"Gag them!"
The song became confused, trembled, expired. Somebody took the mother
by the shoulders, turned her around, and shoved her from the back.
"Go, go! Clear the street!" shouted the officer.
About ten paces from her, the mother again saw a thick crowd of
people. They were howling, grumbling, whistling, as they backed
down the street. The yards were drawing in a number of them.
"Go, you devil!" a young soldier with a big mustache shouted right
into the mother's ear. He brushed against her and shoved her onto
the sidewalk. She moved away, leaning on the flag pole. She went
quickly and lightly, but her legs bent under her. In order not to
fall she clung to walls and fences. People in front were falling back
alongside of her, and behind her were soldiers, shouting: "Go, go!"
The soldiers got ahead of her; she stopped and looked around. Down
the end of the street she saw them again scattered in a thin chain,
blocking the entrance to the square, which was empty. Farther down
were more gray figures slowly moving against the people. She wanted
to go back; but uncalculatingly went forward again, and came to a
narrow, empty by-street into which she turned.
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