Page:Poet Lore, volume 27, 1916.djvu/391

 Havlin.—I saw one of your majors as I ran through the last village—he escaped with us.

( startled, his eyes shine angrily as he overcomes his anger.)

Havlin.—Yes, it was even in this village—then to the right—he escaped with us.

(Silence.)

Havlin.—Shan’t I say it—he did run? Did not the bigger fellows run? Aren’t we all retreating—!

Vonka.—What—you—well. (He forces conversation.)Then—your turn came—you Moravian. Frangner, he too got it badly and then we got into it—We were on a hill and we rise and charge like mad—I knew nothing at all—just run and leap—then suddenly there is a wall of the black fellows—you feel that they were never there—but that they rose from the earth—that’s how blind you are as you run forward—Every blessed son of them looks like a black giant—and funny, they aren’t any bigger than we—then now you see a thousand barrels aimed at you—and this is the interesting part, you take in the whole thing in a single moment—your lads had already gotten there—for you see thousands crouching dead in gray-green uniform—some horses roll there too—you swallow—(His efforts are in vain, the picture escapes him; what he concentrated in rage struggles and passion breaks out; turns quickly to .) Away with you.

Havlin.—Eh?

Vonka.—See that you run

Havlin.—What do you want?

Vonka.—Away I said—away—coward! (With renewed strength.) Look out, the Prussians will catch you—we were beaten—beaten—the eighth division of the Austrian army—at Skalitz—don’t you know, eh? The men, officers, cannon, horses, everything is fleeing. And the horses, they are not the most stupid—(Beside himself with anger.) Without heart into battle, without heart away from it—They can push them from place to place but that they should feel not that—what do you talk—Czech! How about you Moravian? Czech! How do I talk? Czech! And now we’ll all be Prussians—(Shame and sorrow is choking him.) Sheep!! Animals! Stones!(He falls to the ground and his body shakes convulsively.) (A while passes.) ( looks at as if he wanted to say “Well” but nothing more. The church-yard gate grates on its hinges. A soldier appears.)

What are you doing in here? (No one answers.)