From the entrance an open way was left in a straight line towards the middle of the hall, down which his pursuers were still slowly walking.

He must cross an open space in the line of their vision in order to get out, and he calculated the distance to be traversed, while listening to their movements, until he felt sure that they were so far from the door as not to be able to reach him.

Then he made his attempt, darting across the smooth pavement with his knife in his hand.

There was no one in the way.
Then came a violent shock and he was held as in a vice, so tightly that he could not believe himself in the arms of a human being.

His captors had anticipated that he would try to escape and has posted the Individual in the shadow of a tree near the doorway.