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 clasped his head in desperation and said:
