But Shalah had no mercy.

He took me through the dark cedars at the same tireless pace, and in the gloom I could see him flitting ahead of me, his shoulders squared, and his limbs as supple as a race-horse's.

I remember I said over in my head all the songs and verses I knew, to keep my mind from my condition.

I had long ago got and lost my second wind and whatever other winds there be, and was moving less by bodily strength than by sheer doggedness of spirit.

Weak tears were running down my cheeks, my breath rasped in my throat, but I was in the frame of mind that if death had found me next moment my legs would still have twitched in an effort to run.
At an open bit of the forest Shalah stopped and looked at the sky.