banister

“I saw one man, he got tired, and he went over to the banister and he jumped off and killed himself,” she says.

Fearing to lose his way, he bawls over the banister, and through the corridors, “Is any one there?”

The hall was as black as a dungeon, but by groping around she found the banister rail, and so made her way upstairs.

Nicole turned to see her father climbing up the stairs, pulling himself along on the banister and leaning on his walking stick.

With a startled cry he lunged forward, clutching at the banister to steady his blundering descent.

Convulsively grasping the banister with both hands, his broad shoulders formed a mighty buttress against the pressing flood.