I see
I am mistaken. Could you take me to the depot, then?"
"I shall do nothing of the kind," I answered. "Nobody warned me you
might come here. I was not ready. So--please stay here for to-night.
I have a place where I can find an abode, and tomorrow we can decide
what to do. There is some frozen milk in the pantry and if I don't
return--right where you are sitting in the mattress there is some
money. Good night, Lucie."
"Alex, are you really going?" she asked taking me by the arm, "Are you
_really_ going out just not to be with me? Is it a pose? Or are you
serious? Please don't do it...."
"Good night," I said and went out.
27
A night in a small city of Siberia! One can see only because the snow
is white. No moon, no electricity.... Where is my new Peugeot now? Who
is driving it now? Where is Anton? Whose chauffer is he now, and is
he still a chauffer, or has the wheel of fortune turned and made him
Commissary of Arts, or Commissary of Public Health? Or, true to his
master, was he hanged defending my automobile? Kismet!...
There were only two blocks to the L.--but the snow was so deep and it
was so windy and cold, it seemed to me a good mile, till I reached the
house.
It was dark as usual. As usual it seemed dead. But, when I was quite
close to it, I heard some movement inside and I detected something in
the yard. This something materialized very soon into a couple of evil
faces and rifles with fixed bayonets.
Pages:
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174