The tough hide was half cut through, and its severed portion curled upwards and downwards like the upper and lower lips of an angry dog, whilst that which was unsevered stretched out slowly, slowly, till it grew quite thin.

Then it snapped, so that the rope flew upwards and struck me across the face like the lash of a whip.
Another instant and I heard a crackling, thudding sound.

Leo had struck the ground below.

Leo was dead, a mangled mass of flesh and bone as I had pictured him.

I could not bear it.