MS-WU-MSS008-3-50-1

[1780] I said, or he knew nothing, or he wanted to keep me near him. [1781] It was
towards this fourth hypothesis that in all modesty I leaned, for when
I made to go, he held me back by the sleeve. [1782] So I smartly freed a
crutch and dealt him a b^good blow ^[⁁]dint on the skull. [1783] That calmed him. [1784] The
dirty old man ^[⁁]brute. [1785] I got up and went on. [1786] But I hadn't gone more than a
few paces, and for me at this time a few paces meant something, when
I turned and went back to where he lay, to examine him.

[1787] Seeing that
he had not ceased to breathe,^[₰] I contented myself with giving him a few
warm kicks in the ribs, with my heels. [1788] This is how I went about it.
[1789] I carefuly^ly chose the most favourable position, a few paces from the
body, with my back of course turned to this latter ^[⁁]it. [1790] Then, nicely
balanced on my crutches, I began to swing, backwards, forwards, feet
pressed together, or rather legs pressed together, for how could I press
my feet together, with my legs in the state they were?

[1791] But how could
I press my legs together, in the state they were? [1792] I pressed them together,
that's all I can tell you. [1793] Take it or leave it. [1794] Or I didn't press them
together. [1795] What can that possibly matter? [1796] I swung, that's all that
matters, in an ever-widening arc, until I decided the moment had come,
and launched mysl^elf forward with all my strength and consequently, a
moment later, backward, which gave the desired result.

[1797] Where did I
get this access of vigour.^? [1798] From my weakness perhaps. [1799] The shock knocked
me down. Naturally. [1800] I came a cropper. [1801] You can't have everything, I've
often noticed it. [1802] I rested a moment, then got up, picked up my crutches,
took up my position on the other side of the body,^[₰] and devoted ^[⁁]applied myself
with method to the same exercise. [1803] I always had a mania for symmetry.

[1804] But I must have aimed a little low and one of my heels sank in something
soft. [1805] However. For if I had missed the ribs, with that heel, I had no
doubt landed in the kidney, oh not hard enough to burst it, no, I fancy
not. [1806] People imagine, because you are old, poor, crippled, terrified,