I am here here with my dead '

"He stared, and then shouted question back in some unknown tongue

"I repeated what I had said

"He shouted again, and I folded my arms and stood still Presently he spoke men and came forward He carried drawn sword

"I signed to him away, but he continued to advance him again very patiently and clearly: ' not come here These are old temples, and here with my dead '

"Presently so close I his face clearly narrow face, with dull grey eyes, and black moustache He had scar upper lip, and dirty and unshaven He kept shouting unintelligible things, questions perhaps, at me

" now that afraid of me, but that occur As I tried to explain to him he interrupted me in imperious tones, bidding me, I suppose, stand aside

" past me, and I caught hold of him

" his face change at my grip

"'You fool,' I cried 'Don't ? dead ! '

"He started back He looked at me with cruel eyes

" sort of exultant resolve leap into them--delight Then suddenly, with scowl, he swept his sword back--_so_--and thrust "

He stopped abruptly

I became aware of change rhythm train The brakes lifted their voices carriage jarred and jerked This present world insisted upon itself, became clamorous steamy window huge electric lights glaring down from tall masts upon fog, saw rows of stationary empty carriages passing by, and then signal-box, hoisting its constellation of green and red murky London twilight, marched after them I looked again at his drawn features

"He ran me heart with sort of astonishment--no fear, no pain--but just amazement, that it pierce me, felt the sword drive home into my body It didn't hurt, It didn't hurt at all "

The yellow platform lights came field of view, passing first rapidly, then slowly, and at last stopping with jerk Dim shapes of men passed to and fro without

"Euston ! " cried voice

" -- ? "

" no pain, no sting or smart Amazement and then darkness sweeping over everything The hot, brutal face before me, the face man who had killed me, seemed to recede It swept out of existence--"

"Euston ! " clamoured the voices outside; "Euston ! "

The carriage door opened, admitting flood of sound, and porter stood regarding us The sounds of doors slamming, hoof-clatter of cab-horses, and behind these things the featureless remote roar London cobble-stones, came to my ears truck-load of lighted lamps blazed along the platform

"A darkness, flood of darkness that opened and spread and blotted out all things "

"Any luggage, sir ? " said the porter

" end ? " I asked

to hesitate Then, almost inaudibly, he answered, "_No "

"You mean ? "

"I couldn't get to her She was there other side temple-- And then--"

"Yes," I insisted "Yes ? "

"Nightmares," he cried; "nightmares indeed ! My God ! Great birds that fought and tore "