Penny Dreadfuls, 1923 · page 59 of 116
The Taking of Helen by John Masefield — page 59: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Description This is a page of running prose from the novel *The Taking of Helen* (page 47). The text depicts a scene where soldiers search a gully while a sergeant interrogates a young man (Nireus) about a girl and her brother. After the soldiers depart, Nireus speaks with the girl, who asks what "the worst they have done" is. He replies that the couple "love each other." The girl expresses concern that they were seen by a sharp-featured boy who will likely report them, leading to the soldiers' return with an officer. The dialogue suggests a narrative of concealment and impending danger.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE TAKING OF HELEN 47 follow down this gully to the sea and beat all the scrub. Who is the young fellow here?”’ “The girl’s brother, digging a catchment.” “By God, it’s in the family!” the sergeant said. ‘“She’s dug a scratchment in my cheeks, I know.” He walked with energy but a little unsteadily down into the gully and thrust at the scrub with his lance as he went. His men followed him and did the same: the horse-holders followed slowly along the gully-top lead- ing the horses: Nireus went on with his work. Ina few minutes the soldiers were out of earshot down the gully. Nireus looked up and saw the girl looking down upon him. , “Will you help me shift my mats?” she said. When he had carried her mats indoors for her, she sald : “What is the worst they have done?”’ ‘Love each other,” he said. ‘How did the soldiers miss them ?”’ “They did not look in the right places. Nor in the wrong much, for that matter.”’ “They'll come back,’”’ Nireus said, “for we were seen by a little boy before we came here.” “A little sharp thin boy ?”’ Ves.” “He will tell,” the girl said. ‘‘They will come back.” “Tf they come back with an officer,” Nireus said, COMIICLoe <S (C(O)