One day after closing the shop Yevsey and his master went to the yard
where they were met by an anxious ringing shout. It came from Anatol.
"I won't do it again, dear uncle, never!"
Yevsey started, and instinctively exclaimed in quiet triumph:
"Aha!"
It was pleasant to hear the shouts of fear and pain coming from the
breast of the cheerful boy, who was everybody's favorite.
"May I stay here in the yard?" Yevsey asked the master.
"We must get our supper. But I'll stay here, too, and see how they
punish a rascally good-for-nothing."
The people had gathered at the door of the brick shed behind the
stairway. The sound of heavy blows and the wailing voice of Anatol
issued from the shed.
"Little uncle, I didn't do it. Oh, God! I won't do it, I won't! Stop,
for Christ's sake!"
"That's right! Give it to him!" said watchmaker Yakubov, lighting a
cigarette.
The squint-eyed embroiderer Zina upheld the tall, yellow-faced
watchmaker.
"Perhaps we shall have peace after this. You couldn't have a single
quiet moment in the yard."
Raspopov turned to Yevsey, and said:
"They say he's a wonder at imitating people."
"Of course," rejoined the furrier's cook. "Such a little devil! He makes
sport of everybody."
A dull scraping sound came from the shed, as if a sack filled with
something soft were being dragged over the old boards of the floor. At
the same time the people heard the panting, hoarse voice of Kuzin and
Anatol's cries, which now grew feebler and less frequent.
"Forgive me! Oh! Help me--I won't do it again--Oh, God!"
His words became indistinct and flowed together into a thick choking
groan. Yevsey trembled, remembering the pain of the beatings he used to
receive. The talk of the onlookers stirred a confused feeling in him. It
was fearful to stand among people who only the day before had willingly
and gaily taken delight in the lively little fellow, and who now looked
on with pleasure while he was being beaten. At this moment these
half-sick people, surly and worn out with work, seemed more
comprehensible to him. He believed that now none of them shammed, but
were sincere in the curiosity with which they witnessed the torture of a
human being. He felt a little sorry for Anatol, yet it was pleasant to
hear his groans. The thought passed through his mind that now he would
become quieter and more companionable.
Suddenly Nikolay the furrier appeared, a short black curly-headed man
with long arms. As always daring and respecting nobody, he thrust the
people aside, walked into the shed, and from there his coarse voice was
heard crying out twice:
"Stop! Get away!"
Everybody suddenly moved back from the door. Kuzin bolted out of the
shed, seated himself on the ground, clutched his head with both hands,
and opening his eyes wide, bawled hoarsely:
"Police!"
"Let's get away from evil, Yevsey," said the master withdrawing to one
side.
The boy retreated to a corner by the stairway, and stood there looking
on.
Nikolay came out of the shed with the little trampled body of the
glazier's boy hanging limply over his arm. The furrier laid him on the
ground then he straightened himself and shouted:
"Water, women, you rotten carrion!"
Zina and the cook ran off for water.
Kuzin lolling his head back snorted dully.
"Murder! Police!"
Nikolay turned to him, and gave him a kick on the breast which laid him
flat on his back.
"You dirty dogs!" he shouted, the whites of his black eyes flashing.
"You dirty dogs! A child is being killed, and it's a show to you! I'll
smash every one of your ugly mugs!"
Oaths from all sides answered him, but nobody dared to approach him.
"Let's go," said the master, taking Yevsey by the hand.
As they walked away they saw Kuzin run noiselessly in a stooping
position to the gates.
"To call the police," the master explained to Yevsey.
When Yevsey was alone he felt that his jealousy of Anatol had left him.
He strained his slow mind to explain to himself what he had seen. It
merely _seemed_ that the people liked Anatol, who amused them. In
reality it was not so. All people enjoyed fighting, enjoyed looking on
while others fought, enjoyed being cruel. Nikolay had interceded for
Anatol because he liked to beat Kuzin, and actually did beat him on
almost every holiday. Very bold and strong he could lick any man in the
house. In his turn he was beaten by the police. So to sum up, whether
you are quiet or daring, you'll be beaten and insulted all the same.
Several days passed. The tenants talking in the yard, said that the
glazier boy, who had been taken to the hospital, had gone insane. Then
Yevsey remembered how the boy's eyes had burned when he gave his
performances, how vehement his gestures and motions had been, and how
quickly the expression of his face had changed. He thought with dread
that perhaps Anatol had always been insane. He soon forgot the glazier
boy.