us in Russian revolutionary history. Never had it failed its
masters. A noncommissioned officer of this crack regiment,
Kirpitchnikov, immediately made the round of the soldiers and the
other noncommissioned officers. They organized a committee which
approached the officers. The latter, with the single exception of the
colonel, stood with the committee. When the order came to fire on the
people, they shot the colonel, formed, shouldered their pieces, and
marched out on the streets as the first organized body of soldiers to
fight for the awakening Russian democracy.

Persuading several other guard regiments to join them, they attacked
Protopopoff's police squads. This event occurred at 5 o'clock in the
afternoon of the 11th, and marked the beginning of the actual
revolution. The fighting begun by the mutinied soldiers now became
general. One by one other regiments were called out, but with very few
exceptions all refused to fire on the people and joined the
revolutionists. Then the Cossacks came over in a body. As twilight
approached the firing in the streets became general and continuous.

Meanwhile Michael Rodzianko, president of the Duma, made one more
effort to avert the great crisis. The czar, having been assured by
Protopopoff several days previous that all danger was over and the
situation well in hand, had gone to army headquarters at the front. To
him Rodzianko sent a telegram worded as follows:

"The situation is extremely serious. Anarchy threatens in the capital,
transportation of provisions is completely disorganized, and fighting
has begun in the streets. It is of vital importance that a new cabinet
be formed by some person enjoying the confidence of the people. Each
moment of delay adds to the disaster. May the responsibility for a
great national calamity not fall upon your head."

To this telegram the czar made no answer.

CHAPTER LXXX

THE CULMINATION

Meanwhile the deputies sat in session, helpless, regarding the
situation with growing alarm. After all, the majority were naturally
conservatives and feared revolution. As a matter of fact, they allowed
themselves to lose grip of the situation.

As has already been said, the uprising was not a blind force giving
vent to elemental feeling, but a thoroughly organized revolutionary
movement. The old revolutionary forces had awakened in time to take
control of the developing situation. It was the leaders of the Social
Democrats, the Social Re