The Jew and Other Stories | Page 8

to his heart, and sacrifice his better
feelings to inexorable duty--'hang him! Fiodor Karlitch, I beg you to
draw up a report of the occurrence....'
A horrible change suddenly came over Girshel. Instead of the ordinary

timorous alarm peculiar to the Jewish nature, in his face was reflected
the horrible agony that comes before death. He writhed like a wild
beast trapped, his mouth stood open, there was a hoarse rattle in his
throat, he positively leapt up and down, convulsively moving his
elbows. He had on only one slipper; they had forgotten to put the other
on again... his gown fell open... his cap had fallen off....
We all shuddered; the general stopped speaking.
'Your Excellency,' I began again, 'pardon this wretched creature.'
'Impossible! It is the law,' the general replied abruptly, and not without
emotion, 'for a warning to others.'
'For pity's sake....'
'Mr. Cornet, be so good as to return to your post,' said the general, and
he motioned me imperiously to the door.
I bowed and went out. But seeing that in reality I had no post anywhere,
I remained at no great distance from the general's house.
Two minutes later Girshel made his appearance, conducted by Siliavka
and three soldiers. The poor Jew was in a state of stupefaction, and
could hardly move his legs. Siliavka went by me to the camp, and soon
returned with a rope in his hands. His coarse but not ill-natured face
wore a look of strange, exasperated commiseration. At the sight of the
rope the Jew flung up his arms, sat down, and burst into sobs. The
soldiers stood silently about him, and stared grimly at the earth. I went
up to Girshel, addressed him; he sobbed like a baby, and did not even
look at me. With a hopeless gesture I went to my tent, flung myself on
a rug, and closed my eyes....
Suddenly some one ran hastily and noisily into my tent. I raised my
head and saw Sara; she looked beside herself. She rushed up to me, and
clutched at my hands.
'Come along, come along,' she insisted breathlessly.
'Where? what for? let us stop here.'
'To father, to father, quick... save him... save him!'
'To what father?'
'My father; they are going to hang him....'
'What! is Girshel...?'
'My father... I '11 tell you all about it later,' she added, wringing her
hands in despair: 'only come... come....'
We ran out of the tent. In the open ground, on the way to a solitary

birch-tree, we could see a group of soldiers.... Sara pointed to them
without speaking....
'Stop,' I said to her suddenly: 'where are we running to? The soldiers
won't obey me.'
Sara still pulled me after her.... I must confess, my head was going
round.
'But listen, Sara,' I said to her; 'what sense is there in running here? It
would be better for me to go to the general again; let's go together; who
knows, we may persuade him.'
Sara suddenly stood still and gazed at me, as though she were crazy.
'Understand me, Sara, for God's sake. I can't do anything for your father,
but the general can. Let's go to him.'
'But meanwhile they'll hang him,' she moaned....
I looked round. The secretary was standing not far off.
'Ivanov,' I called to him; 'run, please, over there to them, tell them to
wait a little, say I've gone to petition the general.'
'Yes, sir.'
Ivanov ran off.
We were not admitted to the general's presence. In vain I begged,
persuaded, swore even, at last... in vain, poor Sara tore her hair and
rushed at the sentinels; they would not let us pass.
Sara looked wildly round, clutched her head in both hands, and ran at
breakneck pace towards the open country, to her father. I followed her.
Every one stared at us, wondering.
We ran up to the soldiers. They were standing in a ring, and picture it,
gentlemen! they were laughing, laughing at poor Girshel. I flew into a
rage and shouted at them. The Jew saw us and fell on his daughter's
neck. Sara clung to him passionately.
The poor wretch imagined he was pardoned.... He was just beginning to
thank me... I turned away.
'Your honour,' he shrieked and wrung his hands; 'I'm not pardoned?'
I did not speak.
'No?'
'No.'
'Your honour,' he began muttering; 'look, your honour, look... she, this
girl, see--you know--she's my daughter.'
'I know,' I answered, and turned away again.

'Your honour,' he shrieked, 'I never went away from the tent! I wouldn't
for anything...'
He stopped, and closed his eyes for an instant.... 'I wanted your money,
your honour, I must own... but not for anything....'
I was silent. Girshel was loathsome to me, and she too, his
accomplice....
'But now, if