beasts, men and gods-第41节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


d　see　and　hear　everything。

〃Woe　to　them！〃　whispered　the　chauffeur。　　〃Our　officers　knew　that　the　Baron　had　gone　out　of　the　town　with　me；　which　means　always　a　long　journey；　and　must　have　decided　to　have　a　good　time。　　He　will　order　them　beaten　to　death　with　sticks。〃

I　could　see　the　end　of　the　table　covered　with　bottles　and　tinned　things。　　At　the　side　two　young　women　were　seated；　who　sprang　up　at　the　appearance　of　the　General。　　I　could　hear　the　hoarse　voice　of　Baron　Ungern　pronouncing　sharp；　short；　stern　phrases。

〃Your　native　land　is　perishing。　。　。　。　　The　shame　of　it　is　upon　all　you　Russians　。　。　。　and　you　cannot　understand　it　。　。　。　nor　feel　it。　。　。　。　　You　need　wine　and　women。　。　。　。　　Scoundrels！　　Brutes！　。　。　。　One　hundred　fifty　tashur　for　every　man　of　you。〃

The　voice　fell　to　a　whisper。

〃And　you；　Mesdames；　do　you　not　realize　the　ruin　of　your　people？　No？　　For　you　it　is　of　no　moment。　　And　have　you　no　feeling　for　your　husbands　at　the　front　who　may　even　now　be　killed？　　You　are　not　women。　。　。　。　　I　honor　woman；　who　feels　more　deeply　and　strongly　than　man；　but　you　are　not　women！　。　。　。　　Listen　to　me；　Mesdames。　Once　more　and　I　will　hang　you。　。　。　。〃

He　came　back　to　the　car　and　himself　sounded　the　horn　several　times。　Immediately　Mongol　horsemen　galloped　up。

〃Take　these　men　to　the　Commandant。　　I　will　send　my　orders　later。〃

On　the　way　to　the　Baron's　yurta　we　were　silent。　　He　was　excited　and　breathed　heavily；　lighting　cigarette　after　cigarette　and　throwing　them　aside　after　but　a　single　puff　or　two。

〃Take　supper　with　me；〃　he　proposed。

He　also　invited　his　Chief　of　Staff；　a　very　retiring；　oppressed　but　splendidly　educated　man。　　The　servants　spread　a　Chinese　hot　course　for　us　followed　by　cold　meat　and　fruit　compote　from　California　with　the　inevitable　tea。　　We　ate　with　chopsticks。　　The　Baron　was　greatly　distraught。

Very　cautiously　I　began　speaking　of　the　offending　officers　and　tried　to　justify　their　actions　by　the　extremely　trying　circumstances　under　which　they　were　living。

〃They　are　rotten　through　and　through；　demoralized；　sunk　into　the　depths；〃　murmured　the　General。

The　Chief　of　Staff　helped　me　out　and　at　last　the　Baron　directed　him　to　telephone　the　Commandant　to　release　these　gentlemen。

The　following　day　I　spent　with　my　friends；　walking　a　great　deal　about　the　streets　and　watching　their　busy　life。　　The　great　energy　of　the　Baron　demanded　constant　nervous　activity　from　himself　and　every　one　round　him。　　He　was　everywhere；　seeing　everything　but　never；　interfering　with　the　work　of　his　subordinate　administrators。　Every　one　was　at　work。

In　the　evening　I　was　invited　by　the　Chief　of　Staff　to　his　quarters；　where　I　met　many　intelligent　officers。　　I　related　again　the　story　of　my　trip　and　we　were　all　chatting　along　animatedly　when　suddenly　Colonel　Sepailoff　entered；　singing　to　himself。　　All　the　others　at　once　became　silent　and　one　by　one　under　various　pretexts　they　slipped　out。　　He　handed　our　host　some　papers　and；　turning　to　us；　said：

〃I　shall　send　you　for　supper　a　splendid　fish　pie　and　some　hot　tomato　soup。〃

As　he　left；　my　host　clasped　his　head　in　desperation　and　said：

〃With　such　scum　of　the　earth　are　we　now　forced　after　this　revolution　to　work！〃

A　few　minutes　later　a　soldier　from　Sepailoff　brought　us　a　tureen　full　of　soup　and　the　fish　pie。　　As　the　soldier　bent　over　the　table　to　set　the　dishes　down；　the　Chief　motioned　me　with　his　eyes　and　slipped　to　me　the　words：　　〃Notice　his　face。〃

When　the　man　went　out；　my　host　sat　attentively　listening　until　the　sounds　of　the　man's　steps　ceased。

〃He　is　Sepailoff's　executioner　who　hangs　and　strangles　the　unfortunate　condemned　ones。〃

Then；　to　my　amazement；　he　began　to　pour　out　the　soup　on　the　ground　beside　the　brazier　and；　going　out　of　the　yurta；　threw　the　pie　over　the　fence。

〃It　is　Sepailoff's　feast　and；　though　it　may　be　very　tasty；　it　may　also　be　poison。　　In　Sepailoff's　house　it　is　dangerous　to　eat　or　drink　anything。〃

Distinctly　oppressed　by　these　doings；　I　returned　to　my　house。　　My　host　was　not　yet　asleep　and　met　me　with　a　frightened　look。　　My　friends　were　also　there。

〃God　be　thanked！〃　they　all　exclaimed。　　〃Has　nothing　happened　to　you？〃

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　I　asked。

〃You　see；〃　began　the　host；　〃after　your　departure　a　soldier　came　from　Sepailoff　and　took　your　luggage；　saying　that　you　had　sent　him　for　it；　but　we　knew　what　it　meantthat　they　would　first　search　it　and　afterwards。　。　。　。〃

I　at　once　understood　the　danger。　　Sepailoff　could　place　anything　he　wanted　in　my　luggage　and　afterwards　accuse　me。　　My　old　friend；　the　agronome；　and　I　started　at　once　for　Sepailoff's；　where　I　left　him　at　the　door　while　I　went　in　and　was　met　by　the　same　soldier　who　had　brought　the　supper　to　us。　　Sepailoff　received　me　immediately。　　In　answer　to　my　protest　he　said　that　it　was　a　mistake　and；　asking　me　to　wait　for　a　moment；　went　out。　　I　waited　five；　ten；　fifteen　minutes　but　nobody　came。　　I　knocked　on　the　door　but　no　one　answered　me。　　Then　I　decided　to　go　to　Baron　Ungern　and　started　for　the　exit。　The　door　was　locked。　　Then　I　tried　the　other　door　and　found　that　also　locked。　　I　had　been　trapped！　　I　wanted　at　once　to　whistle　to　my　friend　but　just　then　noticed　a　telephone　on　the　wall　and　called　up　Baron　Ungern。　　In　a　few　minutes　he　appeared　together　with　Sepailoff。

〃What　is　this？〃　he　asked　Sepailoff　in　a　severe；　threatening　voice；　and；　without　waiting　for　an　answer；　struck　him　a　blow　with　his　tashur　that　sent　him　to　the　floor。

We　went　out　and　the　General　ordered　my　luggage　produced。　　Then　he　brought　me　to　his　own　yurta。

〃Live　here；　now；〃　he　said。　　〃I　am　very　glad　of　this　accident；〃　he　remarked　with　a　smile；　〃for　now　I　can　say　all　that　I　want　to。〃

This　drew　from　me　the　question：

〃May　I　describe　all　that　I　have　heard　and　seen　here？〃

He　thought　a　moment　before　replying：　　〃Give　me　your　notebook。〃

I　handed　him　the　album　with　my　sketches　of　the　trip　and　he　wrote　therein：　　〃After　my　death；　Baron　Ungern。〃

〃But　I　am　older　than　you　and　I　shall　die　before　you；〃　I　remarked。

He　shut　his　eyes；　bowed　his　head　and　whispered：

〃Oh；　no！　　One　hundred　thirty　days　yet　and　it　is　finished；　then　。　。　。　Nirvana！　　How　wearied　I　am　with　sorrow；　woe　and　hate！〃

We　were　silent　for　a　long　time。　　I　felt　that　I　had　now　a　mortal　enemy　in　Colonel　Sepailoff　and　that　I　should　get　out　of　Urga　at　the　earliest　possible　moment。　　It　was　two　o'clock　at　night。　　Suddenly　Baron　Ungern　stood　up。

〃Let　us　go　to　the　great；　good　Buddha；〃　he　said　with　a　countenance　held　in　deep　thought　and　with　eyes　aflame；　his　whole　face　contracted　by　a　mournful；　bitter　smile。　　He　ordered　the　car　brought。

Thus　lived　this　camp　of　martyrs；　refugees　pursued　by　events　to　their　tryst　with　Death；　driven　on　by　the　hate　and　contempt　of　this　offspring　of　Teutons　and　privateers！　　And　he；　martyring　them；　knew　neither　day　nor　night　of　peace。　　Fired　by　impelling；　poisonous　thoughts；　he　tormented　himself　with　the　pains　of　a　Titan；　knowing　that　every　day　in　this　shortening　chain　of　one　hundred　thirty　links　brought　him　nearer　to　the　precipice　called　〃Death。〃


CHAPTER　XXXVIII

BEFORE　THE　FACE　OF　BUDDHA


As　we　came　to　the　monastery　we　left　the　automobile　and　dipped　into　the　labyrinth　of　narrow　alleyways　until　at　last　we　were　before　the　greatest　temple　of　Urga　with　the　Tibetan　walls　and　windows　and　its　pretentious　Chinese　roof。　　A　single　lantern　burned　at　the　entrance。　The　heavy　gate　with　the　bronze　and　iron　trimmings　was　shut。　　When　the　General　struck　the　big　brass　gong　hanging　by　the　gate；　frightened　monks　began　running　up　from　all　directions　and；　seeing　the　〃General　Baron；〃　fell　to　the　earth　in　fear　of　raising　their　heads。

〃Get　up；〃　said　the　Baron；　〃and　let　us　into　the　Temple！〃

The　inside　was　like　that　of　all　Lama　temples；　the　same　multi…　colored　flags　with　the　prayers；　symbolic　signs　and　the　images　of　holy　saints；　the　big　bands　of　silk　cloth　hanging　from　the　ceiling；　the　images　of　the　gods　and　goddesses。　　On　both　sides　of　the　approach　to　the　altar　were　the　low　red　benches　for　the　Lamas　and　choir。　　On　the　altar　small　lamps　threw　their　rays　on　the　gold　and　silver　vessels　and　candlesticks。　　Behind　it　hung　a　heavy　yellow　silk　curtain　with　Tibetan　inscriptions。　　The　Lamas　drew　the　curtain　aside。　　Out　of　the　dim　light　from　the　flickering　lamps　gradually　appeared　the　great　gilded　statue　of　Buddha　seated　in　the　Golden　Lotus。　　The　face　of　the　god　was　indifferent　and　calm　with　only　a　soft　gleam　of　light　animating　it。　　On　either　side　he　was　guarded　by　many　thousands　of　lesser　Buddhas　brought　by　the　faithful　as　offerings　in　prayer。　　The　Baron　struck　the　gong　to　attract　Great　Buddha's　attention　to　his　prayer　and　threw　a　handful　of　coins　into　the　large　bronze　bowl。　　And　then　this　scion　of　crusaders　who　had　read　all　the　philosophers　of　the　West；　closed　his　eyes；　placed　his　hands　together　before　his　face　and　prayed。　　I　noticed　a　black　rosary　on　his　left　wrist。　　He　prayed　about　ten　minutes。　　Afterwards　he　led　me　to　the　other　end　of　the　monastery　and；　during　our　passage；　said　to　me：

〃I　do　not　like　this　temple。　　It　is　new；　erected　by　the　Lamas　when　the　Living　Buddha　became　blind。　　I　do　not　find　on　the　face　of　the　golden　Buddha　either　tears；　hopes；　distress　or　thanks　of　the　people。　　They　have　not　yet　had　time　to　leave　these　traces