This page needs to be proofread.

I went nowhere.


III


…Yes, they were hard minutes. It was agony. – But I knew how I’d do it.

I knew it by the leaving the estate. Otherwise I wouldn’t get out too quickly from the office.

…Of course, I must to be consistent!

…And the whole night I was dealing with cases.

Then, during the several dark hours, from time to time, blushed short and clear shots:

- I’m, commander-in-chief of black tribunal, performing duties to the revolution.

…Is it my fault, that my mother’s figure didn’t left me this night at all times?

Is it my fault?

…At lunch comes Andryusha, who, gloomy turned:

- Listen! Let me let her out!

Me:

- Whom?

- Your mother!

Me:

(silent)

Then I want to laugh painfully. I can’t cope with my emotions and start laughing at the whole room.

Andryusha grimly looked at me.

It is absolutely unrecognizable.

- Listen. Where is the good of this melodrama?

My naive Andryusha wanted to be shrewd this time. But he was wrong.

Me (beastly)

- Get out!

Andryusha paled again.

Oh, this naive communard definitely doesn’t have a clue. Per se, he doesn’t know, why this crazy diabolical cruelty exists. He sees nothing in my cold wooden face.

Me:

- Call! Find out where the enemy is!

Andryusha:

- Listen!

Me:

- Call! Find out where is the enemy!

In this moment over the estate flashed a piping shell which nearly broke. The windows rang and the echo went on booming through the empty princely rooms.

By the phone pass: Versailles press, they are at hand: from three miles off. Cossack patrols show up near the station: insurgents depart. – Shouted the station horn.

…Andryusha flung out. I flung after him.

…Fumed on. Again haze blushed over the wide horizon. There was cloudy dust over the town. The sun-cuprum, overcast. Only muddy dust raced over a wide horizon. Fantastic blizzards rose from the