MS-HRC-SB-5-10

[1839] whether what he has seen has aroused his intereset to
the extent of appearing worthy of mention, even indirectly.[1840] But
what hope has sustained them, all the time they have been thus em-
ployed?[1841] For it is difficult ^not to suppose them sustained by some hope
or another?[1842] And what is the nature of the change they are on the
look out for, gluing one eye to the hole and closing the other?

[1843] They have no pedagogic purpose in view, that's definite.[1844] There is
no question of imparting to him any instruction whatsoever, for the
moment.[1845] This catechist^'s tongue, honeyed and perfidious, is the
only one they know.[1846] Let him move, let him try and move, that's all
they ask, for the moment.[1847] No matter where he goes, being at the
centre, he will go towards them.[1848] So he is at the centre, there is
a clue of the highest interest, it little matters to what.

[1849] They
look, to see if he has stirred.[1850] He is nothing but a shapeless heap,
without a face capable of reflecting the niceties of a torment,
but the disposition of which, its greater or lesser degree of crouch
or huddledness, is no doubt expressive, for specialists, and
enables them to assess the chances of its suddenly making a bound,
or deragging its coils ^faintly away, as if stricken to death.

[1851] Somewhere in the heap an eye, a wild equine eye, always open, they
must have an eye, they see him possessed of an eye.[1852] No matter where
he goes he will go towards them, towards their song of triumph, when
they know he has moved, or towards their sudden silence, when they
know he has moved, to make him think he did well to move, or towards
the voice growing softer, as if receding, to ma^ke him think he is
drawing away from them, but not yet far enough, whereas he is
drawing nearer, nearer and nearer.

[1853] No, he can't think anything,
can't judge of anything, but the kind of flesh he has is good
enough, will try and go where peace seems to be, drop and lie when
it suffers no more, or suffers less, or can go no further.[1854] Then the
voice will begin again, ^low at first, then louder,
coming from the quarter they want him to retreat from, to make
him think he is pursued and struggle on, towards them.In this

[1855] In this