nd. If they were to do something to him? If they
were to attack him in the dark yard? His terror on his friend's account
had given strength to his shaking limbs, and he had been able to stand
upright and walk.

He peered around like an owl that is dazzled by the glare; the light
from the open door fell on the passage. Ha! who was standing there?
The murderers! the murderers! Save yourself, little Boehnke. He was
on the point of crying out aloud for help when his voice suddenly
snapped--why! it was only Marianna. A grin full of pleasant memories
appeared on his wrinkled face--ha, ha! it was Marianna standing there
with a lover. But all at once the pleasant grin turned into a terrified
grimace; it was not Marianna after all, it must be Sophia, and with
her?

The idiot's eyes had suddenly become clear, and he had recognized his
friend, his brother. Boehnke was holding his wife in a close embrace,
and they were standing like a pair of lovers, breast to breast. Alas,
alas! Mr. Tiralla fell back as though a gleaming knife were pointed at
his face. The two were talking away so busily, so softly, that they had
not noticed him. What were they whispering about? His teeth chattered.
Murderers, murderers! Ugh! they were taking counsel together how they
were to kill him--little Boehnke and Sophia--Sophia and little Boehnke.
Little Boehnke! His friend, his only friend!

The man's wrinkled face shrivelled up more than ever, and his figure
became quite small. Closing the door carefully and bolting it in
trembling terror, he shuffled back to the table, groaning.

His little Boehnke, his friend, his only friend!

[Pg 266]

The man looked round the empty room with a wild glance, as though his
terror were pursuing him. There, there, there! He stared at the chair
near him; his friend, his only friend had just been sitting there,
close to him.

Then he began to cry bitterly, that is to say, his red eyes could no
longer weep tears, but he puckered up his face like a whimpering child,
and a hiccoughing sob raised his chest in jerks. And then he drank what
remained in all the bottles.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Mikolai started up out of the straw in bewilderment--what was he doing
in the barn, why was he lying there? He had had such awful dreams. Was
it evening, night, or already morning? It was no good looking at his
watch in the dark. He got up, and rubbing his swollen eyes staggered
out of the