Midwinter Town: A Novella
For some time he could not utter a word from rage; but regaining breath, began to cry, “Gracious Commandant, this is my man, and besides that, a runaway. He was in my house from childhood. The ruffian denies! He is my man! Eva, who is he? Tell.”
“Ardun,” said Eva, trembling in all her body. Mellehov did not even look at her. With eyes fixed on Novoveski, and with quivering nostril, he looked at the old noble with unspeakable hatred, pressing with his hand the handle of his knife. At the same time his mustaches began to quiver from the movement of his nostrils, and from under those mustaches white teeth were gleaming, like those of an angry wild beast.
The officers stood in a circle; Basira s