was also expensive and inaccessible to Adam, as well as Desdemona. In his soul the deaf protest boiled, and this protest at last broke outside.
IX. FLIGHT
There was a guest-night. One of those for which de Troyes house was famous. Among invited at the strict choice there were «necessary people» from ministerial and bank tops with the wives. Huge rooms were buried in tropical verdure. Fresh flowers decorated tables, dozens of servants finished the last preparations. All society waiting for a lunch was placed in extensive salon.
De Troyes was happy. Only one cloud saddened Bernarda this brilliant holiday. Adam… If only he did not take in head to come. But it came. Came before the most concert office, gloomy and silent. Anybody without having greeted, he took seat in a corner.
The invited famous singer sat down at a grand piano: she accompanied herself. Incidentally or deliberately, but the actress started singing Desdemona’s song:
The poor thing sat under the shade sikomor, sighing.
Oh, sing a green willow…
Adam hardened. He did not imagine that others can sing Desdemona’s song yes sir as though it is sung by her. Then it suddenly began to tremble from head to foot. His face was distorted by a suffering spasm. He seized himself by the head, then suddenly cried so that crystal on chandeliers rang out:
– It is not necessary!. – and, having run up to a grand piano, struck a cover which with a crash and a ring of strings broke.
Adam with groan ran out from salon in a corridor. In a corridor, the door to the room, had Anatole. Adam on the fly picked up the boy:
– We run… to mountains… rather…
Side exit, on the street, had several cars. Adam chose the strongest car and, having dumped the driver, took seat on his place, having put near himself Anatole and Dzhip-si. The car rushed and rushed off at reckless speed on streets of Paris at once…
X. THE SKY OVER THE HEAD
Scandal in de Troyes house was picked up and inflated by the newspapers living on sensations. High visitors of an invited dinner de Troyes revolted with Adam’s behavior in return pressed the buttons to lift a newspaper campaign against the white savage. Adam became the hero of the day.
And, as it often happens, under the influence of a newspaper sensation the public opinion which was still indulgently watching eccentricities and Adam’s tricks suddenly armed against it. Newspapers demanded immediate arrest of Adam and contents it in the most strict isolation.
Adam knew nothing it. With mad speed flew on streets of Paris and sighed at last all breast when before it the country fields crossed by a tape of the highway were developed.
– Where mountains? – he asked Anatole.
The dozed-off Anatole could not think at once where he and about what mountains Adam asks. Having remembered flight, the boy suddenly felt the joyful, concerning and terrible feeling. More than once he dreamed of flight to far-away countries in search of adventures. And now the dream is fulfilled.
– Mountains – he answered Adam – is: Pyrenees, Alps… I saw the Alps… Their tops are always covered with snow…
– We go to the Alps! – in nervousness Adam said.
– But it is far… And then… We can be detained on the way.
– No, we is far … – Adam carelessly answered.
– And phone? The police by phone will let know to all cities, and we can be detained.
Adam of it did not expect. He knew how to take cover from dangers among the wild rocks covered with snow and coniferous forests, but how to escape from phones?
Anatole appeared the rights. Already in Korbel where they drove at dawn, they were tried to be detained.
Adam gathered mad speed and broke through a chain of police officers who began to shoot to them following, marking at car tires. One of them was shot.
– Look whether the pursuit is visible! – Adam through a shoulder to Anatole shouted.
– Now not, lagged behind…
Adam unexpectedly stopped the car, seized Anatole with one hand, took out from the car, lowered on the earth and one rushed off on the highway.
– Adam! Adam!. – the thrown Anatole shouted to it following, crying with chagrin and unexpected treason of the friend.
Adam did not turn a car wheel on abrupt turn of the road and suddenly from dispersal crashed into the river, lifting cascades of splashes… Джипси began to squeal for fear. Splashes, steam and bubbles rose over water. The river quietly bore the waters, only circles waves from that place where water completely absorbed the car with the person and a dog dispersed.
Anatole in catalepsy stood under the begun rain. But it lasted several moments though they also seemed to Anatole infinitely long. Soon on a water surface wet Dzhipsi seemed, sniffing from the water which got into a nose, and after a dog and Adam. It came up from water and in three waves of mighty hands was at the coast. Adam and Dzhipsi equally shook off water. Adam ran up to Anatole, having mounted him upon a neck and without a word, ran to bushes.
– Quietly. Sidi. Bend down.
Anatole did not manage to recover as on the highway car sounds were heard. In a few minutes the car with police officers flew towards Melen.
When the car disappeared from the sight, Adam began to jump.
Anatole at last understood military cunning of the friend. The rain washed away traces of car tires, and police officers did not notice its disappearance. This time they were saved.
It was time to think of a breakfast. Anatole was intolerably hungry.
– Sidi, I will come soon – Adam told and went along coastal bushes.
There passed painful hour before Anatole heard whistle of the approaching Adam.
Adam carried two rabbits and, covering hollow, pieces of a dry tree. He threw the killed of rabbits at whom Dzhipsi began to sniff, and began to extract fire, rubbing one piece of a tree with another. In iron hands of Adam work moved quickly. Anatole felt a smell of burning soon, the smoke seemed, some more bystry, strong rhythmic movements – the flame flashed. Anatole ate the rabbit meat fried on a fire with appetite. Imitating Adam, it broke off pieces of meat hands.
The rain ceased. The sun looked out and dried up clothes of fugitives. Anatole, tired for all endured disorders, with pleasure fell asleep. And Adam lay on the earth and without coming off looked at the sky.
At last the sky over the head instead of these opposite dead white ceilings where there are neither birds, nor the sun, nor stars, nor fresh breath of air.
Adam dreamed of a fast appointment to mountains. Though not the family, but nevertheless mountains. And it was happy for the first time for all the time since climbed down mountains to valleys where these strange people
