November 1916 Read online

  CHAPTER 20

  Evening in wartime Petrograd—a close look at a sister—Deputy Shingarev: his residence and lifestyle—his reminiscences of country life—Novozhivotinnoye—Shingarev’s career—Dumas past and present: Vorotyntsev remembers nothing about them, knows nothing—work for the people’s welfare, but how?—partial demobilization?—our duty to the Allies?—if only the hearts of those on high burned for the people!—Kadets resigned to revolution—the French analogy—legend of the Sibyl

  DOCUMENT NO. 1

  November 1916. To the Petersburg Proletariat

  CHAPTER 21

  Vorotyntsev in Kadet company—verbal maelstrom—the Shingarev family—Vorotyntsev odd man out—victory through freedom or coercion?—down with the government!—dizzying spin of the carousel—Zemgor: a hitch—the worse, the better!—Vorotyntsev explodes—Shingarev’s meetings with Stolypin—better than parliamentary wrangling?—Professor Andozerskaya

  CHAPTER 22

  Tell your story and shed the burden—the war in Romania—what they want to hear from him—the regular army decimated—pigheaded tyranny of General Sandetsky—incompetent commanders—East Prussia: one defeat after another—these generals are mass murderers—the Carpathian venture—the 1915 retreat—Brusilov’s success spurious—sporadic setbacks—war as work—glimpses of combat—the village of Radzanovov—human sacrifice—"forward, boys!”—the officer tied hand and foot—the Kargopol Dragoon Regiment attacks by night—the heavier the casualties, the greater the glory—the undecorated—gas attack on our own lines—the morale of Novozhivotinnoye—happy to be taken prisoner—but the liberals demand victory!—what were you thinking of during the war with Japan?—the Russian soldier and Russia’s war aims—suffer patiently, or is it time to wake up?—even Russia should know where to stop!—you feel these wounds like your own—call a halt to the war?—how the Russian soldier sees his officers—the army has ceased to exist—"the company’s gone, nothing matters now”—am I still an officer, or just a murderer?—peace, call it what you like

  CHAPTER 23

  Vorotyntsev relaxes—Obodovsky’s questions—and Vorotyntsev’s to him—hasty conference of Kadet leaders—discussion of artillery—revolutionary and creator?—1905: Irkutsk boils over—military service and General Lastochkin—whoever beats Russia beats me!—fight without hatred of the enemy?—must take advantage of this evening

  CHAPTER 24

  Nusya Obodovskaya—a woman’s marriage is her fate—how her life took shape over the years—Obodovsky’s ardors—Nusya sits on the dynamite—Obodovsky in Siberian jails—a concert at Pavlovsk—revolutionary activity easier for the gentry—an émigré, but still serving Russia—homecoming, with forebodings

  CHAPTER 25

  Andozerskaya’s thoughts on women—she finds the colonel’s audacity infectious—the caned schoolboys and social conscience—has every nation its predispositions?—republican government—some characteristics—minority? majority?—prohibitions of a free society—autocracy, the favorite foe—does “unlimited power” have limits?—characteristics of monarchy as compared with republican government—Vorotyntsev left behind by the discussion—what sort of formula is “God’s anointed”?—defects of the republic—is the law infallible?—IT HAS BEGUN!

  CHAPTER 26

  Anxiously awaiting the messenger—memories from the beginning of the century—1905—1906—a roof over the people—choices made in the name of progress—we expect and hope for catastrophe—Engineer Dmitriev arrives—rumors circulating since early autumn—the atmosphere on the Vyborg side—the melee of 30 October—mutiny of the 181st Regiment—the police repulsed

  CHAPTER 27

  Russia’s regional diversity—Vorotyntsev too happy to sleep—a morning telephone call—rushing to see her—Olda Orestovna’s study—Vorotyntsev receives a medal—conflicting feelings—convicted of “Kadetism”—more about republics—the secret of monarchy—the monarchist’s code—Kostroma, our native province—a professor’s lot—walking in the wind—on the swing

  CHAPTER 28

  All is lost: or found!—Vrubel’s “Pan”—anniversaries of Dostoevsky’s death—literary taste of a man who knows what he likes—different every time—rambling argument—Vorotyntsev ready to be persuaded—trying to understand the Tsar—the throne needs just one push—where the Tsar must take the blame—firm hand to the rescue!

  CHAPTER 29

  What, if anything, has happened in the past six days?—Alina wants him home!—he had never known himself—fusion—a walk to Kamenny Ostrov—Olda’s interrogation—which are more difficult: political or personal decisions?

  CHAPTER 30

  Never enough competent people—mining engineer Obodovsky receives the ordnance designers—workers at the Obukhov factory refuse to do overtime—the socialist calendar and Russian productivity—accepted practice in the West, tyranny here—transformation of Guchkov’s committees—how strikes are brought about in Russia—and in the West?—the working class? I’ll tell them what’s what!

  CHAPTER 31

  Life of Kozma Gvozdev—how he became a member of the Workers’ Group—Menshevik orators and Bolshevik instructions—duality of Workers’ Group aims—Gutovsky and Pumpyansky—how Kozma himself saw it—Kozma in a fix—tête-à-tête with Guchkov, then with the secretaries present—the secretaries also tied hand and foot—Kozma’s heart aches for Sashka Shlyapnikov—guidance on various important questions—Obodovsky swept away—Kozma breaks through to the rescue

  CHAPTER 32

  On the Neva steam tram—the Petersburg lever—reading the factory yard—Dmitriev prepares his speech—in the molding shop—the carpenter’s wild talk—Sozont and Evdokim from the same province—moaning about prices—the worker’s lot

  CHAPTER 33

  The workers’ meeting—the trench gun and its purpose—Dmitriev thinks he’s got through to them—Riga? We don’t need it, let the Germans have it!

  CHAPTER 34

  The square in front of the factory—in the mutual aid society’s office—Comrades Vadim and Maria—Kesha’s feat applauded—never begrudge time spent on agitation—the Petersburg Committee is dissatisfied with the Neva Quarter—propaganda: put the emphasis on cost of living—Matvei Ryss, the leaflet expert—instructions from the Bureau of the Central Committee—Veronika: the only place for her—why no one will go hungry after the revolution—socialist countries do not make war!—all this and happiness too!

  CHAPTER 35

  Rustic nicknames—Elisei Blagodarev and his family—Arseni arrives home—in the cottage—a look around the yard—heating the bathhouse—neighbors question Arseni about the war—what only husband and wife know—the birch twigs

  CHAPTER 36

  Katya’s secret musings—a sudden outburst—in the hayloft—farm our own spread!—geese: Katya’s expertise—love and concord

  CHAPTER 37

  The Skittle Club meets under the red lamp—the participants—Lenin: how he arrived there, and his slogans—imperialist Switzerland, the most revolutionary country in the world—Zurich by night—don’t wait for the people or for a majority!—Lenin’s speech at the Social Democratic Congress—defeat of the revolutionary resolution—the bourgeois world still not blown up

  CHAPTER 38

  Vorotyntsev on the Nevsky Prospect—he meets Svechin—settling accounts with wives—the diners at Cubat’s restaurant—a glimpse of Likonya—the Russian and the Allied war efforts—grievances against the Allies—the Constantinople mirage—could war have been avoided?—the blazing wheel

  CHAPTER 39

  Change the character of the war—we are losing the people—but winning the war!—can we, should we pull out of it?—General Alekseev’s working style—prospect of a post at GHQ for Vorotyntsev—Guchkov drops by

  CHAPTER 40

  Guchkov’s many-sidedness—is there freedom of speech in Russia?—Guchkov and the Kadets—Guchkov on Freemasons—full civil rights for Jews—and for peasants—peculiarities of the
Jewish question—an opportunity to raise the subject?—consequences of Guchkov’s letter—candidates for the post of Chief of Staff to the Supreme Commander—Guchkov reveals his scheme

  CHAPTER 41 (Aleksandr Guchkov)

  His forebears—determined to kill Disraeli—his youth—never an onlooker, always a participant—his first recommendations to the throne—the Manifesto of 30 October—the Union of 30 October and its program—how Shipov and Guchkov understood it—the Octobrists defeated in elections to the First Duma—Shipov’s lesson—Guchkov finds common ground with Stolypin—Guchkov’s second audience with the Emperor—Guchkov supports field courts-martial—who is to blame for the defeats in the war with Japan?—state of the army—position of career officers—timidity of the War Ministry—Guchkov helps to speed up military reform—attacks the Grand Dukes—forfeits the Emperor’s favor—Guchkov’s “phenomenal” Duma speeches—the Third Duma: mutual goodwill between government and “society”—Guchkov defends Stolypin in 1909—denunciation of terrorism—on the Petrov-Voskresensky assassination attempt—peculiar features of the parliamentary center—right and left allied against peasant reforms—Guchkov president of the Duma—a setback with the Emperor—Guchkov slams the presidential door—distances himself from Stolypin in the spring of 1911—parliamentary question about Stolypin’s assassination—another, about Rasputin—seen as an enemy of the imperial couple—the Myasoedov affair, and Guchkov’s duel—debacle of the Octobrists, and Guchkov, in the elections to the Fourth Duma—Guchkov’s change of line: reconciliation with the regime impossible—Guchkov abandoned—his efforts in the Balkans—and in the present war—sounds the alarm in 1914, to no effect—fortifies his position in 1915—takes the lead from the Kadets in opposition—palace revolution?

  CHAPTER 42

  How the Kadets view the prospect of revolution—Guchkov: revolution must be averted—a palace revolution Russia’s salvation?—Svechin and Vorotyntsev at loggerheads—save the monarchy by getting rid of the monarch—the neatest variant: do it on the train—not a single drop of blood must be shed!—what if he will not abdicate?—so difficult to find the people you need—Krymov?—not what he was—Guchkov’s invitation—Vorotyntsev and Guchkov now tête-à-tête, but still nothing decided—Guchkov has a difficult marriage of his own—his son’s death—vacillation: on the brink of disaster?—perhaps Guchkov no longer has the strength for it?

  CHAPTER 43

  Emigré nuisances—Lenin incapable of moving continents—his ruminations on the embankment—he remembers his meeting with Plekhanov—lessons from Inessa—advantages of his marriage to Krupskaya—is Inessa with someone else?—the Zurich bells—and the Zurich shopwindows

  CHAPTER 44

  The Cantonal Library—too flustered to work—conflict with Bukharin, Pyatakov, and Radek—Shlyapnikov’s shortcomings—missing Malinovsky—what can be gleaned from newspapers—surrounded by hostile phantoms—Russia’s disheartening powers of survival—what is the Russian people good for?—disastrous consequences of a separate peace—declining fortunes—an all-conquering minority, then isolation—pillars of paper—wasted day—hopeless Zurich—let’s go to America—Sklarz arrives from Berlin

  CHAPTER 45

  Sequence of church festivals in Kamenka—Arseni in the church choir—village merrymaking—Arseni’s babes—Grigori Pluzhnikov, his story—Yevpati Bruyakin and the village store—go out of business?—aims of the cooperative movement—the town: friend or enemy?—no grain for Petersburg!—lets Kolya off lightly—Marusya, the soldier’s wife—Mishka Rul’s wild pranks

  CHAPTER 46

  The Blagodarevs, father and son, Pluzhnikov’s guests—the peasant our only hope?—surrender our grain gratis?—Agasha, girl and married woman—the village at a disadvantage with the landowners and with the towns—where can the peasant get justice?—how things will be after the war—our own peasant government?—peasant self-government not the remedy—mobilization of militia—who will be taken?—how Vasya Tarakin dodged the draft—the war is carrying off the peasants—once a crock has held tar—they won’t let us get on with our lives!

  CHAPTER 47

  How Lenin communicates—a letter from Parvus—allies and rivals—Parvus’s views and his predictions—Lenin and Parvus in 1905—their meeting in Bern, 1915—Parvus oversteps the mark—how much will you take?

  CHAPTER 48

  Origin and development of Parvus’s plan—key to world history—German socialists shrink from him—his hopes set on Lenin—a lavish or frugal lifestyle?—the get-rich instinct—how to do it—difference of opinions, reproaches—Parvus shows Lenin the way

  CHAPTER 49

  Caution a condition of all activity—how to behave toward Germany—don’t trust your ally—Russian revolution or world revolution?—make use of the Leninist underground?—Lenin’s refusal—so what has he got from twenty years of combat?

  CHAPTER 50

  How to organize the underground—revolution in tandem with commerce—how to nudge revolution onward—Parvus falters in 1916—alternative ways of destroying Russia—who is responsible for the lack of success?—Lenin’s secret—ideas more durable than millions

  DOCUMENT NO. 2

  Emperor and Empress: extracts from their correspondence

  CHAPTER 51

  Vorotyntsev back in Moscow—does she know all about it?—painful excuses—Alina needs marital harmony

  CHAPTER 52

  Nothing must spoil her birthday—the guesthouse—everything ruined—Vorotyntsev tries to explain—he cannot bear her patience—he confesses—can he really get off so lightly?

  CHAPTER 53

  Alina in the depths—why did he tell me?—so near and so inaccessible—come to me!

  CHAPTER 54

  Unexpected interval of togetherness—what a woman!—heartwarming frankness—no question of leaving—shackled forever

  CHAPTER 55

  Friend of his youth—how Sanya and Kotya contrived to meet at the front—Kotya not his old self—the fighting at Skrobotovo—if you come out of hand-to-hand fighting alive—for those who fought there Skrobotovo is the dividing line in the European war—the grenadiers have setbacks too—difference of opinion between the friends—was it worth quitting the university?—where are the souls of the departed?—Ustimovich at the end of his tether—front-line fatalism—conversation over tea—a walk in the night—war not the gravest of sins—never mind the sin: we’re sacrificing our lives!—can you educate people to be virtuous?