Then Jacob stepped forward, stood at attention,
saluted, and said:
"Sir, it is not his fault, but mine. It was I who spoke to him. He
was silent. As to his falling during the drill, that was also my
fault: I made him stumble. I am ready to stand the punishment,
because I am the guilty one."
The sergeant threw a quick, admiring glance at Jacob, and said:
"Your intentions are certainly good, because you wish to sacrifice
yourself for your friend. You might serve as a model for all the
young soldiers. Boys, do you hear? Love one another as Jacob loves
his guilty friend! But you must know that your sergeant is not to
be fooled; his eyes are everywhere, and he certainly knows the
guilty one!"
When I went home, I felt neither glad nor despondent; I felt as if I
did not exist at all--as if my very body did not belong to me, but
had been borrowed for a few hours. That night I woke up many times;
I felt as if snakes were crawling over my flesh. I got up early the
next morning. Marusya was yet in bed, half awake.
"Where are you going?" asked Anna, standing in my way.
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