Page 30 (1/2)

’Will the wound be all right, doctor?’ asked Wladek

’You speak Russian?’

’Yes, Sir’

’Although you will always liood for what? A life here dragging wood’

’No, doctor, I intend to escape and get back to Poland,’ said Wladek

The doctor looked sharply at him ’Keep your voice down, stupid boy You must realise by now that escape is impossible I have been in captivity fifteen years, and not a day has passed that I have not thought of escape There is no way; no one has ever escaped and lived, and even to talk of it means ten days in the punishht the stove only to melt the ice off the walls

If you come out of that place alive, you can consider yourself lucky’

’I will escape, I will, I will,’ said Wladek, staring at the old man

The doctor looked into Wladek’s eyes and sain or theyexercised and report to ’

Wladek returned to the forest and to the chopping of wood, but found that he could not drag the logs - more than a few feet, and that the pain was so intense he believed his leg , the doctor exa,’ he said ’How old are you, boy?’

’I think I am thirteen,’ said Wladek ’What year is it?’

’Nineteen hundred and nineteen,’ replied the doctor

’Yes, thirteen How old are you?’asked Wladek

The oldboy’s blue eyes, surprised by the question