beasts, men and gods-第28章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
we overtook three Cossacks who were going out to bring back the colonists who were fleeing to the south。 We joined them and； dismounting； we all led our horses over the ice。 The Yaga was mad。 The subterranean forces produced underneath the ice great heaving waves which with a swirling roar threw up and tore loose great sections of ice； breaking them into small blocks and sucking them under the unbroken downstream field。 Cracks ran like snakes over the surface in different directions。 One of the Cossacks fell into one of these but we had just time to save him。 He was forced by his ducking in such extreme cold to turn back to Khathyl。 Our horses slipped about and fell several times。 Men and animals felt the presence of death which hovered over them and momentarily threatened them with destruction。 At last we made the farther bank and continued southward down the valley； glad to have left the geological and figurative volcanoes behind us。 Ten miles farther on we came up with the first party of refugees。 They had spread a big tent and made a fire inside； filling it with warmth and smoke。 Their camp was made beside the establishment of a large Chinese trading house； where the owners refused to let the colonists come into their amply spacious buildings； even though there were children； women and invalids among the refugees。 We spent but half an hour here。 The road as we continued was easy； save in places where the snow lay deep。 We crossed the fairly high divide between the Egingol and Muren。 Near the pass one very unexpected event occurred to us。 We crossed the mouth of a fairly wide valley whose upper end was covered with a dense wood。 Near this wood we noticed two horsemen； evidently watching us。 Their manner of sitting in their saddles and the character of their horses told us that they were not Mongols。 We began shouting and waving to them； but they did not answer。 Out of the wood emerged a third and stopped to look at us。 We decided to interview them and； whipping up our horses； galloped toward them。 When we were about one thousand yards from them； they slipped from their saddles and opened on us with a running fire。 Fortunately we rode a little apart and thus made a poor target for them。 We jumped off our horses； dropped prone on the ground and prepared to fight。 However； we did not fire because we thought it might be a mistake on their part； thinking that we were Reds。 They shortly made off。 Their shots from the European rifles had given us further proof that they were not Mongols。 We waited until they had disappeared into the woods and then went forward to investigate their tracks； which we found were those of shod horses； clearly corroborating the earlier evidence that they were not Mongols。 Who could they have been？ We never found out； yet what a different relationship they might have borne to our lives； had their shots been true！
After we had passed over the divide； we met the Russian colonist D。 A。 Teternikoff from Muren Kure； who invited us to stay in his house and promised to secure camels for us from the Lamas。 The cold was intense and heightened by a piercing wind。 During the day we froze to the bone but at night thawed and warmed up nicely by our tent stove。 After two days we entered the valley of Muren and from afar made out the square of the Kure with its Chinese roofs and large red temples。 Nearby was a second square； the Chinese and Russian settlement。 Two hours more brought us to the house of our hospitable companion and his attractive young wife who feasted us with a wonderful luncheon of tasty dishes。 We spent five days at Muren waiting for the camels to be engaged。 During this time many refugees arrived from Khathyl because Colonel Kazagrandi was gradually falling back upon the town。 Among others there were two Colonels； Plavako and Maklakoff； who had caused the disruption of the Kazagrandi force。 No sooner had the refugees appeared in Muren Kure than the Mongolian officials announced that the Chinese authorities had ordered them to drive out all Russian refugees。
〃Where can we go now in winter with women and children and no homes of our own？〃 asked the distraught refugees。
〃That is of no moment to us；〃 answered the Mongolian officials。 〃The Chinese authorities are angry and have ordered us to drive you away。 We cannot help you at all。〃
The refugees had to leave Muren Kure and so erected their tents in the open not far away。 Plavako and Maklakoff bought horses and started out for Van Kure。 Long afterwards I learned that both had been killed by the Chinese along the road。
We secured three camels and started out with a large group of Chinese merchants and Russian refugees to make Uliassutai； preserving the warmest recollections of our courteous hosts； T。 V。 and D。 A。 Teternikoff。 For the trip we had to pay for our camels the very high price of 33 lan of the silver bullion which had been supplied us by an American firm in Uliassutai； the equivalent roughly of 2。7 pounds of the white metal。
CHAPTER XXIV
A BLOODY CHASTISEMENT
Before long we struck the road which we had travelled coming north and saw again the kindly rows of chopped down telegraph poles which had once so warmly protected us。 Over the timbered hillocks north of the valley of Tisingol we wended just as it was growing dark。 We decided to stay in Bobroff's house and our companions thought to seek the hospitality of Kanine in the telegraph station。 At the station gate we found a soldier with a rifle； who questioned us as to who we were and whence we had come and； being apparently satisfied； whistled out a young officer from the house。
〃Lieutenant Ivanoff；〃 he introduced himself。 〃I am staying here with my detachment of White Partisans。〃
He had come from near Irkutsk with his following of ten men and had formed a connection with Lieutenant…Colonel Michailoff at Uliassutai； who commanded him to take possession of this blockhouse。
〃Enter； please；〃 he said hospitably。
I explained to him that I wanted to stay with Bobroff； whereat he made a despairing gesture with his hand and said：
〃Don't trouble yourself。 The Bobroffs are killed and their house burned。〃
I could not keep back a cry of horror。
The Lieutenant continued： 〃Kanine and the Pouzikoffs killed them； pillaged the place and afterwards burned the house with their dead bodies in it。 Do you want to see it？〃
My friend and I went with the Lieutenant and looked over the ominous site。 Blackened uprights stood among charred beams and planks while crockery and iron pots and pans were scattered all around。 A little to one side under some felt lay the remains of the four unfortunate individuals。 The Lieutenant first spoke：
〃I reported the case to Uliassutai and received word back that the relatives of the deceased would come with two officers； who would investigate the affair。 That is why I cannot bury the bodies。〃
〃How did it happen？〃 we asked； oppressed by the sad picture。
〃It was like this；〃 he began。 〃I was approaching Tisingol at night with my ten soldiers。 Fearing that there might be Reds here； we sneaked up to the station and looked into the windows。 We saw Pouzikoff； Kanine and the short…haired girl； looking over and dividing clothes and other things and weighing lumps of silver。 I did not at once grasp the significance of all this； but； feeling the need for continued caution； ordered one of my soldiers to climb the fence and open the gate。 We rushed into the court。 The first to run from the house was Kanine's wife； who threw up her hands and shrieked in fear： 〃I knew that misfortune would come of all this！〃 and then fainted。 One of the men ran out of a side door to a shed in the yard and there tried to get over the fence。 I had not noticed him but one of my soldiers caught him。 We were met at the door by Kanine； who was white and trembling。 I realized that something important had taken place； placed them all under arrest； ordered the men tied and placed a close guard。 All my questions were met with silence save by Madame Kanine who cried： 'Pity； pity for the children！ They are innocent！' as she dropped on her knees and stretched out her hands in supplication to us。 The short… haired
