"No home to go to!" cried Rudolf in a pitying tone. "How's that?
But anyhow, Heaven forbid that you or any man should walk the
streets a night like this. Come, I'll give you a bed. Come with
me, and I'll find you good shelter, my boy."
Bauer shrank away. He did not see the meaning of this stroke, and
his eye, traveling up the street, showed that his thoughts had
turned towards flight. Rudolf gave no time for putting any such
notion into effect. Maintaining his air of genial compassion, he
passed his left arm through Bauer's right, saying:
"I'm a Christian man, and a bed you shall have this night, my
lad, as sure as I'm alive. Come along with me. The devil, it's
not weather for standing still!"
The carrying of arms in Strelsau was forbidden. Bauer had no wish
to get into trouble with the police, and, moreover, he had
intended nothing but a reconnaissance; he was therefore without
any weapon, and he was a child in Rudolf's grasp. He had no
alternative but to obey the suasion of Mr. Rassendyll's arm, and
they two began to walk down the Konigstrasse. Bauer's whistle
had died away, not to return; but from time to time Rudolf hummed
softly a cheerful tune, his fingers beating time on Bauer's
captive arm.
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