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Kanin intervened again. "Captain Pinsky, you began by accusing this man of murder. Perhaps that was a good enough reason to stop production in the wheel shop. But you have admitted that you were in error, and now you allege only that he failed to report the theft of some documents. Meanwhile, your country is at war, and you are delaying the manufacture of locomotives desperately needed by the Russian army. Unless you wish your name to be mentioned in our next report to the army high command, I suggest you finish your business here quickly. "
Pinsky looked at Grigori. "What reserve unit are you in?"
Without thinking, Grigori replied: "Narva regiment. "
"Hah!" said Pinsky. "They were called up today. " He looked at Isaak. "You, too, I'll bet. "
Isaak said nothing.
"Release them," Pinsky said.
Gri
gori staggered when they let go of his arms, but he managed to stay upright.
"You'd better make sure you show up at the depot as ordered," Pinsky said to Grigori and Isaak. "Otherwise I'll be after you. " He turned on his heel and exited with what little dignity he had left. His men followed him.
Grigori sat down heavily on a stool. He had a blinding headache, a pain in his ribs, and a bruised ache in his belly. He needed to curl up in a corner and pass out. The thought that kept him conscious was a scorching desire to destroy Pinsky and the entire system of which he was part. One of these days, he kept thinking, we will wipe out Pinsky and the tsar and everything they stand for.
Kanin said: "The army won't pursue you two-I've made sure of that-but I'm afraid I can't do anything about the police. "
Grigori nodded grimly. It was as he had feared. Pinsky's most savage blow, worse than any he had struck with the sledgehammer, would be to make sure that Grigori and Isaak joined the army.
Kanin said: "I'll be sorry to lose you. You've been a good worker. " He seemed genuinely moved, but he was impotent. He paused a moment longer, threw up his hands in a gesture of helplessness, and left the shop.
Varya appeared in front of Grigori with a bowl of water and a clean rag. She washed the blood from his face. She was a bulky woman but her broad hands had a gentle touch. "You should go to the factory barracks," she said. "Find an empty bed and lie down for an hour. "
"No," Grigori said. "I'm going home. "
Varya shrugged and moved to Isaak, who was not so badly injured.
With an effort, Grigori stood up. The factory spun around him for a while, and Konstantin held his arm when he staggered; but eventually he felt able to stand alone.
Konstantin picked up his cap from the floor and gave it to him.
He felt unsteady when he began to walk, but he waved away offers of support, and after a few steps he regained his normal stride. His head cleared with the effort, but the pain in his ribs forced him to tread carefully. He made his slow way through the maze of benches and lathes, furnaces and presses, to the outside of the building, and then to the factory gate.
There he met Katerina coming in.
"Grigori!" she said. "You've been called up-I saw the poster!" Then she noticed his damaged face. "What happened?"
"An encounter with your favorite police captain. "
"That pig Pinsky. You're hurt!"
"The bruises will heal. "
"I'll take you home. "
Grigori was surprised. This was a switch of roles. Katerina had never before offered to take care of him. "I can make it on my own," he said.
"I'll come with you all the same. "
She took his arm and they walked through the narrow streets against the tide of thousands of workers swarming to the factory. Grigori's body hurt and he felt ill, but all the same it was a joy to him to be walking arm in arm with Katerina as the sun rose over the dilapidated houses and the dirty streets.
However, the familiar walk tired him more than he expected, and when at last they got home he sat heavily on the bed and then, after a moment, lay down.
"I've got a bottle of vodka hidden in the girls' room," Katerina said.
