Heletgotherevolveraltogether，stoodhesitating，thenthrowinghishandsout，strodeforward——andeverythingpassedfromhissight。Hecouldnotseetheman，thewoman，theearth，thesky——sawnothing，asifinthatonestridehehadleftthevisibleworldbehindtostepintoablackanddesertedspace。Heheardscreamsroundhiminthatobscurity，screamslikethemelancholyandpitifulcriesofsea-birdsthatdwellonthelonelyreefsofgreatoceans。Thensuddenlyafaceappearedwithinafewinchesofhisown。Hisface。Hefeltsomethinginhislefthand。Histhroat……Ah！thethinglikeasnake’sheadthatdartsupanddown……Hesqueezedhard。Hewasbackintheworld。Hecouldseethequickbeatingofeyelidsoverapairofeyesthatwereallwhites，thegrinofadrawn-uplip，arowofteethgleamingthroughthedroopinghairofamoustache……Strongwhiteteeth。Knockthemdownhislyingthroat……
Hedrewbackhisrighthand，thefistuptotheshoulder，knucklesout。Fromunderhisfeetrosethescreamsofsea-birds。
Thousandsofthem。Somethingheldhislegs……Whatthedevil……Hedeliveredhisblowstraightfromtheshoulder，feltthejarrightuphisarm，andrealizedsuddenlythathewasstrikingsomethingpassiveandunresisting。Hisheartsankwithinhimwithdisappointment，withrage，withmortification。Hepushedwithhisleftarm，openingthehandwithhaste，asifhehadjustperceivedthathegotholdbyaccidentofsomethingrepulsive——
andhewatchedwithstupefiedeyesWillemstotteringbackwardsingropingstrides，thewhitesleeveofhisjacketacrosshisface。
Hewatchedhisdistancefromthatmanincrease，whileheremainedmotionless，withoutbeingabletoaccounttohimselfforthefactthatsomuchemptyspacehadcomeinbetweenthem。Itshouldhavebeentheotherway。Theyoughttohavebeenveryclose，and……Ah！Hewouldn’tfight，hewouldn’tresist，hewouldn’tdefendhimself！Acur！Evidentlyacur！……Hewasamazedandaggrieved——profoundly——bitterly——withtheimmenseandblankdesolationofasmallchildrobbedofatoy。Heshouted——