Тридцять дев’ять ступенів

           Someimpulsemademeraisemyeyestothehouseopposite,andthereatafirst-floorwindowwasaface.Astheloaferpassedhelookedup,andIfanciedasignalwasexchanged.

           Icrossedthestreet,whistlinggailyandimitatingthejauntyswingofthemilkman.ThenItookthefirstsidestreet,andwentupaleft-handturningwhichledpastabitofvacantground.Therewasnooneinthelittlestreet,soIdroppedthemilk-cansinsidethehoardingandsentthecapandoverallafterthem.Ihadonlyjustputonmyclothcapwhenapostmancameroundthecorner.Igavehimgoodmorningandheansweredmeunsuspiciously.Atthemomenttheclockofaneighbouringchurchstruckthehourofseven.

           Therewasnotasecondtospare.AssoonasIgottoEustonRoadItooktomyheelsandran.TheclockatEustonStationshowedfiveminutespastthehour.AtStPancrasIhadnotimetotakeaticket,letalonethatIhadnotsettleduponmydestination.Aportertoldmetheplatform,andasIentereditIsawthetrainalreadyinmotion.Twostationofficialsblockedtheway,butIdodgedthemandclamberedintothelastcarriage.

           Threeminuteslater,aswewereroaringthroughthenortherntunnels,anirateguardinterviewedme.HewroteoutformeatickettoNewton-Stewart,anamewhichhadsuddenlycomebacktomymemory,andheconductedmefromthefirst-classcompartmentwhereIhadensconcedmyselftoathird-classsmoker,occupiedbyasailorandastoutwomanwithachild