Atfirsttherewereotherfugitives，butwedidnotminglewiththem。
　　Someescapednorthward，somewerecaughtinthetorrentofpeasantrythatsweptalongthemainroads；manygavethemselvesintothehandsofthesoldieryandweresentnorthward。Manyofthemenwereimpressed。Butwekeptawayfromthesethings；wehadbroughtnomoneytobribeapassagenorth，andIfearedformyladyatthehandsoftheseconscriptcrowds。WehadlandedatSalerno，andwehadbeenturnedbackfromCava，andwehadtriedtocrosstowardsTarantobyapassoverMountAlburno，butwehadbeendrivenbackforwantoffood，andsowehadcomedownamongthemarshesbyPaestum，wherethosegreattemplesstandalone。IhadsomevagueideathatbyPaestumitmightbepossibletofindaboatorsomething，andtakeoncemoretosea。Andthereitwasthebattleovertookus。
　　“Asortofsoul-blindnesshadme。PlainlyIcouldseethatwewerebeinghemmedin；thatthegreatnetofthatgiantWarfarehadusinitstoils。Manytimeswehadseentheleviesthathadcomedownfromthenorthgoingtoandfro，andhadcomeupontheminthedistanceamidstthemountainsmakingwaysfortheammunitionandpreparingthemountingoftheguns。Oncewefanciedtheyhadfiredatus，takingusforspies——atanyrateashothadgoneshudderingoverus。
　　Severaltimeswehadhiddeninwoodsfromhoveringaeroplanes。
　　“Butallthesethingsdonotmatternow，thesenightsofflightandpain……WewereinanopenplacenearthosegreattemplesatPaestum，atlast，onablankstonyplacedottedwithspikybushes，emptyanddesolateandsoflatthatagroveofeucalyptusfarawayshowedtothefeetofitsstems。HowIcanseeit！Myladywassittingdownunderabush，restingalittle，forshewasveryweakandweary，andIwasstandingupwatchingtoseeifIcouldtellthedistanceofthefiringthatcameandwent。Theywerestill，youknow，fightingfarfromeachother，withthoseterriblenewweaponsthathadneverbeforebeenused:gunsthatwouldcarrybeyondsight，andaeroplanesthatwoulddo——WhatTHEYwoulddonomancouldforetell。
　　“Iknewthatwewerebetweenthetwoarmies，andthattheydrewtogether。Iknewwewereindanger，andthatwecouldnotstopthereandrest！
　　“Thoughallthesethingswereinmymind，theywereinthebackground。
　　Theyseemedtobeaffairsbeyondourconcern。Chiefly，Iwasthinkingofmylady。Anachingdistressfilledme。Forthefirsttimeshehadownedherselfbeatenandhadfallena-weeping。BehindmeIcouldhearhersobbing，butIwouldnotturnroundtoherbecauseIknewshehadneedofweeping，andhadheldherselfsofarandsolongforme。Itwaswell，Ithought，thatshewouldweepandrestandthenwewouldtoilonagain，forIhadnoinklingofthethingthathungsonear。EvennowIcanseeherasshesatthere，herlovelyhairuponhershoulder，canmarkagainthedeepeninghollowofhercheek。
　　“’Ifwehadparted，’shesaid，“ifIhadletyougo。’
　　“’No，’saidI。’Evennow，Idonotrepent。Iwillnotrepent；
　　Imademychoice，andIwillholdontotheend。“
　　“Andthen——
　　“Overheadintheskysomethingflashedandburst，andallaboutusIheardthebulletsmakinganoiselikeahandfulofpeassuddenlythrown。Theychippedthestonesaboutus，andwhirledfragmentsfromthebricksandpassed……“
　　Heputhishandtohismouth，andthenmoistenedhislips。
　　“AttheflashIhadturnedabout……
　　“Youknow——shestoodup——
　　“Shestoodup；youknow，andmovedasteptowardsme——
　　“Asthoughshewantedtoreachme——
　　“Andshehadbeenshotthroughtheheart。“
　　Hestoppedandstaredatme。IfeltallthatfoolishincapacityanEnglishmanfeelsonsuchoccasions。Imethiseyesforamoment，andthenstaredoutofthewindow。Foralongspacewekeptsilence。
　　WhenatlastIlookedathimhewassittingbackinhiscorner，hisarmsfolded，andhisteethgnawingathisknuckles。
　　Hebithisnailsuddenly，andstaredatit。
　　“Icarriedher，“hesaid，“towardsthetemples，inmyarms——asthoughitmattered。Idon’tknowwhy。Theyseemedasortofsanctuary，youknow，theyhadlastedsolong，Isuppose。
　　“Shemusthavediedalmostinstantly。Only——Italkedtoher——alltheway。“
　　Silenceagain。
　　“Ihaveseenthosetemples，“Isaidabruptly，andindeedhehadbroughtthosestill，sunlitarcadesofwornsandstoneveryvividlybeforeme。
　　“Itwasthebrownone，thebigbrownone。Isatdownonafallenpillarandheldherinmyarms……Silentafterthefirstbabblewasover。
　　Andafteralittlewhilethelizardscameoutandranaboutagain，asthoughnothingunusualwasgoingon，asthoughnothinghadchanged……Itwastremendouslystillthere，thesunhigh，andtheshadowsstill；eventheshadowsoftheweedsupontheentablaturewerestill——inspiteofthethuddingandbangingthatwentallaboutthesky。
　　“Iseemtorememberthattheaeroplanescameupoutofthesouth，andthatthebattlewentawaytothewest。Oneaeroplanewasstruck，andoversetandfell。Irememberthat——thoughitdidn’tinterestmeintheleast。Itdidn’tseemtosignify。Itwaslikeawoundedgull，youknow——flappingforatimeinthewater。Icouldseeitdowntheaisleofthetemple——ablackthinginthebrightbluewater。
　　“Threeorfourtimesshellsburstaboutthebeach，andthenthatceased。Eachtimethathappenedallthelizardsscuttledinandhidforaspace。Thatwasallthemischiefdone，exceptthatonceastraybulletgashedthestonehardby——madejustafreshbrightsurface。
　　“Astheshadowsgrewlonger，thestillnessseemedgreater。
　　“Thecuriousthing，“heremarked，withthemannerofamanwhomakesatrivialconversation，“isthatIdidn’tTHINK——Ididn’tthinkatall。Isatwithherinmyarmsamidstthestones——inasortoflethargy——stagnant。
　　“AndIdon’trememberwakingup。Idon’trememberdressingthatday。
　　IknowIfoundmyselfinmyoffice，withmylettersallslitopeninfrontofme，andhowIwasstruckbytheabsurdityofbeingthere，seeingthatinrealityIwassitting，stunned，inthatPaestumtemplewithadeadwomaninmyarms。Ireadmyletterslikeamachine。
　　Ihaveforgottenwhattheywereabout。“
　　Hestopped，andtherewasalongsilence。
　　SuddenlyIperceivedthatwewererunningdowntheinclinefromChalkFarmtoEuston。Istartedatthispassingoftime。Iturnedonhimwithabrutalquestion，withthetoneofNowornever。
　　“Anddidyoudreamagain？“
　　“Yes。“
　　Heseemedtoforcehimselftofinish。Hisvoicewasverylow。
　　“Oncemore，andasitwereonlyforafewinstants。Iseemedtohavesuddenlyawakenedoutofagreatapathy，tohaverisenintoasittingposition，andthebodylaythereonthestonesbesideme。Agauntbody。Nother，youknow。Sosoon——itwasnother……
　　“Imayhaveheardvoices。Idonotknow。OnlyIknewclearlythatmenwerecomingintothesolitudeandthatthatwasalastoutrage。
　　“Istoodupandwalkedthroughthetemple，andthentherecameintosight——firstonemanwithayellowface，dressedinauniformofdirtywhite，trimmedwithblue，andthenseveral，climbingtothecrestoftheoldwallofthevanishedcity，andcrouchingthere。Theywerelittlebrightfiguresinthesunlight，andtheretheyhung，weaponinhand，peeringcautiouslybeforethem。
　　“AndfurtherawayIsawothersandthenmoreatanotherpointinthewall。Itwasalonglaxlineofmeninopenorder。
　　“PresentlythemanIhadfirstseenstoodupandshoutedacommand，andhismencametumblingdownthewallandintothehighweedstowardsthetemple。Hescrambleddownwiththemandledthem。
　　Hecamefacingtowardsme，andwhenhesawmehestopped。
　　“AtfirstIhadwatchedthesemenwithamerecuriosity，butwhenIhadseentheymeanttocometothetempleIwasmovedtoforbidthem。Ishoutedtotheofficer。
　　“’Youmustnotcomehere，’Icried，’_I_amhere。Iamherewithmydead。’
　　“Hestared，andthenshoutedaquestionbacktomeinsomeunknowntongue。
　　“IrepeatedwhatIhadsaid。
　　“Heshoutedagain，andIfoldedmyarmsandstoodstill。Presentlyhespoketohismenandcameforward。Hecarriedadrawnsword。
　　“Isignedtohimtokeepaway，buthecontinuedtoadvance。Itoldhimagainverypatientlyandclearly:’Youmustnotcomehere。
　　TheseareoldtemplesandIamherewithmydead。’
　　“PresentlyhewassocloseIcouldseehisfaceclearly。Itwasanarrowface，withdullgreyeyes，andablackmoustache。Hehadascaronhisupperlip，andhewasdirtyandunshaven。Hekeptshoutingunintelligiblethings，questionsperhaps，atme。
　　“Iknownowthathewasafraidofme，butatthetimethatdidnotoccurtome。AsItriedtoexplaintohimheinterruptedmeinimperioustones，biddingme，Isuppose，standaside。
　　“Hemadetogopastme，AndIcaughtholdofhim。
　　“Isawhisfacechangeatmygrip。
　　“’Youfool，’Icried。’Don’tyouknow？Sheisdead！’
　　“Hestartedback。Helookedatmewithcrueleyes。Isawasortofexultantresolveleapintothem——delight。Then，suddenly，withascowl，heswepthisswordback——SO——andthrust。“
　　Hestoppedabruptly。Ibecameawareofachangeintherhythmofthetrain。Thebrakesliftedtheirvoicesandthecarriagejarredandjerked。Thispresentworldinsisteduponitself，becameclamorous。Isawthroughthesteamywindowhugeelectriclightsglaringdownfromtallmastsuponafog，sawrowsofstationaryemptycarriagespassingby，andthenasignal-box，hoistingitsconstellationofgreenandredintothemurkyLondontwilightmarchedafterthem。Ilookedagainathisdrawnfeatures。
　　“Heranmethroughtheheart。Itwaswithasortofastonishment——
　　nofear，nopain——butjustamazement，thatIfeltitpierceme，feltthesworddrivehomeintomybody。Itdidn’thurt，youknow。
　　Itdidn’thurtatall。“
　　Theyellowplatformlightscameintothefieldofview，passingfirstrapidly，thenslowly，andatlaststoppingwithajerk。
　　Dimshapesofmenpassedtoandfrowithout。
　　“Euston！“criedavoice。
　　“Doyoumean——？“
　　“Therewasnopain，nostingorsmart。Amazementandthendarknesssweepingovereverything。Thehot，brutalfacebeforeme，thefaceofthemanwhohadkilledme，seemedtorecede。Itsweptoutofexistence——“
　　“Euston！“clamouredthevoicesoutside；“Euston！“
　　Thecarriagedooropened，admittingafloodofsound，andaporterstoodregardingus。Thesoundsofdoorsslamming，andthehoof-clatterofcab-horses，andbehindthesethingsthefeaturelessremoteroaroftheLondoncobble-stones，cametomyears。Atruckloadoflightedlampsblazedalongtheplatform。
　　“Adarkness，afloodofdarknessthatopenedandspreadandblottedoutallthings。“
　　“Anyluggage，sir？“saidtheporter。
　　“Andthatwastheend？“Iasked。
　　Heseemedtohesitate。Then，almostinaudibly，heanswered，“No。“
　　“Youmean？“
　　“Icouldn’tgettoher。ShewasthereontheothersideoftheTemple——
　　Andthen——“
　　“Yes，“Iinsisted。“Yes？“
　　“Nightmares，“hecried；“nightmaresindeed！MyGod！Greatbirdsthatfoughtandtore。“
　　End