... The _yunkers_ were
disarmed. "Now, will you take up arms against the People any more?"
demanded clamouring voices.
"No," answered the _yunkers,_ one by one. Whereupon they were
allowed to go free.
We asked if we might go inside. The committee was doubtful, but the
big Red Guard answered firmly that it was forbidden. "Who are you
anyway?" he asked. "How do I know that you are not all Kerenskys?
(There were five of us, two women.)
"_Pazhal'st', touarishtchi!_ Way, Comrades!" A soldier and a Red
Guard appeared in the door, waving the crowd aside, and other guards
with fixed bayonets. After them followed single file half a dozen
men in civilian dress-the members of the Provisional Government.
First came Kishkin, his face drawn and pale, then Rutenberg, looking
sullenly at the floor; Terestchenko was next, glancing sharply
around; he stared at us with cold fixity.... They passed in silence;
the victorious insurrectionists crowded to see, but there were only
a few angry mutterings. It was only later that we learned how the
people in the street wanted to lynch them, and shots were fired-but
the sailors brought them safely to Peter-Paul....
In the meanwhile unrebuked we walked into the Palace. There was
still a great deal of coming and going, of exploring new-found
apartments in the vast edifice, of searching for hidden garrisons of
_yunkers_ which did not exist.
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