Good Blood | Page 9

knew anything to object to this, and so there fell a general
silence. All at once, however, the circle that had formed around the
table opened and Little L, who had till now been flattening himself
against the farthest corner of the room, came forward into the centre.
His arms hung limp at the side of his body, and his face he kept
lowered to the ground; one saw that he wished to say something, but
could not find the courage.
"Long K was again laying down the law. 'L No. II,' said he, 'has no
right to speak here.'
"But this time he was not so fortunate. He had always been hostile to
the two, no one quite knew why, especially Little L. Moreover, he was
not a bit popular, for as such youngsters have once and for all a
tremendously fine instinct, they may have felt that in this long gawk lay
hidden a perfectly mean, cowardly, wretched spirit. He was one of
those who never venture to attack their equals in size, but bully the
smaller and weaker ones.
"At that broke out a whispering on all sides: 'Little L shall speak! All
the more reason for him to speak.'
"As the little fellow, who was still standing there, ever motionless and
rigid, heard how his comrades were taking his part, suddenly the big
tears rolled down his cheeks; he doubled his two little fists and screwed
them into his eyes and sobbed so heart-breakingly that his whole body
shook from top to bottom and he could not utter a word.
"One of them went up to him and patted him on the back.
"'Take it easy,' said he; 'what is it you wish to say?'
"Little L still kept on sobbing.
"'If--he is shown up--' he then broke out at long intervals--'he will be

dismissed from the corps--and then what will become of him?'
"There was silence everywhere; we knew that the young one was
perfectly right, and that such would be the consequence if we reported
him. Added to this we also knew that the father was poor, and
involuntarily each thought of what his own father would say if he
should learn the same of his son.
"'But you must see yourself/ continued the cadet to Little L, 'that your
brother has done a very contemptible thing and deserves punishment
for it.'
"Little L nodded silently; his feelings were entirely with those who
were censuring his brother. The cadet reflected a moment, then he
turned to the others.
"'I make a proposition,' said he; 'and if it be accepted we will not
disgrace L No. I for life. We will prove on his body whether he has any
honorable feelings left. L No. I. himself shall choose whether he wishes
us to report him or whether we shall keep the matter to ourselves
cudgel him thoroughly for it, and then let the affair be buried.'
"That was an admirable way out. All agreed eagerly.
"The cadet laid his hand on Little L's shoulder. 'Go along, then,' said he,
'and call your brother here.'
"Little L dried his tears and nodded his head quickly--then he was out
of the door and a moment after was back again, bringing his brother
with him.
"Big L ventured to look at no one; like an ox that has been felled on the
forehead, he stood before his comrades. Little L stood behind him, and
never once did his eyes leave his brother's slightest movement.
"The cadet who had made the foregoing proposition began the trial of L
No. I.

"'Does he admit that he took the belt?'
"'He admits it.'
"'Does he feel that he has done something that has made him absolutely
unworthy of being a cadet any longer?'
"'He feels it.'
"'Does he choose that we report him to the captain or that we thrash
him soundly and that the matter shall then be buried?'
"'He prefers to be soundly thrashed.'
"A sigh of relief went through the whole hall.
"It was determined to finish the matter at once then and there.
"One of the boys was sent out to fetch a rattan, such as we used for
beating our clothes.
"While he was gone we tried to induce Little L to leave the hall, so that
he should not be present at the execution.
"But he shook his head silently; he wished to remain on hand.
"As soon as the rattan came, Big L was made to lie face down on the
table, two cadets seized his hands and drew him forward, two others
took him by the feet so that his body lay stretched out lengthwise. The
tallow candles were taken from the table and lifted up high, and the
whole affair had an absolutely gruesome