The Commissariat of Enlightenment by Ken Kalfus

Author:Ken Kalfus
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins

The afternoon assumed a wasted, garish cast as Astapov and Nikitin left the courtyard. It was still empty of people and their horses reported no interference. The sniper probably remained in the bell tower.

“What do you think, Nikitin? Is it the icon that performs the miracle or is it the saint the icon represents?”

Nikitin said, “Comrade commissar, there must be hundreds of people hiding in the basement. Did you hear them? Like rats copulating.”

They were leaving as they had come, with little haste, in order to demonstrate their disregard. The countryside remained unnaturally still. Astapov was hardly more relieved as the Red positions drew near. It was a poorly disciplined bunch of men who could have just as well been fighting for the Whites, who would have outfitted them with no worse costumes. The Reds’ uniforms were torn and badly patched and the men were unkempt and their beards left uncut. The men had been drinking. Nikitin, whose own uniform was kept neat, pulled even with Astapov.

“Are you religious, Nikitin?”

“I come from a mining town, comrade. We’re raised to dig. We don’t have time for women’s tales.”

“Are you ever moved by religious art? Some of it is quite beautiful, you know. At each stage in an icon’s composition, its artists must stop and pray for guidance. Their purpose is to save man from his fallen corporal state by suffusing the world with divine beauty.”

Their horses walked several paces before Nikitin replied: “I suppose.”

Astapov smiled at the wariness in his companion’s reply. There was good reason for it. Commissars were always coming out from Moscow to grill simple soldiers on matters of doctrine.

He said, “You’re not Party, are you?”

“I would be pleased for you to sponsor me, comrade. After I’ve proven myself, of course.”

Astapov made a breathy, noncommittal noise. In fact, the latest Central Committee directive had called for the urgent, rapid Bolshevisation of the regular army. With his working-class background, Nikitin would make a good candidate. They crossed the bridge and ascended the hill, where Shishko awaited them, his field glasses at his face.

Nikitin made his report at once, describing in great detail the layout of the monastery and the probable placement of the stairs to the lower chambers; he suspected that, given the age of the monastery, at least two subterranean levels lay beneath the church. He estimated the height of the walls and listed every likely ambush on the approach. He recommended that any assault be preceded by artillery, particularly against the south wall and the bell tower.

Astapov interrupted Nikitin. “No,” he said. “The monastery will be taken, but with as little destruction as possible.”

“Fuck the monastery,” Shishko said. He was unimpressed by his deputy’s powers of observation. All this information obligated him to make strategy, chancing a mistake.

“Move the snipers with directed fire,” Astapov said, aware that he was crossing the lines of his authority. It was a conscientious transgression. The army didn’t understand anything except the seizure of territory and, most lately, losing it. But Ilich

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.