Голод
Part II
Stillinthebestofhumours,witheyesturnedtowardsthelighter,everlightersquareinthewall,IamusedmyselfactingCabinetMinister;calledmyselfVonTangen,andclothedmyspeechinadressofred-tape.Myfancieshadnotceased,butIwasfarlessnervous.IfIonlyhadnotbeenthoughtlessenoughtoleavemypocket-bookathome!MightInothavethehonourofassistinghisRightHonourablethePrimeMinistertobed?Andinallseriousness,andwithmuchceremonyIwentovertothestretcherandlaydown.
BythisitwassolightthatIcoulddistinguishinsomedegreetheoutlinesofthecelland,littlebylittle,theheavyhandleofthedoor.Thisdivertedme;themonotonousdarknesssoirritatinginitsimpenetrabilitythatitpreventedmefromseeingmyselfwasbroken;mybloodflowedmorequietly;Isoonfeltmyeyesclose.
Iwasarousedbyacoupleofknocksonmydoor.Ijumpedupinallhaste,andcladmyselfhurriedly;myclotheswerestillwetthroughfromlastnight.
"You’llreportyourselfdownstairstotheofficeronduty,"saidtheconstable.
Weretheremoreformalitiestobegonethrough,then?Ithoughtwithfear.
BelowIenteredalargeroom,wherethirtyorfortypeoplesat,allhomeless.Theywerecalleduponebyonebytheregisteringclerk,andonebyonetheyreceivedaticketforbreakfast.
