tormented to death by the Bolshevics, was unfortunately not a man of 
inflexible will and unshaken perseverance; and at the time there was no 
solitary important personage about the throne, and the fale of Russia was 
sealed. But, I emphasize again, the concurrence of concrete — and in this 
sense contingent — circumstances led to it: If the war were to break 
out, not during the fourth calling together of the Duma, but during the 
seventh or eighth, society and the Duma itself would already have been 
different, and the history of Russia would have progressed by less tragic 
ways. If everything had happened as it did happen and the throne had 
been occupied by a man more capable of grappling with these circumstances, 
not even of Peter I's stamp, but at least of Alexander IIT’s calibre, then 
everything would have progressed differently. If, during the same war, 
and under the same wielder of the supreme power, a man would appear on 
the pinnacle of power, of the calibre and cut — let us say — of a Stolipin, 
then the collapse could still have been averted. Nothing of this kind 
happened and therefore the upheaval and its consequences became unavoid- 
able. Just because the revolution was absolutely unnecessary, the destruc- 
tions caused by it are so monstrous; and for this reason is Russia now a 
desolate ruin on which the savage fanatics are dancing their cannibalistic 
dance. Whenever a revolution comes as a result of national life in its 
historical development, then this need exercises a directing action even in 
case of wild rioting, and finds the good among the bad. Here, however, 
with the collapse of all the powers and the disintegration of the front, the 
negative was fulfilled, the positive could only show men with animal 
appetites and bestial ideals: fire the farm, destroy the cattle kept for 
breeding purposes, drive the manufacturer and the landholder out of their 
properties, everybody rob and plunder everything! That is Bolshevism, when 
in search of power. When it took possession of the power ... Let the 
more fortunate nations of Europe now looking on Russia with the 
questioning glance — how then can you endure it! — not judge, not 
having passed through a similar trial. Judge not, lest you be judged. 
It seemed to me an absolute necessity to preface these few remarks 
to the pages of a book in which Russia's “via dolorosa” is described. He 
who pictures to himself the roads which brought Russia to her present 
condition, if tinged with political or racial prejudices, will understand very 
little of the present book, — for him will the book of fate even remain 
sealed. For the fate of Russia, is the fate of Europe, the fate of our 
whole civilisation. That will soon be clear to everyone who has eves to see. 
pe