n, bearing a lamp, and looked round the
room in a sort of angry disgust. Then he said a word to David, and
opening a door went on into a cabin beyond, closing the door behind
him.

Then, in the low light of the smoking lamp, and in the hot and reeking
room, with the foul breathing of the sleepers round him, David spent a
very dreadful hour. He had never in the old days seen so ill a scene;
and it was to him, exhausted by pain and by rage, as if a dark thing
came behind him, and whispered in his secret ear that God regarded not
men at all, and that the evil was stronger than the good, and
prevailed. He tried to put the thought away; but it came all the more
instantly, that what he had seen could not be, if God had indeed power
to rule. It was not only the scene itself, but the thought of what
these men were, and the black things they had doubtless done, the
deeds of murder, cruelty, and lust that were written plainly on all
their faces; all these came like dark shadows and gathered about him.

David stirred a little to ease himself of his pain and stiffness; and
his foot struck against a thing. He looked down, and saw in the shadow
of the table a knife lying, which had fallen from some man's belt. A
thought of desperate joy came into his mind. He bent himself down with
his bound hands, and he contrived to gather up the knife. Then, very
swiftly and deftly, he thrust the haft between his knees; then he
worked the rope that bound his hands to and fro over the blade; the
rope parted, and the blood came back into his numbed fingers with a
terrible pain. But David heeded it not, and stooping down, he cut the
cord that bound his feet; then he rose softly, and sate down again;
for the blood, returning to his limbs, made him feel he could not
stand yet awhile. All was still in the cabin, except for the slow
breathing of those that slept; save that every now and then one of the
sleepers broke into a stifled cry, and muttered words, or stirred in
his sleep.

Presently David felt that he could walk. He pondered for a moment
whether he should take the knife, if he were suddenly attacked; but he
resisted the thought, and left the knife lying on the ground.

Then stepping lightly among the sleepers, he moved like a shadow to
the door; very carefully he stepped; and at each movement or muttered
word he stopped and caught his breath. Suddenly one of the men rose
up, leaning on his arm, and looked at him with a stupid stare; but
Dav