But again, at the remembrance of the task laid upon him, he flung himself prostrate, writhing, and cursing his fate, and shedding tears of panic.

He to beard Basterga! He to betray him! Impossible! Yet if he failed, the rack and the wheel awaited him.

Either way lay danger, on either side yawned torture and death.

And he was a coward.

He wept and shuddered, abandoning himself to a very paroxysm of terror.
When his door was pushed open a minute later, he did not hear the movement; with his head buried in the pillow he did not see the face of wonder, mingled with alarm, which viewed him from the doorway.