Half an hour passed, Barbara was panting. Her face was red, covered in beads of sweat.

"Are you tired?" Philip rubbed her forehead again.

"No."

"Why don't we rest for a while? With those red cheeks and that sigh, you look like you've had a night's exercise. I don't want any other men to see you like this."

Barbara laughed faintly. "But we can't rest in the middle of the stairs like this. We could disturb other climbers."

Philip pointed at a point, not far above them. "There's a place ...