In the cellars of these buildings were situated the biggest state stores of spirits. At the other end of the estate were pen-houses, stores and a small house in which the janitor and his family lived. The stores supplied, with alcohol, state shops all over the area. My father was the manager of the Stores.
My mother got this government estate as a sinecure from the General, Bezobrazov[1] who was in intimate relations with a ballerina[2] of the big theatre in Moscow. As result of these relations two daughters[3] were born – Barbara and Lydia. Barbara became my mother.
A part of he glazed veranda, which had plenty of sun and light was turned into a dining and sitting room. Here from time to time gathered friends, controllers, excise officials and others. It was always joyful here!
The guests enjoyed the traditional feeding of the geese, which the housekeeper let approach the balcony. He used to bring for them specially prepared bites. The guests have thrown form the balcony dainty bites and watched with excitement how the geese, outrunning each other, and frequently fighting, seized the dainties.
The other of my early recollections is the arrival of my father’s friend – the Lieutenant [Pyatidesyatnik (пятидеся́тник)] Frolov[4], who was on furlough. Once he, my mother and I were walking along the Kizlyar Boulevard[5], Frolov in all the splendour of his military uniform and my mother, wearing a white brimmed hat decorated with striking the eyes pins in it, brilliant earrings, umber beads around the neck, the dress with the multitude folds and Paris shoes on very high heels…
I followed them with the high-lifted head. I was dressed in the Circassian National Coat which was specially designed for me. The local Azerbaijani, who were sitting on the boulevard benches with their long daggers placed on their knees, were looking at us with curiosity…And another detail rooted in my memory: once Lieutenant Frolov and I were sitting together and talking about the wars, I was interested in his sword and asked to unsheathe it. I tried its sharpness and what a horror! I cut one of my fingers. A stream of blood started to run over my palm…
My mother rushed to the next room and brought some iodine and a bandage and applied the iodine over the cut. I started to cry as a beast wounded by a shot…
And what the bright, what the joyous were the walks along the shore of the Terek River in the quiet moon-lit evenings! Not seldom visiting friends and my parents, embracing one another, moved along the river intoxicated with happiness of the life and the night quietness was sounding the song: “Fragrant clusters of white acacia.”The storm of revolution burst out over the country. All traditions and established routine of society started to crumble away…
It was a sunny day. My parents were engrossed in a particular discussion. Fedor brought the newspaper. My father unfolded it. His face grew dull. For some minutes his eyes were closed.
- “What’s happened?” asked my mother disturbingly.
- “We were robbed. Up to the last penny[6] robbed” pronounced my father with a grief in his voice.
- “Who has robbed us?”
- “Comrades! They put their bloody hands on all what was in the banks and on our savings too.” The colour drained from my mother’s face. “There is no more provisional government. All the ministers were arrested!” Talked my father with indignation. “The civil war started and that is shocking! The comrades are not far away from us, and that means that we have to disappear from here as soon as possible to the area occupied by the White Army!
The next day was spent in restless talks. In my mother’s eyes frequently appeared tears. Next morning the parents got up very early and after the short breakfast started to discuss the situation. Soon Fedor and his wife Maria appeared and started to help the parents to pack in. All the evening was spent in a great bustle and packing small but precious objects. The parents unstitched folds in their dress and sewed into rings, brushes, golden coins etc.
Unusual bustle of the day made me tired and I fell asleep deeply. In the morning my mother tried to wake me up but I didn’t want to move. Deep in my child’s soul I felt something dull and bitter in our way.
Early in the morning Fedor reported that the two carts each harnessed with two horses appeared and our belongings were loaded on, and the carts moved towards the railway station. We were unloaded on the platform.
It was already dark when a goods train appeared occupied by a military unit of the White Army. Father hurried up to the chief of the echelon and after a short conversation we and our belongings appeared in an empty carriage on the train.- “Leave us in Groznyy;” advised the chief, “I don’t think the Reds will appear there soon.”
__________
[1] BEZOBRAZOV, Nikolai Mikhaylovich [БЕЗОБРАЗОВ Николай Михайлович] (1848-1912, Monte Carlo), ballet critic. General, real state councilor. One of influential St Petersburg ballet lovers; its opinion about the artists was meant for the board imp. theaters. He was the zealous supporter of the traditions of classical ballet, was at the same time supported innovating M. M. Fokin, collaborated with the company the Russian ballet Of dyagileva. In 1890 - 1900- it regularly criticized the ballet plays Of mariinskogo temp. into the press. Articles in essence of descriptive nature, of well-aimed comparisons and observations, rich source for studying the creation of. G. Legate, M. F. Kshesinskoy, O. I. Preobrazhenskiy, A. Roslavlevoy, V. Geltser, A. Mountain, M. M. Fokin, P. Pavlovoy, and T. P. Karsavinoy. Source: http://culture.niv.ru/doc/ballet/encyclopedia/006.htm
[2] Possibly, Olga Iosifovna Preobrazhenskiy [Ольга Иосифовна Преображенская] (1871-1962) whom Bezobrazov sponsored… “In the first years of new century the General took under the patronage ballerina Preobrazhenskiy - chief competitor of Matilde Kseshinskoy.” Source: http://www.minute.zhg.ru/state.php?id=1040
[3] A sideline daughter (побочная дочь)
[4] Possibly a member of the 3rd Caucasian Cossack Division. [3-ya Kavkazskaya Kazach'ya Diviziya.] 3rd Caucasus Army Corps. 2nd Brigade (Headquarters, Groznyi): 1st General Yermolov's Kizlyar-Grebensk Regiment of the Terek Cossack Host, Daghestan Horse Regiment, based in Groznyi. [1-i Kizlyaro-Grebenskii Generala Yermolova polk.]
[5] The name of the town was never mentioned. Conjecture places us in the city of Kizlyar, Dagestan which was a centre for alcohol manufacture and site for the State Alcohol Stores.
[6] It is thought that they had the equivalent of 100,000 Gold Roubles deposited in the Central Moscow Bank. By today’s equivalent, this would amount to around US$1,000,000. [1 Rouble = 100 Kopeks. The value of 10 Kopeks, in 1904, is equivalent to the value of US$1.00 in 2000. Source: http://www.alexanderpalace.org/palace/travelinfo.html]
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