AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Trotsky looked intrigued. "Go on. "
"Everywhere he goes, Denikin makes enemies. His Cossacks rob everyone. Whenever he takes a town, he rounds up all the Jews and just shoots them. If the coal mines fail to meet production targets, he kills one in ten miners. And, of course, he executes all deserters from his army. "
"So do we," said Trotsky. "And we kill villagers who harbor deserters. "
"And peasants who refuse to give up their grain. " Grigori had had to harden his heart to accept this brutal necessity. "But I know peasants-my father was one. What they care about most is land. A lot of these people gained considerable tracts of land in the revolution, and they want to hold on to it-whatever else happens. "
"So?"
"Kolchak has announced that land reform should be based on the principle of private property. "
"Which means the peasants giving back the fields they have taken from the aristocracy. "
"And everyone knows that. I'd like to print his proclamation and post it outside every church. No matter what our soldiers do, the peasants will prefer us to the Whites. "
"Do it," said Trotsky.
"One more thing. Announce an amnesty for deserters. For seven days, any who return to the ranks will escape punishment. "
"Another political move. "
"I don't believe it will encourage desertion, because it's only for a week; but it might bring men back to us-especially when they find out the Whites want to take their land. "
"Give it a try," said Trotsky.
An aide came in and saluted. "A strange report, Comrade Peshkov, that I thought you would want to hear. "
"All right. "
"It's about one of the prisoners we took at Buguruslan. He was with Kolchak's army, but wearing an American uniform. "
"The Whites have soldiers from all over the world. The capitalist imperialists support the counterrevolution, naturally. "
"It's not that, sir. "
"What, then?"
"Sir, he says he's your brother. "
{III}
The platform was long, and there was a heavy morning mist, so that Grigori could not see the far end of the train. There was probably some mistake, he thought; a confusion of names or an error of translation. He tried to steel himself for a disappointment, but he was not successful: his heart beat faster and his nerves seemed to tingle. It was almost five years since he had seen his brother. He had often thought Lev must be dead. That could still be the awful truth.
He walked slowly, peering into the swirling haze. If this really was Lev, he would naturally be different. In the last five years Grigori had lost a front tooth and most of one ear, and had probably changed in other ways he was not aware of. How would Lev have altered?
After a few moments two figures emerged from the white mist: a Russian soldier, in ragged uniform and homemade shoes; and, beside him, a man who looked American. Was that Lev? He had a short American haircut and no mustache. He had the round-faced look of the well-fed American soldiers, with meaty shoulders under the smart new uniform. It was an officer's uniform, Grigori saw with growing incredulity. Could his brother be an American officer?
The prisoner was staring back at him, and as Grigori came close he saw that it was, indeed, his brother. He did look different, and it was not just the general air of sleek prosperity. It was the way he stood, the expression on his face, and most of all the look in his eyes. He had lost his boyish cockiness and acquired an air of caution. He had, in fact, grown up.
As they came within touching distance, Grigori thought of all the ways Lev had let him down, and a host of recriminations sprang to his lips; but he uttered none of them, and instead opened his arms and hugged Lev. They kissed cheeks, slapped each other on the back, and hugged again, and Grigori found that he was weeping.
After a while he led Lev onto the train and took him to the carriage he used as his office. Grigori told his aide to bring tea. They sat in two faded armchairs. "You're in the army?" Grigori said incredulously.
"They have conscription in America," Lev said.
That made sense. Lev would never have joined voluntarily. "And you're an officer!"
"So are you," said Lev.
