beasts, men and gods-第29章
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' as she dropped on her knees and stretched out her hands in supplication to us。 The short… haired girl laughed out of impudent eyes and blew a puff of smoke into my face。 I was forced to threaten them and said：
〃'I know that you have committed some crime； but you do not want to confess。 If you do not； I shall shoot the men and take the women to Uliassutai to try them there。'
〃I spoke with definiteness of voice and intention； for they roused my deepest anger。 Quite to my surprise the short…haired girl first began to speak。
〃'I want to tell you about everything；' she said。
〃I ordered ink； paper and pen brought me。 My soldiers were the witnesses。 Then I prepared the protocol of the confession of Pouzikoff's wife。 This was her dark and bloody tale。
〃'My husband and I are Bolshevik commissars and we have been sent to find out how many White officers are hidden in Mongolia。 But the old fellow Bobroff knew us。 We wanted to go away but Kanine kept us； telling us that Bobroff was rich and that he had for a long time wanted to kill him and pillage his place。 We agreed to join him。 We decoyed the young Bobroff to come and play cards with us。 When he was going home my husband stole along behind and shot him。 Afterwards we all went to Bobroff's place。 I climbed upon the fence and threw some poisoned meat to the dogs； who were dead in a few minutes。 Then we all climbed over。 The first person to emerge from the house was Bobroff's wife。 Pouzikoff； who was hidden behind the door； killed her with his ax。 The old fellow we killed with a blow of the ax as he slept。 The little girl ran out into the room as she heard the noise and Kanine shot her in the head with buckshot。 Afterwards we looted the house and burned it； even destroying the horses and cattle。 Later all would have been completely burned； so that no traces remained； but you suddenly arrived and these stupid fellows at once betrayed us。'
〃It was a dastardly affair；〃 continued the Lieutenant； as we returned to the station。 〃The hair raised on my head as I listened to the calm description of this young woman； hardly more than a girl。 Only then did I fully realize what depravity Bolshevism had brought into the world； crushing out faith； fear of God and conscience。 Only then did I understand that all honest people must fight without compromise against this most dangerous enemy of mankind； so long as life and strength endure。〃
As we walked I noticed at the side of the road a black spot。 It attracted and fixed my attention。
〃What is that？〃 I asked； pointing to the spot。
〃It is the murderer Pouzikoff whom I shot；〃 answered the Lieutenant。 〃I would have shot both Kanine and the wife of Pouzikoff but I was sorry for Kanine's wife and children and I haven't learned the lesson of shooting women。 Now I shall send them along with you under the surveillance of my soldiers to Uliassutai。 The same result will come； for the Mongols who try them for the murder will surely kill them。〃
This is what happened at Tisingol； on whose shores the will…o'…the… wisp flits over the marshy pools and near which runs the cleavage of over two hundred miles that the last earthquake left in the surface of the land。 Maybe it was out of this cleavage that Pouzikoff； Kanine and the others who have sought to infect the whole world with horror and crime made their appearance from the land of the inferno。 One of Lieutenant Ivanoff's soldiers； who was always praying and pale； called them all 〃the servants of Satan。〃
Our trip from Tisingol to Uliassutai in the company of these criminals was very unpleasant。 My friend and I entirely lost our usual strength of spirit and healthy frame of mind。 Kanine persistently brooded and thought while the impudent woman laughed； smoked and joked with the soldiers and several of our companions。 At last we crossed the Jagisstai and in a few hours descried at first the fortress and then the low adobe houses huddled on the plain； which we knew to be Uliassutai。
CHAPTER XXV
HARASSING DAYS
Once more we found ourselves in the whirl of events。 During our fortnight away a great deal had happened here。 The Chinese Commissioner Wang Tsao…tsun had sent eleven envoys to Urga but none had returned。 The situation in Mongolia remained far from clear。 The Russian detachment had been increased by the arrival of new colonists and secretly continued its illegal existence； although the Chinese knew about it through their omnipresent system of spies。 In the town no Russian or foreign citizens left their houses and all remained armed and ready to act。 At night armed sentinels stood guard in all their court…yards。 It was the Chinese who induced such precautions。 By order of their Commissioner all the Chinese merchants with stocks of rifles armed their staffs and handed over any surplus guns to the officials； who with these formed and equipped a force of two hundred coolies into a special garrison of gamins。 Then they took possession of the Mongolian arsenal and distributed these additional guns among the Chinese vegetable farmers in the nagan hushun； where there was always a floating population of the lowest grade of transient Chinese laborers。 This trash of China now felt themselves strong； gathered together in excited discussions and evidently were preparing for some outburst of aggression。 At night the coolies transported many boxes of cartridges from the Chinese shops to the nagan hushun and the behaviour of the Chinese mob became unbearably audacious。 These coolies and gamins impertinently stopped and searched people right on the streets and sought to provoke fights that would allow them to take anything they wanted。 Through secret news we received from certain Chinese quarters we learned that the Chinese were preparing a pogrom for all the Russians and Mongols in Uliassutai。 We fully realized that it was only necessary to fire one single house at the right part of the town and the entire settlement of wooden buildings would go up in flames。 The whole population prepared to defend themselves； increased the sentinels in the compounds； appointed leaders for certain sections of the town； organized a special fire brigade and prepared horses； carts and food for a hasty flight。 The situation became worse when news arrived from Kobdo that the Chinese there had made a pogrom； killing some of the inhabitants and burning the whole town after a wild looting orgy。 Most of the people got away to the forests on the mountains but it was at night and consequently without warm clothes and without food。 During the following days these mountains around Kobdo heard many cries of misfortune； woe and death。 The severe cold and hunger killed off the women and children out under the open sky of the Mongolian winter。 This news was soon known to the Chinese。 They laughed in mockery and soon organized a big meeting at the nagan hushun to discuss letting the mob and gamins loose on the town。
A young Chinese； the son of a cook of one of the colonists； revealed this news。 We immediately decided to make an investigation。 A Russian officer and my friend joined me with this young Chinese as a guide for a trip to the outskirts of the town。 We feigned simply a stroll but were stopped by the Chinese sentinel on the side of the city toward the nagan hushun with an impertinent command that no one was allowed to leave the town。 As we spoke with him； I noticed that between the town and the nagan hushun Chinese guards were stationed all along the way and that streams of Chinese were moving in that direction。 We saw at once it was impossible to reach the meeting from this approach； so we chose another route。 We left the city from the eastern side and passed along by the camp of the Mongolians who had been reduced to beggary by the Chinese impositions。 There also they were evidently anxiously awaiting the turn of events； for； in spite of the lateness of the hour； none had gone to sleep。 We slipped out on the ice and worked around by the river to the nagan hushun。 As we passed free of the city we began to sneak cautiously along； taking advantage of every bit of cover。 We were armed with revolvers and hand grenades and knew that a small detachment had been p
