Похищенный
Chapter 20
Iwasbythistimeafraidofbutonethingintheworld;andthatwastobesetbackupontherock;anythingelsewaswelcometome;sowegotourselvesatonceinmarchingorder,andbegantoslipfromrocktorockoneaftertheother,nowcrawlingflatonourbelliesintheshade,nowmakingarunforit,heartinmouth.
Thesoldiers,havingsearchedthissideofthevalleyafterafashion,andbeingperhapssomewhatsleepywiththesultrinessoftheafternoon,hadnowlaidbymuchoftheirvigilance,andstooddozingattheirpostsoronlykeptalook-outalongthebanksoftheriver;sothatinthisway,keepingdownthevalleyandatthesametimetowardsthemountains,wedrewsteadilyawayfromtheirneighbourhood.ButthebusinesswasthemostwearingIhadevertakenpartin.Amanhadneedofahundredeyesineverypartofhim,tokeepconcealedinthatunevencountryandwithincryofsomanyandscatteredsentries.Whenwemustpassanopenplace,quicknesswasnotall,butaswiftjudgmentnotonlyofthelieofthewholecountry,butofthesolidityofeverystoneonwhichwemustsetfoot;fortheafternoonwasnowfallensobreathlessthattherollingofapebblesoundedabroadlikeapistolshot,andwouldstarttheechocallingamongthehillsandcliffs.
Bysundownwehadmadesomedistance,evenbyourslowrateofprogress,thoughtobesurethesentryontherockwasstillplainlyinourview.Butnowwecameonsomethingthatputallfearsoutofseason;andthatwasadeeprushingburn,thattoredown,inthatpart,tojointheglenriver.
