Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 7
Thentheyrolledmeoverlikealoguponmyback.
Itdidnotseemsobadatfirst.Whentheyclosedmydoor,withclangandclashofleveredboltage,andleftmeintheutterdark,itwaseleveno’clockinthemorning.ForafewminutesIwasawaremerelyofanuncomfortableconstrictionwhichIfondlybelievedwouldeaseasIgrewaccustomedtoit.Onthecontrary,myheartbegantothumpandmylungsseemedunabletodrawsufficientairformyblood.Thissenseofsuffocationwasterrorizing,andeverythumpoftheheartthreatenedtoburstmyalreadyburstinglungs.
Afterwhatseemedhours,andafterwhat,outofmycountlesssucceedingexperiencesinthejacketIcannowfairlyconcludetohavebeennotmorethanhalf-an-hour,Ibegantocryout,toyell,toscream,tohowl,inaverymadnessofdying.Thetroublewasthepainthathadariseninmyheart.Itwasasharp,definitepain,similartothatofpleurisy,exceptthatitstabbedhotlythroughtheheartitself.
Todieisnotadifficultthing,buttodieinsuchslowandhorriblefashionwasmaddening.Likeatrappedbeastofthewild,Iexperiencedecstasiesoffear,andyelledandhowleduntilIrealizedthatsuchvocalexercisemerelystabbedmyheartmorehotlyandatthesametimeconsumedmuchofthelittleairinmylungs.
