Good Blood | Page 9

such youngsters have once and for all a tremendously fine instinct, they may have felt that in this long gawk lay hidden a perfectly mean, cowardly, wretched spirit. He was one of those who never venture to attack their equals in size, but bully the smaller and weaker ones.
"At that broke out a whispering on all sides: 'Little L shall speak! All the more reason for him to speak.'
"As the little fellow, who was still standing there, ever motionless and rigid, heard how his comrades were taking his part, suddenly the big tears rolled down his cheeks; he doubled his two little fists and screwed them into his eyes and sobbed so heart-breakingly that his whole body shook from top to bottom and he could not utter a word.
"One of them went up to him and patted him on the back.
"'Take it easy,' said he; 'what is it you wish to say?'
"Little L still kept on sobbing.
"'If--he is shown up--' he then broke out at long intervals--'he will be dismissed from the corps--and then what will become of him?'
"There was silence everywhere; we knew that the young one was perfectly right, and that such would be the consequence if we reported him. Added to this we also knew that the father was poor, and involuntarily each thought of what his own father would say if he should learn the same of his son.
"'But you must see yourself/ continued the cadet to Little L, 'that your brother has done a very contemptible thing and deserves punishment for it.'
"Little L nodded silently; his feelings were entirely with those who were censuring his brother. The cadet reflected a moment, then he turned to the others.
"'I make a proposition,' said he; 'and if it be accepted we will not disgrace L No. I for life. We will prove on his body whether he has any honorable feelings left. L No. I. himself shall choose whether he wishes us to report him or whether we shall keep the matter to ourselves cudgel him thoroughly for it, and then let the affair be buried.'
"That was an admirable way out. All agreed eagerly.
"The cadet laid his hand on Little L's shoulder. 'Go along, then,' said he, 'and call your brother here.'
"Little L dried his tears and nodded his head quickly--then he was out of the door and a moment after was back again, bringing his brother with him.
"Big L ventured to look at no one; like an ox that has been felled on the forehead, he stood before his comrades. Little L stood behind him, and never once did his eyes leave his brother's slightest movement.
"The cadet who had made the foregoing proposition began the trial of L No. I.
"'Does he admit that he took the belt?'
"'He admits it.'
"'Does he feel that he has done something that has made him absolutely unworthy of being a cadet any longer?'
"'He feels it.'
"'Does he choose that we report him to the captain or that we thrash him soundly and that the matter shall then be buried?'
"'He prefers to be soundly thrashed.'
"A sigh of relief went through the whole hall.
"It was determined to finish the matter at once then and there.
"One of the boys was sent out to fetch a rattan, such as we used for beating our clothes.
"While he was gone we tried to induce Little L to leave the hall, so that he should not be present at the execution.
"But he shook his head silently; he wished to remain on hand.
"As soon as the rattan came, Big L was made to lie face down on the table, two cadets seized his hands and drew him forward, two others took him by the feet so that his body lay stretched out lengthwise. The tallow candles were taken from the table and lifted up high, and the whole affair had an absolutely gruesome look.
"Long K, because he was the strongest, was to perform the execution; he took the rattan in his hand, stepped to one side, and with the force of his whole body let the cane come whistling down on to Big L, who was clothed only in drill jacket and trousers.
"The young fellow fairly rose under the fearful blow and would have cried out; but in a second Little L rushed up to him, took his head in both hands and smothered it against himself.
"'Don't scream,' he whispered to him; 'don't scream, else the whole affair will get out!'
"Big L swallowed down the cry and choked and groaned to himself.
"Long K again lifted up the cane, and a second swish resounded through the hall.
"The body of the culprit actually writhed on the table, so that the cadets were scarcely able to hold him down by his hands and feet. Little L had wrapped both arms around the head of