beasts, men and gods-第39节

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He　shut　his　eyes；　smoking　as　he　spoke；　and　tumbling　out　his　sentences　without　finishing　them　as　though　some　one　would　prevent　him　from　phrasing　them。

〃The　family　of　Ungern　von　Sternberg　is　an　old　family；　a　mixture　of　Germans　with　HungariansHuns　from　the　time　of　Attila。　　My　warlike　ancestors　took　part　in　all　the　European　struggles。　　They　participated　in　the　Crusades　and　one　Ungern　was　killed　under　the　walls　of　Jerusalem；　fighting　under　Richard　Coeur　de　Lion。　　Even　the　tragic　Crusade　of　the　Children　was　marked　by　the　death　of　Ralph　Ungern；　eleven　years　old。　　When　the　boldest　warriors　of　the　country　were　despatched　to　the　eastern　border　of　the　German　Empire　against　the　Slavs　in　the　twelfth　century；　my　ancestor　Arthur　was　among　them；　Baron　Halsa　Ungern　Sternberg。　　Here　these　border　knights　formed　the　order　of　Monk　Knights　or　Teutons；　which　with　fire　and　sword　spread　Christianity　among　the　pagan　Lithuanians；　Esthonians；　Latvians　and　Slavs。　　Since　then　the　Teuton　Order　of　Knights　has　always　had　among　its　members　representatives　of　our　family。　　When　the　Teuton　Order　perished　in　the　Grunwald　under　the　swords　of　the　Polish　and　Lithuanian　troops；　two　Barons　Ungern　von　Sternberg　were　killed　there。　　Our　family　was　warlike　and　given　to　mysticism　and　asceticism。

〃During　the　sixteenth　and　seventeenth　centuries　several　Barons　von　Ungern　had　their　castles　in　the　lands　of　Latvia　and　Esthonia。　　Many　legends　and　tales　lived　after　them。　　Heinrich　Ungern　von　Sternberg；　called　'Ax；'　was　a　wandering　knight。　　The　tournaments　of　France；　England；　Spain　and　Italy　knew　his　name　and　lance；　which　filled　the　hearts　of　his　opponents　with　fear。　　He　fell　at　Cadiz　'neath　the　sword　of　a　knight　who　cleft　both　his　helmet　and　his　skull。　　Baron　Ralph　Ungern　was　a　brigand　knight　between　Riga　and　Reval。　　Baron　Peter　Ungern　had　his　castle　on　the　island　of　Dago　in　the　Baltic　Sea；　where　as　a　privateer　he　ruled　the　merchantmen　of　his　day。

〃In　the　beginning　of　the　eighteenth　century　there　was　also　a　well…　known　Baron　Wilhelm　Ungern；　who　was　referred　to　as　the　'brother　of　Satan'　because　he　was　an　alchemist。　　My　grandfather　was　a　privateer　in　the　Indian　Ocean；　taking　his　tribute　from　the　English　traders　whose　warships　could　not　catch　him　for　several　years。　　At　last　he　was　captured　and　handed　to　the　Russian　Consul；　who　transported　him　to　Russia　where　he　was　sentenced　to　deportation　to　the　Transbaikal。　I　am　also　a　naval　officer　but　the　Russo…Japanese　War　forced　me　to　leave　my　regular　profession　to　join　and　fight　with　the　Zabaikal　Cossacks。　　I　have　spent　all　my　life　in　war　or　in　the　study　and　learning　of　Buddhism。　　My　grandfather　brought　Buddhism　to　us　from　India　and　my　father　and　I　accepted　and　professed　it。　　In　Transbaikalia　I　tried　to　form　the　order　of　Military　Buddhists　for　an　uncompromising　fight　against　the　depravity　of　revolution。〃

He　fell　into　silence　and　began　drinking　cup　after　cup　of　tea　as　strong　and　black　as　coffee。

〃Depravity　of　revolution！　。　。　。　　Has　anyone　ever　thought　of　it　besides　the　French　philosopher；　Bergson；　and　the　most　learned　Tashi　Lama　in　Tibet？〃

The　grandson　of　the　privateer；　quoting　scientific　theories；　works；　the　names　of　scientists　and　writers；　the　Holy　Bible　and　Buddhist　books；　mixing　together　French；　German；　Russian　and　English；　continued：

〃In　the　Buddhistic　and　ancient　Christian　books　we　read　stern　predictions　about　the　time　when　the　war　between　the　good　and　evil　spirits　must　begin。　　Then　there　must　come　the　unknown　'Curse'　which　will　conquer　the　world；　blot　out　culture；　kill　morality　and　destroy　all　the　people。　　Its　weapon　is　revolution。　　During　every　revolution　the　previously　experienced　intellect…creator　will　be　replaced　by　the　new　rough　force　of　the　destroyer。　　He　will　place　and　hold　in　the　first　rank　the　lower　instincts　and　desires。　　Man　will　be　farther　removed　from　the　divine　and　the　spiritual。　　The　Great　War　proved　that　humanity　must　progress　upward　toward　higher　ideals；　but　then　appeared　that　Curse　which　was　seen　and　felt　by　Christ；　the　Apostle　John；　Buddha；　the　first　Christian　martyrs；　Dante；　Leonardo　da　Vinci；　Goethe　and　Dostoyevsky。　　It　appeared；　turned　back　the　wheel　of　progress　and　blocked　our　road　to　the　Divinity。　　Revolution　is　an　infectious　disease　and　Europe　making　the　treaty　with　Moscow　deceived　itself　and　the　other　parts　of　the　world。　　The　Great　Spirit　put　at　the　threshold　of　our　lives　Karma；　who　knows　neither　anger　nor　pardon。　　He　will　reckon　the　account；　whose　total　will　be　famine；　destruction；　the　death　of　culture；　of　glory；　of　honor　and　of　spirit；　the　death　of　states　and　the　death　of　peoples。　　I　see　already　this　horror；　this　dark；　mad　destruction　of　humanity。〃

The　door　of　the　yurta　suddenly　swung　open　and　an　adjutant　snapped　into　a　position　of　attention　and　salute。

〃Why　do　you　enter　a　room　by　force？〃　the　General　exclaimed　in　anger。

〃Your　Excellency；　our　outpost　on　the　border　has　caught　a　Bolshevik　reconnaissance　party　and　brought　them　here。〃

The　Baron　arose。　　His　eyes　sparkled　and　his　face　contracted　with　spasms。

〃Bring　them　in　front　of　my　yurta！〃　he　ordered。

All　was　forgottenthe　inspired　speech；　the　penetrating　voiceall　were　sunk　in　the　austere　order　of　the　severe　commander。　　The　Baron　put　on　his　cap；　caught　up　the　bamboo　tashur　which　he　always　carried　with　him　and　rushed　from　the　yurta。　　I　followed　him　out。　　There　in　front　of　the　yurta　stood　six　Red　soldiers　surrounded　by　the　Cossacks。

The　Baron　stopped　and　glared　sharply　at　them　for　several　minutes。　In　his　face　one　could　see　the　strong　play　of　his　thoughts。　Afterwards　he　turned　away　from　them；　sat　down　on　the　doorstep　of　the　Chinese　house　and　for　a　long　time　was　buried　in　thought。　　Then　he　rose；　walked　over　to　them　and；　with　an　evident　show　of　decisiveness　in　his　movements；　touched　all　the　prisoners　on　the　shoulder　with　his　tashur　and　said：　　〃You　to　the　left　and　you　to　the　right！〃　as　he　divided　the　squad　into　two　sections；　four　on　the　right　and　two　on　the　left。

〃Search　those　two！　　They　must　be　commissars！〃　commanded　the　Baron　and；　turning　to　the　other　four；　asked：　　〃Are　you　peasants　mobilized　by　the　Bolsheviki？〃

〃Just　so；　Your　Excellency！〃　cried　the　frightened　soldiers。

〃Go　to　the　Commandant　and　tell　him　that　I　have　ordered　you　to　be　enlisted　in　my　troops！〃

On　the　two　to　the　left　they　found　passports　of　Commissars　of　the　Communist　Political　Department。　　The　General　knitted　his　brows　and　slowly　pronounced　the　following：

〃Beat　them　to　death　with　sticks！〃

He　turned　and　entered　the　yurta。　　After　this　our　conversation　did　not　flow　readily　and　so　I　left　the　Baron　to　himself。

After　dinner　in　the　Russian　firm　where　I　was　staying　some　of　Ungern's　officers　came　in。　　We　were　chatting　animatedly　when　suddenly　we　heard　the　horn　of　an　automobile；　which　instantly　threw　the　officers　into　silence。

〃The　General　is　passing　somewhere　near；〃　one　of　them　remarked　in　a　strangely　altered　voice。

Our　interrupted　conversation　was　soon　resumed　but　not　for　long。　The　clerk　of　the　firm　came　running　into　the　room　and　exclaimed：　〃The　Baron！〃

He　entered　the　door　but　stopped　on　the　threshold。　　The　lamps　had　not　yet　been　lighted　and　it　was　getting　dark　inside；　but　the　Baron　instantly　recognized　us　all；　approached　and　kissed　the　hand　of　the　hostess；　greeted　everyone　very　cordially　and；　accepting　the　cup　of　tea　offered　him；　drew　up　to　the　table　to　drink。　　Soon　he　spoke：

〃I　want　to　steal　your　guest；〃　he　said　to　the　hostess　and　then；　turning　to　me；　asked：　　〃Do　you　want　to　go　for　a　motor　ride？　　I　shall　show　you　the　city　and　the　environs。〃

Donning　my　coat；　I　followed　my　established　custom　and　slipped　my　revolver　into　it；　at　which　the　Baron　laughed。

〃Leave　that　trash　behind！　　Here　you　are　in　safety。　　Besides　you　must　remember　the　prediction　of　Narabanchi　Hutuktu　that　Fortune　will　ever　be　with　you。〃

〃All　right；〃　I　answered；　also　with　a　laugh。　　〃I　remember　very　well　this　prediction。　　Only　I　do　not　know　what　the　Hutuktu　thinks　'Fortune'　means　for　me。　　Maybe　it　is　death　like　the　rest　after　my　hard；　long　trip；　and　I　must　confess　that　I　prefer　to　travel　farther　and　am　not　ready　to　die。〃

We　went　out　to　the　gate　where　the　big　Fiat　stood　with　its　intruding　great　lights。　　The　chauffeur　officer　sat　at　the　wheel　like　a　statue　and　remained　at　salute　all　the　time　we　were　entering　and　seating　ourselves。

〃To　the　wireless　station！〃　commanded　the　Baron。

We　veritably　leapt　forward。　　The　city　swarmed；　as　earlier；　with　the　Oriental　throng；　but　its　appearance　now　was　even　more　strange　and　miraculous。　　In　among　the　noisy　crowd　Mongol；　Buriat　and　Tibetan　riders　threaded　swiftly；　caravans　of　camels　solemnly　raised　their　heads　as　we　passed；　the　wooden　wheels　of　the　Mongol　carts　screamed　in　pain；　and　all　was　illumined　by　splendid　great　arc　lights　from　the　electric　station　which　Baron　Ungern　had　ordered　erected　immediately　after　the　capture　of　Urga；　together　with　a　telephone　system　and　wireless　station。　　He　also　ordered　his　men　to　clean　and　disinfect　the　city　which　had　probably　not　felt　the　broom　since　the　days　of　Jenghiz　Khan。　　He　arranged　an　auto…bus　traffic　between　different　parts　of　the　city；　built　bridges　over　the　Tola　and　Orkhon；　published　a　newspaper；　arranged　a　veterinary　laboratory　and　hospitals；　re…opened　the　schools；　protected　commerce；　mercilessl