Angrily he shouted at them, shaking his fist, as one of
the sailors tore the papers from his stand. An ugly crowd had
gathered around, abusing the patrol. One little workman kept
explaining doggedly to the people and the news-dealer, over and over
again, "It has Kerensky's proclamation in it. It says we killed
Russian people. It will make bloodshed...."
Smolny was tenser than ever, if that were possible. The same running
men in the dark corridors, squads of workers with rifles, leaders
with bulging portfolios arguing, explaining, giving orders as they
hurried anxiously along, surrounded by friends and lieutenants. Men
literally out of themselves, living prodigies of sleeplessness and
work-men unshaven, filthy, with burning eyes, who drove upon their
fixed purpose full speed on engines of exaltation. So much they had
to do, so much! Take over the Government, organise the City, keep
the garrison loyal, fight the Duma and the Committee for Salvation,
keep out the Germans, prepare to do battle with Kerensky, inform the
provinces what had happened, Propagandise from Archangel to
Vladivostok.... Government and Municipal employees refusing to obey
their Commissars, post and telegraph refusing them communication,
railroads roads stonily ignoring their appeals for trains, Kerensky
coming, the garrison not altogether to be trusted, the Cossacks
waiting to come out.
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