If he could do that, he could keep his hold upon his consciousness, the touch of the billets would remind him, the heat and the roar of the fire would keep him awake and in his right mind.
He raised himself slowly and put his uninjured foot to the floor.

Then, with both hands he lifted the other leg off the bench.

He was conscious of an increase of pain, which had seemed impossible.

It shot through and through his whole body; and he saw flames.

There was only one way to do it, he must get down upon his hands and his left knee and drag himself to the furnace in that way.