CHAPTER XXX

　　About twelve miles from Zain we saw from a ridge¹ a snakelike lineof riders crossing the valley, which detachment we met half an hourlater on the shore of a deep, swampy² stream. The group consistedof Mongols, Buriats and Tibetans armed with Russian rifles. At thehead of the column were two men, one of whom in a huge blackAstrakhan and black felt cape³ with red Caucasian cowl on hisshoulders blocked my road and, in a coarse, harsh voice, demandedof me: "Who are you, where are you from and where are you going?"I gave also a laconic⁴ answer. They then said that they were adetachment of troops from Baron⁵ Ungern under the command of CaptainVandaloff. "I am Captain Bezrodnoff, military judge."Suddenly he laughed loudly. His insolent⁶, stupid face did notplease me and, bowing to the officers, I ordered my riders to move.

"Oh no!" he remonstrated⁷, as he blocked the road again. "I cannotallow you to go farther. I want to have a long and seriousconversation with you and you will have to come back to Zain forit."I protested and called attention to the letter of ColonelKazagrandi, only to hear Bezrodnoff answer with coldness:

"This letter is a matter of Colonel Kazagrandi's and to bring youback to Zain and talk with you is my affair. Now give me yourweapon."But I could not yield to this demand, even though death werethreatened.

"Listen," I said. "Tell me frankly⁸. Is yours really a detachmentfighting against the Boisheviki or is it a Red contingent⁹?""No, I assure you!" replied the Buriat officer Vandaloff,approaching me. "We have already been fighting the Bolsheviki forthree years.""Then I cannot hand you my weapon," I calmly replied. "I broughtit from Soviet¹⁰ Siberia, have had many fights with this faithfulweapon and now I am to be disarmed¹¹ by White officers! It is anoffence that I cannot allow."With these words I threw my rifle and my Mauser into the stream.

The officers were confused. Bezrodnoff turned red with anger.

"I freed you and myself from humiliation," I explained.

Bezrodnoff in silence turned his horse, the whole detachment ofthree hundred men passed immediately before me and only the lasttwo riders stopped, ordered my Mongols to turn my cart round andthen fell in behind my little group. So I was arrested! One ofthe horsemen behind me was a Russian and he told me that Bezrodnoffcarried with him many death decrees. I was sure that mine wasamong them.

Stupid, very stupid! What was the use of fighting one's waythrough Red detachments, of being frozen and hungry, of almostperishing in Tibet only to die from a bullet of one of Bezrodnoff'sMongols? For such a pleasure it was not worth while to travel solong and so far! In every Siberian "Cheka" I could have had thisend so joyfully¹² accorded me.

When we arrived at Zain Shabi, my luggage was examined andBezrodnoff began to question me in minutest detail about the eventsin Uliassutai. We talked about three hours, during which I triedto defend all the officers of Uliassutai, maintaining that one mustnot trust only the reports of Domojiroff. When our conversationwas finished, the Captain stood up and offered his apologies fordetaining me in my journey. Afterwards he presented me a fineMauser with silver mountings on the handle and said:

"Your pride greatly pleased me. I beg you to receive this weaponas a memento¹³ of me."The following morning I set out anew from Zain Shabi, having in mypocket the laissez-passer of Bezrodnoff for his outposts.

1 ridge   

n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭

参考例句：

• We clambered up the hillside to the ridge above.我们沿着山坡费力地爬上了山脊。
• The infantry were advancing to attack the ridge.步兵部队正在向前挺进攻打山脊。

2 swampy   

adj.沼泽的，湿地的

参考例句：

• Malaria is still rampant in some swampy regions.疟疾在一些沼泽地区仍很猖獗。
• An ox as grazing in a swampy meadow.一头牛在一块泥泞的草地上吃草。

3 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

4 laconic   

adj.简洁的；精练的

参考例句：

• He sent me a laconic private message.他给我一封简要的私人函件。
• This response was typical of the writer's laconic wit.这个回答反映了这位作家精练简明的特点。

5 baron   

n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王

参考例句：

• Henry Ford was an automobile baron.亨利·福特是一位汽车业巨头。
• The baron lived in a strong castle.男爵住在一座坚固的城堡中。

6 insolent   

adj.傲慢的，无理的

参考例句：

• His insolent manner really got my blood up.他那傲慢的态度把我的肺都气炸了。
• It was insolent of them to demand special treatment.他们要求给予特殊待遇，脸皮真厚。

7 remonstrated   

v.抗议( remonstrate的过去式和过去分词 )；告诫

参考例句：

• They remonstrated with the official about the decision. 他们就这一决定向这位官员提出了抗议。
• We remonstrated against the ill-treatment of prisoners of war. 我们对虐待战俘之事提出抗议。 来自辞典例句

8 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

9 contingent   

adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队

参考例句：

• The contingent marched in the direction of the Western Hills.队伍朝西山的方向前进。
• Whether or not we arrive on time is contingent on the weather.我们是否按时到达要视天气情况而定。

10 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

11 disarmed   

v.裁军( disarm的过去式和过去分词 )；使息怒

参考例句：

• Most of the rebels were captured and disarmed. 大部分叛乱分子被俘获并解除了武装。
• The swordsman disarmed his opponent and ran him through. 剑客缴了对手的械，并对其乱刺一气。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 joyfully   

adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地

参考例句：

• She tripped along joyfully as if treading on air. 她高兴地走着，脚底下轻飘飘的。
• During these first weeks she slaved joyfully. 在最初的几周里，她干得很高兴。

13 memento   

n.纪念品，令人回忆的东西

参考例句：

• The photos will be a permanent memento of your wedding.这些照片会成为你婚礼的永久纪念。
• My friend gave me his picture as a memento before going away.我的朋友在离别前给我一张照片留作纪念品。