“Big L ventured to look at no one; like an ox that has been felled on the forehead, he stood before his comrades. Little L stood behind him, and never once did his eyes leave his brother’s slightest movement. “The cadet who had made the foregoing proposition began the trial of L No. I. “‘Does he admit that he took the belt?’ “‘He admits it.’ “‘Does he feel that he has done something that has made him absolutely unworthy of being a cadet any longer?’ “‘He feels it.’ “‘Does he choose that we report him to the captain or that we thrash him soundly and that the matter shall then be buried?’ “‘He prefers to be soundly thrashed,’ “A sigh of relief went through the whole hall. “It was determined to finish the matter at once then and there. “One of the boys was sent out to fetch a rattan, such as we used for beating our clothes. “While he was gone we tried to induce Little L to leave the hall, so that he should not be present at the execution. “But he shook his head silently; he wished to remain on hand. “As soon as the rattan came, Big L was made to lie face down on the table, two cadets seized his hands and drew him forward, two others took him by the feet so that his body lay stretched out lengthwise. The tallow candles were taken from the table and lifted up high and the whole affair had an absolutely gruesome look. “Long K, because he was the strongest, was to perform the execution; he took the rattan in his hand, stepped to one side, and with the force of his whole body let the cane come whistling down on to Big L, who was clothed only in drill jacket and trousers. “The young fellow fairly rose under the fearful blow and would have cried out; but in a second Little L rushed up to him, took his head in both hands and smothered it against himself. “‘Don’t scream,’ he whispered to him; ‘don’t scream, else the whole affair will get out!’ “Big L swallowed down the cry and choked and groaned to himself. “Long K again lifted up the cane, and a second swish resounded through the hall. “The body of the culprit actually writhed on the table, so that the cadets were scarcely able to hold him down by his hands and feet. Little L had wrapped both arms around the head of his brother, and was crushing it with convulsive force against himself. His eyes were wide open, his face like the plaster on the wall, his whole body was quivering. “Throughout the hall was a stillness like death, so that one could only hear the wheezing and puffing of the victim whom the little brother was smothering against his breast. All eyes were hanging on the little fellow; we all had a feeling that we could not look on at it any longer. “When, therefore, the third blow had fallen and the whole performance repeated itself just as before, a general excited whisper followed: ‘Now, it is enough--strike no more!’