The Desolation of Roslavl
95
These are the horses bought by the Society of Northern-Help.
Everywhere there are notices to the effect that:
—It is not permitted to sell or to buy branded horses under pain of a heavy penalty.
These purchased horses are given out to neighbouring landowners and farmers at a charge of fifteen copecks per day:
—To graze.
Whatever is there for them to graze on in late autumn?
Many horses wander about lost.
They come to the high-road, to the people, to the other horses.
They wander about quietly, somehow helplessly, looking around them with their wise, sad eyes.
As if they were seeking their own people.
Horses at the last gasp of their strength.
