Sir David Suchet

But I know it was remarkable enough to attract my notice, even though his figure was foreshortened and shadowed down in the deep trench, and mine was high above him, so steeped in the glow of an angry sunset that I had shaded my eyes with my hand before I saw him at all.

Below!

From looking down the line, he turned himself about again, and raising his eyes saw my figure high above him.

Is there any path by which I can come down and speak to you?

He looked up at me without replying, and I looked down at him without pressing him too soon with a repetition of my idle questions.

Just then, there came a vague vibration in the earth and air, quickly changing into a violent pulsation and an oncoming rush that caused me to start back as though it had forced to draw me down.

When such vapour as rose to my height from this rapid train had passed me and was skimming away over the landscape, I looked down again and saw him re-furling the flag he had shown while the train went by.

I repeated my inquiry.

After a pause,

during which he seemed to regard me with fixed attention, he motioned with his rolled-up flag towards a point on my level some two or three hundred yards distant.

I called down to him.

All right.

And made for that point.

There, by dint of looking closely about me, I found a rough, zigzag, descending path, notched out, which I followed.

The cutting was extremely deep and unusually precipitate.

It was made through a clammy stone that became oozier and wetter as I went down.

To these reasons I found the way long enough to give me time to recall a singular air of reluctance or compulsion with which he had pointed out the path.

When I came down low enough upon the zigzag descent to see him again, I saw that he was standing between the rails on the way by which the train had lately passed, in an attitude as if he were waiting for me to appear.

He had his left hand at his chin, and that left elbow rested on his right hand, crossed over his breast.

His attitude was one of such expectation and watchfulness that I stopped a moment, wondering at it.