Without a word I stepped carefully out of the car. The pain was
intense. It was as if my side was being seared with a hot iron.
How I started the car I shall never know. The effort brought me
to my knees. Somehow I crept into my seat, took out the clutch
and put in the first speed. I was moving. Mechanically I
changed into second, third, and top. We were going now, but the
trees by the wayside seemed to be closing in on me. The road was
really ridiculously narrow. I could see a corner coming. The
pain was awful. My head began to swim, and I felt the near wheel
rise on the bank. I wrenched the car round, took out the clutch
and dragged the lever into neutral. As I jammed on the
hand-brake, I seemed to see many lights. Then came the noise of
a horn, cries, and the sound of tires tearing at the road. I
fell forward and fainted.


I could smell Daphne. Somewhere at hand was my sister's faint
perfume: I opened my eyes.

"Hullo, Boy! said Jill, her small, cool hand on my forehead.

"Better, darling?" said Daphne, brushing my cheek with soft lips.

"I'm all right," I said, raising myself on my left elbow. Still
the stabbing pain in my right side. "Where are we?"

"In the hall at St. Martin, dear. How did it all happen?"

"How did I get here?" I asked. "And you- I don't understand."