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“I had not seen these things It was a small crucifix, with the body of Christ in bronze fixed to the wood, and the garlic reathed around it, a fresh garland entwined with an old one, in which the buds ithered and dried The woman’s eye followed my eyes, and then she looked at me sharply and I could see how exhausted she was, how red were her pupils, and how the hand which clutched at the shawl at her breast trembled Her black hair was completely disheveled I pressed nearer until I was almost at the threshold, and she opened the door wide suddenly as if she’d only just decided to let us in She said a prayer as I passed her, I was sure of it, though I couldn’t understand the Slavic words

“The small, low-beah, paneled walls, on benches and even on the floor It was as if the entire village were gathered there A child slept in a woman’s lap and another slept on the staircase, bundled in blankets, his knees tucked in against one step, his ar a pillow for his head on the next And everywhere there was the garlic hanging froons The fire was the only light, and it threw distorting shadows on the still faces as they watched us

“No one , and finally the woht take the horses into the stable if I liked She was staring at htly wild, red-rimmed eyes, and then her face softened She told me she’d stand at the inn door for me with a lantern, but I must hurry and leave the child here

“But so else had distractedwood and the wine It was the scent of death I could feel Claudia’s hand pressto a door at the foot of the stairs The scent came from there

“The wo when I returned, and a bowl of broth I sat down, Claudia on my knee, her head turned away from the fire towards that mysterious door All eyes were fixed on us as before, except for the foreigner I could see his profile now clearly He wasfrom eht, freckled skinhim seem like a boy His wide, blue eyes were fixed on the fire as though he were talking to it, and his eyelashes and eyebroere golden in the light, which gave him a very innocent, open expression But he was miserable, disturbed, drunk Suddenly he turned to lish?’ he said, his voice boo in the silence

“ ‘Yes, I do,’ I said to hilanced at the others, triumphantly They stared at him stonily

“ ‘You speak English!’ he cried, his lips stretching into a bitter s on mine ‘Get out of this country,’ he said ‘Get out of it now Take your carriage, your horses, drive theet out of it!’ Then his shoulders convulsed as if he were sick He put his hand to his ainst the wall now, her arms folded over her soiled apron, said calo At dawn’

“ ‘But what is it?’ I whispered to her; and then I looked to hilassy and red No one spoke A log fell heavily in the fire

“ ‘Won’t you tell ently He stood up For ato fall He loo forward, then backward, before he righted hie of the table His black coat was stained ine, and so was his shirt cuff ‘You want to see?’ he gasped as he peered into my eyes ‘Do you want to see for yourself?’ There was a soft, pathetic tone to his voice as he spoke these words

“ ‘Leave the child!’ said the woesture

“ ‘She’s sleeping,’ I said And, rising, I followed the Englishman to the door at the foot of the stairs

“There was a slight commotion as those nearest the door ether

“Only one candle burned on the sideboard, and the first thing I saas a row of delicately painted plates on a shelf There were curtains on the sin Mary and Christ child on the wall But the walls and chairs barely enclosed a great oak table, and on that table lay the body of a young woman, her white hands folded on her breast, her auburn hair mussed and tucked about her thin, white throat and under her shoulders Her pretty face was already hard with death Aleamed around her wrist and down the side of her dark wool skirt And beside her lay a very pretty red felt hat with a wide, soft briloves It was all laid there as if she would very soon rise and put these things on And the Englishman patted the hat carefully now as he drew close to her He was on the verge of breaking down altogether He’d drawn a large handkerchief out of his coat, and he had put it to his face ‘Do you knohat they want to do with her?’ he whispered as he looked at me ‘Do you have any idea?’

“The wohly shook her off ‘Do you know?’ he dees!’

“ ‘You stop now! she said under her breath