by Ivo Andrić
main body of reading of the young men at school in Sarajevo at that time
consisted of works from the well-known and enormous German publishing
list Reclams Universal-Bibliotek. These small, cheap booklets with yellow
coversandexceptionallysmallprintwerethemainspiritualfoodavailabletothe
students of that time; from them they could become acquainted not only with
German literature, but with all the more important works in world literature in
German translation. From them Galus drew his knowledge of modern German
philosophers, especially Nietzsche and Stirner, and in his walks in Sarajevo
alongthebanksoftheMiljačkaheldendlessdiscussionsaboutthemwithasort
ofcoldpassion,innowaylinkinghisreadingwithhispersonallife,assomany
youths often do. This type of young scholar just through his examinations,
ripened too early and overloaded with all kinds of varied, chaotic and unco-
ordinated knowledge, was not rare among the students of that time. A modest
youthandagoodstudent,Galusknewthefreedomandtheunrestraintofyouth
onlyinthedaringofhisthoughtsandtheexaggerationsofhisreading.
Fehim Bahtijarević was a townsman on his mother's side only. His father had
beenborninRogaticaandwasnow kadi(Moslemjudge)there,buthismother
was from the great local family of Osmanagić. From his earliest childhood he
had passed a part of the summer vacation in the town with his mother and her
relatives. He was a slender youth, graceful and well formed, fine-boned but strong.Everythingabouthimwasmeasured,restrained,controlled.Thefineoval
of his face was sunburnt, his skin browned with light touches of a dark bluish
shade,hismovementsfewandabrupt;hiseyeswereblackwithblueshadingsin
the whites and his glance burning but without sparkle. He had thick eyebrows
whichmet,andafineblackdownonhisupperlip.Suchfacesarereminiscentof
Persianminiatures.
Thatsummerhetoohadmatriculatedandhewasnowwaitingtogetastategrant
tostudyorientallanguagesinVienna.
The two young men were continuing some conversation begun earlier. The
subject was Bahtijarević's choice of studies. Galus was proving to him that he
wouldbemakingamistakeintakinguporientalstudies.IngeneralGalusspoke
muchmore,andmoreanimatedly,thanhiscompanionforhewasaccustomedto
belistenedtoand«tolaydownthelaw,whileBahtijarevićspokeshortly,likea
man who has his own fixed ideas and feels no need to convince anyone else.
Like most young men who have read much, Galus spoke with a naïve
satisfaction in words, picturesque expressions and comparisons, and with a
tendency to generalize, whereas Bahtijarević spoke dryly, curtly, almost
indifferently.
Hiddenintheshadowsandrecliningonthestoneseats,StikovićandGlasičanin
remainedsilentasiftheyhadtacitlyagreedtolistentotheconversationoftheir
twocomradesonthebridge.
Finishingtheconversationaboutstudies,Galussaidbelligerently:
'InthatyouMoslems,youbegs'sons,oftenmakeamistake.Disconcertedbythe
newtimes,younolongerknowyourexactandrightfulplaceintheworld.Your
love for everything oriental is only a contemporary expression of your "will to power"; for you the eastern way of life and thought is very closely bound up withasocialandlegalorderwhichwasthebasisofyourcenturiesoflordship.
That is understandable. But it in no way means that you have any sense for
orientalismasastudy.Youareorientalsbutyouaremakingamistakewhenyou
thinkthatyouaretherebycalledupontobeorientalists.Ingeneralyouhavenot
gotthecallingorthetrueinclinationforscience.'
'Really!'
'No, you haven't. And when I say that, I am not saying anything insulting or
offensive.Onthecontrary.Youaretheonlynoblesinthiscountry,oraleastyou
were; for centuries you have enlarged, confirmed and defended your privileges byswordandpen,legally,religiouslyandbyforceofarms;thathasmadeofyou
typicalwarriors,administratorsandlandowners,andthatclassofmennowhere
intheworldworriesaboutabstractsciencesbutleavesthemtothosewhohave
nothing else and can do nothing else. The true studies for you are law and
economics, for you are men of practical knowledge. Such are men from the
rulingclasses,alwaysandeverywhere.'
'Youmeanthatweshouldremainuneducated?'
'No,itdoesnotmeanthat,butitmeansthatyoumustremainwhatyouareor,if
youlike,whatyouhavebeen;youmust,fornoonecanbeatthesametimewhat
heisandthecontraryofwhatheis.'
'Butwearenolongerarulingclasstoday.Todayweareallequal,'Bahtijarević
brokeinoncemorewithatouchofirony,inwhichwasbothbitternessandpride.
'Youarenot,naturallyyouarenot.Theconditionswhichatonetimemadeyou
what you were have changed long ago, but that does not mean that you can
changewiththesamespeed.Thisisnotthefirst,norwillitbethelast,instance
of a social caste losing its reason for existence and yet remaining the same.
Conditionsoflifechangebutaclassremainswhatitis,foronlysocanitexist
andassuchitwilldie.'
The conversation of the two unseen youths broke off for a moment, stifled by
Bahtijarević'ssilence.
In the clear June sky, above the dark mountains on the horizon, the moon
appeared. The white plaque with the Turkish inscription suddenly shone in the
moonlight,likeadimlylitwindowintheblue-blackdarkness.
Bahtijarevićthensaidsomething,butinsolowavoicethatonlydisjointedand
incomprehensiblewordsreachedStikovićandGlasičanin.Assoofteninyoung
men's discussions, in which changes of subject are rapid and bold, the
conversation was now about another matter. From the study of oriental
languages,theyhadnowpassedontothecontentoftheinscriptiononthewhite
plaquebeforethemandtothebridgeandhewhohadbuiltit.
Galus's voice was the louder and more expressive. While agreeing with
Bahtijarević's praises of Mehmed Pasha Sokolović and the Turkish
administration of his times, which had made possible the building of such a
bridge, he now developed his nationalist views on the past and present of the
people, their culture and civilization (for in such student discussions each followshisowntrainofthought).
'Youareright,'saidGalus.'Hemusthavebeenamanofgenius.Hewasnotthe
firstnorthelastmanofourbloodwhodistinguishedhimselfintheserviceofa
foreign empire. We have given hundreds of such men, statesmen, generals and
artists,toStambul,RomeandVienna.Thesenseofournationalunificationina
single,greatandpowerfulmodernstateliesjustinthat.Ourownforcesshould
generalcultureinournameandnotfromforeigncentres.'
'Doyoureallythinkthatthose"centres"arosebychanceandthatitispossibleto
createnewonesatwillwheneverandwhereveronelikes?'
'Chanceornot,thatisnolongerthequestion;itisnotimportanthowtheyarose,
butitisimportantthattodaytheyaredisappearing,thattheyhavefloweredand
decayed,thattheymustmakewayfornewanddifferentcentres,throughwhich
youngandfreenations,appearingforthefirsttimeonthestageofhistory,can
expressthemselvesdirectly.'
'DoyouthinkthatMehmedPashaSokolović,hadheremainedapeasant'schild
upthereyonderatSokolovići,wouldhavebecomewhathebecameandwould,
amongotherthings,havebuiltthisbridge ton whichwearenowtalking?'
'Inthosetimes,certainly,hewouldnot.But,whenyoucometothinkofit,itwas
nothardforStambultoputupsuchbuildings,whenittookfromus,andfromso
manyothersubjectpeoples,notonlypropertyandmoney,butalsoourbestmen
andourpurestblood.Ifyoustoptothinkwhatweareandhowmuchhasbeen
stolenfromusthroughthecenturies,thenallthesebuildingsaremerelycrumbs.
But when we finally achieve our national freedom and our independence, then
ourmoneyandourbloodwillbeoursalone,andwillstayours.Everythingwill
besolelyanduniquelyfortheimprovementofourownnationalculture,which
willbearourmarkandournameandwhichwillbemindfulofthehappinessand
prosperityofallourpeople.'
Bahtijarevićremainedsilent,andthatsilence,likethemostlivelyandeloquent
speech, provoked Galus. He raised his voice and continued in a sharper tone.
Withallhisnaturalvivacityandallthevocabularythenprevalentinnationalist
literature, he set out the plans and aims of the revolutionary youth movement.
Allthelivingforcesoftheracemustbeawakenedandsetinaction.Undertheir
blows the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, that prison of the peoples, would
disintegrate as the Turkish Empire had disintegrated. All the antinational and reactionaryforceswhichtodayhinder,divideandlulltosleepournationalforces
willberoutedandtrampledunderfoot.Allthiscanbedone,forthespiritofthe
times in which we live is our strongest ally, for all the efforts of all the other small and oppressed nations support us. Modern nationalism will triumph over
religious diversities and outmoded prejudice, will liberate our people from
foreigninfluenceandexploitation.Thenwillthenationalstatebeborn.
Galus then described all the advantages and beauties of the new national state
whichwas'torallyalltheSouthernSlavsaroundSerbiaasasortofPiedmonton
the basis of complete national unity, religious tolerance and civil equality. His
speech mixed up bold words of uncertain meaning and expressions that
accuratelyexpressedtheneedsofmodernlife,thedeepestdesiresofarace,most
of which were destined to remain only desires, and the justified and attainable
demands of everyday reality. It mingled the great truths which had ripened
through the generations but which only youth could perceive in advance and
daretoexpress,withtheeternalillusionswhichareneverextinguishedbutnever
attainrealization,foronegenerationofyouthhandsthemontothenextlikethat
mythological torch. In the young man's speech there were, naturally, many
assertions which could not have stood up to the criticism of reality and many
suppositionswhichcouldnot,perhaps,havebornetheproofofexperience,but
in it too was that freshness, that precious essence which maintains and
rejuvenatesthetreeofhumanity.
Bahtijarevićremainedsilent.
'You will see, Fehim,' Galus enthusiastically assured his friend as if it were a
matter of the same night or the next morning, 'you will see. We shall create a
state which will make the most precious contribution to the progress of
humanity, in which every effort will be blessed, every sacrifice holy, every
thoughtoriginalandexpressedinourownwords,andeverydeedmarkedwith
thestampofourname.Thenv/ewillcarryoutworkwhichwillbetheresultof
our free labour and the expression of our racial genius, put up buildings in
comparison with which all that has been done in the centuries of foreign
administration will appear like silly toys. We will bridge greater rivers and
deeperabysses.Wewillbuildnew,greaterandbetterbridges,nottolinkforeign
centreswithconqueredlandsbuttolinkourownlandswiththerestoftheworld.
There cannot be any doubt any longer. We are destined to realize all that the
generationsbefore us have aspired to; a state, born in freedom and founded on
justice,likeapartofGod'sthoughtrealizedhereonearth.'
Bahtijarević remained silent. Even Galus's voice lowered in tone. As his ideas becamemoreexalted,hisvoicebecamelowerandlower,hoarserandhoarser,till
it became a strong and passionate whisper and was finally lost in the great
silence of the night. At last both young men were silent. But none the less
Bahtijarević's silence seemed a thing apart, heavy and obstinate in the night. It
seemedlikeanimpassablewallinthedarknesswhichbytheveryweightofits
existenceresolutelyrejectedallthattheotherhadsaid,andexpresseditsdumb,
clearandunalterableopinion.
Thefoundationsoftheworldandthebasesoflifeandhumanrelationshipsinit
havebeenfixedforcenturies.Thatdoesnotmeanthattheydonotchange,but
measured by the length of human existence they appear eternal. The relation
between their endurance and the length of human existence is the same as the
relation between the uneasy, moving and swift surface of a river and its stable
and solid bed whose changes are slow and imperceptible. The very idea of the
change of these 'centres' is unhealthy and unacceptable. That would be as if
someonewishedtochangeandmeasurethesourcesofgreatriversorthesitesof
mountains.Thedesireforsuddenchangesandthethoughtoftheirrealizationby
forceoftenappearsamongmenlikeadiseaseandgainsgroundmainlyinyoung
brains;onlythesebrainsdonotthinkastheyshould,donotamounttoanything
in the end and the heads that think thus do not remain long on their shoulders.
Foritisnothumandesiresthatdisposeandadministerthethingsoftheworld.
Desire is like a wind; it shifts the dust from one place to another, sometimes
darkens the whole horizon, but in the end calms down and falls and leaves the
oldandeternalpictureoftheworld.Lastingdeedsarerealizedonthisearthonly
byGod'swill,andmanisonlyHisblindandhumbletool.Adeedwhichisborn
ofdesire,humandesire,eitherdoesnotlivetil
lrealizationorisnotlasting;inno
caseisthatgood.Allthesetumultuousdesiresanddaringwordsunderthenight
skyonthe kapia willnotchangeanythingbasically;theywillpass,beneaththe
greatandpermanentrealitiesoftheworldandwillbelostwherealldesiresand
winds are stilled. In truth great men and great buildings rise and will rise only where they are appointed to arise in God's thought, in their right place
independentofemptytransientdesiresandhumanvanity.'
ButBahtijarevićdidnotutterasingleoneofthesewords.Thosewho,likethis
Moslemyouthofnoblefamily,carrytheirphilosophyintheirblood,liveanddie
accordingtoit,donotknowhowtoexpressitinwords,orfeeltheneedtodoso.
AfterthislongsilenceStikovićandGlasičaninonlysawoneorotherofthepair
of unseen comrades throw a cigarette stub over the parapet and watched it fall
likeashootingstarinagreatcurvefromthebridgeintotheDrina.Atthesame time they heard the two friends slowly and softly moving away towards the
marketplace.Thesoundoftheirfootstepswassoonlost.
Aloneoncemore,StikovićandGlasičaninstartedandlookedatoneanotheras
thoughtheyhadonlyjustmet.
In the pale moonlight their faces showed in bright and dark surfaces sharply
defined,sothattheyseemedmucholderthaninfacttheywere.Theglowfrom
their cigarettes had a sort of phosphorescence. Both were depressed. Their
reasonswerequitedifferent,butthedepressionwasmutual.Bothhadthesame
wish;togetupandgohome.Butbothseemedasifnailedtothestoneseatsstill
warmfromtheday'ssunlight.Theconversationofthatpairofyoungcomrades
whichtheybychanceoverheardhadbeenwelcometothemasapostponement
oftheirownconversationandmutualexplanation.Butnowitcouldnolongerbe
avoided.
'Did you hear Herak and his arguments?' Stiković spoke first, referring to the
evening'sdiscussion,andatoncefelttheweaknessofhisposition.
Glasičanin, who for his part felt the momentary advantage of his position as
arbiter,didnotreplyatonce.