Penny Dreadfuls, 1923 · page 67 of 116
The Taking of Helen by John Masefield — page 67: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a page of running prose from the novel *The Taking of Helen*, page 55. A skeptical military officer interrogates soldiers about their search of some ruins, challenging whether they could have thoroughly searched the area given the unbeaten grass. He then questions a man named Nireus, apparently the girl's brother, who has been digging in a gully since daybreak. The dialogue suggests tension between the officer's suspicions and the soldiers' explanations.
📄 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 55 They were commanded by a big, rather fat, fair man with a corrupt face. “Take me into the house,”’ this man said, “and show me exactly where you searched.” Plainly this officer was much less easily satisfied than the others had been. ‘Soon he came into the court- yard and looked among the ruins. “Sergeant, there?” c¢ Sir.’ ‘You say you searched these ruins ?”’ “Yes, sir, thoroughly.” “How could you have searched them thoroughly when the grass isn’t beaten down?”’ “Tl ride through it, sir.”’ “How can they be in grass, man, if it isn’t beaten down? Lieutenant, there !’’ “Oir.’”’ ‘What is this man in the gully?” “The girl’s brother, sir, digging a water-trap.” “You, man, there !”’ “Sir.” ‘Come up here.” Nireus climbed up the side of the gully till he was within a few feet of the officer, who looked at him hard. “How long have you been here?” “All day, sir.”’ ‘What do you mean by all day?” “Since daybreak, sir.’’ “In the gully all the time?” CconnicoaoolKs (C(O)