When the terrorists were arrested the news of it reached the prison.
And in answer to Yanson's usual question, the warden said eagerly and
unexpectedly:

"It won't be long now!"

He looked at Yanson calmly with an air of importance and repeated:

"It won't be long now. I suppose in about a week."

Yanson turned pale, and as though falling asleep, so turbid was the
look in his glassy eyes, asked:

"Are you joking?"

"First you could not wait, and now you think I am joking. We are not
allowed to joke here. You like to joke, but we are not allowed to,"
said the warden with dignity as he went away.

Toward evening of that day Yanson had already grown thinner. His skin,
which had stretched out and had become smooth for a time, was suddenly
covered with a multitude of small wrinkles, and in places it seemed
even to hang down. His eyes became sleepy, and all his motions were
now so slow and languid as though each turn of the head, each move of
the fingers, each step of the foot were a complicated and cumbersome
undertaking which required very careful deliberation. At night he lay
on his cot, but did not close his eyes, and thus, heavy with sleep,
they remained open until morning.