But I went in a dream, among shadows; with a racing pulse, in a glow from head to heel; conscious of nothing but the touch of Mademoiselle's warm lips on my hand, seeing neither meadow nor house, nor even the dark fringe of wood before me, but only Mademoiselle's passionate face.

For the moment I was drunk: drunk with that to which I had been so long a stranger, with that which a man may scorn for years, to find it at last beyond his reach drunk with the touch of a good woman's lips.
I passed the bridge in this state; and my feet were among the brushwood before the heat and fervour in which I moved found on a sudden their direction.

Something began to penetrate to my veiled senses--a hoarse inarticulate cry, now deep, now shrilling horribly, that of itself seemed to fill the wood.

It came at intervals of half a minute or so, and made the flesh creep, it rang so full of dumb pain, of impotent wrestling, of unspeakable agony.

I am a man and have seen things.