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B. Text 4. «Ten Days that Shook the Worlds by John Reed 
 
Translate the text into Russian with the use ol the commentaries. 
Thursday, November 8 th. Day broke on a city in the wildest excitement and confusion, 
a whole nation heaving up In long hissing swells of storm. Superficially all was quiet, 
hundreds of people retired at a prudent hour, got up early, and went to work. In Petrograd the 
street- cars were running; the stores and restaurants open, theatres going, an exhibition of 
paintings advertised. AH the complex routine of common life —humdrum even in war-time 
— proceeded as usual. Nothing is ^o astounding as the vitality of the social organism— how it 
persists, feeding itself, clothing itself, amusing itself, in the face of the world calamities . . . 
The air was full of rumours about Kerensky, who was said to have raised the Front, 
and to be leading a great army against the capital . . . 
With brakes released, the Military Revol tionary Committee whirled, throwing off 
orders, appeals, decrees, like sparks . . . Kornilov was ordered to be brought iuto Petrograd. 
Members of the Peasant Land Committees imprisoned by the Provisional Government were 
declared free. Capital punishment in the army was abolished. Government employees were 
ordered to continue their work, threatened with severe penalties if they refused. All pillage, 
disorder, and speculation were forbidden under pain of death. 
On the other side, what a storm of proclamations posted up, handbills scattered 
everywhere, newspapers — screaming and cursing and prophesying evil. Now raged the battle of 
the printing press—all other weapons being in the hands of the Soviets. 
News came .. . Kaledin was marching north. The Soviet of Moscow had set up a Military 
Revolutionary Committee, and was negotiating with the commandant of the city for possession 
of the arsenal, so that the workers might be armed. 
Stnolny was tenser t!ian ever, ii that were possible. The same running men in the dark 
corridors squads of workers with rifles, leaders with bulging portfolios arguing explaining, 
giving orders as they hurried anxiously along, surrounded by friends and lieutenants. Men 
literally out of themselves, living prodigies of sleeplessness and work—men unshaven, filthy, 
with burning eyes, who drove upon their fixed purpose full speed on engines of exaltation. So 
much they had to do, so muchl . .. 
The Congress was to meet at one o'clock, and long since the great meeting-ball had 
filled, but by seven there was yet no sign of the presidium . . . The Bolshevik and Left Social 
Revolutionary factions were in session in llieir own rooms . . .