According to Mr. Fisher’s instructions, I called on Mr. M--at his office
at 10.30 and introduced myself.
He took me in a taxi to Bond Street to the office of Messrs. Kameneff
and Krassin. We waited for about twenty minutes in an anti-chamber, and
I had a certain melodramatic feeling. Here was I, at all events, in the
outer den of these wild beasts who have been represented as ready to
spring upon us and devour us! This movement that has caused
consternation to the world, and these people so utterly removed from my
environment, these myths of what seemed almost a great legend, I was now
quite close to. Meanwhile the clerks in the office occupied my
attention, they interested me as types, and I wondered about them, about
exactly _what_ in their lives had made them into Bolsheviks, and what
sort of mentality it was, and whether the scheme which they upheld was a
workable concern.
At the same time Mr. M--put me straight on a few points, and all the
inaccuracies about Bolshevism that people like myself have gleaned, so
that I was fairly prepared and protected against appearing too ignorant
and foolish.
At last the word came and we were ushered into the office of Mr.
Kameneff who received me amiably and smilingly. We started off almost
immediately, in French, and discussed the subject of his being willing
to sit to me. I then asked him if a Soviet Government had obliterated
Art in Russia. He looked at me for a moment in astonishment, and then
said: “_Mais non!_ Artists are the most privileged class.”
I asked if they were able to earn a living wage? He replied that they
were paid higher than the Government Ministers. He gave me fully to
understand that Russia is most appreciative of Art and Talent, and is
anxious to surround itself with culture.
He decided that the bust had better be started soon, as one never knew
what might happen from one moment to the next, “what caprice of Monsieur
Lloyd George” might elect to send him out of the country at a moment’s
notice, so we decided on the following Tuesday at 10 a.m. Mr. Kameneff
then took us downstairs to Krassin’s office. Mr. Krassin seemed very
busy and pre-occupied, had someone in the room, and
[Illustration: “VICTORY 1918.”
_p. 13._]
didn’t quite know what I had come about, but he agreed to sit to me on
the following Wednesday at 10 a.m.