All attention, the mother turned her head in all directions, her eyes
seeing everything, believing nothing. This thing which she had
pictured as terrible and intricate was accomplished with extreme
simplicity and rapidity, and the simpleness of the happenings stupefied
her. Rybin was no longer to be seen--a tall man in a thin overcoat was
walking there--a girl was running along. Three wardens jumped out from
a corner of the prison; they ran side by side, stretching out their
right hands. One of the soldiers rushed in front of them; the other
ran around the horse, unsuccessfully trying to vault on the refractory
animal, which kept jumping about. The whistles incessantly cut the
air, their alarming, desperate shrieks aroused a consciousness of
danger in the woman. Trembling, she walked along the fence of the
cemetery, following the wardens; but they and the soldiers ran around
the other corner of the prison and disappeared. They were followed at
a run by the assistant overseer of the prison, whom she knew; his coat
was unbuttoned. From somewhere policemen appeared, and people came
running.

The wind whistled, leaped about as if rejoicing, and carried the
broken, confused shouts to the mother's ears.

"It stands here all the time."

"The ladder?"

"What's the matter with you then? The devil take you!"

"Arrest the soldiers!"

"Policeman!"

Whistles again. This hubbub delighted her and she strode on more
boldly, thinking, "So, it's possible--HE could have done it!"

But now pain for her son no longer entered her heart without pride in
him also. And only fear for him weighed and oppressed her to
stupefaction as before.

From the corner of the fence opposite her a constable with a black,
curly beard, and two policemen emerged.

"Stop!" shouted the constable, breathing heavily. "Did you see--a
man--with a beard--didn't he run by here?"

She pointed to the garden and answered calmly:

"He went that way!"

"Yegorov, run! Whistle! Is it long ago?"

"Yes--I should say--about a minute!"

But the whistle drowned her voice. The constable, without waiting for
an answer, precipitated himself in a gallop along the hillocky ground,
waving his hands in the direction of the garden. After him, with bent
head, and whistling, the policemen darted off.

The mother nodded her head after them, and, satisfied with herself,
went home. When she walked out of the field into the street a cab
crossed her way. R