ace of the police commissioner quivered. He stamped his
feet, and, cursing, suddenly flung himself upon Rybin. The blow
whizzed through the air; Rybin staggered and waved his arms; with the
second blow the police commissioner felled him to the ground, and,
jumping around with a growl, he began to kick him on his breast, his
side, and his head.

The crowd set up a hostile hum, rocked, and advanced upon the police
commissioner. He noticed it and jumped away, snatching his saber from
its scabbard.

"So that's what you're up to! You're rioting, are you?"

His voice trembled and broke; it had grown husky. And he lost his
composure along with his voice. He drew his shoulders up about his
head, bent over, and turning his blank, bright eyes on all sides, he
fell back, carefully feeling the ground behind him with his feet. As he
withdrew he shouted hoarsely in great excitement:

"All right; take him! I'm leaving! But now, do you know, you cursed
dogs, that he is a political criminal; that he is going against our
Czar; that he stirs up riots--do you know it?--against the Emperor, the
Czar? And you protect him; you, too, are rebels. Aha--a----"

Without budging, without moving her eyes, the strength of reason gone
from her, the mother stood as if in a heavy sleep, overwhelmed by fear
and pity. The outraged, sullen, wrathful shouts of the people buzzed
like bees in her head.

"If he has done something wrong, lead him to court."

"And don't beat him!"

"Forgive him, your Honor!"

"Now, really, what does it mean? Without any law whatever!"

"Why, is it possible? If they begin to beat everybody that way,
what'll happen then?"

"The devils! Our torturers!"

The people fell into two groups--the one surrounding the police
commissioner shouted and exhorted him; the other, less numerous,
remained about the beaten man, humming and sullen. Several men lifted
him from the ground. The policemen again wanted to bind his bands.

"Wait a little while, you devils!" the people shouted.

Rybin wiped the blood from his face and beard and looked about in
silence. His gaze glided by the face of the mother. She started,
stretched herself out to him, and instinctively waved her hand. He
turned away; but in a few minutes his eyes again rested on her face. It
seemed to her that he straightened himself and raised his head, that
his blood-covered cheeks quivered.

"Did he recognize me? I wonder if he did?"

She nodded