But vodka is not a good thing to shoot upon, and Paul stood untouched, waiting, as he had said, until they were tired of shouting.
"Now," yelled Steinmetz to him in English, "we must go.

We can make a stand at the head of the stairs, then the door-way, then----" He shrugged his shoulders.

"Then--the end," he added, as they moved up the stairs step by step, backward.

"My very good friend," he went on, "at the door we must begin to shoot them down.

It is our only chance.