Wheeling once, he saw two
broad flames leaping high in wild and splendid rivalry,--one from
Heywood's house, one from the club. He caught also a whirling impression
of many heads and arms, far off, tiny, black, and crowded in rushing
disorder; of pale torches in the road; and of a hissing, snarling shout,
a single word, like "_Sha, sha_!" repeated incessantly in a high key.
The flame at the club shot up threefold, with a crash; and a glorious
criss-cross multitude of sparks flew hissing through the treetops, like
fiery tadpoles through a net.
He turned and ran on, dazzled; fell over some one who lay groaning; rose
on hands and knees, groped in the dust, and suddenly fingered thin,
rough cloth, warm and sopping. In a nausea of relief, he felt that this
was a native,--some unknown dying man, who coughed like a drunkard.
Rudolph sprang up and raced again, following by habit the path which he
and she had traversed at noon. Once, with a heavy collision, he stopped
short violently in the midst of crowded men, who shouted, clung to him,
wrestling, and struck out with something sharp that ripped his tunic.
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