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He did not really like Lenin. The man lived in a permanent rage. He was always shouting at people. Anyone who disagreed with him was a swine, a bastard, a cunt. But he worked harder than anyone else, he thought about things for a long time, and his decisions were always right. In the past, every Russian "revolution" had led to nothing but dithering. Grigori knew Lenin would not let that happen.
The provisional government knew it, too, and there were signs they wanted to target Lenin. The right-wing press had accused him of being a spy for Germany. The accusation was ridiculous. However, it was true that Lenin had a secret source of finance. Grigori, as one of those who had been Bolsheviks since before the war, was part of the inner circle, and he knew the money came from Germany. If the secret got out it would fuel suspicion.
He was dozing off when he heard footsteps in the hall followed by a loud, urgent knock at the door. Pulling on his trousers he shouted: "What is it?" Vlad woke up and cried.
A man's voice said: "Grigori Sergeivich?"
"Yes. " Grigori opened the door and saw Isaak. "What's happened?"
"They've issued arrest warrants for Lenin, Zinoviev, and Kamenev. "
Grigori went cold. "We have to warn them!"
"I've got an army car outside. "
"I'll put my boots on. "
Isaak went. Katerina picked up Vlad and comforted him. Grigori hastily pulled his clothes on, kissed them both, and ran down the stairs.
He jumped into the car beside Isaak and said: "Lenin is the most important. " The government was right to target him. Zinoviev and Kamenev were sound revolutionaries, but Lenin was the engine that drove the movement. "We must warn him first. Drive to his sister's place. Fast as you can go. "
Isaak headed off at top speed.
Grigori held tight while the car screeched around a corner. As it straightened up he said: "How did you find out?"
"From a Bolshevik in the Ministry of Justice. "
"When were the warrants signed?"
"This morning. "
"I hope we're in time. " Grigori was terrified that Lenin might already have been seized. No one else had his inflexible determination. He was a bully, but he had transformed the Bolsheviks into the leading party. Without him, the revolution could fall back into muddle and compromise.
Isaak drove to Shirokaya Street and pulled up outside a middle-class apartment building. Grigori jumped out, ran inside, and knocked at the Yelizarov flat. Anna Yelizarova, Lenin's elder sister, opened the door. She was in her fifties, with graying hair parted in the center. Grigori had met her before: she worked on Pravda. "Is he here?" Grigori said.
"Yes, why, what's happened?"
Grigori felt a wave of relief. He was not too late. He stepped inside. "They're going to arrest him. "
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Anna slammed the door. "Volodya!" she called, using the familiar form of Lenin's first name. "Come quickly!"
Lenin appeared, dressed as always in a shabby dark suit with a collar and tie. Grigori explained the situation rapidly.
"I'll leave immediately," Lenin said.
Anna said: "Don't you want to throw a few things in your suitcase-"
"Too risky. Send everything later. I'll let you know where I am. " He looked at Grigori. "Thank you for the warning, Grigori Sergeivich. Do you have a car?"
"Yes. "
Without another word Lenin went out into the hall.
Grigori followed him to the street and hurried to open the car door. "They have also issued warrants for Zinoviev and Kamenev," Grigori said as Lenin got in.
"Go back to the apartment and telephone them," Lenin said. "Mark has a phone and he knows where they are. " He slammed the door. He leaned forward and said something to Isaak that Grigori did not hear. Isaak drove off.
