russia in 1919(1919的俄国)-第4章
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backwards and forwards between the villages and the town； and great
numbers of workmen have gone home； carrying with them the ideas of the
revolution。 It should also be remembered that the bulk of the earlier
formed units of the Red Army is composed of workmen from the towns
who； except in the case of peasants mobilized in districts which have
experienced an occupation by the counter…revolutionaries； are more
determined and better understand the need for discipline than the men
from the country。
The most noticeable thing in Petrograd to anyone returning after six
months' absence is the complete disappearance of armed men。 The town
seems to have returned to a perfectly peaceable condition in the sense that
the need for revolutionary patrols has gone。 Soldiers walking about no
longer carry their rifles； and the picturesque figures of the revolution who
wore belts of machine…gun cartridges slung about their persons have gone。
The second noticeable thing； especially in the Nevsky； which was
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RUSSIA IN 1919
once crowded with people too fashionably dressed； is the general lack of
new clothes。 I did not see anybody wearing clothes that looked less than
two years old； with the exception of some officers and soldiers who are as
well equipped nowadays as at the beginning of the war。 Petrograd ladies
were particularly fond of boots； and of boots there is an extreme shortage。
I saw one young woman in a well…preserved； obviously costly fur coat；
and beneath it straw shoes with linen wrappings。
We had started rather late； so we took a train half…way up the Nevsky。
The tram conductors are still women。 The price of tickets has risen to a
rouble； usually； I noticed； paid in stamps。 It used to be ten kopecks。
The armoured car which used to stand at the entrance of Smolni has
disappeared and been replaced by a horrible statue of Karl Marx； who
stands； thick and heavy； on a stout pedestal； holding behind him an
enormous top…hat like the muzzle of an eighteen…inch gun。 The only
signs of preparations for defence that remain are the pair of light field
guns which； rather the worse for weather； still stand under the pillars of the
portico which they would probably shake to pieces if ever they should be
fired。 Inside the routine was as it used to be； and when I turned down the
passage to get my permit to go upstairs； I could hardly believe that I had
been away for so long。 The place is emptier than it was。 There is not
the same eager crowd of country delegates pressing up and down the
corridors and collecting literature from the stalls that I used to see in the
old days when the serious little workman from the Viborg side stood guard
over Trotsky's door； and from the alcove with its window looking down
into the great hall； the endless noise of debate rose from the Petrograd
Soviet that met below。
Litvinov invited me to have dinner with the Petrograd Commissars；
which I was very glad to do； partly because I was hungry and partly
because I thought it would be better to meet Zinoviev thus than in any
other manner； remembering how sourly he had looked upon me earlier in
the revolution。 Zinoviev is a Jew； with a lot of hair； a round smooth face；
and a very abrupt manner。 He was against the November Revolution； but
when it had been accomplished returned to his old allegiance to Lenin and；
becoming President of the Northern Commune； remained in Petrograd
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RUSSIA IN 1919
when the Government moved to Moscow。 He is neither an original
thinker nor a good orator except in debate； in answering opposition； which
he does with extreme skill。 His nerve was badly shaken by the murders
of his friends Volodarsky and Uritzky last year； and he is said to have lost
his head after the attack on Lenin； to whom he is extremely devoted。 I
have heard many Communists attribute to this fact the excesses which
followed that event in Petrograd。 I have never noticed anything that
would make me consider him pro…German； though of course he is pro…
Marx。 He has； however； a decided prejudice against the English。 He was
among the Communists who put difficulties in my way as a 〃bourgeois
journalist〃 in the earlier days of the revolution； and I had heard that he had
expressed suspicion and disapproval of Radek's intimacy with me。
I was amused to see his face when he came in and saw me sitting at
the table。 Litvinov introduced me to him； very tactfully telling him of
Lockhart's attack upon me； whereupon he became quite decently friendly；
and said that if I could stay a few days in Petrograd on my way back from
Moscow he would see that I had access to the historical material I wanted；
about the doings of the Petrograd Soviet during the time I had been away。
I told him I was surprised to find him here and not at Kronstadt； and asked
about the mutiny and the treachery of the Semenovsky regiment。 There
was a shout of laughter； and Pozern explained that there was no
Semenovsky regiment in existence； and that the manufacturers of the story；
every word of which was a lie； had no doubt tried to give realism to it by
putting in the name of the regiment which had taken a chief part in putting
down the Moscow insurrection of fourteen years ago。 Pozern； a thin；
bearded man； with glasses； was sitting at the other end of the table； as
Military Commissar of the Northern Commune。
Dinner in Smolni was the same informal affair that it was in the old
days； only with much less to eat。 The Commissars； men and women；
came in from their work； took their places； fed and went back to work
again； Zinoviev in particular staying only a few minutes。 The meal was
extremely simple； soup with shreds of horseflesh in it； very good indeed；
followed by a little kasha together with small slabs of some sort of white
stuff of no particular consistency or taste。 Then tea and a lump of sugar。
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The conversation was mostly about the chances of peace； and Litvinov's
rather pessimistic reports were heard with disappointment。 Just as I had
finished； Vorovsky； Madame Vorovsky and little Nina； together with the
two Norwegians and the Swede； came in。 I learnt that about half the party
were going on to Moscow that night and； deciding to go with them；
hurried off to the hotel。
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PETROGRAD TO MOSCOW
There was； of course； a dreadful scrimmage about getting away。
Several people were not ready at the last minute。 Only one motor was
obtainable for nine persons with their light luggage； and a motor lorry for
the heavy things。 I chose to travel on the lorry with the luggage and had
a fine bumpity drive to the station； reminding me of similar though livelier
experiences in the earlier days of the revolu
