Necu se odvajati od tebe.

Izgledace kao da sam bolestan... izgledace pomalo kao da umirem. Tako je to.
Nemoj doci da to gledaš, nema smisla...

Necu se odvajati od tebe.

Ali je on bio zabrinut.

Kažem ti to... i zbog zmije. Ne treba da te ujede... Zmije su zle. Mogu da ujedu iz zadovoljstva...

Necu se odvajati od tebe.

Ali nešto ga umiri:

Istina, one nemaju više otrova za drugi ujed...

Te noci nisam primetio kad je pošao. Pobegao je necujno. Kada sam uspeo da ga stignem, išao je odlucno, brzim korakom. Rece mi samo:

Ah! Tu si...

I uze me za ruku. Ali se još mucio:

Grešiš. Bice ti teško. Izgledacu kao da sam mrtav, a to nece biti istina...

Ja sam cutao..."

"...I ja sam seo jer više nisam mogao da stojim. On rece:

Eto... To je sve...

Još malo je oklevao, zatim ustade. Koraknu. Ja nisam mogao da se maknem.

Blesnu žuta munja kraj njegove noge. On ostade trenutak nepomican. Nije viknuo. Pao je polako kao što pada drvo. Nije se ništa culo zbog peska."

"I shall not leave you," I said.

"I shall look as if I were suffering. I shall look a little as if I were dying. It is like that. Do not come to see that. It is not worth the trouble . . ."

"I shall not leave you."

But he was worried.

"I tell you--it is also because of the snake. He must not bite you. Snakes--they are malicious creatures. This one might bite you just for fun . . ."

"I shall not leave you."

But a thought came to reassure him:

"It is true that they have no more poison for a second bite."

That night I did not see him set out on his way. He got away from me without making a sound. When I succeeded in catching up with him he was walking along with a quick and resolute step. He said to me merely:

"Ah! You are there . . ."

And he took me by the hand. But he was still worrying.

"It was wrong of you to come. You will suffer. I shall look as if I were dead; and that will not be true . . ."

I said nothing. .."

"I too sat down, because I was not able to stand up any longer.

"There now--that is all . . ."

He still hesitated a little; then he got up. He took one step. I could not move.

There was nothing but a flash of yellow close to his ankle. He remained motionless for an instant. He did not cry out. He fell as gently as a tree falls. There was not even any sound, because of the sand.. ."