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And now that he had been hurriedly moved to Ostrog the people knew that his order to the Cossacks was to massacre the people, and more especially the Jewish portion of the population, without mercy. Where was Bindo? I wondered. "Krasiloff is here!" said a man whose face was smeared with blood, as he stood by me. "He intends that we shall all die, but we will fight for it.
The men, astounded at my announcement, read what they took to be some all-powerful ukase beneath the lamp-light, and took counsel among themselves. "And who, pray, is this Jewess?" inquired one. "My affianced wife," was my quick reply. "And I command you at once to take us under safe escort to General Krasiloff quickly, without delay.
Suffice it to say that the bodies of Luba Lazareff and General Stephen Krasiloff were unrecognisable, save for the shreds of clothing that still remained. Luba had used her bomb in revenge for Gustave's death, and she had freed Russia of the heartless tyrant who had condemned her to die.
Again, in an authoritative tone, I demanded to be taken to Krasiloff; and presently, after being marched as prisoners across the town, past scenes so horrible that they are still vividly before my eyes, we were taken into the chief police-office, where the hated official, a fat, red-faced man in a general's uniform the man without pity or remorse, the murderer of women and children was sitting at a table.
The yellow-haired girl returned again, and brought another, which, after some ten minutes or so, was similarly hurled against the troops, with equally disastrous effect. The roadway was strewn with the bodies of those Cossacks which General Kinski, the governor of the town, had telegraphed for, and whom Krasiloff had ordered to give no quarter to the revolutionists.
Women threw up their hands in despair and fled for their lives while men calmly prepared to die in the Cause shouted again and again, "Down with Krasiloff and the Czar! Long live the Revolution! Victory for the People's Will!" I stood undecided. I was facing death. Those Cossacks with orders to massacre would give no quarter, and would not discriminate.
In Western Russia the name of Krasiloff was synonymous with all that was cruel and brutal. It was he who ordered the flogging of the five young women at Minsk, those poor unfortunate creatures who were knouted by Cossacks, who laid their backs bare to the bone.
"Tell me," I said, addressing the wrinkle-faced old Pole, "what is happening over yonder?" "The Cossacks," he stammered. "Krasiloff and his Cossacks are upon us! They have just entered the town, and are shooting down people everywhere. The fight for freedom has commenced, Excellency. But it is horrible.
Krasiloff was waiting for his dastardly order to be carried out. The Czar had given him instructions to crush the Revolution by whatever means he thought proper. Those moments of suspense seemed hours. Suddenly there was another flash, a stunning report, the air was filled with débris, and a great breach opened in the barricade. The Cossacks had used explosives to clear away the obstruction.
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