The Czar took courage.
Two days after the Kieff riot he promulgated a manifesto, framed by Pobiedonostzeff, and proclaiming the continuance of unqualified iron-handed absolutism. The “constitution” went into the archives. Loris-Melikoff’s public career had come to a close. General Ignatyeff, a corrupt time-server, was appointed Minister of the Interior and a policy of restriction and repression was adopted that brought back the days of Nicholas I.
Ignatyeff encouraged the “spirit of the moment” with all the means at his command. One of the very first things he did was to order the expulsion of thousands of Jews from Kieff. At the trial of some of the rioters the state attorney unceremoniously acted as advocate for the defendants.
The effect of all this upon the public mind was a foregone conclusion. The general inference was that anti-Jewish riots met with the government’s approval. The outrages passed from Kieff to neighbouring cities; from there to Odessa; from Odessa to other sections of the south. They were spreading throughout the region in which Miroslav is located with the continuity of a regular crusade and with a uniformity of detail that was eloquent of a common guiding force.
It was a new phase of White Terrorism.
To Pavel the crusade against Clara’s race was a source of mixed encouragement and anxiety.
“Hurrah, old fellow,” he said to Godfather one morning. “It does look as though the Russian people could kick, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, if they can attack Jewish usurers, I don’t see why they could not turn upon the government some day.”
“And, while they are at it, upon the land-plundering nobility, upon fellows like you and me, eh?” He poked Urie in the ribs gleefully.