|
Even now when I think of that nightmare the sweat breaks out upon my brow.
What could I do? My useless fowling-piece was in my hand. What help could I get
from that? I looked desperately round for some rock or tree, but I was in a
bushy jungle with nothing higher than a sapling within sight, while I knew that
the creature behind me could tear down an ordinary tree as though it were a
reed. My only possible chance lay in flight. I could not move swiftly over the
rough, broken ground, but as I looked round me in despair I saw a well-marked,
hard-beaten path which ran across in front of me. We had seen several of the
sort, the runs of various wild beasts, during our expeditions. Along this I
could perhaps hold my own, for I was a fast runner, and in excellent condition.
Flinging away my useless gun, I set myself to do such a half-mile as I have
never done before or since. My limbs ached, my chest heaved, I felt that my
throat would burst for want of air, and yet with that horror behind me I ran
and I ran and ran. At last I paused, hardly able to move. For a moment I
thought that I had thrown him off. The path lay still behind me. And then
suddenly, with a crashing and a rending, a thudding of giant feet and a panting
of monster lungs the beast was upon me once more. He was at my very heels. I
was lost.
|
Aujourd’hui encore, je n’évoque pas ce cauchemar sans qu’il m’en
vienne au front une sueur. Que pouvais-je faire ? Mon fusil ne m’était
d’aucune aide. Je cherchai désespérément des yeux un rocher, un
arbre ; mais je me trouvais au milieu de broussailles que dépassait tout
juste un arbrisseau, et je savais que l’animal qui me donnait la chasse eût
aisément déraciné un arbre ordinaire. Je n’avais de chance que dans la
fuite. Le terrain inégal et coupé rendait la marche difficile. Mais en
promenant de tous les côtés un regard désespéré, je vis devant moi un
sentier très marqué, très battu : déjà, au cours de notre
expédition, nous avions remarqué plusieurs de ces pistes frayées par les
animaux sauvages. Celle-ci m’offrait le salut, s’il ne tenait qu’à mes
jambes. Et m’allégeant de mon fusil, je m’élançai, pour fournir à la
course un demi-mille comme jamais je n’en avais fourni un, comme je n’en ai
pas fourni un depuis. Tous les membres me faisaient mal, je suffoquais, le
manque d’air me brûlait la gorge ; mais, talonné par l’horreur, je
courais, je courais, je courais. Enfin, je m’arrêtai, n’en pouvant plus.
Et soudain, des craquements, des déchirements, un bruit de pieds géants, un
halètement formidable me signalèrent son approche. Il me rattrapait.
J’étais perdu.
|