Close Up (Jul-Dec 1928)

CLOSE UP ing for admission. The boy's fear continues with the same insane energy — a wonderful piece of acting. Again the old man descends. The boy is hidden up in his room. The Bolsheviks are impatient, but the old man goes toward them with his lantern outwardly composed. Go on, he says to them, what's the meaning of this. Get along with you. He is ordered to open, and stands face to face with his son. He angrily rebukes the good-natured greeting. His son listens smalingly to his angry words. Indoors, the tired and hungry men are making themselves comfortable. The old man goes up to his room, outraged and powerless ; his life foundations dashed from under him in a moment. The men downstairs seem quiet enough, tired out and sleeping. The boy, exhausted now after his frenzied energy, is put to bed in the old man's bed, and the old man takes pillow and rug and settles himself on the floor. The howling dog has burrowed in the newly dug soil and exhumed the corpse of the pup. It now how^ls, crouched over the dead body. The gate sentry, nerves exhausted by the monotonous cries stamps to the coppice to destroy the dog. He finds the plate there, half uncovered in the burrowing ; brings companions, and it is borne away to the house. At dawn the old man descends softly among the sleeping men, and sees his son asleep on a table. He takes food for the boy upstairs, and is detected. Suspicions are roused, and his son and two men mount. They are heard. The boy, his former wild energy returning, is thrust into a long sloping loft. His figure vanishes, falling behind heavy beams and heavy shadow like a startled lizard. The old man is found calmlv eating at his table. The search reveals nothing, and 40