beasts, men and gods-第33章

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After　the　commercial　quarter　was　flashed　past　our　eyes；　we　entered　the　Russian　settlement　across　a　small　river。　　Several　Russian　soldiers　and　four　very　spruce…looking　Mongolian　women　stood　on　the　bridge　as　we　passed。　　The　soldiers　snapped　to　salute　like　immobile　statues　and　fixed　their　eyes　on　the　severe　face　of　their　Commander。　The　women　first　began　to　run　and　shift　about　and　then；　infected　by　the　discipline　and　order　of　events；　swung　their　hands　up　to　salute　and　stood　as　immobile　as　their　northern　swains。　　The　Baron　looked　at　me　and　laughed：

〃You　see　the　discipline！　　Even　the　Mongolian　women　salute　me。〃

Soon　we　were　out　on　the　plain　with　the　car　going　like　an　arrow；　with　the　wind　whistling　and　tossing　the　folds　of　our　coats　and　caps。　　But　Baron　Ungern；　sitting　with　closed　eyes；　repeated：　〃Faster！　Faster！〃　　For　a　long　time　we　were　both　silent。

〃And　yesterday　I　beat　my　adjutant　for　rushing　into　my　yurta　and　interrupting　my　story；〃　he　said。

〃You　can　finish　it　now；〃　I　answered。

〃And　are　you　not　bored　by　it？　　Well；　there　isn't　much　left　and　this　happens　to　be　the　most　interesting。　　I　was　telling　you　that　I　wanted　to　found　an　order　of　military　Buddhists　in　Russia。　　For　what？　　For　the　protection　of　the　processes　of　evolution　of　humanity　and　for　the　struggle　against　revolution；　because　I　am　certain　that　evolution　leads　to　the　Divinity　and　revolution　to　bestiality。　　But　I　worked　in　Russia！　　In　Russia；　where　the　peasants　are　rough；　untutored；　wild　and　constantly　angry；　hating　everybody　and　everything　without　understanding　why。　　They　are　suspicious　and　materialistic；　having　no　sacred　ideals。　　Russian　intelligents　live　among　imaginary　ideals　without　realities。　　They　have　a　strong　capacity　for　criticising　everything　but　they　lack　creative　power。　Also　they　have　no　will　power；　only　the　capacity　for　talking　and　talking。　　With　the　peasants；　they　cannot　like　anything　or　anybody。　Their　love　and　feelings　are　imaginary。　　Their　thoughts　and　sentiments　pass　without　trace　like　futile　words。　　My　companions；　therefore；　soon　began　to　violate　the　regulations　of　the　Order。　Then　I　introduced　the　condition　of　celibacy；　the　entire　negation　of　woman；　of　the　comforts　of　life；　of　superfluities；　according　to　the　teachings　of　the　Yellow　Faith；　and；　in　order　that　the　Russian　might　be　able　to　live　down　his　physical　nature；　I　introduced　the　limitless　use　of　alcohol；　hasheesh　and　opium。　　Now　for　alcohol　I　hang　my　officers　and　soldiers；　then　we　drank　to　the　'white　fever；'　delirium　tremens。　　I　could　not　organize　the　Order　but　I　gathered　round　me　and　developed　three　hundred　men　wholly　bold　and　entirely　ferocious。　　Afterward　they　were　heroes　in　the　war　with　Germany　and　later　in　the　fight　against　the　Bolsheviki；　but　now　only　a　few　remain。〃

〃The　wireless；　Excellency！〃　reported　the　chauffeur。

〃Turn　in　there！〃　ordered　the　General。

On　the　top　of　a　flat　hill　stood　the　big；　powerful　radio　station　which　had　been　partially　destroyed　by　the　retreating　Chinese　but　reconstructed　by　the　engineers　of　Baron　Ungern。　　The　General　perused　the　telegrams　and　handed　them　to　me。　　They　were　from　Moscow；　Chita；　Vladivostok　and　Peking。　　On　a　separate　yellow　sheet　were　the　code　messages；　which　the　Baron　slipped　into　his　pocket　as　he　said　to　me：

〃They　are　from　my　agents；　who　are　stationed　in　Chita；　Irkutsk；　Harbin　and　Vladivostok。　　They　are　all　Jews；　very　skilled　and　very　bold　men；　friends　of　mine　all。　　I　have　also　one　Jewish　officer；　Vulfovitch；　who　commands　my　right　flank。　　He　is　as　ferocious　as　Satan　but　clever　and　brave。　。　。　。　　Now　we　shall　fly　into　space。〃

Once　more　we　rushed　away；　sinking　into　the　darkness　of　night。　　It　was　a　wild　ride。　　The　car　bounded　over　small　stones　and　ditches；　even　taking　narrow　streamlets；　as　the　skilled　chauffeur　only　seemed　to　guide　it　round　the　larger　rocks。　　On　the　plain；　as　we　sped　by；　I　noticed　several　times　small　bright　flashes　of　fire　which　lasted　but　for　a　second　and　then　were　extinguished。

〃The　eyes　of　wolves；〃　smiled　my　companion。　　〃We　have　fed　them　to　satiety　from　the　flesh　of　ourselves　and　our　enemies！〃　he　quietly　interpolated；　as　he　turned　to　continue　his　confession　of　faith。

〃During　the　War　we　saw　the　gradual　corruption　of　the　Russian　army　and　foresaw　the　treachery　of　Russia　to　the　Allies　as　well　as　the　approaching　danger　of　revolution。　　To　counteract　this　latter　a　plan　was　formed　to　join　together　all　the　Mongolian　peoples　which　had　not　forgotten　their　ancient　faiths　and　customs　into　one　Asiatic　State；　consisting　of　autonomous　tribal　units；　under　the　moral　and　legislative　leadership　of　China；　the　country　of　loftiest　and　most　ancient　culture。　　Into　this　State　must　come　the　Chinese；　Mongols；　Tibetans；　Afghans；　the　Mongol　tribes　of　Turkestan；　Tartars；　Buriats；　Kirghiz　and　Kalmucks。　　This　State　must　be　strong；　physically　and　morally；　and　must　erect　a　barrier　against　revolution　and　carefully　preserve　its　own　spirit；　philosophy　and　individual　policy。　　If　humanity；　mad　and　corrupted；　continues　to　threaten　the　Divine　Spirit　in　mankind；　to　spread　blood　and　to　obstruct　moral　development；　the　Asiatic　State　must　terminate　this　movement　decisively　and　establish　a　permanent；　firm　peace。　　This　propaganda　even　during　the　War　made　splendid　progress　among　the　Turkomans；　Kirghiz；　Buriats　and　Mongols。　。　。　。　　〃Stop！〃　suddenly　shouted　the　Baron。

The　car　pulled　up　with　a　jerk。　　The　General　jumped　out　and　called　me　to　follow。　　We　started　walking　over　the　prairie　and　the　Baron　kept　bending　down　all　the　time　as　though　he　were　looking　for　something　on　the　ground。

〃Ah！〃　he　murmured　at　last；　〃He　has　gone　away。　。　。　。〃

I　looked　at　him　in　amazement。

〃A　rich　Mongol　formerly　had　his　yurta　here。　　He　was　the　outfitter　for　the　Russian　merchant；　Noskoff。　　Noskoff　was　a　ferocious　man　as　shown　by　the　name　the　Mongols　gave　him'Satan。'　　He　used　to　have　his　Mongol　debtors　beaten　or　imprisoned　through　the　instrumentality　of　the　Chinese　authorities。　　He　ruined　this　Mongol；　who　lost　everything　and　escaped　to　a　place　thirty　miles　away；　but　Noskoff　found　him　there；　took　all　that　he　had　left　of　cattle　and　horses　and　left　the　Mongol　and　his　family　to　die　of　hunger。　　When　I　captured　Urga；　this　Mongol　appeared　and　brought　with　him　thirty　other　Mongol　families　similarly　ruined　by　Noskoff。　　They　demanded　his　death。　。　。　。　So　I　hung　'Satan'　。　。　。〃

Anew　the　motor　car　was　rushing　along；　sweeping　a　great　circle　on　the　prairie；　and　anew　Baron　Ungern　with　his　sharp；　nervous　voice　carried　his　thoughts　round　the　whole　circumference　of　Asian　life。

〃Russia　turned　traitor　to　France；　England　and　America；　signed　the　Brest…Litovsk　Treaty　and　ushered　in　a　reign　of　chaos。　　We　then　decided　to　mobilize　Asia　against　Germany。　　Our　envoys　penetrated　Mongolia；　Tibet；　Turkestan　and　China。　　At　this　time　the　Bolsheviki　began　to　kill　all　the　Russian　officers　and　we　were　forced　to　open　civil　war　against　them；　giving　up　our　Pan…Asiatic　plans；　but　we　hope　later　to　awake　all　Asia　and　with　their　help　to　bring　peace　and　God　back　to　earth。　　I　want　to　feel　that　I　have　helped　this　idea　by　the　liberation　of　Mongolia。〃

He　became　silent　and　thought　for　a　moment。

〃But　some　of　my　associates　in　the　movement　do　not　like　me　because　of　my　atrocities　and　severity；〃　he　remarked　in　a　sad　voice。　　〃They　cannot　understand　as　yet　that　we　are　not　fighting　a　political　party　but　a　sect　of　murderers　of　all　contemporary　spiritual　culture。　　Why　do　the　Italians　execute　the　'Black　Hand'　gang？　　Why　are　the　Americans　electrocuting　anarchistic　bomb　throwers？　and　I　am　not　allowed　to　rid　the　world　of　those　who　would　kill　the　soul　of　the　people？　　I；　a　Teuton；　descendant　of　crusaders　and　privateers；　I　recognize　only　death　for　murderers！　。　。　。　　Return！〃　he　commanded　the　chauffeur。

An　hour　and　a　half　later　we　saw　the　electric　lights　of　Urga。


CHAPTER　XXXVII

THE　CAMP　OF　MARTYRS


Near　the　entrance　to　the　town；　a　motor　car　stood　before　a　small　house。

〃What　does　that　mean？〃　exclaimed　the　Baron。　　〃Go　over　there！〃

Our　car　drew　up　beside　the　other。　　The　house　door　opened　sharply；　several　officers　rushed　out　and　tried　to　hide。

〃Stand！〃　commanded　the　General。　　〃Go　back　inside。〃　　They　obeyed　and　he　entered　after　them；　leaning　on　his　tashur。　　As　the　door　remained　open；　I　could　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　cla