Part 41 (1/2)

Findeisen walked with bowed head. They had put his cap on right over his forehead, so that he could hardly see from under it. Wolf looked straight ahead, but walked as if in a fog. He saw nothing of what was pa.s.sing before him, and stumbled as he stepped across a gutter.

The corporal on guard was going to unlock two contiguous cells for the prisoners, but one of the men in charge of them objected.

”They might communicate with each other by knocking or somehow,” he said. ”Better lock them up as far apart as possible.”

So Wolf was put into the cell nearest to the road, and Findeisen into one at the other end of the corridor.

The corporal placed the reservist's uniform on a stool, and near by the pair of boots which had caused the dispute, still bearing traces of dust.

”Change your clothes quickly,” he said. ”I must take back your plain clothes with me at once.”

But Wolf stood there motionless.

He heard the key turn in the lock without realising what was happening.

Then the steps retreated from his door, once more the great bunch of keys jingled, another door was opened, creaked unwillingly on its hinges, and was slammed to and locked.

The voices of the non-commissioned officers resounded in the stone-paved corridor as they returned to the guard-room.

”What have the fellows done?” asked the soldier on guard.

The answer was almost lost behind a corner of the pa.s.sage: ”Murder--Sergeant Keyser.”

The reservist still stood motionless beside the stool. He was trying in vain to think why he was here. What was he doing here, when it was to-day that he was at last released from the hated discipline? He pa.s.sed his hand over his eyes, as if to remove something that was covering them, and mechanically he pressed down the latch of the door.

It was indeed true; he was locked in.

Again the key sounded in the lock, and the corporal on guard entered.

Behind him a gunner brought a jug of water into the cell, set it down, and at once retired.

”Why haven't you changed yet?” asked the corporal.

The reservist stared at him blankly, without comprehension.

”d.a.m.nation!” thundered his superior. ”Change your clothes this moment, do you hear?”

And Wolf sat down obediently on the stool. Automatically he took off his coat and trousers, undid his collar, and pulled off his shoes. Then he took off his hat also; and in the same mechanical way dressed himself again in uniform.

The corporal had bidden him a couple of times to make haste, and now he threw the civilian clothes over his arm.

”Everything must be taken away from you,” he said as he went.

Wolf nodded, and dully looked on. Once he moved as though to seize at something--the corporal's fingers were not clean, and were dirtying his white collar; he might at least hold it by the edge--but the outstretched hand sank back languidly.

Such behaviour made the corporal look serious. When in the guard-room he handed over the clothes to the non-commissioned officer who had brought in the prisoners, he pointed with his thumb back over his shoulder, and said: ”That fellow there's not quite right in his head.”

”Do you think not?” asked the other.

”Yes, I do. So I took away his braces, and now at least he can't hang himself.”

Wolf had involuntarily stood at attention as the corporal left the cell, and when the door closed he put forward his right foot and relaxed his position just as if the order ”Stand at ease” had been given.