The Bridge on the Drina - PDFDrive.com Read online

  Passers-bybecamefewerandfewer.ThenontheroadfromOsojnicatheTurkish

  girlappeared,wrappedinhershawl,itscoloursdimmedbythetwilight.Beside

  her walked an old, bowed Turkish woman bundled up in a thick

  black feridjah. She walked almost on all fours, supporting herself by a staff in herrighthandandholdingontothegirlwithherleft.

  TheypassedbyFedun.Thegirlwalkedslowly,accommodatingherpacetothe

  slowwalkoftheoldcronewhomshewasleading.Hereyes,madelargerbythe

  shadowsofearlydusk,nowgazedboldlyandopenlyintotheyoungman'sasif

  they could not look away from him. When they disappeared into the

  marketplace,ashiverpassedthroughtheyouthandhebegantopacewithmore

  rapidstepsfromoneterracetotheotherasifhewantedtomakeupforwhathe

  hadlost.Withanexcitementthatwasalmostfearhewaitedforthegirl'sreturn.

  Stevanwasdozing.

  'Whatwillshesaytomewhenshepasses?'thoughttheyouth.WhatshallIsay

  toher?Willsheperhapssuggestmeetingsomewhereatnightinaquietspot?'He

  quiveredwithdelightandtheexcitementofdangerlayinthatthought.

  Awholehourpassedthus,waiting,andthehalfofanother,andstillthegirldid

  not return. But even in that waiting there was delight. His eagerness rose with

  thefallingdarkness.Atlast,insteadofthegirl,hisreliefcame.Butthistimenot

  only the two streifkorps men who were to remain there on guard but also the sergeant-majorDraženovićinperson.Astrictmanwithashortblackbeard,he

  orderedFedunandStevaninasharpandstridentvoicetogotothedormitoryas

  soonastheyreachedbarracksandnottoleaveituntilfurtherorders.Theblood

  rushedtoFedun'sfaceattheideathathewasinsomewaytoblame.

  Thehugechilldormitorywithtwelveregularlyspacedoutbedswasempty.The

  men were all at supper or in the town. Fedun and Stevan waited, troubled and

  impatient,thinkingthingsoverandmakingvainguesseswhythesergeant-major

  hadbeensosternandhadsounexpectedlyconfinedthemtobarracks.Afteran

  hour,whenthefirstofthesoldiersbegantocomeintosleep,acorporalburstin

  andorderedthemloudlyandharshlytofollowhim.Fromeverythingabouthim,

  the two felt that the severity against them was increasing and that all this

  presaged no good. As soon as they left the dormitory they were separated and

  questioned.

  The night wore on. Even the last lights in the town were extinguished, but the

  windows of the barracks still blazed with light. From time to time there was a

  ringatthemaingates,theclinkofkeysandthethudofheavydoors.Orderlies

  came and went, hurrying through the dark and sleeping town between the

  barracksandthe konak, where lamps also burned on the first floor. It could be seenfromallthesesignsthatsomethingunusualwasafoot.

  When, about eleven o'clock at night, they brought Fedun into the sergeant-

  major's office, it seemed to him that days and weeks had passed from those

  moments on the kapia. On the table burned a metal oil-lamp with a shade of greenporcelain.Byitwasseatedthemajor,Krčmar.Thelightfellonhisarms

  uptotheelbows,buttheupperhalfofhisbodyandhisheadwereinshadowcast

  bythegreenshade.Theyoungmanknewthatpale,full,almostwomanlyface,

  clean-shaven,withfinemoustachesanddarkringsaroundtheeyes.Thesoldiers

  fearedtheslowheavywordsofthisbigplacidofficer.Therewerefewofthem

  who could endure for long the gaze of those large grey eyes, and who did not

  stammer when replying to his questions, in which each word was softly yet

  separately,distinctlyandclearlyenunciatedfromthefirsttothelastsyllableas

  atschoolorinthetheatre.Alittleawayfromthetablestoodthesergeant-major

  Draženovic.Thewholeupperpartofhisbodyalsowasinshadowandonlyhis

  hands were strongly illuminated, hanging limply at his side; on one finger

  glistenedaheavygoldring.

  Draženovićopenedtheinterrogation:

  'Tellushowyoupassedthetimebetweenfiveandseveno'clockwhileyouwere

  withassistant streifkorps privateStevanKalacanonguarddutyonthe kapia?'

  ThebloodrushedtoFedun'shead.Everymanpassedhistimeasbesthecould,

  but no one had ever thought that he would later have to answer for it before

  some strict judge and give account of everything that had taken place, to the

  minutestdetail,tothemosthiddenthoughtsandthelastminute.Noone,leastof

  all when one is twenty-three years old and that time has been spent on

  the kapia in spring. What was he to answer? Those two hours on guard had passed as they had always done, as they had done the day before and the day

  before that. But at that moment he could not remember anything everyday and

  usual which he could report. Only incidental, forbidden things rose in his memory, things that happen to everyone but which are not told to one's

  superiors;thatStevanhaddozedasusual;thathe,Fedun,hadexchangedafew

  wordswithanunknownTurkishgirl,thatthen,asduskwasfalling,hehadsung

  softly and fervently all the songs of his own country awaiting the girl's return

  andwithitsomethingexcitingandunusual.Howharditwastoreply,impossible

  totelleverythingbutembarrassingtoremainsilent.Andhemusthurry,fortime

  waspassingandthatonlyincreasedhisconfusionandembarrassment.Howlong

  hadhissilencelastedalready?

  'Well?' said the major. Everyone knew that 'well' of his, clear, smooth and

  forcefullikethesoundofsomestrong,complexandwelloiledmachine.

  Fedunbegantostammerandgetconfusedasthoughhefelthimselfguiltyfrom

  theverystart.

  Thenightworeon,butthelampswerenotextinguishedeitherinthebarracksor

  in the konak. Interrogations, evidence and the confrontation of witnesses

  followedoneanother.Otherswhohadmountedguardonthe kapia thatdaywere

  also interrogated. But it was clear that the net was closing around Fedun and

  Stevanand,intheirinterrogation,abouttheoldTurkishwomanwhomayoung

  girlhadtakenacrossthebridge.

  Itseemedtotheyoungmanasifallthemagicalandinextricableresponsibilities

  thathehadfeltinhisdreamswerefallingonhisshoulders.Beforedawnhewas

  confronted with Stevan. The peasant closed his eyes cunningly and spoke in a

  forcedvoice,continuallyharkingbacktothefactthathewasanilliterateman,a

  peasant,andshelteringhimselffromallresponsibilitybyalwaysreferringto'that

  MrFedun'asheinsistedoncallinghiscompaniononguard.

  That's the way to answer, the young man thought to himself. His entrails were

  crying out from hunger and he himself was trembling all over from emotion

  thoughitwasstillnotcleartohimwhatthiswasallaboutandwhereexactlylay

  the question of his guilt or innocence. But morning brought
complete

  explanation.

  All through that night a fantastic round-dance whirled about him; in its centre

  wasthemajor,coldandimplacable.Himselfdumbandunmoving,heallowedno

  oneelsetobesilentoratpeace.Inbearingandappearancehenolongerseemed

  likeaman,butlikedutyembodied,theterribleministrantofjusticeinaccessible

  toweaknessorsentiment,giftedwithsupernaturalstrengthandimmunefromthe

  ordinaryhumanneedsoffood,restorsleep.Whendawnbroke,

  Fedun was once again brought before the major. There was now in the office,

  besides the major and Draženović, an armed gendarme and a woman who, at

  first sight, seemed unreal to the young man. The lamp had been extinguished.

  Theroom,facingnorth,wascoldandinsemi-darkness.Theyoungmanfeltasif

  thiswereacontinuationofhisdreamofthenightbeforewhichrefusedtopale

  andvanisheveninthelightofday.

  'Isthatthemanwhowasonguard?'Draženovićaskedthewoman.

  With a great effort which caused him pain Fedun only then looked full at her.

  ShewastheMoslemgirlofthedaybefore,onlybareheadedwithouthershawl

  and with her heavy chestnut plaits wrapped around her head. She was wearing

  brightly coloured Turkish trousers, but the rest of her dress, blouse, sash and

  bolero,wasthatoftheSerbiangirlsfromthevillagesonthehighplateauabove

  the town. Without her shawl, she seemed older and sturdier. Her face seemed

  different,hermouthlargeandbad-tempered,hereyelidsreddenedandhereyes

  clearandflashingasiftheshadowsofthedaybeforehadfledfromthem.

  'It is,' the woman replied indifferently in a hard voice which was as new and

  unusualtoFedunasherpresentappearance.

  Draženović went on asking her how many times in all she had crossed the

  bridge,whatshehadsaidtoFedunandhetoher.Sherepliedforthemostpart

  precisely,butproudlyandindifferently.

  'Good,Jelenka,andwhatdidhesaytoyouthelasttimeyoucrpssed?'

  'He said something but I don't know exactly what, for I was not listening but

  onlythinkinghowIcouldgetJakovacross.'

  'Youwerethinkingofthat?'

  'Ofthat,'answeredthewomanunwillingly.Shewasclearlywornoutanddidnot

  want to say more than she must. But the sergeant-major was inexorable. In a

  threatening voice which betrayed his conviction that he must be answered

  withoutargumentheforcedthewomantorepeatallthatshehadsaidatherfirst

  interrogationatthe konak.

  Shedefendedherself,shortenedandskippedvariousbitsofherearlierevidence,

  but he always checked her and by sharp and skilful questioning made her go

  backoveritallagain.

  Littlebylittlethewholetruthwaslaidbare.HernamewasJelenkaandshecame from the village of Tasić in Upper Lijeska. Last autumn the haiduk Jakov

  Čekrlijahadcomeintoherdistricttopassthewinterhiddeninastableaboveher

  village. They had brought him food and clothing from her house. For the most

  partithadbeenshewhohadbroughtit.Theyhadlikedthelookofeachother

  andhadbecomelovers.Whenthesnowbegantomeltandthe streifkorps squads

  camemorefrequently,JakovhaddecidedtocrossintoSerbiaatallcosts.Atthat

  time of year the Drina was hard to cross even if it had not been patrolled and

  there had not been a permanent guard on the bridge. She had gone with him,

  determinedtohelphimevenattheriskofherlife.Theyhadfirstdescendedto

  Lijeska and then to a cave above Okolište. Earlier, on Glasinac, Jakov had

  obtained some Turkish women's clothes from some gipsies; a ieridjah, Turkish

  trousersandashawl.Thenshe,onhisinstructions,begantocrossthebridgeata

  timewhentherewerenotmanyTurksabout,sinceoneofthemmightaskwhose

  was that unknown girl, and in order that the guard might grow accustomed to

  her. Thus she crossed three days running, and then decided to take Jakov with

  her.

  'Andwhydidyoutakehimacrosswhenthisparticularsoldierwasonguard?'

  'Becauseheseemedtomethesoftestofthem.'

  'So?'

  'So'

  At the sergeant-major's insistence the woman continued. When everything had

  been prepared, Jakov had wrapped himself in the feridjah and just as it was beginningtogetdarkshetookhimdisguisedasheroldgrandmotheracrossthe

  bridge past the guard. The guard had noticed nothing, for this young man was

  lookingatherandnotattheoldwoman,whiletheother,olderguardwassitting

  onthe sola dozing.

  When they got to the marketplace, they had taken the precaution of not going

  rightacrossit,buthadusedthesidestreets.Itwasthishadprovedtheirundoing.

  Theyhadlosttheirwayinthetown,whichneitherofthemknew,andinsteadof

  coming out at the bridge across the Rzav and thus joining the road which led

  from the town towards both frontiers, they had found themselves in front of a

  Turkishcafé,justassomepeoplewerecomingout.OneofthemwasaTurkish

  gendarme, born in the town. This closely wrapped up old woman and the girl

  whomhehadneverseenbeforeseemedsuspecttohim,andhefollowedthem.

  HekepttheminsightasfarastheRzav.Thenhecamenearertoaskthemwho

  they were and where they were going. Jakov, who had been watching him

  attentively through his face-veil, considered that the moment had come to flee.

  Hethrewoffhis feridjah, andpushedJelenkaatthegendarmesoviolentlythat

  they both lost their footing ('for he is small and insignificant to look at, but as strongastheearthandcourageousaboveallothermen').She,asshecalmlyand

  clearlyconfessed,tangledherselfwiththelegsofthegendarme.Bythetimethat

  thegendarmehadfreedhimselfofher,JakovhadalreadyrushedacrosstheRzav

  asifithadbeenastream,thoughthewaterwasabovehisknees,andwaslostin

  the willow clumps on the farther side. Then they had taken her to

  the konak, beatenandthreatenedher,butshehadnothingmoretosayandwould

  saynothingmore.

  In vain the sergeant-major tried evasive questions, flatteries and threats to get

  something more out of the girl, to learn from her about others who helped or

  sheltered bandits, or about Jakov's further intentions. All this had not the

  slightesteffectonher.Shehadspokenfreelyenoughofwhatshewantedtotell

  but despite all Draženović's efforts they could not get a word out of her about

  whatshedidnotwanttotell.

  'It would be better for you to tell us all you know than for us to question and tortureJakovwhohassurelybynowbeencaughtonthefrontier.'

  'Caughtwho?Him?Ha,Ha!'

  Thegirllookedatthesergeant-majorwithpity,asatamanwhodoesnotknow

  whatheistalkingabout,andtherightcornerofherupperliprosedisdainfully.


  In fact the movement of this upper lip, which looked like a writhing leech,

  expressedherfeelingsofanger,disdainorpride,wheneverthosefeelingsgrew

  more than she could express in words. That writhing movement gave for a

  moment to her otherwise beautiful and regular face a troubled and unpleasant

  expression.Thenwithsomequitechildlikeandferventexpressioncompletelyin

  contrasttothatuglywrithingshelookedoutofthewindowasapeasantlooksat

  afieldwhenhewantstogaugetheinfluenceoftheweatherontheharvest.

  'God help you! It's dawn now. From last night till now he has had time to get

  across all Bosnia, not merely to cross a frontier only an hour or two's march

  away.Iknowthatmuch.Youcanbeatmeandkillme,Icamewithhimforthat,

  buthimyouwillneverseeagain.Don'tevendreamofit!Ha!'

  Herupperlipwrithedandliftedandherwholefaceseemedsuddenlyolder,more

  experienced, bold and ugly. And when that lip suddenly ceased to writhe, her faceagaintookonthatchildlikeexpressionofboldandinnocentdaring.

  Notknowingwhatmoretodo,Draženovićlookedatthemajor,whogaveasign

  tosendthegirlaway.ThenheresumedtheinterrogationofFedun.Thiscouldno

  longer be either long or hard. The young man admitted everything and had

  nothing to put forward in his own defence, not even what Draženović himself

  had hinted at in his questions. Not even the major's words which contained a

  merciless and implacable judgment, but in which none the less there was

  restrained pain because of their own severity, could wake the youth from his

  torpor.

  'Ihadalwaysconsideredyou,Fedun,'KrčmarsaidinGerman,'aseriousyoung

  man,consciousofyourdutiesandofyouraiminlife,andIhadthoughtthatone

  dayyouwouldbecomeaperfectsoldier,acredittoourunit.Butyouhavebeen

  blindedbythefirstfemaleanimaltoruninfrontofyournose.Youhavebehaved

  likeaweakling,likeonetowhomseriousworkcannotbeentrusted.Iamforced

  to hand you over to court-martial. But whatever its sentence may be, your