Kane and Abel (Kane & Abel 1)

'Threw it out of the window.'

'Let's hope thev don't find it before you reach Moscow!

Wladek said nothing.

'Do you have anywhere to stay in Moscow?'

He thought again of the doctor's advice to trust nobody, g but he had to trust her.

'I have nowhere to go.'

'Then you can stay with me until you find somewhere to live. My husband,'

she explained, 'is the station master in Moscow, and this carriage is for government officials only. If you ever make that mistake again, you will be taking the train back to Irkutsk.'

Wladek swallowed. 'Should I leave now?'

'No, not now that the ticket collector has seen you. You will be safe with me for the time being. Do you have any identity papers?'

'No. What are. they?'

'Since the Revolution every Russian citizen must have identity papers to show who he is, where he lives and where he works, otherwise he ends up in jail until he can produce them, and as he can never produce them once in jail, he stays there for ever,' she added matter of factly. 'You will have to stick by me once we reach Moscow, and be sure you don't open your mouth.'

'You are being very kind to me,' said Wladek suspiciously.

'Now the Tsai is dead, none of us is safe. I was lucky to be married to the right man,' she added, 'but there is not a citizen in Russia, includin, - government officials, who does not live in constant fear of arrest and the camps. What is your name?'

'Wladek.'

'Good, now you sleep, Wladek, because you look exhausted, the journey is long and you are not safe yet!

Wladek slept.

When he woke, several hours had passed, and it was now dark outside. He stared at his protectress, and she srrffled. Wladek returned her smile, praying that she could be trusted not to tell the officials who he was - or had she already done so? She produced some food from one of her bundles and Wladek ate the offering silently. When they reached the next station, nearly all the passengers got out, some of them permanently, but most to seek what little refreshment was available or to stretch their stiff limbs.

The middle - aged woman rose, looked at Wladek. 'Follow me,' she said.

He stood up and followed her on to the platform. Was he about to be given up? She put out her hand, and he took it as any thirteen - year - old child accompanying his mother would do. She walked towards a lavatory marked for women only. Wladek hesitated. She insisted, and once inside she told Wladek to take off his clothes. He obeyed her unquestioningly as he hadn't anyone since the death of the Baron. While he undressed she turned on the solitary tap, which with reluctance yielded a trickle of cold brownish water. She was disgusted. But to Wladek, it was a vast improvement on the camp water.

The woman started to bathe his wounds with a wet rag and attempted hopelessly to wash him. She winced when she saw the scar on his leg. Wladek didn't murmur from the pain that came with each touch, gentle as shee ttied to be.

'When we get you home, I'll make a better job of those wounds,' she said, 'but that will have to do for now.'

Then she saw the silver band, studied the inscription and looked carefully at Wladek. 'Is that yours?' she asked. 'Who did you steal it from?'

Wladek looked offended. 'I didn't steal it. My father gave it to me before he died.'

She stared at him again, and a different look came into her eyes. Was it fear or respect? She bowed her head. 'Be careful, Wladek, men would kill for such a valuable prize.'

He nodded his agreement and started to dress quickly. They returned to their carriage. A delay of an hour at a stafion was not unusual and when the train started lurching forward, Wladek was glad to feel the wheels clattering underneath him again. The train took twelve and a half days to reach Moscow. Whenever a new ticket collector appeared, they went through the same routine, Wladek unconvincingly trying to look innocent and young. The woman a convincing mother. Ile ticket collectors always bowed respectfully to the middle - aged lady, and Wladek began to think that station masters inust be very important in Russia.

By the time they completed the one - thousand - mile journey - to Moscow, Wladek had put his trust completely in the middle - aged lady and was looking forward to seeing her house. It was early afternoon when the train came to its final halt and despite everything Wladek had been through, he had never visited a big city, let alone the capital of all the Russias. He wai terrified, once again tasting the fear of the unknown. So niany people all rushing around in different directions. The middle - aged lady sensed his apprehension.

'Follow me, do not speak, and whatever you do don't take your cap off Wladek took her bags down from the rack, pulled his cap over his head - now covered in a black stubble - down to his cars and followed her out on to the platform. A throng of people at the barrier were waiting to go through a tiny exit, which caused a holdup as everyone had to show their identification papers to the guard. As they approached the barrier, Wladek could hear his heart beating like a soldier's drurn, but when their turn came the fear was over in a moment. The guard only glanced at the woman's documents.