Тридцять дев’ять ступенів
Chapter 3
Crouchinglowintherunnelsofthebog,Irantillthesweatblindedmyeyes.ThemooddidnotleavemetillIhadreachedtherimofmountainandflungmyselfpantingonaridgehighabovetheyoungwatersofthebrownriver.
Frommyvantage-groundIcouldscanthewholemoorrightawaytotherailwaylineandtothesouthofitwheregreenfieldstooktheplaceofheather.Ihaveeyeslikeahawk,butIcouldseenothingmovinginthewholecountryside.ThenIlookedeastbeyondtheridgeandsawanewkindoflandscape—shallowgreenvalleyswithplentifulfirplantationsandthefaintlinesofdustwhichspokeofhighroads.LastofallIlookedintotheblueMaysky,andthereIsawthatwhichsetmypulsesracing....
Lowdowninthesouthamonoplanewasclimbingintotheheavens.IwasascertainasifIhadbeentoldthatthataeroplanewaslookingforme,andthatitdidnotbelongtothepolice.ForanhourortwoIwatcheditfromapitofheather.Itflewlowalongthehill-tops,andtheninnarrowcirclesoverthevalleyupwhichIhadcome.Thenitseemedtochangeitsmind,rosetoagreatheight,andflewawaybacktothesouth.
Ididnotlikethisespionagefromtheair,andIbegantothinklesswellofthecountrysideIhadchosenforarefuge.Theseheatherhillswerenosortofcoverifmyenemieswereinthesky,andImustfindadifferentkindofsanctuary.Ilookedwithmoresatisfactiontothegreencountrybeyondtheridge,forthereIshouldfindwoodsandstonehouses.
