Some persons crowded solidly around Pavel; but he cut through
to the front. A sudden silence fell.
Around the banner some twenty men were grouped, not more, but they
stood firmly. The mother felt drawn to them by awe and by a
confused desire to say something to them.
"Take this thing away from him, lieutenant." The even voice of the
tall old man was heard. He pointed to the banner. A little officer
jumped up to Pavel, snatched at the flag pole, and shouted shrilly:
"Drop it!"
The red flag trembled in the air, moving to the right and to the
left, then rose again. The little officer jumped back and sat down.
Nikolay darted by the mother, shaking his outstretched fist.
"Seize them!" the old man roared, stamping his feet. A few soldiers
jumped to the front, one of them flourishing the butt end of his
gun. The banner trembled, dropped, and disappeared in a gray mass
of soldiers.
"Oh!" somebody groaned aloud. And the mother yelled like a wild
animal. But the clear voice of Pavel answered her from out of the
crowd of soldiers:
"Good-by, mother! Good-by, dear!"
"He's alive! He remembered!" were the two strokes at the mother's heart.
"Good-by, mother dear!" came from Andrey.
Pages:
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297