I woke when a shadow passed over me. It was early evening, and
Lorna Doone was standing between me and the sun.
'John Ridd, are you mad?' she said, taking my hand to pull
me up.
'Not mad, but half asleep,' I answered, wanting to keep her
hand in mine.
'Come away, come away, if you care for your life. The guards
will be here soon. Be quick, John Ridd, and let me hide you.'
But I said, 'I won't move a step, unless you call me John.'
'Well, John, then - John Ridd, be quick if you want to save
your life.'
Without another word, she led me to the hole in the rocks,
and I remembered again how I had escaped through it seven
years ago. There were some low, thick bushes beside it. Lorna
pushed the bushes to one side and showed me a small, narrow
path through the rocks.
I followed her as well as I could, but because of my great size I
hit my knees and arms very often. We soon came to an open
space inside the rock, a little room with high walls of rock all
round it and the blue sky for the ceiling. Lorna had covered the
rock floor with grass and flowers, and it looked very pretty.
'Where are the fresh eggs you promised me, John Ridd?'
she asked.
She thought I had forgotten them, but I had them in my bag. I
took them out one by one and laid twenty-four eggs on the floor.
'Count them,' I said to her.
Lorna looked at them in surprise and began to cry.
'How have I made you cry?' I asked anxiously. 'What have
I done?'
'You haven't done anything,' she answered proudly. 'I just cry
sometimes.You've been very kind — they're not kind to me here.'
Her tears embarrassed me and I said nothing. Lorna walked
away from me. Then she turned, sat down and started to tell me
about her life.
I woke when a shadow passed over me. It was early evening, andLorna Doone was standing between me and the sun.'John Ridd, are you mad?' she said, taking my hand to pullme up.'Not mad, but half asleep,' I answered, wanting to keep herhand in mine.'Come away, come away, if you care for your life. The guardswill be here soon. Be quick, John Ridd, and let me hide you.'But I said, 'I won't move a step, unless you call me John.''Well, John, then - John Ridd, be quick if you want to saveyour life.'Without another word, she led me to the hole in the rocks,and I remembered again how I had escaped through it sevenyears ago. There were some low, thick bushes beside it. Lornapushed the bushes to one side and showed me a small, narrowpath through the rocks.I followed her as well as I could, but because of my great size Ihit my knees and arms very often. We soon came to an openspace inside the rock, a little room with high walls of rock allround it and the blue sky for the ceiling. Lorna had covered therock floor with grass and flowers, and it looked very pretty.'Where are the fresh eggs you promised me, John Ridd?'she asked.She thought I had forgotten them, but I had them in my bag. Itook them out one by one and laid twenty-four eggs on the floor.'Count them,' I said to her.Lorna looked at them in surprise and began to cry.'How have I made you cry?' I asked anxiously. 'What haveI done?''You haven't done anything,' she answered proudly. 'I just crysometimes.You've been very kind — they're not kind to me here.'Her tears embarrassed me and I said nothing. Lorna walkedaway from me. Then she turned, sat down and started to tell meabout her life.
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