118 исторических миниатюр и 108 авторских текстов на 13 иностранных языках. Сборник (СИ)

Among the gathered persons there were a Poetess and the Memoirist. They also lived at this time under the same roof with Gorky and his family.

Someone lay on a sofa. Several people sat in chairs. On a carpet the dog lay.

The Memoirist has asked:

- 'Alexei Maximovich, read us a lecture about Witte, please.'

- 'I don't consider myself an expert on Witte', - Gorky replied. - 'Many events were connected with Sergei Yulyevich. And I can hardly characterize his work as a whole. But a mini-lecture? Perhaps.'

- 'First I will quote from "Gorky"', - Gorky smiled. - 'Let's begin...

"Shortly before the bloody events of 9 January 905, Morozov went to Witte with the delegation of industrialists, tried to convince the minister of the need for some reforms. And then Morozov told me:

- This rascal, probably, starts some crafty game. He behaves as the provoker. Talking to him was, of course, useless and even stupid. Cunning cattle.

(...)

Have decided to go to Witte...

Witte was not at home. Hour one and a half we were sitting in the library, waiting for him. finally he came and kindly invited us into his office-room.

(...)

He has started talking tone of a regret, shrugging shoulders, raising liquid eyebrows, smiling to the sliding smile, - this made him even more unpleasant. The voice sounded nasally, words were poured plentifully and easily. To me was heard in them something boastful and as though he complained. But I couldn't catch sense of words, and almost nothing was left by them in my memory. I remember only that when he has impressively told: "The opinion of ruling spheres irreconcilably disperses from yours opinion, misters..." - I have felt in this phrase something impudent, ironical...

Then he have suggested us to pass into library for a while, until he talks over with the prince Svyatopolk. We left, I heard him talking on the phone, but I still have the strange impression that he called his doorman and talked with him.

I do not know what was the reply of Svyatopolk - or the doorman - I didn't enter an office on Witte's invitation and didn't ask about it members of deputation. I in general felt not on the my place in this deputation. Besides I very much was interested in Kuzin - I saw that he was fascinated by the collection of awards in a show-window; bending over her, almost touching of her glass's surface by the button of his nose, he was looking at the awards. From his mouth thread of saliva lengthened and dripped on glass. When I alarmed him, he straightened his back and smiling to a buttered, drunk grin, said with a sigh:

- How many... have accumulated, the devil...

He sniffed with a wet his nose and wiped his face firmly with the sleeve of his jacket. All this was indescribably disgusting. I couldn't go back in the office with Kuzin".'

- 'Now, dear friends', - continued Gorky, - 'When sometimes an Talleyrand's opinion is expressed about " acceleration" of the historical process, I can look in a different way at both January 9, 1905, and the subsequent chain of events.

Russian-Japanese war (1904-1905), was far from the European Russia. Unsuccessful for Russia. On January 2, 1905, Port Arthur capitulated.

Association of almost all public forces around the idea of the need of the constitution.

On September 19, 1905 the general strike has begun.

With the participation of Sergei Witte, the Russian Emperor was given an alternative: either political reforms or dictatorship.

October 17, 1905, the Imperial Manifesto was issued. Manifesto granted Russia "the unshakable foundation of civil freedom".

On December 7, 1905 the Moscow uprising of 1905 has begun, which continued 12 days. It was armed action.'

Gorky has taken a sip of water from a cup, lighted a cigarette. .

The poetess impulsive said:

- 'At suppression of a December Moscow armed revolt very emotional scenes were taking place!'

- 'Yes!' - confirmed Gorky. - 'During this period, almost everyone understood that the Constitution, that political reforms are necessary.

On the one hand, so-called revolutionaries considered themselves absolutely rights.

On the other hand, those who shot at them (government officials) also recognized the need of reforms.

But the military men, which were shooting, felt the influence of the oath, the sense of duty, the very fact of the adoption of the Manifesto on October 17, 1905.

When were followed the events of June 3, 1907, something in the souls of these people crashed.

Time will pass, and in the diary of the Emperor there will be a record dated March 2, 1917: "Treason and cowardice and deceit are around!"'

Gorky paused.

- "But let's go back to Witte. After the adoption of the Manifesto on October 17, 1905 and the suppression of the December Moscow armed uprising, the State Duma was elected.