The Sorrows of Belgium / A Play in Six Scenes

rge cold room with a vaulted ceiling, which resembled an office, where people worked n

trying not to look at each other, they crowded together in an awkward, absent-minded group. Now that they were together, they felt somewhat ashamed of what each of them had experien

ast or too slowly. Sometimes they seemed to choke with their words and repeated them a number of times; sometimes they did not finish a phrase they had started, or thought they had finished-they did not notice it. They all blinked their eyes and examined ordinary objects curiously, not recognizing them, like people who had worn eye-glasses and had

hem, he looked strange and terrible. Werner became agitat

chka? Is it possible that h

distance, as though not recogni

matter with you? Never mind, my dear, never mind, it

d no longer say anything, a dull, belated, terribl

ight. I ho

he re

ld my

was del

at's the way. Good

nd he thought with instant sorrow: "From where is he looking? From where is he sp

hear? I love

uch," answered the tongu

th an expression of surprise, she said like a

ou never before said 'I love' to anybody. An

hy

ntuating what he felt, Werne

t to the others,-it isn't necessary, I f

e plunged in darkness. It is thus that in the flash of lightning all other ligh

Musya, "ye

swered, "yes

between them at this moment. And his eyes glistening, Wern

ryo

crying with maternal pride, she tug

im, I am wearing myself to death, and h

e Mueller system

t his brow

rner. I have convinced

ise-became the same as they used to be. They did not notice this, however, and thought that they ha

eryozha. You are

rstand," said Golovin

sed. Altogether the jailers were extremely kind; even too kind. It was as if they tried partly to show themselves humane an

" Werner pointed at Vasi

," Musya nodd

with Vasya.... I will go alone. That d

warm, moist wind. And the really wonderful spring night was filled with the odor of melting snow, and through the boundless space the noise of drops resounded. Hastily and frequently, as though trying to overtake one another, little drops were falling, striking in unison a ringing tune. Suddenly one of

nd held his breath, as though he regretted t

uch weather?" inquired W

the polite answer. "Before tha

he darkness-there where the lantern was shaking at the gate. The convoys like gray silhouettes surroun

to climb into the carriage, t

ody else going

was sur

going? Oh, yes! Anot

ssed close to the side of the carriage. By the reflection of the lantern Werner noticed the

me, co

carriage started, that he suddenly asked i

are

to hanging for the att

. They must

stery, in order to pass from Life to Death-and they were introducing each other. Life and Death moved

e you don

ter with a knife

falling asleep. Werner found his flabby hand in the

fraid?" as

want to b

sed it firmly between his dry, burning palms. Yanson's hand lay moti

even more intensely in this small, stifling, moving box, than outside. The carriage kept turning now to the right, now to the left, now it seemed to turn back. At times it seemed as though they had been turning around on one and the same spot for hours for some reason or other. At first a bluish electric light penetrated through the lowered, heavy window shades; then sud

s somewhat dizzy from the continuous turning of th

ke saying something especially kind and caressing to this little, sleepy

omfortably, my dear man.

nt for awhile,

tting all right. Are the

ed his hand easily and freely, as though he were speaking of some absurd an

a wife?" a

no wife. I

lone. Alone,

d experienced the same sensation and mingled with sorrow and fear there was a vague joy as they anticipated the extraordinary thing that was soon to befall th

He seized the knob. The gendarme opened the weak fingers and pulled his hand away. Then Yanson seized the corner of the carriage, the door, the high wheel, but immediately let it go upon the slighte

on the way needed no bright light, no commotion. Suddenly Werner began to feel weary. It was not fear, nor anguish, but a feeling of enormous, painful, tormenting weariness which makes on

it," said Werner wearily. Yanson

ars, Werner found himself near Sergey Golovin; Sergey, pointing with his hand somewhere aside, began to say s

ay?" asked Wern

. Werner looked around. Indeed, the lamp in the lantern was sm

t is sm

have I to do with the smo

as he glanced quickly at Werner and

k to the boards of the platform. Then he bent his knees and fell into the arms of the gendarmes, his feet dangled like those of a very

everything as they did. But on boarding the platform of the car, he stumbled, and a gendarme to

A

Vasily was silent, trembling in every limb. Th

eep him from f

ut to take him by the arm. But Vasily drew back

A

it is I,

t touch me. I

d seated himself in a corner. Bending over to Musya, We

about

voice. "He is dead already. Werner, te

hat there is no such thing," replie

I was tortured with him in the carria

some people. Meanwhile, perhaps, but later there will be no death

paled cheeks flus

ist, Werne

any longer. Just th

entered, stamping noisily with his heels, breathing loudly

ake it so that I am comfortable here, otherwise I won't go-hang me here on the lamp-post. Wh

forward to the others. Out of the disheveled frame of hair and beard hi

wled out. "So that's wh

him. And bending closely over to him, he winked o

too?

smiled

of us to

ll

felt everybody with his eyes, stopping for an instant lo

Minis

Minister

master, that's what I am. An ordinary murderer. Never mind, master, move away a little, I haven't

ed hair. But all looked at him silently and seriously, even with apparent interest.

s the song run? 'Don't rustle, O

e 'master,' since

me? There is a master for you"; and he pointed with his finger at the silent gendarme. "Eh, that fellow there is n

ered the h

d of. Only a dog wags his tail and snarls when he is taken to be hang

n, curled up into a motionless bundle, pressed closely into the corner. The flaps

ed his e

ganok. "Why are such p

eways at Musya; now turning quickly, he sta

she is laughing. Look, she is really laughing," he said, clasping

usya also gazed straight into hi

t run over somebody. It was strange to think that so much humane painstaking care and exertion was being introduced into the business of hanging people; that the most insane deed on earth was being committ

ll stop for f

riendliness, watching how Yanson's fingers took the cigarette, how the

aid Yanson;

nge!" sai

Werner turned aroun

-the ci

rprise, even with terror. And all fixed their eyes upon the little tube, from the end of which smoke was issuing,

's out," s

he ligh

arette, was hanging loosely, as if dead. Suddenly Tsiganok turned quickly, bent over to Wer

he convoys? Suppose

ied, also in a whisper. "We sh

m, he strikes me, and you don't even know how the t

d Werner, and turned to Yanson

y had pulled strings which set all the wrinkles in motion. And, as in

a! aha! aha! Why should I

, weeping freely, petted him on the arm, and ad

own! my dear! Poor, unf

ok caught her glance and g

aid, with an abrupt laugh. But suddenly his own face became bl

kened their speed. All, except Yanson and

e station,"

chest almost burst, beating in the throat, tossing about madly-shouting in horror with its blood-filled voice. And the eyes looked upon the quiv

in had

s apparition moved about, spoke soundlessly, walked noiselessly, suffered without suffering. As in a dream, they walked out of the car, formed into parties

d the steps o

" asked some one

," answered anoth

esh, strong breath of air was wafted. The feet slipped, sometimes sinking into the snow, and involuntarily the hands of the comrades clung to e

road? Did they want us to t

se apologiz

nor. But it is thawing

risoners, but not completely,-in fragments, in strange

impossible to

and of the melting snow. And everything became unusually clear to the consciousness: the forest, the night, the r

most four

started t

dawns a

at five. We

le distance away, beyond the bare trees, two smal

y rubbers," said

rner, not understa

rubber.

e's V

know. The

d, gloomy,

ere is

Is that yo

o move about silently with terrible suggestiveness. On the left, the bare forest seemed to be g

n, inhaling the air with nose

swered s

h is as broad

s that,

ot hold my love, which

choed Sergey, thoughtfully, carried away

sea," repeated Werner, and suddenl

ow young

ed warmly, out of breath,

! what's that? There-where the lanterns are

siganok was writhing in

other good-by," sa

ad the sentence," answered

t him people were busying themselves.

Will you be through soon?"

b his ears with snow! He is coming to hi

n the white, gloveless hands holding it. Both the paper an

sary to read the sentence to you. Y

ed for them all, and the littl

st were also declined by

ill forgive me, but they will ha

ly and disappeared. Day was breaking: the snow turned whiter, the figures

Take your places in pairs as you

who was now standing, su

And you, Seryozha, ta

y we

ll we not?" asked Tanya Kovalchuk. "C

they felt his teeth; Yanson softly, drowsily, with his mouth half

gone a few steps, Kashirin suddenly s

by, co

ade," they sho

ess. They awaited an outcry, a voice, some kind of noise-but it was just a

They looked about. It was Tsiganok, writhing in

it became quiet. Tsiganok was writhin

o alone? It's livelier to die toge

hand, his fingers clut

u come with me? Eh? Do me

nswered

ar fellow. I am

go alone, then? My G

d forward an

y go wi

and rolled the white

th

es

girl! And you're not afraid? If

am not

nok g

m a murderer? Don't you despise me? You had

k quickly, and, throwing her arms about his neck, kissed him firmly upon his lips. He took her by the shoulders with his f

om

his gun drop. He did not stoop down to regain it, but stood for an instant motionless,

called out another so

difficulty. Then he must have stumbled over something, for he waved hi

I'll pick it up," said Tsiganok sternly to th

ve about busily again. Now it w

in the other world, you'll see! Don't turn away from me. When you

od-

be hanged!" sai

m stop and fall down in the snow. Soldiers bent over him, lifted him up and carried him on, and he

le yellow lanterns

valchuk mournfully, "must I go a

hka, d

took her pa

t some one would take her away from him, he sa

rderer!... Understand? I can't go alone! Where are you going, you murderer? they will ask me. Why, I even stole

et me kiss you onc

anok. "That's a woman's job! You mu

by force of habit raising her skirts slightly. And the man led her to dea

around Tanya Kovalchuk. The soldiers were silent,

eryozha is dead, Werner is dead-and Vasya, too. I

s rising o

rrible flowers between the lips, which were covered with bloody foam-the bodies were hurried back along the same road by which they had come-alive. And the sp

n greet the

E