He whirls defensively with a
snarling, murderous growl, crouching to spring, his lips drawn
back o'ver his teeth, his small eyes gleaming ferociously. He sees
Mildred, like a white apparition in the full light from the open
furnace doors. He glares into her eyes, turned to stone. As for
her, during his speech she has listened, paralyzed with horror,
terror, her whole personality crushed, beaten in, collapsed, by
the terrific impact of this unknown, abysmal brutality, naked and
shameless. As she looks at his gorilla face, as his eyes bore into
hers, she utters a low, choking cry and shrinks away from him,
putting both hands up before her eyes to shut out the sight of his
face, to protect her own. This startles Yank to a reaction. His
mouth falls open, his eyes grow bewildered.]
MILDRED--[About to faint--to the Engineers, who now have her one
by each arm--whimperingly.] Take me away! Oh, the filthy beast!
[She faints. They carry her quickly back, disappearing in the
darkness at the left, rear. An iron door clangs shut. Rage and
bewildered fury rush back on Yank. He feels himself insulted in
some unknown fashion in the very heart of his pride. He roars:]
God damn yuh! [And hurls his shovel after them at the door which
has just closed. It hits the steel bulkhead with a clang and falls
clattering on the steel floor.
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