The usual street-cars crawled
past, citizens and soldiers clinging to the outside in a way to make
Theodore P. Shonts green with envy.... Along the sidewalk a row of
deserters in uniform sold cigarettes and sunflower seeds....
Up the Nevsky in the sour twilight crowds were battling for the
latest papers, and knots of people were trying to make out the
multitudes of appeals (See App. III, Sect. 6) and proclamations
pasted in every flat place; from the _Tsay-ee-kah,_ the Peasants'
Soviets, the "moderate" Socialist parties, the Army
Committees-threatening, cursing, beseeching the workers and soldiers
to stay home, to support the Government....
An armoured automobile went slowly up and down, siren screaming. On
every corner, in every open space, thick groups were clustered;
arguing soldiers and students. Night came swiftly down, the
wide-spaced street-lights flickered on, the tides of people flowed
endlessly.... It is always like that in Petrograd just before trouble....
The city was nervous, starting at every sharp sound. But still no
sign from the Bolsheviki; the soldiers stayed in the barracks, the
workmen in the factories.... We went to a moving picture show near the
Kazan Cathedral-a bloody Italian film of passion and intrigue. Down
front were some soldiers and sailors, staring at the screen in
childlike wonder, totally unable to comprehend why there should be so
much violent running about, and so much homicide.
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