It looked too much like Paradise and I'd been
deceived so often. So I determined to be very cautious. 'You've been
taken in, Nicolai Leontievitch, many many times. Don't you believe
this?' But I couldn't help feeling that if only this world would
continue, if only the people could always be free and happy and the sun
could shine, perhaps the rest of the world would see its folly and the
war would stop and never begin again. This thought would grow in my mind
as I walked, although I refused to encourage it.
"Motor lorries covered with soldiers came dashing down the street. The
soldiers had their guns pointed, but the crowd cheered and cheered,
waving hands and shouting. I shouted too. The tears were streaming down
my face. I couldn't help myself. I wanted to hold the sun and the snow
and the people all in my arms fixed so that it should never change, and
the world should see how good and innocent life could be.
"On every side people had asked what had really happened, and of course
no one knew. But it did not matter. Every one was so simple. A soldier,
standing beside one of the placards was shouting: '_Tovaristchi!_ What
we must have is a splendid Republic and a good Czar to look after it.
Pages:
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345