Bid the man be silent, or drive him away.

Let him trouble me no more." The lamp flame sank low.

It flickered, once, twice, thrice, each time showing the pale, drawn faces of us six seated about it, like wizards making an incantation, like corpses in a tomb.
Then it went out.
How long were we in that place after this?
At least three whole days and nights, I believe, if not more, but of course we soon lost all count of time.

At first we suffered agonies from famine, which we strove in vain to assuage with great draughts of water.

No doubt these kept us alive, but even Higgs, who it may be remembered was a teetotaller, afterwards confessed to me that he has loathed the sight and taste of water ever since.