The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-11-20
CHAPTER 80


CHAPTER SEVEN
THE Cay % the departure for
Il Siberia had come. and in the
foul. smelly prison where Katusha
was kept. al vas activity. Even the
ever-prcsel. rats had been fright
A.. cred INTO hiding. FINALLY. the guards
came 70 the cell which Katusha
. shared ultn four other convcts.
They entered roughly. and n Drus-
Que voices commanded the uFe
women 20 d-e out. As the door
clanked behind Ka-u-ha. she knew T.
. closed ore part % her life forever.
Wen. she vas not sorry. j. wash
q good life 81 selling what one
should only give. But, She remem-
bered those days. Oh The estate, that
. lovely spring with Dmitri; these
were indeed days Of beauty.
in the courtyard. she held out her
= hands for the shaCkle5 20 be ham,
mered on They put her small, ira
gle arms or an anvil. and a big
man with a heavy maliet put The
Epan rings on. and with TWO mighty
blows. closed them. The woman De
hind her put ner hands out and
tle woman behind her.
They were all chained 20 each
other. and would be. for the long
cod trip 70 siberia NO chance to
escape. But why would one wish
10 escape2 what was there 70
escape TOP The torment they were
Iaaung7 Could Siberia be any
WCrse2
Yet Katusha was a woman, and as
she stood in the bleak courtyard
filed with the clamOr OF ringing
snrIls and agonized gOodbyeS. she
couldn't help but think Of the
promise DmitI had made 10 her. He
SAID he would so 70 Siberia with her.
I'm trying TO get you pardoned.
Ka-Isha." he had said. earnestly. If
I succeed. well and good. If I don't.
I shall follow you 70 Siberia. I shall
follow you-help yOu-wOTk for YOU"
She has laughed at him, shouted
az hun. YOU You so 70 Siberiai
There IS no pleasure there. And
money won't 90 you any gOOd!'
And She had raised her hands.
How she l0nged TO strike him then!
But some strange feeling within her
had restrained her hands.
L ATUSHA'S chain Of thought
, N broke of. The guards we're
h0Uting for the long line TO move.
and with those orders TO leave for
SiDeria-chilling phrasei-Katusha,
the cynical. hardened Moscow w0m-
an. Clca again. through some al
CbCmy. became Katusha, the warm,
naive. lovely country girl whom
.Dmitri had loved.
Franucally she looked about her.
Dmi-rll he must come. He said he
would
"Dmitri.~ she cried, "Dmitri. my
darling. where are yOu2 You must
come 10 me. Dmitri. You must ="
K1tusha Wept. Just as long ago
she had Wept when Dmitri had not
returned to her. as ne had pledged.
They were at the boundary line
between Siberia and Russia. A wild
wind shrieked across the desOlate
'steppes The priSOners-the few left
after the horrible jOurney-huddled
close together. warming each other.
Katusha. however. stood alone. wait
ing for the order 10 move INTO the
land where all was lost and for
gotten.
she was numbed by the bitter
ireal lzation that Dmitri had not
come
3 D.mly. through the howl Of the
wind. she heard her name being
called sKatusha AIaslOvai Katusna
AIaslOva Absently. she responded.
~Herel"
Then suddenly. Dmitri was at her
side. His arms were about her. His
-Ips we're on hersl OH Could any
thing be so sweet He had not for
gOttenl
L am here, KatuSha. with YOU.
he was saving. 7 have nothing now
but YOU. and the promise of a new
life. Katusha. II YOU VIII forgive me.
Forgive me not only for the wrong
/ did YOU. but for all the cruelty and
injustice Of the world have been a
part Of
But. I have forgiven YOU" she
said. gently. Who am 10 forgive
you2 I am not worthy
Not woVthyl" he cried. Not
worthy. KatuShal All those who
have been crushed and beaten IN
life are holy. KatUsha. Those who
suffer the wrongs Of world. and are