第 13 节
作者:
连过十一人 更新:2021-02-20 18:44 字数:9322
the same now if it were to come again?〃
〃Yes; it drives me mad even now to think of people fatted with
prosperity; sneering and holding up their hands at poor devils who
have suffered ten times more than the most those soft animals could
bear。 I'm older; I've livedI know things can't be put right by
violencenothing will put things right; but that doesn't stop my
feeling。〃
〃Did you do anything? You must tell me all now。〃
〃We talkedwe were always talking。〃
〃No; tell me everything!〃
Unconsciously she claimed; and he seemed unconsciously to admit her
right to this knowledge。
〃There's not much to tell。 One day we began talking in low voices
Garin began it; he had been in some affair in Russia。 We took an
oath; after that we never raised our voices。 We had a plan。 It was
all new to me; and I hated the whole thingbut I was always hungry;
or sick from taking charity; and I would have done anything。 They
knew that; they used to look at me and Schonborn; we knew that no one
else had any courage。 He and I were great friends; but we never
talked of that; we tried to keep our minds away from the thought of
it。 If we had a good day and were not so hungry; it seemed
unnatural; but when the day had not been goodthen it seemed natural
enough。 I wasn't afraid; but I used to wake up in the night; I hated
the oath we had taken; I hated every one of those fellows; the thing
was not what I was made for; it wasn't my work; it wasn't my nature;
it was forced on meI hated it; but sometimes I was like a madman。〃
〃Yes; yes;〃 she murmured。
〃All this time I was working at the Academie; and learning all I
could。。。。 One evening that we met; Paunitz was not there。 Misek was
telling us how the thing had been arranged。 Schonborn and I looked
at each otherit was warmperhaps we were not hungryit was
springtime; too; and in the Spring it's different。 There is
something。〃
Christian nodded。
〃While we were talking there came a knock at the door。 Lendorf put
his eye to the keyhole; and made a sign。 The police were there。
Nobody said anything; but Misek crawled under the bed; we all
followed; and the knocking grew louder and louder。 In the wall at
the back of the bed was a little door into an empty cellar。 We crept
through。 There was a trap…door behind some cases; where they used to
roll barrels in。 We crawled through that into the back street。 We
went different ways。〃
He paused; and Christian gasped。
〃I thought I would get my money; but there was a policeman before my
door。 They had us finely。 It was Paunitz; if I met him even now I
should wring his neck。 I swore I wouldn't be caught; but I had no
idea where to go。 Then I thought of a little Italian barber who used
to shave me when I had money for a shave; I knew he would help。 He
belonged to some Italian Society; he often talked to me; under his
breath; of course。 I went to him。 He was shaving himself before
going to a ball。 I told him what had happened; it was funny to see
him put his back against the door。 He was very frightened;
understanding this sort of thing better than I didfor I was only
twenty then。 He shaved my head and moustache and put me on a fair
wig。 Then he brought me macaroni; and some meat; to eat。 He gave me
a big fair moustache; and a cap; and hid the moustache in the lining。
He brought me a cloak of his own; and four gulden。 All the time he
was extremely frightened; and kept listening; and saying: 'Eat!'
〃When I had done; he just said: 'Go away; I refuse to know anything
more of you。'
〃I thanked him and went out。 I walked about all that night; for I
couldn't think of anything to do or anywhere to go。 In the morning I
slept on a seat in one of the squares。 Then I thought I would go to
the Gallerien; and I spent the whole day looking at the pictures。
When the Galleries were shut I was very tired; so I went into a cafe;
and had some beer。 When I came out I sat on the same seat in the
Square。 I meant to wait till dark and then walk out of the city and
take the train at some little station; but while I was sitting there
I went to sleep。 A policeman woke me。 He had my wig in his hand。
〃'Why do you wear a wig?' he said。
〃I answered: 'Because I am bald。'
〃'No;' he said; 'you're not bald; you've been shaved。 I can feel the
hair coming。'
〃He put his finger on my head。 I felt reckless and laughed。
〃'Ah!' he said; 'you'll come with me and explain all this; your nose
and eyes are looked for。'
〃I went with him quietly to the police…station。。。。〃
Harz seemed carried away by his story。 His quick dark face worked;
his steel…grey eyes stared as though he were again passing through
all these long…past emotions。
The hot sun struck down; Christian drew herself together; sitting
with her hands clasped round her knees。
X
〃I didn't care by then what came of it。 I didn't even think what I
was going to say。 He led me down a passage to a room with bars
across the windows and long seats; and maps on the walls。 We sat and
waited。 He kept his eye on me all the time; and I saw no hope。
Presently the Inspector came。 'Bring him in here;' he said; I
remember feeling I could kill him for ordering me about! We went
into the next room。 It had a large clock; a writing…table; and a
window; without bars; looking on a courtyard。 Long policemen's coats
and caps were hanging from some pegs。 The Inspector told me to take
off my cap。 I took it off; wig and all。 He asked me who I was; but
I refused to answer。 Just then there was a loud sound of voices in
the room we had come from。 The Inspector told the policeman to look
after me; and went to see what it was。 I could hear him talking。 He
called out: 'Come here; Becker!' I stood very quiet; and Becker went
towards the door。 I heard the Inspector say: 'Go and find Schwartz;
I will see after this fellow。' The policeman went; and the Inspector
stood with his back to me in the half…open door; and began again to
talk to the man in the other room。 Once or twice he looked round at
me; but I stood quiet all the time。 They began to disagree; and
their voices got angry。 The Inspector moved a little into the other
room。 'Now!' I thought; and slipped off my cloak。 I hooked off a
policeman's coat and cap; and put them on。 My heart beat till I felt
sick。 I went on tiptoe to the window。 There was no one outside; but
at the entrance a man was holding some horses。 I opened the window a
little and held my breath。 I heard the Inspector say: 'I will report
you for impertinence!' and slipped through the window。 The coat came
down nearly to my heels; and the cap over my eyes。 I walked up to
the man with the horses; and said: 'Good…evening。' One of the horses
had begun to kick; and he only grunted at me。 I got into a passing
tram; it was five minutes to the West Bahnhof; I got out there。
There was a train starting; they were shouting 'Einsteigen!' I ran。
The collector tried to stop me。 I shouted: 'Businessimportant!'
He let me by。 I jumped into a carriage。 The train started。〃
He paused; and Christian heaved a sigh。
Harz went on; twisting a twig of ivy in his hands: 〃There was another
man in the carriage reading a paper。 Presently I said to him; 'Where
do we stop first?' 'St。 Polten。' Then I knew it was the Munich
expressSt。 Polten; Amstetten; Linz; and Salzburgfour stops before
the frontier。 The man put down his paper and looked at me; he had a
big fair moustache and rather shabby clothes。 His looking at me
disturbed me; for I thought every minute he would say: 'You're no
policeman!' And suddenly it came into my mind that if they looked
for me in this train; it would be as a policeman!they would know;
of course; at the station that a policeman had run past at the last
minute。 I wanted to get rid of the coat and cap; but the man was
there; and I didn't like to move out of the carriage for other people
to notice。 So I sat on。 We came to St。 Polten at last。 The man in
my carriage took his bag; got out; and left his paper on the seat。
We started again; I breathed at last; and as soon as I could took the
cap and coat and threw them out into the darkness。 I thought: 'I
shall get across the frontier now。' I took my own cap out and found
the moustache Luigi gave me; rubbed my clothes as clean as possible;
stuck on the moustache; and with some little ends of chalk in my
pocket made my eyebrows light; then drew some lines in my face to
make it older; and pulled my cap well down above my wig。 I did it
pretty wellI was quite like the man who had got out。 I sat in his
corner; took up his newspaper; and waited for Amstetten。 It seemed a
tremendous time before we got there。 From behind my paper I could
see five or six policemen on the platform; one quite close。 He
opened the door; looked at me; and walked through