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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