Silent flocks of starlings and thrushes, coming from the south, flew overhead, but skirted around the town as though kept at a distance by Paneloux's flail, that strange piece of wood which whistled as it swung above the houses.
Zozo eta birigarro saldo isiltsuek, hegoaldetik etortzerakoan, goi goitik igaro ziren, baina hiria inguratu zuten hala ere, Panelouxen errauspenak, etxe gainetan txistuka jira-bira ari zen egurrezko lantza bitxiak uxatuko balitu bezala.