by Mór Jókai
CHAPTER L
"DEREVASKI DALOI"
Things had never gone so quietly in St. Petersburg as during those threemonths preceding the 26th of December. Night noises, public-housegatherings, had ceased entirely. In the kabas, instead of the dailythree thousand pots of drink, not more than two hundred were given out.It is a serious outlook when the Russian people do not drink.
For five-and-twenty days Russia had been without a Regent. What hadoccurred during those five-and-twenty days?
The vast empire had had two heads and two hearts: one at Warsaw, theother at St. Petersburg. In St. Petersburg, the Viceroy of Warsaw hadbeen proclaimed Czar; in Warsaw, the Grand Duke Nicholas.
Their youngest brother, Michael, was on a visit to Constantine when thenews of Alexander's death at Taganrog reached him--two days earlier thanit was received at St. Petersburg. A grand gala was going on at thetime, which was stopped at once on receipt of the melancholyintelligence. Constantine begged his brother to return instantly to St.Petersburg and repeat his declaration of renunciation of the succession.The Grand Duke Michael crossed the deputation sent from St. Petersburg.At the same time that he reached the capital with his brother's freshrepudiation, Labanoff arrived at Warsaw with documents stating thatConstantine had been chosen, and containing the oaths of fealty of thearmy, and the people's address to him bearing a hundred thousandsignatures. Every one had been required to affix his signature, on theprevious Sunday, on leaving the churches; such as could not write hadtheir hands guided. But Johanna Grudzinska's power was still victorious.The sealed document bore the inscription, "To His Imperial Majesty."
"I know the contents," said Constantine. "I am to separate from my wifeand espouse the imperial throne. Much obliged! This document is notaddressed to me; I am no 'Imperial Majesty.' Take it back to those whosent it."
And with seals unbroken he sent back the documents.
The Grand Duke Michael's mission met with similar success. The letter ofConstantine was addressed to Czar Nicholas. He would not receive it.Constantine had already been elected; the army had sworn allegiance tohim; the people had signed an address; important state papers were beingprepared in his name. It was unalterable.
Michael had to return once more to Warsaw and endeavor to moveConstantine. This time he met the returning deputation at Dorpat, takingback the bull with seals unbroken.
Thus Russia had no Czar. The republicans said: "All right. If they can'tsettle with one, let them try two."
Suddenly came news in St. Petersburg that a seditious rising had beendetected in the Southern Army.
Now neither party could hesitate any longer. Pestel and ten leaders ofbattalions were arrested; but this, far from suppressing theinsurrection, only hurried it on.
Late in the evening of the 25th of December Nicholas decided to acceptthe crown. This brought things to a crisis.
The manifesto of his accession was drawn up at two o'clock in themorning, thus could not be made public then and there. On the followingmorning the regiments were to swear the oath to the new Czar, withoutknowing what had happened to the one to whom they pledged allegiance buta fortnight before. The conspirators passed the night deliberating whatshould be done.
"All is ready for the war of freedom," said enthusiastic Ryleieff.
"But one thing is wanting," answered Zeneida Ilmarinen; "and that isthat the people do not know what freedom is."
"True!" said Ghedimin. "The people do not understand our views. We oughtto have begun by teaching them what is freedom."
"We must begin by freeing the people from their tyrants," broke inJakuskin, "then they will soon learn the meaning of freedom."
War was declared. The conspirators, going back to their regiments, tookpossession, with their mutinous troops, of the square in front of theWinter Palace in the mist of early morning. Their watchword was"Derevaski daloi" (throw away your touchwood). In ordinary gun practicetouchwood was used. Now all hastened to change this for steel and flint.Then came the cry, "Hurrah, Constantine!" Only Constantine then; and noword of freedom? But that had been provided for. The mutinous soldiersset up the shout, "Long live the Constitution!" They had been made tobelieve that "Constitucia" _was the wife of Grand Duke Constantine_, andthus waxed enthusiastic for freedom as the Czar's wife.
Freedom itself lay deep, deep under the snow like a buried acorn,needing the rays of the sun to awaken it to vitality. On the morning ofhis accession, the first day of his rule, the Czar was greeted by thetumult of a revolution. They were the household troops, the crackregiments, that rose against him. Their hurrahs resounded from CzarPeter's Platz to the Winter Palace, which Nicholas had exchanged for thelittle, quiet, old-fashioned Anikof Palace, where he formerly resided.Pale with terror, his generals rushed up to tell him of the danger ofthe rebellion. Nicholas had seen one like it before, five-and-twentyyears ago. Then, a little boy, he was sleeping peacefully in his bed,when his mother, suddenly rushing into the room, snatched him up in herarms, and ran the length of the dark apartments crying for help. One ofthe doors she was passing opened, and a pale man emerged from it. From aneighboring room came the sounds of a furious struggle--some one withinwas fighting for his life. That some one was his father. The pale man,Count Pahlen, tore the mother and her trembling burden away from thescene of terror. This episode Nicholas had never forgotten. He, too, nowhad a little son, still slumbering in his bed. And he, too, snatching upthe child in his arms, dashed with it down the stairs of the palace. Butbefore handing over his son to the soldiers he took his wife into thechapel. There, kneeling side by side, they swore to die in a mannerworthy of rulers of the empire. That moment of terror gave the Czarina apalsied movement of the head which she never lost in after-life. Thenthe Czar, taking his son up in his arms, went out with him into thecourtyard. The battalion on guard at the Winter Palace chanced to be ofa Finnish regiment. Kalevaines, despised as Tschuds by the Suomalaitribes--they were no Russians--what interest had they in Rurik's empire?
The new Czar, going up to them, his son in his arms, tore open hisuniform, and, presenting his bare breast to the bayonets, said:
"If you have cause against me, fire at my defenceless breast!"
And Pushkin was right.
The feeling of humanity is stronger than the thirst for freedom. Itprotects the serf when the Czar persecutes him, and protects the Czarwhen persecuted by the serf.
"Fear not. We will protect you!" cried Zeneida's countrymen.
"_Then to you I intrust my child; take care of him. If I fall, he isyour future Czar._" And he threw his pale little successor, AlexanderII., into the arms of the most heavily oppressed of all his subjects.
He knew the hearts of men. By this action he had turned their weaponsfrom his own bosom upon his assailants.
That one Finnish battalion defended the Winter Palace from the morningto the evening against the whole revolutionary force.
Nicholas, however, springing on his horse, dashed through the gates,followed by his generals.
In front of the palace surged a dense mass of the lowest of the low,roaring out _The Song of the Knife_--its harvest-time had come. Ridinginto their very midst, Nicholas said:
"What are you doing here, dear children? This is no place for you."
The people looked at one another.
"Eh! He is a kind man! He calls us his dear children, and tells us sokindly to go away from here. Let's go home!"
And they dispersed.
Outside the Admiralty he was received by some well-affected battalions.At their head he marched to the vast Czar Peter's Platz, where was theinsurgents' camp. One-half of the square was occupied by them; the otherhalf by the troops loyal to him. Betwixt the opposing armies was thecolossal statue on its granite pedestal, with hands outstretched, no oneknows whether to command or bless. One party of insurgents stormed thecastle on the other side of the frozen Neva; the other pressed ontowards the gates of the Winter Palace, Nicholas wandering, meanwhile,undecidedly up and down the great square, weighing on whic
h cast of thedie hung the fate of his imperial house and empire. He had firstendeavored by every means in his power to avoid the conflict--had sentthe most popular leader of the army, General Miloradovics, to parleywith the insurgents and move them to submission. A ball had struck himfrom his horse before he could speak; it was Kakhowsky who had shot him.The heroic general died in the Czar's arms. Then he had sent the highestChurch dignitary of the country, the metropolitan Seraphim, in fullcanonicals, to parley with his enemies.
What cared they now for priests? Seizing the venerable man by hissnow-white beard, they had roared in his ears:
"If you are a priest, read your breviary, and don't meddle to your hurtin military matters!"
The insurgents received unexpected support. The marines and half thegrenadier regiments joined them. Their numbers grew and grew; thesquare echoed with the cry, "Long live the Constitution!"
Then the Czar himself rode up to them. The rebels saw him coming. It wasa temptation to them to see him ride up unattended. A cavalry officergalloped up to him, a loaded pistol in his hand.
"What is your business?" the Czar asked, threateningly, as he came near.There was such a spell in his cold look that the foolhardy man, hidinghis face, turned away his head and galloped back.
It was only by force that his followers could tear the Czar away fromthe scene of revolt.
It began to grow dusk.
The armies of Gog and Magog went on ever increasing, and darkness addedits terrors to the rest. With night, axe and knife would begin theirwork; seventy thousand mujiks would decide who should be Russia's futureruler!
The generals entreated the Czar to give the signal to attack. He stillhesitated. First, he tried to disperse the insurgents by means of afeigned attack upon the square of the enemy, and gave the Horse Guardsorders to this effect. They were received by a salvo of artillery, andthe Horse Guards retreated decimated. At that critical moment drumsbeating to attack were heard advancing from Morskoje Street, and GrandDuke Michael appeared at the head of the Moscow regiment. He had justreturned from Moscow, and, hastily summoning those of his own regimentwho had remained faithful to him, advanced against the rebels, and thefight began.
The noisiest of the insurgents, the heroes of the Bear's Paw, clearedout of the square at the first volley; the soldiers alone stood fire.The heroes of freedom fought heroically. The poor soldier, however, whofell without knowing why or wherefore, perhaps learned in hisdeath-agony that she for whom he had fallen was a living goddess, who insome future time would make his descendants happy--the goddess ofFreedom.
Until late in the night they held the square and repulsed the attacks ofthe imperial troops.
Then, in the deep darkness, a division of artillery suddenly approachedup Nevski Prospect. This broad, radial street opens in such a manner onto the great square, which lies between the Admiralty, the WinterPalace, and Isaac Cathedral, that it commands both sides of the square.
The fire of the approaching cannon might as easily be directed againstthe Czar's army as against the rebels' camp; and nearly all the officersin the artillery were in league with the insurgents! They were receivedby the latter with cheers as they unlimbered their guns at the corner ofthe street. Of course, they had come to the aid of the rebel army! Atthat critical moment Grand Duke Michael, dashing up to the foremost gun,snatched the fuse from the gunner's hand, sighted on to the mass of theinsurgents, and the first thunder of cannon belched forth into theirranks a fire of destructive grape.
That first cannon-shot decided the fate of the day and of the epoch.Others followed. The whole division turned their destroying force uponthe insurgent army.