Chapter 75

Above his head the sky stretched in a cold, dark-blue oval, cupping the city like an iron palm covered with silk. The wind blew, hard, icy, without ceasing. It seemed to him that he had already been placed in one corner and could not escape from the corner he had found himself in, and in order to know that he still had the gun in his hand he had to look at it, for his hand no longer had any feeling. He had to be sure that the gun was with him and that he was willing to use the gun to keep himself safe. He had to be sure that the gun would serve its purpose when the time came and he would use it properly and accordingly.

Then he was stiff with fear. There were pounding feet right below him. They were on the top floor now. Ought he to run to the roof to his right? Ought he to stay where he was and not move? But he had seen no one search that roof; if he ran he might come face to face with someone coming up to meet him.

He looked round, thinking that maybe someone was creep