concept
"Follow me" arrest euphemism
follow me
A curt command used as a euphemism for arrest, marking the story's turn from comic to chilling.
Reading notes
- To Speak or to Be Silent? §7 Follow me
The gentleman's curt command is the story's euphemism for arrest -- his friendly interrogation about Smirnov's opinions was itself a pretext, and 'follow me' is where the fable turns from comic to chilling.