,BOOK #a#b1 ,*APT] #aa 

#ahfiahfi 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,LEO ,TOL/OY 

,TEXT 3 

,FROM ,PR9CE ,%*]BATOV'S H\SE ! PRISON]S W]E L$ /RAI<T D[N ! 
 ,VIRG9'S ,FIELD1 TO ! LEFT ( ! NUNN]Y1 AS F> AS A KIT*5 G>D5 9 
 :I* A PO/ HAD BE5 SET UP4 ,BEYOND ?AT PO/ A FRE% PIT HAD BE5 DUG 9 
 ! GR\ND1 & NE> ! PO/ & ! PIT A L>GE CR[D /OOD 9 A 
 SEMICIRCLE4 ,! CR[D CONSI/$ ( A FEW ,RUSSIANS & MANY ( ,NAPOLEON'S 
 SOLDI]S :O W]E NOT ON DUTY--,G]MANS1 ,ITALIANS1 & ,FR5*M51 9 A 
 V>IETY ( UNI=MS4 ,TO ! RI<T & LEFT ( ! PO/ /OOD R[S ( 
 ,FR5* TROOPS 9 BLUE UNI=MS ) R$ EPAULETS & HI< BOOTS & 
 %AKOS4 

,! PRISON]S W]E PLAC$ 9 A C]TA9 ORD]1 ACCORD+ TO ! LI/ 
 7,PI]RE WAS SIX?71 & W]E L$ TO ! PO/4 ,SEV]AL DRUMS SUDD5LY BEGAN 
 TO BEAT ON BO? SIDES ( !M1 & AT ?AT S\ND ,PI]RE FELT AS IF P>T ( 
 HIS S\L HAD BE5 TORN AWAY4 ,HE LO/ ! P[] ( ?9K+ OR 
 UND]/&+4 ,HE C\LD ONLY HE> & SEE4 ,& HE HAD ONLY ONE WI%--?AT 
 ! FRI<TFUL ?+ ?AT HAD TO HAPP5 %\LD HAPP5 QUICKLY4 ,PI]RE 
 LOOK$ R\ND AT HIS FELL[ PRISON]S & SCRUT9IZ$ !M4 

,! TWO FIR/ W]E CONVICTS ) %AV5 HEADS4 ,ONE WAS TALL & ?91 ! 
 O!R D>K1 %AGGY1 & S9EWY1 ) A FLAT NOSE4 ,! ?IRD WAS A DOME/IC 
 S]F1 AB\T =TY-FIVE YE>S OLD1 ) GRIZZL$ HAIR & A PLUMP1 
 WELL-N\RI%$ BODY4 ,! F\R? WAS A PEASANT1 A V]Y H&SOME MAN ) A 
 BROAD1 LI<T-BR[N BE>D & BLACK EYES4 ,! FIF? WAS A FACTORY H&1 A 
 ?91 SALL[-FAC$ LAD ( EI<TE5 9 A LOOSE COAT4 

,PI]RE HE>D ! ,FR5* CONSULT+ :E!R TO %OOT !M SEP>ATELY OR TWO 
 AT A TIME4 0,9 C\PLES10 REPLI$ ! (FIC] 9 COMM& 9 A CALM VOICE4 
 ,!RE WAS A /IR 9 ! RANKS ( ! SOLDI]S & IT WAS EVID5T ?AT !Y 
 W]E ALL HURRY+--NOT AS M5 HURRY TO DO SOME?+ !Y UND]/&1 
 BUT AS PEOPLE HURRY TO F9I% A NECESS>Y BUT UNPLEASANT & 
 9COMPREH5SIBLE TASK4 

,A ,FR5* (FICIAL WE>+ A SC>F CAME UP TO ! RI<T ( ! R[ ( 
 PRISON]S & READ \T ! S5T5CE 9 ,RUSSIAN & 9 ,FR5*4 

,!N TWO PAIRS ( ,FR5*M5 APPROA*$ ! CRIM9ALS & AT ! (FIC]'S 
 COMM& TOOK ! TWO CONVICTS :O /OOD FIR/ 9 ! R[4 ,! CONVICTS 
 /OPP$ :5 !Y REA*$ ! PO/ &1 :ILE SACKS W]E BE+ BR\<T1 
 LOOK$ DUMBLY >\ND AS A W\ND$ BEA/ LOOKS AT AN APPROA*+ HUNTSMAN4 
 ,ONE CROSS$ HIMSELF CONT9UALLY1 ! O!R SCRAT*$ HIS BACK & MADE A 
 MOVEM5T ( ! LIPS RESEMBL+ A SMILE4 ,) HURRI$ H&S ! SOLDI]S 
 BL9DFOLD$ !M1 DRAW+ ! SACKS OV] !IR HEADS1 & B\ND !M TO 
 ! PO/4 

,TWELVE %>P%OOT]S ) MUSKETS /EPP$ \T ( ! RANKS ) A FIRM 
 REGUL> TREAD & HALT$ EI<T PACES FROM ! PO/4 ,PI]RE TURN$ AWAY TO 
 AVOID SEE+ :AT WAS GO+ TO HAPP54 ,SUDD5LY A CRACKL+1 ROLL+ NOISE 
 WAS HE>D :I* SEEM$ TO HIM L\D] ?AN ! MO/ T]RIFIC ?UND]1 & 
 HE LOOK$ R\ND4 ,!RE WAS SOME SMOKE1 & ! ,FR5*M5 W]E DO+ 
 SOME?+ NE> ! PIT1 ) PALE FACES & TREMBL+ H&S4 ,TWO MORE 
 PRISON]S W]E L$ UP4 ,9 ! SAME WAY & ) SIMIL> LOOKS1 !SE TWO 
 GLANC$ VA9LY AT ! ONLOOK]S ) ONLY A SIL5T APPEAL = PROTECTION 
 9 !IR EYES1 EVID5TLY UNABLE TO UND]/& OR BELIEVE :AT WAS GO+ TO 
 HAPP5 TO !M4 ,!Y C\LD NOT BELIEVE IT BECAUSE !Y ALONE KNEW :AT 
 !IR LIFE MEANT TO !M1 & SO !Y NEI!R UND]/OOD NOR BELIEV$ ?AT 
 IT C\LD BE TAK5 FROM !M4 

,AGA9 ,PI]RE DID NOT WI% TO LOOK & AGA9 TURN$ AWAY2 BUT AGA9 ! 
 S\ND AS ( A FRI<TFUL EXPLOSION /RUCK HIS E>1 & AT ! SAME MOM5T 
 HE SAW SMOKE1 BLOOD1 & ! PALE1 SC>$ FACES ( ! ,FR5*M5 :O W]E 
 AGA9 DO+ SOME?+ BY ! PO/1 !IR TREMBL+ H&S IMP$+ ONE 
 ANO!R4 ,PI]RE1 BREA?+ HEAVILY1 LOOK$ >\ND AS IF ASK+ :AT IT 
 MEANT4 ,! SAME QUE/ION WAS EXPRESS$ 9 ALL ! LOOKS ?AT MET HIS4 

,ON ! FACES ( ALL ! ,RUSSIANS & ( ! ,FR5* SOLDI]S & (FIC]S 
 )\T EXCEPTION1 HE READ ! SAME DISMAY1 HORROR1 & CONFLICT ?AT W]E 
 9 HIS [N HE>T4 0,BUT :O1 AFT] ALL1 IS DO+ ?IS8 ,!Y >E ALL 
 SUFF]+ AS ,I AM4 ,:O !N IS IT8 ,:O80 FLA%$ = AN 9/ANT ?R\< 
 HIS M9D4 

0,%>P%OOT]S ( ! #h#f?1 =W>D60 %\T$ SOMEONE4 ,! FIF? PRISON]1 
 ! ONE NEXT TO ,PI]RE1 WAS L$ AWAY--ALONE4 ,PI]RE DID NOT 
 UND]/& ?AT HE WAS SAV$1 ?AT HE & ! RE/ HAD BE5 BR\<T !RE 
 ONLY TO WITNESS ! EXECUTION4 ,) EV]-GR[+ HORROR1 & NO S5SE ( 
 JOY OR RELIEF1 HE GAZ$ AT :AT WAS TAK+ PLACE4 ,! FIF? MAN WAS ! 
 FACTORY LAD 9 ! LOOSE CLOAK4 ,! MOM5T !Y LAID H&S ON HIM HE 
 SPRANG ASIDE 9 T]ROR & CLUT*$ AT ,PI]RE4 7,PI]RE %UDD]$ & %OOK 
 HIMSELF FREE47 ,! LAD WAS UNABLE TO WALK4 ,!Y DRAGG$ HIM ALONG1 HOLD+ 
 HIM UP UND] ! >MS1 & HE SCREAM$4 ,:5 !Y GOT HIM TO ! PO/ HE 
 GREW QUIET1 AS IF HE SUDD5LY UND]/OOD SOME?+4 ,:E!R HE UND]/OOD 
 ?AT SCREAM+ WAS USELESS OR :E!R HE ?\<T IT 9CR$IBLE ?AT M5 
 %\LD KILL HIM1 AT ANY RATE HE TOOK HIS /& AT ! PO/1 WAIT+ TO BE 
 BL9DFOLD$ LIKE ! O!RS1 & LIKE A W\ND$ ANIMAL LOOK$ >\ND HIM 
 ) GLITT]+ EYES4 

,PI]RE WAS NO LONG] ABLE TO TURN AWAY & CLOSE HIS EYES4 ,HIS CURIOSITY 
 & AGITATION1 LIKE ?AT ( ! :OLE CR[D1 REA*$ ! HI<E/ PIT* AT 
 ?IS FIF? MURD]4 ,LIKE ! O!RS ?IS FIF? MAN SEEM$ CALM2 HE WRAPP$ 
 HIS LOOSE CLOAK CLOS] & RUBB$ ONE B>E FOOT ) ! O!R4 

,:5 !Y BEGAN TO BL9DFOLD HIM HE HIMSELF ADJU/$ ! KNOT :I* HURT 
 ! BACK ( HIS HEAD2 !N :5 !Y PROPP$ HIM AGA9/ ! BLOOD/A9$ 
 PO/1 HE LEAN$ BACK &1 NOT BE+ COM=TABLE 9 ?AT POSITION1 
 /RAI<T5$ HIMSELF1 ADJU/$ HIS FEET1 & LEAN$ BACK AGA9 MORE 
 COM=TABLY4 ,PI]RE DID NOT TAKE HIS EYES FROM HIM & DID NOT MISS HIS 
 SLI<TE/ MOVEM5T4 

,PROBABLY A WORD ( COMM& WAS GIV5 & WAS FOLL[$ BY ! REPORTS ( 
 EI<T MUSKETS2 BUT TRY AS HE W\LD ,PI]RE C\LD NOT AFT]W>DS REMEMB] 
 HAV+ HE>D ! SLI<TE/ S\ND ( ! %OTS4 ,HE ONLY SAW H[ ! WORKMAN 
 SUDD5LY SANK D[N ON ! CORDS ?AT HELD HIM1 H[ BLOOD %[$ ITSELF 9 
 TWO PLACES1 H[ ! ROPES SLACK5$ UND] ! WEI<T ( ! HANG+ BODY1 
 & H[ ! WORKMAN SAT D[N1 HIS HEAD HANG+ UNNATURALLY & ONE LEG 
 B5T UND] HIM4 ,PI]RE RAN UP TO ! PO/4 ,NO ONE H9D]$ HIM4 ,PALE1 
 FRI<T5$ PEOPLE W]E DO+ SOME?+ >\ND ! WORKMAN4 ,! L[] JAW 
 ( AN OLD ,FR5*MAN ) A ?ICK MU/A*E TREMBL$ AS HE UNTI$ ! ROPES4 
 ,! BODY COLLAPS$4 ,! SOLDI]S DRAGG$ IT AWKW>DLY FROM ! PO/ & 
 BEGAN PU%+ IT 9TO ! PIT4 

,!Y ALL PLA9LY & C]TA9LY KNEW ?AT !Y W]E CRIM9ALS :O MU/ HIDE 
 ! TRACES ( !IR GUILT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE4 

,PI]RE GLANC$ 9TO ! PIT & SAW ?AT ! FACTORY LAD WAS LY+ ) 
 HIS KNEES CLOSE UP TO HIS HEAD & ONE %\LD] HI<] ?AN ! O!R4 
 ,?AT %\LD] ROSE & FELL RHY?MICALLY & CONVULSIVELY1 BUT SPADEFULS 
 ( E>? W]E ALREADY BE+ ?R[N OV] ! :OLE BODY4 ,ONE ( ! 
 SOLDI]S1 EVID5TLY SUFF]+1 %\T$ GRUFFLY & ANGRILY AT ,PI]RE TO GO 
 BACK4 ,BUT ,PI]RE DID NOT UND]/& HIM & REMA9$ NE> ! PO/1 & NO 
 ONE DROVE HIM AWAY4 

,:5 ! PIT HAD BE5 FILL$ UP A COMM& WAS GIV54 ,PI]RE WAS TAK5 BACK 
 TO HIS PLACE1 & ! R[S ( TROOPS ON BO? SIDES ( ! PO/ MADE A HALF 
 TURN & W5T PA/ IT AT A MEASUR$ PACE4 ,! TW5TY-F\R %>P%OOT]S 
 ) DIS*>G$ MUSKETS1 /&+ 9 ! C5T] ( ! CIRCLE1 RAN BACK TO 
 !IR PLACES AS ! COMPANIES PASS$ BY4 

,PI]RE GAZ$ N[ ) DAZ$ EYES AT !SE %>P%OOT]S :O RAN 9 C\PLES 
 \T ( ! CIRCLE4 ,ALL BUT ONE REJO9$ !IR COMPANIES4 ,?IS ONE1 A Y\NG 
 SOLDI]1 HIS FACE DEADLY PALE1 HIS %AKO PU%$ BACK1 & HIS MUSKET 
 RE/+ ON ! GR\ND1 /ILL /OOD NE> ! PIT AT ! SPOT FROM :I* HE 
 HAD FIR$4 ,HE SWAY$ LIKE A DRUNK5 MAN1 TAK+ SOME /EPS =W>D & 
 BACK TO SAVE HIMSELF FROM FALL+4 ,AN OLD1 NONCOMMISSION$ (FIC] RAN \T 
 ( ! RANKS & TAK+ HIM BY ! ELB[ DRAGG$ HIM TO HIS COMPANY4 ,! 
 CR[D ( ,RUSSIANS & ,FR5*M5 BEGAN TO DISP]SE4 ,!Y ALL W5T AWAY 
 SIL5TLY & ) DROOP+ HEADS4 

0,?AT WILL TEA* !M TO />T FIRES10 SAID ONE ( ! ,FR5*M54 

,PI]RE GLANC$ R\ND AT ! SPEAK] & SAW ?AT IT WAS A SOLDI] :O WAS 
 TRY+ TO F9D SOME RELIEF AFT] :AT HAD BE5 DONE1 BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO 
 DO SO4 ,)\T F9I%+ :AT HE HAD BEGUN TO SAY HE MADE A HOPELESS 
 MOVEM5T ) HIS >M & W5T AWAY4 

,FROM 3 ,GUT5B]G4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,NOVEMB] #c1 #ahfh 3 ,BOOK #a#b1 ,*APT] #aa -- ,PUBLICATION4 
,FEBRU>Y #a#a1 #bag 3 ,BOOK #a#b1 ,*APT] #aa -- ,ADD$4 

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