A faint curiosity to go forward, to see what the mines were, perhaps to get a share in what was brought up from them, crossed my mind. But I was afraid of the dark, of the wild uninhabited savage look of the landscape: though when I thought of it, there seemed no reason why a narrow stretch of country between two great towns should be alarming. But the impression was strong and above reason. I turned back to the street in which I had first alighted, and which seemed to end in a great square full of people. In the middle there was a stage erected, from which some one was delivering an oration or address of some sort. He stood beside a long table, upon which lay something which I could not clearly distinguish, except that it seemed alive and moved, or rather writhed, with convulsive twitchings, as if trying to get free of the bonds which confined it. Round the stage in front were a number of seats occupied by listeners, many of whom were women, whose interest seemed to be very great, some of them being furnished with note-books; while a great unsettled crowd coming and going, drifted round--many, arrested for a time as they passed, proceeding on their way when the interest flagged, as is usual to such open-air assemblies. I followed two of those who pushed their way to within a short distance of the stage, and who were strong, big men, more fitted to elbow the crowd aside than I, after my rough treatment in the first place, and the agitation I had passed through, could be. I was glad, besides, to take advantage of the explanation which one was giving to the other. ‘It’s always fun to see this fellow demonstrate,’ he said, ‘and the subject to-day’s a capital one. Let’s get well forward, and see all that’s going on.’ ‘Which subject do you mean?’ said the other; ‘the theme or the example?’ And they both laughed, though I did not seize the point of the wit. ‘Well, both,’ said the first speaker; ‘the theme is nerves: and as a lesson in construction and the calculation of possibilities, it’s fine. He’s very clever at that. He shows how they are all strung to give as much pain and do as much harm as can be; and yet how well it’s all managed, don’t you know, to look the reverse. As for the example, he’s a capital one--all nerves together, lying, if you like, just on the surface, ready for the knife.’ ‘If they’re on the surface I can’t see where the fun is,’ said the other. ‘Metaphorically speaking: of course they are just where other people’s nerves are; but he’s what you call a highly organised nervous specimen. There will be plenty of fun. Hush! he is just going to begin.’