“Cursed devils⁠—they are throwing the things among the crowd!”

The sound of screaming, laughing and groaning came from that part of the crowd where the bags were falling. Someone gave Emelian a severe blow in the ribs which made him even gloomier and angrier, but before he had time to recover from the blow someone else had trodden on his foot. Then his coat, his new coat, caught and was torn. With a feeling of maliciousness in his heart he exerted all his strength to advance when something suddenly happened which he could not understand; and he found himself in an open space and could see the tents, where the mugs and packets of sweets were to be distributed. Up to then he had seen nothing but the backs of other people in front of him.