“And why didn’t you straightway drown her?” I cried out, scarcely knowing what I said. “It would have been far more merciful than to deceive the poor unfortunate, consumptive creature.…”
“She’ll live long enough, yet,” said Christianok. “The orders were to catch her quietly, cleverly, without any noise. That’s just what we have done.”
I heard these cold hard words with the greatest indignation. I was almost beside myself at the heartlessness of the wily Greek.
“No! enough, old man. Calm your knightly feelings; that’s all bosh. In our time, remember, the most important thing is courage, and impudence itself must be clever and sharp. Success means might and riches; non-success, poverty, or what is worse, Siberia. No, you had better get up. Don’t you see that it’s time?…”
Raising my head, I saw that our door was open, and through it I could see the whole crew, walking to and fro, and talking gaily. The Greek and I were taken into the ward-room. There on the table stood a whole battery of wine bottles. The room was filled with the fumes of tobacco and punch. We were forced to drink, and then sent on shore. There I learnt that the count had all this time been with the admiral at the consul’s, discussing their future movements.
In the evening the streets of Livorno were filled with turbulent and indignant crowds. The Russians shut themselves up in their houses. Involuntarily I grasped my hat and cloak, and taking the most deserted streets, proceeded to the sea-shore.