Page:Hours Spent in Prison.djvu/134

 A certain time passed in silence, then I perceived that my neighbour also could not sleep—evidently in his head also sad thoughts were wandering. The second “leader,” a young assistant, is enjoying the sleep of a strong and very tired man, only from time to time he murmured indistinctly:

“I wonder at you gentlemen.” Again there rung out the loud voice of an older leader: “You are young men, well brought up, educated, and yet look how you are spoiling your life!”

“How is it?”

“Ah, sir. You think we do not even understand that?… We understand well that you were not born to such a life, and you have not been used to it from your childhood. Are you, sir, indeed glad of that?”—he pronounced these words in a tone of doubt.

“Not very—it is true. And you,—are you cheerful?”