THE JAIL
and a half every day from wall to wall, we shall cover six kilometres, then two kilometres during our half hour's morning exercise in the yard, in the afternoon another two—ten kilometres altogether, that is enough. Messrs. Fels and Goldenstein, you join me and we will begin. And the rest of you arrange among yourselves, it's a pity to lose a single minute."
I concluded this speech, the censorists, Fels and Goldenstein joined me, and away we went.
The others talked it over and agreed that it was right.
A rhythm bore us along, the two censorists were glad that the time passed and that it was good for their health. The others looked at us. Mr. Karl intoned the Radetzky march to the sergeant's accompaniment.
"How do you manage to keep so calm?" Mr. Fels asked me.
"It's my clear conscience."
"And if they condemn you?"
"They will condemn themselves. Even if I were going to the gallows, I would whistle the Marseillaise."
"You Czechs are a wonderful nation."
The room rumbled beneath our steps. Mr. Smrecsanyi wanted to join in. "Go away" Mr. Fels snubbed him, "you don't belong to our squad. The order is only in threes."
Just before noon Mr. Fiedler arrived and ordered everybody to go to the office. The smoking requisites were there. Twenty men dashed out of the room and down the corridor as if it were a matter of returning to the other world.
After a while they were back again and clouds of smoke quivered through the air and glided away through the bars of the windows. Payment and distribution took place. Voronin, the orderly, took and stored away cigars and cigarettes, thanking with his quiet:
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