Fall of Giants

But the next speech was also bitterly hostile to the Bolsheviks and their coup, and it was followed by more in the same vein. Lev Khinchuk, a Menshevik, called for negotiations with the provisional government, and the eruption of indignation among the delegates was so violent that Khinchuk could not continue for some minutes. Finally, shouting over the noise, he said: “We leave the present congress!” Then he walked out of the hall.

Grigori saw that their tactic would be to say that the congress had no authority once they had withdrawn. “Deserters!” someone shouted, and the cry was taken up around the hall.

Grigori was appalled. They had waited so long for this congress. The delegates represented the will of the Russian people. But it was falling apart.

He looked at Lenin. To Grigori’s astonishment, Lenin’s eyes glittered with delight. “This is wonderful,” he said. “We’re saved! I never imagined they would make such a mistake.”

Grigori had no idea what he was talking about. Had Lenin become irrational?

The next speaker was Mikhail Gendelman, a leading Socialist Revolutionary. He said: “Taking cognizance of the seizure of power by the Bolsheviks, holding them responsible for this insane and criminal action, and finding it impossible to collaborate with them, the Socialist Revolutionary faction is leaving the congress!” And he walked out, followed by all the Socialist Revolutionaries. They were jeered, booed, and whistled at by the remaining delegates.

Grigori was mortified. How could his triumph have degenerated, so quickly, into this kind of rowdyism?

But Lenin looked even more pleased.

A series of soldier-delegates spoke in favor of the Bolshevik coup, and Grigori began to brighten, but he still did not understand Lenin’s jubilation. Ilich was now scribbling something on a notepad. As speech followed speech he corrected and rewrote. Finally he handed two sheets of paper to Grigori. “This must be presented to the congress for immediate adoption,” he said.

It was a long statement, full of the usual rhetoric, but Grigori homed in on the key sentence: “The congress hereby resolves to take governmental power into its own hands.”

That was what Grigori wanted.

“For Trotsky to read out?” said Grigori.

“No, not Trotsky.” Lenin scanned the men-and one woman-on the platform. “Lunacharsky,” he said.

Grigori guessed Lenin felt Trotsky had already gained enough glory.

Grigori took the proclamation to Lunarcharsky, who made a signal to the chairman. A few minutes later Kamenev called on Lunarcharsky, who stood up and read out Lenin’s words.

Every sentence was greeted with a roar of approval.

The chairman called for a vote.

And now, at last, Grigori began to see why Lenin was happy. With the Mensheviks and the Socialist Revolutionaries out of the room, the Bolsheviks had an overwhelming majority. They could do anything they liked. There was no need for compromise.

A vote was taken. Only two delegates were against.

The Bolsheviks had the power, and now they had the legitimacy.

The chairman closed the session. It was five A.M. on Thursday, November 8. The Russian Revolution was victorious. And the Bolsheviks were in charge.

Grigori left the room behind Josef Stalin, the Georgian revolutionary, and another man. Stalin’s companion wore a leather coat and a cartridge belt, as did many of the Bolsheviks, but something about him rang an alarm bell in Grigori’s memory. When the man turned to say something to Stalin, Grigori recognized him, and a tremor of shock and horror ran through him.

It was Mikhail Pinsky.

He had joined the revolution.

{VI}

Grigori was exhausted. He had not slept for two nights. There had been so much to do that he had hardly noticed the passage of days. The armored car was the most uncomfortable vehicle he had ever traveled in, but all the same he fell asleep as it drove him home. When Isaak woke him he saw that they were outside the house. He wondered how much Katerina knew of what had happened. He hoped she had not heard too much, for that would give him the pleasure of telling her about the triumph of the revolution.

He went into the house and stumbled up the stairs. There was a light under the door. “It’s me,” he said, and went into the room.

Katerina was sitting up in bed with a tiny baby in her arms.

Grigori was suffused with delight. “The baby came!” he said. “He’s beautiful.”

“It’s a girl.”

“A girl!”

“You promised you would be here,” Katerina said accusingly.

“I didn’t know!” He looked at the baby. “She has dark hair, like me. What shall we call her?”

“I sent you a message.”

Grigori recalled the guard who had told him someone was looking for him. Something about a midwife, the man had said. “Oh, my God,” Grigori said. “I was so busy… ”

“Magda was attending to another birth,” Katerina said. “I had to have Kseniya.”

Grigori was concerned. “Did you suffer?”

“Of course I suffered,” Katerina snapped.