His knees began to ache.

An occasional sharp pain shot up from them to his hips, and the thong about his neck, which at first he had used as a support for his chin, began to irritate him.

At times he found himself resting upon it so heavily that it shortened his breath, and he was compelled to straighten himself, putting his whole weight on his twisted feet.

It seemed an hour before Neil broke the terrible silence again.

Perhaps it was ten minutes.
"I'm going to begin," he said.