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every step that brought him nearer, their courage and strength seemed to
desert them.
As he came about level with the pit, he paused, and turned his face full
upon the lads.
"Mary be my shield! He sees us!" said Matcham, faintly.
"
Hush!" whispered Dick. "He doth but hearken. He is blind, fool!"
The leper looked or listened, whichever he was really doing, for some
seconds. Then he began to move on again, but presently paused once more,
and again turned and seemed to gaze upon the lads. Even Dick became
dead-white and closed his eyes, as if by the mere sight he might become
infected. But soon the bell sounded, and this time, without any farther
hesitation, the leper crossed the remainder of the little heath and
disappeared into the covert of the woods.
"
"
He saw us," said Matcham. "I could swear it!"
Tut!" returned Dick, recovering some sparks of courage. "He but heard
us. He was in fear, poor soul! An ye were blind, and walked in a
perpetual night, ye would start yourself, if ever a twig rustled or a
bird cried 'Peep.'"
"Dick, good Dick, he saw us," repeated Matcham. "When a man hearkeneth,
he doth not as this man; he doth otherwise, Dick. This was seeing; it
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