…Then, angry and flooded with heat of some impossible joy, I crossed my hands over mother’s neck and pressed her head to me breast. Then I reached up the mauser and pushed down on temple.
Like a sheared wheatear she leaned to me.
I laid her down and deliriously turned back. – Not a thing to be seen anywhere. Just sideways it’s getting dark the warmer corpses of nuns. – Nearby cannonry thundered.
…I put my arm in the pocket and remember in the next breath, that in the king’s apartments I have forgotten something.
“You fool!” – I thought.
…Then a shudder passed over me:
— Where are the people?
Of course I must hurry up in my battalion! — And I flew on the road.
But before I did three steps I was stopping by something.
I jumped and ran to mother’s corpse.
I stand in front of it on knees and gazed to her face. But it was with God. I remember blood with the dark stream poured down her cheek.
Then I lifted up this hopeless head and avidly dig my lips into white brow. — Darkness.
And suddenly I hear:
- Well, communard, stand up!
It’s time to go to battalion!
I checked out and saw:
- In front of me again stood degenerate.
Aha, I’ll be right there. I’ll be right there. Yes, the time is ripe for me! — Then I rearranged the belt of my mauser and again flew on the road.
…In the plain, like a further bogatyrs[1], stood horsy insurgents. I ran there, pressed my head.
… A thunderstorm erupted. Somewhere is coming up early hour’s flaws. The moon softly dying in skewered zenith. From the westward were approaching the clouds. Is going clearly, plainly slugging.
…I stopped in the middle of dead plain:
- There, in the strange darkness, unknown burned soft lakes of tramontane commune.
16
- ↑ Bogatyr – a folk hero, brave warrior, a man-giant with superpower and courage; powerful, giant, courage person (translator’s note).
