The Good Soldier Svejk by Jaroslav Hasek

Author:Jaroslav Hasek [Hasek, Jaroslav]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-03-21T02:00:57.574000+00:00

* * *

The right-hand man began to pace to and fro nervously.

"You yelled it at the top of your voice," said the police sergeant. "Then you just flopped across the bed and began to snore."

The right-hand man came to a standstill by the window, and drumming on the pane, he remarked :

"You didn't mince your words either, in front of the old woman, and I remember you saying to her : 'Don't you forget that every emperor and king only thinks of their pockets and that's why they have wars.' And then you cleared off into the yard to spew."

''You do come out with some choice language, I must say," demurred the police sergeant. "And where did you get the fat-headed idea from that Nikolay Nikolayevitch was going to be King of the Czechs?"

"I don't remember that," murmured the right-hand man uneasily.

"I shouldn't think you would, considering you was blind to the wide, and when you wanted to go out, you crawled on to the stove instead of going through the door."

There was a lengthy silence. At last the police sergeant said :

"I've always told you that booze is ruin. You can't stand it and yet you will drink it. Supposing that chap had done a bunk? A fine mess we'd have been in then. Holy Moses, my head don't half feel dizzy."

"I'll tell you what," continued the police sergeant, "if he hasn't done a bunk that only shows how dangerous and artful he is. The thing's as plain as a pikestaff. Of course, when they come to cross-examine him, he'll swear blind that the place was open all night, that we was boozed and that he could have cleared off if he'd been guilty. It's a good thing nobody'll believe a man with his record, and when we give our evidence under oath, we can say that it's a pack of lies from beginning to end, and that'll be another point against him. Not that one more or less makes any difference in his case. I only wish I hadn't got such a damned headache."

There was a pause. Then the police sergeant said :

"Fetch the old woman here."

"Now just you listen to me," said the police sergeant to the old

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