The Desolation of Roslavl
107
—We do give. We do more even than we can.
Irritated by fear for themselves, frightened at these "unheard-of people," the little towns and hamlets and the "all-understanding" villages. . . .
Can only express their astonishment at the celerity with which man adapts himself to circumstances.
Where and when have these peasants of yesterday learnt so quickly to build dens and dwelling-places from any sort of rubbish?
It's as if they were born nomads.
It simply makes one wonder.
—Out of what was all this put together? How does it hold?
Some slates stolen from one place, a paling broken somewhere else, an armful of hay, rags brought in by the children—and behold, a dwelling-place.
