The Margin of Evil! by Simon Boxall Read Free Book Online Page B

'Georgii… two Revolutions have not tempered your legendary sense of humour!'
    ' A third one might,' Georgii quipped. They both laughed.
    ' How is that little favour that I asked of you, Georgii, coming on? Gerhardt discreetly asked.
    ' Good, good,' he replied, lying through his teeth.
    ' Remember, our next meeting is Thursday next week!'  Gerhardt disappeared into the throng.
    Georgii took the opportunity to look at the people present. He recognised some of the people there, but in truth he felt like a fish out of water. There was one group that caught his eye. They just stood there and took everything in. The group seemed to be watching everyone. They didn't seem to socialise with any of the other guests.  Georgii looked long and hard at this group. At the front was a short man wearing an army coat and a cap.  He had an Armenian moustache and a pock marked face. He reminded Georgii of a Turkish shepherd. Behind him was a taller man who reminded him of a bank manager. This group fascinated him, because they did not seem to join in with the collective 'Meeting and Greeting' that was going on. Georgii Radetzky came to the conclusion that they must be a visiting delegation of some sort or other.
    As he stood there he noticed someone walki ng towards him.  It was Trofimov.  He was slightly taken aback at the prospect of making idle conversation with this woman. Though, if he had to, he'd give it his best shot.
    ' Radetzky who invited you here?'  She said in a condescending tone.
    ' I did,’ came the reply from behind.
    Aug uste Gerhardt stepped into view. 'Do you have a problem with that,' he said.
    ' No ...' she snorted.
    Saved by the bell, Georgii thought to himself. Whilst he was thinking, she turned around and strode off.
    ' I cannot stand that woman!'  Georgii said.
    ' Neither can anyone else; but she has the eyes and ears of Comrades Lenin and Trotsky.'  He paused and then carried on, 'She is a dangerous woman to cross. She is bad news, Georgii. A lot of people have lived to regret the day they ever got involved with Anya Trofimov. You of all people should know that. Remember, when she was an enemy of the state and we turned Moscow and St Petersburg upside-down looking for her? The irony is now we end up working for these bastards. They need us Georgii! They like to think that they can do it on their own, but they can't. That sticks in their craw.'  Gerhardt looked at Georgii long and hard.
    'Auguste, who's th at group of people over there?' Georgii said.
    ' Why that's Joseph Stalin. He's The Commissar, responsible for 'The Nationalities'. Very efficient at what he does. Lenin thinks him able; he's used him as a trouble-shooter on several occasions. Have to say that he's a bit of a loner. Some party people say that he's a rude arrogant man. Frequently uses crude language; ha, ha. This upsets the wives of the intellectuals!!'
    Right at that moment there was a commotion over the far side of the hall. They both looked around. Georgii could make out a man clutching a sheaf of papers walking very determinedly towards the rostrum. He recognised him instantly as none other than the one and only Vladimir Illyvich Lenin. There was the sound of rapturous applause. Then the room slowly filled with silence.
    ' Comrades today is the best of days. Today is the day, when we start to think of the challenges that await us in 'The Future.’ Comrades, let me put it like this - are you aware that ordinary people cannot read or write in this country?'
    Georgii stood there and listened. Lenin railed at 'The Whites', the British and the Americans. They were interfering; they wanted the restoration of the 'Old Order.' All they thought about was exploitation and subjugation. None of them wanted to improve the lives and living conditions of ordinary people. Lenin waved his papers wildly up in the air from time to time. Often the applause was deafening. Lenin would pick up again and again where he'd left off; telling them all that he was