Chapter 3 Chapter two

An earth-shattering news blows into this small town like a whirlwind: "The Tsar has been overthrown!" The people in the city couldn't believe it. A train climbed into the station in a blizzard, and two college students in military coats and carrying rifles and a group of revolutionary soldiers wearing red armbands jumped out of the car.They arrested the gendarme on the station, the elderly colonel and the captain of the guard.Only then did the people in the city believe that the news was true.So thousands of residents stepped on the snow, crossed the street, and flocked to the square.

People hungrily listened to the new terms: liberty, equality, fraternity. The days of raucous excitement and joy are over.Calm was restored in the town, only the Mensheviks and the Bundists ["Bund", short for the Jewish Social Democratic Union, was a faction of the Mensheviks. ——Translator] The red flag on the roof of the city council building held by the government told people that there had been a change.Everything else remains the same. At the end of winter, a regiment of cavalry guards was stationed in the city.Every morning, the regiment sent out cavalry detachments to the station to catch deserters who had deserted from the southwestern front.

The cavalry guards were all red-faced and tall.The officers were mostly earls and dukes, with gold epaulets and breeches with silver tape, and everything was as it had been in Tsarist times, as if there had been no revolution. In 1917, he left in a hurry.For Paul, Klimka and Seryozha nothing has changed.The owners are still the same guys.It was only in the rainy November that the situation was a little unusual.Many strangers appeared on the station, most of them were soldiers returning from the front line, and they all had a strange title: "Bolshevik". Where this loud, powerful title came from, no one knows.

It was not so easy for the cavalry to catch deserters returning from the front.There was constant gunfire on the station, and more and more glass windows were broken.Soldiers ran back from the front line in groups, and when they encountered obstacles, they opened the way with bayonets.By the beginning of December, they had come in trains. The station was full of guard cavalry, ready to intercept the train, but was hit head-on by the machine guns on the train.Those who are not afraid of death all rushed out of the carriage. Soldiers in grays returning from the front pushed the cavalry back into the city, and then they got back to the station and trains passed one after the other.

In the spring of 1918, three good friends played "sixty-six o'clock" at Serezha's house for a while, then ran out and lay down on the grass in the small garden of Korchagin's house.It's really boring, I'm tired of playing the usual games.They start to think about how to spend the day better.At this time, the sound of horseshoes sounded behind him, and a man on horseback galloped along the road.The horse leaped over the gutter between the road and the low fence of the little garden.The rider swung his whip at Pavel and Klimka lying on the ground and said, "Hey, boys, come here!"

Pavel and Klimka jumped up and ran to the fence.The man on horseback was covered in dust, and the military cap worn on the back of the head and the protective military uniform were all covered with a thick layer of dust.On a sturdy military belt hung a revolver and two German grenades. "Get some water, little boy!" pleaded the rider.Seeing Pavel running home to fetch water, he turned to Seryozha, who was looking at him, "Son, who is in power in the city now?" Seryozha hurried on with all the news from the town: "We have been deserted here for two weeks, there is only one self-defense force, and the people are on watch in shifts. Who are you?" He also asked a question. .

"I said you, worry too much, and you will become a little old man in a blink of an eye." The man on horseback replied with a smile. Paul ran out of the house with a glass of water. The rider gulped it down in a greedy gulp, returned the cup to Pavel, shook the rein, and galloped off toward the pine forest. "What does he do?" Pavel asked Klimka in confusion. "How would I know?" Klimka replied, shrugging. "Probably the government is about to change again. Why didn't the Leshinski family run away yesterday? If the rich people run away, it means that the guerrillas are coming." Seryozha settled the political issue with certainty.

His reasoning was so convincing that both Pavel and Klimka immediately agreed. Before the three friends finished talking about this issue, there was another sound of horseshoes on the road.They all ran towards the fence. As far as they could see, from the woods, from behind the forester's house, many people and vehicles turned out, and near the road, there were fifteen or six men on horses, with their guns across their saddles, facing Come here.The first two, one is a middle-aged man, wearing a protective color military uniform, an officer's belt, and a binoculars on his chest; the other walking beside him is the man on horseback whom the three friends have just seen.

The middle-aged man had a red bow pinned to his jacket. "Look, what did I say?" Seryozha nudged Pavel from the side. "You see, the red bow. It must be a guerrilla. If it wasn't a guerrilla, I would be blind..." As he spoke, he yelled happily, jumped over the fence like a bird, and jumped outside. The two friends followed suit and jumped out.Now the three of them stood together by the side of the road, watching the approaching procession. Those on horseback were already approaching.The man the three friends had just met nodded to them, pointed his horsewhip at Leszinski's house, and asked, "Whose house does this belong to?"

Pavel followed closely behind the rider, and said as he walked: "This is the house of the lawyer Lesinski's family. He ran away yesterday, apparently because he was afraid of you..." "How do you know who we are?" the middle-aged man asked with a smile. Paul pointed to the red bow and said, "What is this? It can be seen at a glance..." Residents flocked to the streets to watch the new team curiously.The three children also stood by the roadside, looking at these dirt-covered and tired Red Army soldiers. As the only cannon in the procession rumbled down the stone road, as did the carriage with its machine gun, they followed the partisans until the procession stopped in the center of the city and began to disperse into houses. , they went home separately.

The headquarters of the partisan unit was set up in the house of the Leshinsky family, and that evening, in the main living room, around the large carved four-legged table, four people sat in a meeting: one was the captain, Comrade Bulgakov, a There was already a middle-aged man with gray hair, and three others were members of the command. Bulgakov opened a map of the province on the table. While moving his fingernails on the map to find the route, he said to the man with strong teeth and high cheekbones on the opposite side: "Comrade Yermachenko, you said you would There is a battle here, I think we should withdraw early tomorrow morning. It is best to withdraw overnight today, but everyone is too tired. Our task is to rush to Kazatin before the Germans. Take what we have It's a joke to resist with this force... One gun, thirty shells, two hundred infantry and sixty cavalry - what's the use... The Germans are coming in like a flood. We have to fight with others Only the retreating Red Army united together can we fight. Comrades, we must also pay attention to the fact that in addition to the Germans, there are many counter-revolutionary gangs of various kinds along the road. My opinion is to withdraw early tomorrow morning. The little bridge at the time was blown up. It took the Germans two or three days to repair the bridge. In this way, they could not advance along the railway line for the time being.Comrades, what is your opinion?Let's decide. ’ he said to those present. Strushkov, who was sitting diagonally across from Bulgakov, moved his lips, looked at the map, then at Bulgakov, and finally managed to force out a sentence: "I ...in favor of ... Bulgakov's opinion." The young man in work clothes agreed: "Bulgakov has a point." Only Yermachenko, the one who had talked to the three friends during the day, shook his head in protest.He said: "Then what are we building this team for? Is it to retreat from the Germans without a fight? In my opinion, we should fight them here. Running is tiresome. . . With my temperament, I must fight a battle here." He pushed the chair away abruptly, stood up, and began to pace the room. Bulgakov glanced at him disapprovingly. "The battle must be fought with reason, Comrade Yermachenko. We can't do such a thing by forcing soldiers to charge upwards knowing that they will lose the battle and die. It would be ridiculous to do so. Behind us, There is a whole division of the enemy, equipped with heavy artillery and armored vehicles...Comrade Yermachenko, we can't be childish..." Then he said to everyone: "That's the decision, we will withdraw early tomorrow morning." "The next one is the question of making connections," Bulgakov continued. "Because we are the last group to withdraw, of course we have to take on the task of organizing the work behind the enemy lines. This is a railway junction station, the place is not big, but there are two stations. We should arrange a reliable comrade to work on the station. Now we will Decide who to keep. Let's nominate." "I think the sailor Zhukhrai should be kept," said Yermachenko, going to the table. "First, Zhu Helai is a local; second, he can work as a fitter and an electrician, and he will definitely find a job at the station. Besides, no one has seen him with our team, and he can only catch up tonight." Yes. This man has a lot of brains, and he will definitely get things done here. In my opinion, he is the most suitable person." Bulgakov nodded and said: "Yes, Yermachenko, I agree with you. Comrades, do you have any objections?" he asked the other two. "No. Then, it's settled. Let's leave a sum of money and an appointment order to Zhu Helai." "Comrades, now to the third and last question," Bulgakov went on. "It is to deal with the issue of weapons stored locally. There is a large number of rifles stored here, a total of 20,000, which were left over from the Tsar's war at that time. The guns were stacked in a farmer's shed, long forgotten.The owner of the shed told me about it.He didn't want to take the risk again... Of course it wouldn't work to leave these guns to the Germans.I think the gun should be burned.You have to start right away, and get everything done before dawn.But it was also dangerous to burn: the shed was on the edge of the city, surrounded by poor people, and it might burn down the peasants' houses. " Struzhkov was a solidly built man with a thick, bristly beard that had not been shaved for a long time.He bowed and said, "Why... burn it? I think... think these guns should be distributed to the... residents." Bulgakov immediately turned his face away and asked him: "You mean to send out all these guns?" "Yes, that's right!" Yermachenko enthusiastically endorsed. "Give these guns to the workers and other common people, whoever wants them. If the Germans drive everyone to nowhere, these guns can at least give them a look. When the Germans come, life will definitely be difficult. It will be unbearable. People will take up arms and resist. Strouzhkov said it well: send the guns out. It would be better if some could be transported to the country. The peasants would hide the guns better, Once the Germans expropriate the people and drive them out of their homes, hey, just see what these lovely guns can do!" Bulgakov laughed: "Yes, but the Germans will definitely order to hand back all the guns, and they will all be handed over at that time." Yermachenko retorted: "No, not all will be handed over, some will be handed over, and some will not be handed over." Bulgakov looked inquiringly at everyone present. "Put the gun down, let's go." The young worker also agreed with Yermachenko and Strouzhkov. "Okay, then send it on." Bulgakov also agreed. "The discussion is over." With that, he stood up from the table. "Now we can rest until tomorrow morning. When Zhukh comes, let him come to me for a while. I want to talk to him. Yermachenko, go to Chachagang." Everyone left, only Bulgakov remained.He went into the previous owner's bedroom next to the living room, spread his army coat on the cushions, and lay down. In the morning, Paul went home from the power plant.He has been working as a boiler worker's assistant in the factory for a whole year. The city is very lively today, which is different from usual.This he discovered immediately.Along the way, more and more people were holding rifles, some with one, some with two, and some with three.Paul didn't understand what was going on, and hurried home.Near Leszinski's estate, the men he had seen yesterday were mounting their horses and preparing to go. Pavel ran home, washed his face hastily, heard from his mother that Artyom had not returned, and then ran out to the other side of the city to find Seryozha who lived there. Seryozha was the son of a co-driver.His father had a small house of his own and a small fortune.Seryozha was not at home.His mother, a fat, fair woman, cast a disapproving look at Pavel. "The devil knows where he's gone! The devil dragged him away at daybreak, and said where the guns were firing, and he must be there. You snot-nosed generals, you can't use a willow stick. It's outrageous I really can't do anything about you. It's only two inches taller than the earthen pot, and I have to run to get the gun. You tell me that little rascal, let alone a gun, even if he brings back a bullet, I will take his head off. What? Take all the messy things home, and you will have to be troubled by him in the future. Why do you want to go there too?" Pavel had long since stopped listening to Seryozha's mother, and ran out like a gust of wind. A man came along the road with a rifle slung over his shoulders.Paul quickly ran up to him and asked, "Uncle, where can I get the gun?" "On Verhovina Street, where it's being distributed." Paul spread his legs and ran desperately towards that spot.He ran two streets and came across a little boy lugging a heavy rifle with a bayonet.Paul stopped him and asked, "Where did you get the gun?" "The guerrillas distributed them across the school. Now there is no one left. They have taken all of them. After a whole night of distribution, there are only a pile of empty boxes left. I even took two of this one." The little boy was proud Said eloquently. This news greatly dismayed Paul. "Well, hell, just run over there instead of going home!" he thought disappointedly. "How did I miss this opportunity?" Suddenly, he had an idea, turned around hastily, took three steps at a time, caught up with the little boy who had already walked past, and snatched the gun from him. "You already have one, that's enough, this one should be mine," said Pavel in an indisputable tone. Seeing him blocking the road and robbing in broad daylight, the little boy was so angry that he rushed towards him.Paul took a step back, picked up the bayonet, and shouted: "Go away, be careful that the bayonet touches you!" The little boy cried in distress, but he had no choice but to turn around and run away while scolding.Paul, however, ran home contented.He jumped over the fence, ran into the shed, hid the gun he had acquired on the beams under the roof, and went inside, whistling happily. In Ukraine, a small town like Shepetovka - with the urban center in the center and the countryside in the outskirts - is beautiful at night in summer. In summer, on quiet nights, all the young people come outside.Girls and boys sat in groups and pairs, some at their doorsteps, some in gardens and yards, and some in the street, on the piles of lumber for building houses.There is laughter and singing everywhere. The slightly flowing air is filled with a rich fragrance of flowers; the stars are like fireflies, shimmering in the depths of the sky; the voice of people spreads far and far... Paul liked his accordion very much.He always cherishes the two-key accordion made in Vienna and has a beautiful sound on his lap.As soon as the nimble fingers touched the keyboard, they quickly slid from top to bottom.The bass key let out a long breath, and then played a bold jumping melody. The accordion squirmed and played vigorously.At a time like this, how can you dance without hearing the sound and have a good time?You can't help it, and your feet will move involuntarily.The accordion played enthusiastically - how wonderful it is to live on earth! It's been a lot of fun tonight.A group of young people gathered on the wood pile opposite Paul's house, talking and laughing.The loudest voice was Paul's neighbor Galina.The mason's daughter liked to sing and dance with the boys.She is a mezzo-soprano, and her voice is loud and mellow. Pavel had always been a little afraid of her.She is very articulate.Now she was sitting next to Paul on the woodpile, hugged him tightly, and laughed loudly and said: "Hey, you are a great accordion player! It's a pity that you are a little too small, otherwise you would be my perfect little son-in-law! I just love the accordion players, they melt my heart." Pavel blushed with embarrassment, but luckily it was night and no one could see him.He wanted to push the naughty girl away, but she hugged him tightly. "Honey, where are you going to hide? What a kid!" she joked. Paul felt her elastic breasts pressed against his shoulders, and he felt uneasy, but the laughter around him woke up the usually silent street. Paul pushed Galina's shoulder with his hand and said, "You are hindering me from playing the violin, please stay away." Then there was another burst of banter and laughter. Marussia interrupted: "Paul, play a sad tune, something that touches your heart." The bellows of the accordion opened slowly, and the fingers moved slowly.This is a home tune that everyone is familiar with.Galina took the lead in singing.Marussia and the others followed immediately: all trackers They all returned to their hometown, sing a song to express my sorrow, we feel kind, We feel comfortable... The loud and clear singing of the young people spread to the distance, to the forest. "Paul!" was Artyom's voice. Paul put away the accordion and fastened the strap. "Call me, I have to go." Marusia begged him, "Stay a little longer, and take a few more, so I won't delay my return home." However, Paul was too busy to leave, and he said, "No, let's play tomorrow. It's time to go home now. Artem is calling me." He crossed the street and ran home. He opened the door and saw Artem's colleague Roman sitting at the table, and another stranger. "Did you call me?" Pavel asked. Artyom nodded to Pavel, and said to the stranger, "He is my brother." The stranger held out a thick hand to Pavel. "That's right, Pavel," Artyom said to his brother. "Didn't you say that the electrician in your power plant is sick? Ask tomorrow if they want to hire an expert to replace him. If so, come back and tell me." The man interjected, "No, I'll go with him. I'll talk to my boss myself." "Of course someone has to be hired," said Pavel. "Because the electrician Stankovic was sick, the machines stopped today. The boss came twice to find a substitute, but he couldn't find one. He dared not rely on a single boiler worker to generate electricity.Our electrician has typhoid fever. " "Then the matter is settled," said the stranger. "I'll come to you tomorrow, and we'll go together," he said to Pavel. "Ok." Paul saw his serene gray eyes watching him carefully.Pavel was a little embarrassed by that determined gaze.The gray jacket, which was buttoned from top to bottom, was too thin to fit tightly on his broad, strong shoulders.His neck is as thick as a cow, and his whole body is like a thick old oak tree, full of strength. As he was leaving, Artem said to him, "Well, goodbye, Zhukhrai. Tomorrow you go with my brother and things will be settled." Three days after the partisans withdrew, the Germans entered the city.At the station, which had been deserted for several days, the whistle of the locomotive sounded, which was the signal of their arrival.Immediately the word spread through the town: "The Germans are coming." Although everyone had known for a long time that the Germans were coming, the whole city was like an ant's nest that had been poked open, and immediately panicked, and there was always a little doubt about it. These terrible Germans are no longer far away in the sky, but close at hand, driving to the city. All the residents stuck to the fence and the courtyard gate, looked out, and dared not go out into the street. Germans do not walk in the middle of the road, but line up in two single files and travel along both sides of the road.They wore dark green uniforms, held guns with broad bayonets attached to them, wore heavy steel helmets on their heads, and carried large military bags on their backs.They stretched the line in a long line, from the station to the city, and they walked cautiously, ready to meet resistance, although no one wanted to resist them. Walking in front of the team were two officers with muskets, and in the middle of the road was a Ukrainian puppet leader who served as an interpreter. He was wearing a blue Ukrainian jacket and a high sheepskin hat. The Germans formed a square in the square in the city center and beat drums.Only a few ordinary people gathered together bravely.The puppet leader in a Ukrainian jacket walked up the steps of a pharmacy and read aloud the orders of the city defense commander, Major Korff. The command is as follows: Article 1 All residents of this city shall surrender all firearms and other weapons within 24 hours, and offenders shall be executed by shooting. Article 2 Martial law is declared in this city, and traffic is prohibited from 8:00 p.m. Major Korff Formerly the seat of the City Council, after the revolution it was the office of the Soviet of Workers' Deputies, and now it is the headquarters of the German City Defense Command.Standing by the steps in front of the house was a guard. He was no longer wearing a steel helmet, but a military cap with a large eagle-shaped imperial emblem on his head.A place was set aside in the yard to store the collected weapons. Residents who were afraid of being shot came to hand in their weapons all day long.Adults dare not show their faces, and those who come to give guns are young people and children.The Germans did not detain a single person. Those who refused to hand in their guns threw them on the road at night. The next morning, German patrols picked up the guns, loaded them into military carts, and transported them to the city defense headquarters. After twelve o'clock at noon, as soon as the deadline for handing over the guns passed, the German soldiers counted their trophies. The total number of rifles received was 14,000. That is to say, there were 6,000 rifles that had not been handed over to the Germans. .They searched house to house but found very little. The next morning two railroad workers were shot because rifles had been found in their home beside the old Jewish cemetery outside the city. As soon as Artyom heard the order, he hurried home.He met Pavel in the yard, grabbed him by the shoulders, and asked solemnly in a low voice, "Have you brought anything home from outside?" Paul wanted to keep the rifle a secret, but he didn't want to lie to his brother, so he told the truth. They went into the shed together.Artyom took the gun from the beam, unbolted the bolt and the bayonet, grabbed the barrel, swung his arms, and smashed the butt of the gun against the fence posts with all his might.The unbroken part was thrown far away in the wasteland outside the small garden, and the bayonet and bolt were thrown into the latrine after turning around. When it was over, Artem turned to his brother and said, "You are no longer a child, Pavel, and you understand that weapons are not for fun. I must make it clear to you that nothing will be taken home from now on. You know, you're dying for something like that now. Remember, don't hide it from me, if you bring something like this back and they find out, I'll be the first to be caught and shot. You're still a kid, and they won't touch you.Right now is the time of war, you understand? " Paul promised that he would never take things home again. As they were walking across the yard to the house, a carriage stopped at the Leszinskis' gate.The lawyer, his wife, and their two children—Nellie and Victor—get out of the car. "These babes are back again," Artyom said savagely. "It's a good show again, damn it!" After saying that, he went into the house. Paul has been upset all day about the gun.On the same day, his friend Seryozha was digging soil with a shovel in a broken shed that no one wanted.He finally dug a big hole under the wall, wrapped the three new guns he had received in rags, and put them down.He didn't want to hand over these guns to the Germans. He tossed and tossed all night last night. He filled the hole with soil, tamped it firmly, and brought a lot of rubbish and junk to cover the new soil.Then I checked it from all aspects and felt that there was nothing wrong with it, so I took off my hat and wiped the sweat from my forehead. "Let them search this time. Even if they find it, they can't find out whose shed it is." Zhu Helai had been working in the power plant for a month, and Paul unknowingly became close friends with this serious electrician. Zhu Helai often explained the structure of the generator to him and taught him electrical techniques. The sailor Zhu Helai liked this clever boy very much.In his spare time, he often visits Artem.This reasonable and serious sailor always listened patiently to them talking about various things in daily life, especially when his mother complained that Paul was naughty, he listened patiently.He would always think of ways to comfort Maria Yakovlevna, to make her feel at ease and forget all her troubles. One day, when Paul walked past the pile of firewood in the yard of the power plant, Zhu Helai stopped him and said to him with a smile: "Your mother said you like to fight. She said: 'My child is always good at fighting, just like a dog Rooster.'" Zhu Helai laughed approvingly, and then said: "Fighting is not a bad thing, but you have to know who to fight and why." Paul didn't know whether Zhukhlai was making fun of him or speaking seriously, so he replied: "I don't fight for no reason, I always fight for a reason." Zhu Helai said to him unexpectedly: "You must have real skills in fighting, and I will teach you, okay?" Pavel gave him a surprised look. "How do you fight if you have real skills?" "Okay, just watch." He gave Paul his first lesson by briefly talking about British boxing. Paul had to suffer a lot in order to master this skill, but he learned it very well.Under Zhu Helai's fist blows, he did not know how many heads fell, but this apprentice was very diligent, so he continued to learn patiently. One day, when it was very hot, Pavel came back from the Klimkas' house, wandered around the house for a while, and, having nothing to do, decided to go to the little shed in the corner of the garden behind the house, which was his favorite place. place.He crossed the yard, walked into the small garden, climbed onto the ledge of the wall, and climbed onto the roof of the shed.He pushed aside the luxuriant cherry branches above the shed, climbed into the middle of the shed, and lay down in the warm sunshine. One side of the shed faced the garden of the Leszinskis' house, and if one climbed to the edge of the shed, one could see the whole garden and the house in front.Paul poked his head over the roof and saw a corner of the courtyard and a carriage parked there.He saw the German lieutenant's orderly who lived at Leszinski's house brushing his officer's clothes with a brush.Pavel often saw the lieutenant at the gate of the Leszinski house. The lieutenant was a stocky, red-cheeked lieutenant with a close-cropped beard, pince-nez and a service cap with a patent leather visor.Pavel knew that he lived in an annexe, and that the windows looked out on the garden, which could be clearly seen from the roof. At this time, the lieutenant was writing something at the desk.After a while, he walked out with what he had written.He handed a letter to the orderly, and walked along the garden path to the street gate.Walking to the side of the gazebo, he stopped, obviously talking to someone.Nelly came out of the arbor.The lieutenant took her arm, and the two of them went out through the gate and into the street. Paul saw all this.He was about to sleep for a while, when he saw the orderly enter the lieutenant's room, hang the lieutenant's military uniform on the hanger, open the window facing the garden, tidy up the room, and go out, closing the door behind him.In a second Pavel saw that he was at the stable where the horses were tied. Pavel looked through the open window, and the whole room was clearly visible.On the table lay a pair of leather belts, and something shiny. Driven by irrepressible curiosity, Paul quietly climbed from the shed roof to the cherry tree, and slipped along the tree into the garden of Leszinski's house.He bent down, took a few strides to the open window, and glanced into the room.On the table were a pair of arm belts and a handsome twelve-shot Manlihull in a holster. Paul couldn't even catch his breath.For a few seconds he struggled violently, but at last a force seized him, and, desperately, he leaned through the window, grabbed the holster, drew the shiny new pistol, and again Jumped back into the garden.He looked around, put the gun carefully in his trouser pocket, and ran quickly across the garden to the cherry tree.He climbed up to the roof like a monkey, and looked back again.The orderly was chatting leisurely with the groom, and the garden was quiet... He slipped down from the barn and hurried home. Mother was too busy cooking in the kitchen to notice him. Pavel snatched a rag from the back of the box, stuffed it into his pocket, and slipped quietly out of the door, across the garden, over the fence, and onto the road leading into the forest.Holding the pistol that hit his thigh from time to time with one hand, he ran desperately towards an old abandoned brick factory. His two feet seemed to be flying into the air, and the wind was whistling in his ears. The old brick factory is very secluded.Parts of the wooden roof had collapsed, broken bricks were piled here and there, and the brick kiln was also destroyed, presenting a desolate scene.Weeds are overgrown here and there, only their three good friends sometimes come here to play together.Paul knew many safe and secure hiding places where he could hide his stolen treasure. He got into a gap in a brick kiln and carefully looked back, but there was no one on the road.The pine forest is rustling, the breeze gently lifts the dust from the roadside, and the pine resin exudes a strong smell. Paul wrapped the pistol in a rag and placed it in a corner of the kiln floor, covered with a pile of broken bricks.He got out of the kiln, blocked the opening with bricks, made a mark, and then returned to the road and walked slowly home. His legs were trembling slightly. "What will happen to the outcome of this matter?" Thinking of this, he felt his heart tighten, and he felt a little panicked. On this day, before it was time to go to work, he went to the power plant ahead of time so as not to stay at home.He took the key from the porter, opened the door, and entered the building where the engine was installed.While he was cleaning the bellows, filling the boiler and lighting the fire, he kept thinking: "What's going on with the Leshinsky family now?" It was already very late, around eleven o'clock at night, Zhukh came to see Pavel, called him into the yard, and asked him in a low voice, "Why did someone search your house today?" Paul was taken aback. "What? Search?" Zhu Helai was silent for a while, and added: "Yes, the situation is not very good. Don't you know what they are searching for?" Of course Paul knew what they were looking for, but he dared not tell Zhu Helai about the gun theft.He asked anxiously: "Has Artyom been taken?" "No one was caught, but everything in the house was turned upside down." After hearing this, Paul felt a little more at ease, but still felt uneasy. For a few minutes they both thought about their own concerns.One knew the reason for the search and worried about the future results; the other didn't know the reason for the search, but became vigilant because of it. "Damn it, maybe they heard something about me? Artem didn't know anything about me, but why did he search his house? We have to be extra careful in the future." Zhu Helai thought so. They parted in silence and went about their work. The Leszinskis were in a state of disarray at this time. The German lieutenant, noticing that the pistol was missing, called the orderly for questioning.When it was found out that the pistol was indeed lost, the normally polite and seemingly well-mannered lieutenant threw his arm away and slapped the orderly across the face.The orderly swayed from the beating, but stood still.He blinked guiltily and waited obediently. The lawyer who was called in for questioning was also very angry, and he repeatedly apologized to the lieutenant for this unpleasant incident at home. At this time, Victor, who was present, told his father that the pistol might have been stolen by a neighbor, especially the young hooligan Paul Korchagin who was the most suspected.The father hurriedly told the lieutenant what his son thought.The lieutenant immediately ordered a search. Searches turned up nothing.这次偷手枪的事使保尔更加相信，即使是这样冒险的举动，有时也可以安然无事。