Page:The Jail, Experiences in 1916.pdf/106

 But what was this all at once? From the other side came the sound of music, military music,—drums, trumpets, the drums were especially powerful—and on top of this shouts, as if the military music were playing in a circus, as if the showmen were giving orders to a lady equestrian, or had charge of jumping lions,—a hellish music, the drums and cymbals drowned everything else,—the singing of the Jews was overwhelmed amid it and perished; only from time to time did some higher note still emerge,—what could that be?

"The orderlies, Kranz" explained Hedrich who in a state of excitement had left the wolves and sheep and had sat down with us. "Kranz is doing the circus, the orderlies provide the music. He doesn't like the Jews and thats's how he spoils their devotions."

"And who are these orderlies?"

"Convicts. Each of them has still several years to serve. Kranz has six now. Fiedler is also among them. They keep the jail clean. They are all in one room, they have to get up in the morning before anyone else, sweep up, carry out the buckets, fetch the breakfast, clean the passages, and they live in a state of huge prosperity. They have their profitable little deals, they attend to everything that is wanted, nobody discovers how they do it, they move about in the jail freely, they eat and drink to their heart's content, and on Saturdays this is how they amuse themselves."

The din of the music continued. A dry music, without trumpets and bassoons, only drums and cymbals. And the shouting, the uproar, the yells,—the whole jail must have heard it, and not only the jail, but the streets round about as well. Bang, bang, bang bang, bang, bang, trrrrr, crash, crash, crash.

Today I shall not hear my skylark.

The lamp on the ceiling burst into flame.