Тридцять дев’ять ступенів

           ThenfrommyshelterIpeeredback,andsawtheguardandseveralpassengersgatheredroundtheopencarriagedoorandstaringinmydirection.IcouldnothavemadeamorepublicdepartureifIhadleftwithabuglerandabrassband.

           Happilythedrunkenherdprovidedadiversion.Heandhisdog,whichwasattachedbyaropetohiswaist,suddenlycascadedoutofthecarriage,landedontheirheadsonthetrack,androlledsomewaydownthebanktowardsthewater.Intherescuewhichfollowedthedogbitsomebody,forIcouldhearthesoundofhardswearing.Presentlytheyhadforgottenme,andwhenafteraquarterofamile’scrawlIventuredtolookback,thetrainhadstartedagainandwasvanishinginthecutting.

           Iwasinawidesemicircleofmoorland,withthebrownriverasradius,andthehighhillsformingthenortherncircumference.Therewasnotasignorsoundofahumanbeing,onlytheplashingwaterandtheinterminablecryingofcurlews.Yet,oddlyenough,forthefirsttimeIfelttheterrorofthehuntedonme.ItwasnotthepolicethatIthoughtof,buttheotherfolk,whoknewthatIknewScudder’ssecretanddarednotletmelive.IwascertainthattheywouldpursuemewithakeennessandvigilanceunknowntotheBritishlaw,andthatoncetheirgripclosedonmeIshouldfindnomercy.

           Ilookedback,buttherewasnothinginthelandscape.Thesunglintedonthemetalsofthelineandthewetstonesinthestream,andyoucouldnothavefoundamorepeacefulsightintheworld.NeverthelessIstartedtorun.