When the silence was at last broken it was not with a prayer. Curses deep and lasting followed that candle to the bottom of the winze, or .what ever else it might be. We had used our matches so generously that ws had only six left, and with the aid of these we began to retrace oiv steps to the ladder*.
Even uow, some years afle*, it gives me the shivers to think of that time. We groped about in the dark fop over an hour, ray companionvassum ing a confidence which I knew they did not feel, while I—well, I cannot describe what I felt. I was seized with almsgiving that sooner or later l would follow the example of the much lamented candle by dropping down a winze, and go out for ever. I made up my mind that if ever I did leave the mine it would be on a bier. [ would not take £ : 00 and live that, brief hour over again.
