villa rubein and other stories-第13节

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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