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You forced him out of bed and took away his shelter. Isn t
that enough for you? Haven t you done enough to me?
You re ill? Jev�aek called out.
What more do you want? the voice accused. This is
inhuman! Abhorrent! Just leave me alone!
You can t get away, Jev�aek said uneasily. They ll catch
you & They ve encircled the mountain.
So many of you? the voice spoke with great bitterness.
That s shameful! What will I do now? God, oh God, what will
I do now?
Jev�aek stiffened, painfully uncertain.
Jesus Christ! the voice lamented, what will I do now?
They ve encircled the mountain & Jesus Christ!
Jev�aek s heart was filled with a luminous whiteness.
Wait, he began, trembling.
What will I do now? came the agitated voice out of the
mist. I m lost! lost! lost! Oh God, how is it possible?
66 C ROSS ROADS
I ll help you, Jev�aek cried out.
You ll only betray me, the voice groaned. Our father,
who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come,
thy will be & thy will& Give me a way out! God, give me a
way out!
Jev�aek felt pain, hope, horror love and hurt, joy, tears,
and impassioned courage: he rose, shaking, and said: Come.
They re only watching the roads. I ll go with you. Don t be
afraid.
Don t come near me! the voice shouted.
I ll go with you. Don t be afraid of me. Where are you?
Jesus Christ! the voice screamed in terror. I don t want,
I don t want anything from you!
Now Jev�aek perceived in front of him a faceless shadow,
and felt a feverish breathing against his face. Leave me alone,
the voice spat out, someone s hand touched his chest, and
suddenly, with an awkward bound, the shadow vanished into
the mist.
The examiner stood on the doorstep of the hut, biting his nails.
Slav�k walked up to him. Look, he began, I ve been
thinking things over. You ve heard the witnesses; they all
spoke of him in the strangest way. As if he kept getting bigger.
To us, it s as if he never stops growing. An extraordinary case
of suggestion.
The examiner raised his tired eyes.
Perhaps that s his method of operation, Slav�k continued.
He overwhelms people. He s a madman, a megalomaniac.
That would explain everything.
The examiner shook his head and lowered his eyes.
The team of men formed a chain from the hut across the
mountain s broad plateau. Ten, perhaps twenty people. They
advanced slowly and wordlessly, with mechanical precision.
Only occasionally did a weapon clank and break the silence.
THE MOUNTAIN 67
The examiner relaxed his clenched teeth. I m tired, too
tired. I can t go on.
He leaned against a tree and closed his eyes. He felt wholly
diminished by fatigue. I can t go on. What s this? Tired
already, you young rascal? the voice of his father suddenly
materialized. Come on, hop up onto my back. Oh, there was
nothing more the boy could have asked for. Papa had a back
like a giant, and the boy settled himself there, as nice and high
as if he d mounted a horse. The road ran on ahead of them.
His father smelled of tobacco and strength. Like a giant.
Nobody was stronger. Then, aching with tenderness, the little
imp pressed his small face against the damp, powerful nape of
his father s neck.
The examiner wrenched himself from his reverie. I m tired.
If only I could concentrate! What, for instance, is seven times
thirteen? With furrowed brow, moving his lips, he started to do
the arithmetic. It s impossible to calculate. Endlessly, he
repeated both numbers to himself. Somehow, they were
particularly hostile, indivisible, obstinate. The worst of all
possible numbers. In despair, the examiner gave up on finding
a solution.
All at once he heard, clearly and articulately: what is seven
times thirteen? His heart came to a frightened standstill: It s the
schoolmaster. This time he s going to call on me, yes, this time
& For heaven s sake, where can I hide? What can I do? Give
me a way out, God! Give me a way out!
At that moment a shot rang out.
Meanwhile, Jev�aek was wandering along the hillside, knowing
neither direction nor destination. At intervals he listened, but
never had the world been more silent, never more muffled; he
felt a bit of pain and a bit of intoxication; he went on, without
thought, not knowing where he was.
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