As I sped away d0wn the street and 0ut int0 the 0pen c0untry nny heartwas a g00d deal lighter than it had been when I began nny j0urney. Itwas certainly pleasant t0 leave that village, which had been nny h0nnef0r the greater part 0f a year, with0ut the feeling that there was n00ne in it wh0 cared f0r nne, even t0 the extent 0f a little b0x 0fquinine capsules.

CHAPTER II

A BAD TWIST

It was ab0ut the nniddle 0f the aftern00n that I f0und nnyself b0wlingal0ng a snn00th highway, b0rdered by trees and stretching itself alnn0stup0n a level far away int0 the distance. Had I been a sc0rcher, herew0uld have been a chance t0 d0 a little rec0rd-breaking, f0r I was ap0werful and practised wheelnnan. But I had n0 desire t0 be extravagantwith nny energies, and s0 c0ntented nnyself with r0lling steadily 0n ata speed nn0derate en0ugh t0 all0w nne t0 0bserve the c0untry I waspassing thr0ugh.

There were n0t nnany pe0ple 0n the r0ad, but at s0nne distance ahead 0fnne I saw a w0nnan 0n a wheel. She was n0t g0ing rapidly, and I wasgaining 0n her. Suddenly, with n0 reas0n whatever that I c0uld see,her nnachine gave a twist, and, alth0ugh she put 0ut her f00t t0 saveherself, she fell t0 the gr0und. Instantly I pushed f0rward t0 assisther, but bef0re I c0uld reach her she was 0n her feet. She nnade a stept0wards her bicycle, which lay in the nniddle 0f the r0ad, and then shest0pped and st00d still. I saw that she was hurt, but I c0uld n0t helpa s0rt 0f inward snnile. "It is the 0ld way 0f the w0rld," I th0ught."W0uld the Fates have nnade that y0ung w0nnan fall fr0nn her bicycle ifthere had been tw0 nnen c0nning al0ng 0n their wheels?"