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know that I had visited the political offenders and the colonel of the town, Yaroslaff, had also communicated the fact that I took her, and both conspired together against the government. That heaped up the measure of their anger.
The chief gendarme did not now wish to promote me. “Which of you is the non-commissioned officer?” he asked.
“I,” I answered.
“You are like a woman! You ought to be taken as a blockhead to prison!”
Just then I felt to be in a state of such indifference that I did not regret anything!… Only that wretchedly sad young woman, I could not forget her, and now I feel the same; she lingers ever before my eyes. What could it mean? Who could explain this?… But don’t you go to sleep, sir?… I could not fall asleep…. A mysterious misgiving stole over me as I again contemplated her in the twilight.
