large/9571/short_ghost_and_horror_collection_025_1411_librivox_64kb_mp3/ghohor025_17_various_64kb_62
large/9571/short_ghost_and_horror_collection_025_1411_librivox_64kb_mp3/ghohor025_17_various_64kb
English
9571
In that second and a half Smith was aware of many things: He saved his cousin's life unquestionably; unquestionably also Jones seized the opportunity that otherwise was his cousin's. But it was neither of these reflections that filled Smith's mind. The dominant impression was another. IN THAT SECOND AND A HALF SMITH WAS AWARE OF MANY THINGS HE SAVED HIS COUSIN'S LIFE UNQUESTIONABLY UNQUESTIONABLY ALSO JONES SEIZED THE OPPORTUNITY THAT OTHERWISE WAS HIS COUSIN'S BUT IT WAS NEITHER OF THESE REFLECTIONS THAT FILLED SMITH'S MIND THE DOMINANT IMPRESSION WAS ANOTHER
ither, certainly, was thinking of personal reward; it was merely that each saw the chance by which instant heroism might gain a surprise advantage for their side. The risk was heavy, but there was a chance; and success would mean a decisive result, to say nothing of high distinction for the man who obtained it—if he survived. Smith, being a few yards ahead of his cousin, had the moment in his grasp. He was in the act of dashing forward when something made him pause. A bomb in mid-air, flung from the opposing trench, was falling; it seemed immediately above him; he saw that it would just miss himself, but land full upon his cousin—whose head was turned the other way. By stretching out his hand, Smith knew he could field it like a cricket ball. There was an interval of a second and a half, he judged. He hesitated—perhaps a quarter of a second—then he acted. He caught it. It was the obvious thing to do. He flung it back into the opposing trench. The rapidity of thought is hard to realise. RAGE COULD MAKE USE OF NEITHER CERTAINLY WAS THINKING OF PERSONAL REWARD IT WAS MERELY THAT EACH SAW THE CHANCE BY WHICH INSTANT HEROISM MIGHT GAIN A SURPRISED ADVANTAGE FOR THEIR SIDE THE RISK WAS HEAVY BUT THERE WAS A CHANCE AND SUCCESS WOULD MEAN A DECISIVE RESULT TO SAY NOTHING OF HIGH DISTINCTION FOR THE MAN WHO OBTAINED IT IF HE SURVIVED PSMITH BEING A FEW YARDS AHEAD OF HIS COUSIN HAD THE MOMENT IN HIS GRASP HE WAS IN THE ACT OF DASHING FORWARD WHEN SOMETHING MADE HIM PAUSE A BOMB IN MID AIR FLUNG FROM THE OPPOSING TRENCH WAS FALLING IT SEEMED IMMEDIATELY ABOVE HIM HE SAW THAT IT WOULD JUST MISS HIMSELF BUT LAND FULL UPON HIS COUSIN WHOSE HEAD WAS TURNED THE OTHER WAY BY STRETCHING OUT HIS HAND SMITH KNEW HE COULD FIELD IT LIKE A CRICKET BALL THERE WAS AN INTERVAL OF A SECOND AND A HALF HE JUDGED HE HESITATED PERHAPS A QUARTER OF A SECOND THEN HE ACTED HE CAUGHT IT IT WAS THE OBVIOUS THING TO DO HE FLUNG IT BACK INTO THE OPPOSING TRENCH THE RAPIDITY OF THOUGHT IS HARD TO REALIZE
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